Duck Posted December 27, 2023 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 28 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 406 Content Per Day: 0.31 Reputation: 241 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/28/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted December 27, 2023 21 hours ago, farouk said: Hi @Duck Good to use the 'sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God' (Ephesians 6.17). I read a chapter a day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sower Posted December 27, 2023 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 14 Topic Count: 32 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,269 Content Per Day: 0.97 Reputation: 5,891 Days Won: 1 Joined: 07/09/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted December 27, 2023 6 hours ago, Duck said: Jesus disciples were changed when they were born again, they didnt remain dysfunctional. I can agree with you Duck they eventually changed (repented) in their actions much, but even still, with the Jesus as their teacher/shepherd, they were still having problems, they displayed lack of comprehension (Mark 4:13), little faith (4:40), hard hearts (6:52), competitiveness (9:34), possessiveness (9:38), selfish ambition (10:37) and jealousy (10:41), and even Peter was rebuked by Jesus saying "Get the behind me satan."..... I've been saved many decades and am still growing in God's amazing grace. But as a child raised with an alcoholic father in a highly dysfunctional family, I learned many dysfunctional coping methods, and these methods are still ingrained/imprinted in my psyche. Yes, I am a new creature, saved, all things become new. But I still speak English, and get angry, and sin. I have taught my children, to warn them, that I can possibly unconsciously pass many dysfunctional tendencies on to them unaware. Many people do. Duck, my whole point in addressing you at the first post is don't let anything stop you from assembling together with other like minded believers if at all possible. The world, the flesh, or the devil. All those things are pulling you away from coming together with other believers, face to face, as a family, in Christ. We should not let the enemies of the faith overcome God's word in you to not forsake the assembling together as some do. Thanks Duck... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starise Posted December 27, 2023 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 13 Topic Count: 279 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 13,126 Content Per Day: 9.66 Reputation: 13,667 Days Won: 149 Joined: 08/26/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted December 27, 2023 9 minutes ago, Sower said: I can agree with you Duck they eventually changed (repented) in their actions much, but even still, with the Jesus as their teacher/shepherd, they were still having problems, they displayed lack of comprehension (Mark 4:13), little faith (4:40), hard hearts (6:52), competitiveness (9:34), possessiveness (9:38), selfish ambition (10:37) and jealousy (10:41), and even Peter was rebuked by Jesus saying "Get the behind me satan."..... I've been saved many decades and am still growing in God's amazing grace. But as a child raised with an alcoholic father in a highly dysfunctional family, I learned many dysfunctional coping methods, and these methods are still ingrained/imprinted in my psyche. Yes, I am a new creature, saved, all things become new. But I still speak English, and get angry, and sin. I have taught my children, to warn them, that I can possibly unconsciously pass many dysfunctional tendencies on to them unaware. Many people do. Duck, my whole point in addressing you at the first post is don't let anything stop you from assembling together with other like minded believers if at all possible. The world, the flesh, or the devil. All those things are pulling you away from coming together with other believers, face to face, as a family, in Christ. We should not let the enemies of the faith overcome God's word in you to not forsake the assembling together as some do. Thanks Duck... I agree. Would only add the small caveat that good churches are sometimes difficult to find. No such thing as a perfect one, especially if I join it. Many churches in the US have replaced the gospel with political correctness. 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sower Posted December 28, 2023 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 14 Topic Count: 32 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,269 Content Per Day: 0.97 Reputation: 5,891 Days Won: 1 Joined: 07/09/2009 Status: Offline Share Posted December 28, 2023 23 hours ago, Starise said: I agree. Would only add the small caveat that good churches are sometimes difficult to find. No such thing as a perfect one, especially if I join it. Many churches in the US have replaced the gospel with political correctness. Understood. But a 'good church' may not need your talents/gifts, and a hurting church would. Did it ever occur to you that the reason contributing to churches that are having problems may well be that so many are leaving because some wrong word spoke, scriptures not applied correctly, or too loud music etc, and those people who were a part of the whole will now cause the body to suffer loss. And it dominoes on down till the doors close. Perhaps if those like you who do understand the truth and joined that not so perfect church could help doing your part to help strengthen that body to truth. It is conceivable. Sounds scary, huh Starise..... In my 40+ yrs at our church God has never given me the green light to leave, though many times I was very influenced to do so. But God intervened and he didn't need me to fix it. I just had to "wait upon the Lord" and He took care of it..... Thanks Starise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farouk Posted January 9 Group: Royal Member Followers: 8 Topic Count: 26 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 6,633 Content Per Day: 12.17 Reputation: 3,385 Days Won: 31 Joined: 11/18/2022 Status: Offline Share Posted January 9 On 12/27/2023 at 7:51 AM, Duck said: I read a chapter a day. Hi @Duck Great to pursue regular prayer and Bible reading. This is what the early Christians did, see Acts 2.42. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis1209 Posted January 9 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 18 Topic Count: 350 Topics Per Day: 0.13 Content Count: 7,515 Content Per Day: 2.70 Reputation: 5,415 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/27/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted January 9 On 12/27/2023 at 1:27 PM, Starise said: I agree. Would only add the small caveat that good churches are sometimes difficult to find. No such thing as a perfect one, especially if I join it. Many churches in the US have replaced the gospel with political correctness. Not to mention homosexual and lesbian clergy, and blessing gay marriages. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farouk Posted April 8 Group: Royal Member Followers: 8 Topic Count: 26 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 6,633 Content Per Day: 12.17 Reputation: 3,385 Days Won: 31 Joined: 11/18/2022 Status: Offline Share Posted April 8 On 11/26/2023 at 1:47 PM, Mary8 said: There is some excellent advice here by others. Demons don't like to hear praise to the Lord, or about the Blood of Jesus. Remember the verse, Resist the devil and he will flee from you, and this applies to the demons too. They are going to the lake of fire. Satan will be bound with chains and put in a bottomless pit soon now, and after the millenium Satan will be put into the lake of fire too. I hope you will keep us updated. P.S. MarilynC is so right. Repent and also will to forgive the person that introduced you to this which has caused you so much suffering. Hi @Mary8 Prayer and the Scriptures are always the right remedy for spiritual health, right? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starise Posted April 9 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 13 Topic Count: 279 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 13,126 Content Per Day: 9.66 Reputation: 13,667 Days Won: 149 Joined: 08/26/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted April 9 On 12/28/2023 at 1:52 PM, Sower said: Understood. But a 'good church' may not need your talents/gifts, and a hurting church would. Did it ever occur to you that the reason contributing to churches that are having problems may well be that so many are leaving because some wrong word spoke, scriptures not applied correctly, or too loud music etc, and those people who were a part of the whole will now cause the body to suffer loss. And it dominoes on down till the doors close. Perhaps if those like you who do understand the truth and joined that not so perfect church could help doing your part to help strengthen that body to truth. It is conceivable. Sounds scary, huh Starise..... In my 40+ yrs at our church God has never given me the green light to leave, though many times I was very influenced to do so. But God intervened and he didn't need me to fix it. I just had to "wait upon the Lord" and He took care of it..... Thanks Starise Old thread that sorta derailed. The original poster ? Who knows? I am actually attending a church that at one time had 200 people, which for that area is pretty good. There were issues in leadership that higher leadership had to deal with resulting in the dismissal of a pastor.For a smaller church they had many other woes in addition to that. Several of the attendees were murdered by another person in the church who is now convicted and on death row. A man fell to his death on the church grounds because he was working on the roof in high winds. Like many churches some there went through some really tragic things, loss of son etc. Then COVID hit. It's a miracle the church survived this at all as many churches were closing the doors, but like a few dying embers a handful of people kept the lights on and at one point the crowd was so small they stopped meeting in the main sanctuary. God sent an interim pastor(s) in who felt led to go there from another state and those temporarily pastoring reliquished that position to them. This church is a branch from a larger church in my area. It was at this stage I felt led to go there. The church is in 'reboot' stage right now regrowing with a new team with me helping any way they need help. The last church I attended was predominately upper to mid upper class and huge in terms of both size and attendance, at least for my area. I am still in touch with those people and attend some of their groups. I think it's exciting to see what the Lord will do here. We are already seeing some positive things. I am honored to be a part of it. New leadership, new people coming in, a new start. Thank God the doors didn't close. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starise Posted April 9 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 13 Topic Count: 279 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 13,126 Content Per Day: 9.66 Reputation: 13,667 Days Won: 149 Joined: 08/26/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted April 9 Let's get back to "demons attacking me day and night". Western culture for the most part has relegated them to horror movies, and those representations are often not accurate. Demons being those spirits who lost their bodies in the flood go around the earth looking for hosts to inhabit and the bible tells us many of them can possess one person. What isn't always so obvious is they can be in a person but not be apparent, sometimes not even to the person. Yet another misleading hollywood depiction. Sure, they are apparent in some cases , but I suspect they are more likely to want to stay hidden in a person. I remember one case of a friend who was dating this girl and at one point he looked into her eyes and seen vertical slits for pupils. It only surfaced for a second 0r two. I have been privy to this one too in another person who I didn't know. They evaded me like the plague. I'm not saying this is always what happens when a person is possessed, because it isn't what always happens. People who get so mad they loose their faculties temporarily are ripe for it. There are seducing and lying spirits too who will possess. I admit to at one point in my life having that hanging over me because of sin which opened the door to them. This should be a part of what the NT church does when they encounter these people, yet many of them don't have the knowledge of what to do or how to proceed. If someone shows up at your local baptist, presbyterian, methodist church who has a demon or demons and wants deliverance, do you have a game plan? Ironically they are better equipped in 3rd world counries that 1st world countries. One local church to my denomination had a conference on them. It should be noted there are also churches who misrepresent the scriptures when it comes to demons. These would be the churches that say there is a demon for everything instead of acknowledging the sinful human nature as being largely responsible for much of it. Instead they make up a demon for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starise Posted April 9 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 13 Topic Count: 279 Topics Per Day: 0.21 Content Count: 13,126 Content Per Day: 9.66 Reputation: 13,667 Days Won: 149 Joined: 08/26/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted April 9 I feel complled to pray for @Holytrinity and @itty-bitty lamb Please join me in praying for them. I am not the best prayer meister, but God sees our hearts. Lord I lift these two up to you and ask for continued angelic reenforcement to them, support from their brothers and sisters in Christ, and most importantly your protective and guiding hand. If these problems are still manifesting, I ask they would remember thier armor and who they can call on. In the name of Jesus Christ I ask these spirits be sent away from them forever. Amen 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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