Corey_H wrote:
Would you all just do me a favor and pray for my discernment? I've been listening to 2-5 sermons a night and have about 2200 from this site on my ipod. And I really FEEL like...
Brother,
Firstly may I say that you sound a lot like myself when I first arrived here, and I am sure that there are many who feel the same way, about themselves. I would like to suggest that you consider reassessing what you have read, with the assumption that the people that are posting have a heart for God, and a corresponding heart for people (after all these are the two greatest commandments). If you still feel the same way about what they have posted, then fine, go to each one individually, in order to clarify your objection, and allow them the same privilege.
This site has an almost endless trail of testimonies of two varieties:
[b]1.[/b] Those who have an agenda to push, and end up disgruntled when everyone doesn't just jump on board with their point of view, leaving a rain of venom behind as they depart.
[b]2.[/b] Those who are extremely frustrated with what they see going on in the Body of Christ, and allow themselves the consideration they may be part of the problem.
Note that this is by no means comprehensive of everybody that visits this site, nor of those who stay, but there is this certain component, that allows God to demonstrate that He can and does bring "beauty from ashes". The interesting thing is, the only real difference between these two categories, is the heart attitude of the individual, and often the second type starts off being of the first.
You are in the right place Corey, and although it might presently appear that you have come into a fellowship of fanatics who are critical, judgemental, and condemnatory, I assure you the the first two may be true, but the last is not in the assessment of this site. Scripture exhorts us to be critical, and to "judge righteous judgements". We read of prophecies being judged by the prophets, to see if they are of God, and even directions of how to do so. We read of the Ephesian church in Revelation, who "tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars", as a testimony to their patience, and of how they refuse to "bear them which are evil".
You have asked for prayer regarding discernment, then you need to realise that if you receive that which you ask for, it will be required of you also to judge. After all, every gift that is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 are "is given to each - For the profit of the whole body" (Wesley , commenting on 1 Cor 12:7). In fact, the Greek word which is translated as "discernment" is "[i]diakrisis[/i]", which is literally "judicial estimation" where the choice is always between two, "innocent" or "guilty" ("[i]di[/i]" = "two", "[i]krisis[/i]" = "judgment").
Regarding the matter at hand, who do you suppose the Muslims are worshipping, when they pray to Allah? After all, the god that the Quran describes is radically different to that of Yahweh of Scripture. Even consider that Muslims believe that Jesus ("Issa [pbuh]", as they would type) was a prophet sent to Israel due to their "counterfeit idolatrous worship" [[i]sic[/i]] of God, and not God. They also believe that the Holy Spirit is in fact the angel Gabriel, and that when John the Baptist was asked if he was "that prophet", to which he replied "No", the "that prophet" was referring to the coming Mohamed, who would deliver the final message from Allah (the "Holy [[i]sic[/i]]Quran"), due to the Christians' insult of worshiping His holy prophet as God.
Note these are not my words, or the words of some book written my an "expert" in Islam, but what has been told to me personally by Muslims. I assume that you are a Christian, and worship God as a trinity (ie, Father, Son and Holy Spirit). Consider this, Muslims only worship the "Father" (although they would never dare refer to Him as such). Our salvation comes through the Son's sacrifice, and the Holy Spirit's regeneration. Quite simple really. Set aside all the Calvinist/Arminian, and even Catholic/Protestant debates, if you don't believe this, and have entered into this, you are kidding yourself if you think that you are a Christian. This is the point of issue with the Jehovah's Witnesses and Latter Day Saints [[i]sic[/i]], no Son, means no sacrifice, and "without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins", period.
A Muslim who stumbled into this site, seeking God would appreciate the honesty and integrity that we are prepared to state and stand on these truths, as experienced facts, because for them it would mean a death penalty to even claim to believe it as true. Even the statements against Hussein and Terrorism (not that I have read them) would not offend them as much as a discussion on the Trinity. They would hold one of two viewpoints. They would either agree with our statements, because they believe that these are not true Muslims (again, have heard this from Muslims that I have encountered), or they would see this as evidence of the "holiness" of these individuals, who are being "mocked and ridiculed" for what they believe.
Again Corey, hear my heart in this. Pullinger may not have spoken such about the Arabs/Muslims, but neither would she have came in here "all guns a-blazing". She would have just gotten on with reaching out to the down and out in Hong Kong. You however need to ask yourself whether your objections here are against what is being stated, or are they a manifestation of a sense of "knowing" that isn't based on the "knowledge of God". I state this almost tearfully, as it took me nearly two years to learn this lesson, in my own life, and now the residual effects of that time of "chastening" still haunt me to this day, in some areas.
To quote Keith Daniel (and he was quoting Will MacPharlane), "Feelings will come and go, but this (hold out the old King James [not an attempt to endorse or reject anything, just trying to put it as Keith would - AI]) is you source of survival." Preaching is good, but the Word of God, in undiluted form is much, much better.
Having said all that, may I recommend two sermons by Art Katz for your consideration:
[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=5047]Future Trends for the Body of Christ[/url] - This is for yourself personally.
[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=3316]The Theocratic Kingdom[/url] - This is for some insight into Islam in the "grand scheme of things".
Note that Islam is just one "fish" in a very big "pond". I know that one of the threads that you have mentioned was entitled "Islam is Satan Worship". One question that I would ask you is why you are not so concerned that Satanists would not find such comparisons offensive? After all, a "militant atheist" would be highly offended at being compared to people who justify behaviour by claiming to be obeying God.
I hope you have not found anything that I have said to be offensive, as this has not been my intention. There are many here who have had to endure repeated "strippings" from the Lord. Many of us have learned the painful difference between "contending" and "contentiousness". Obedience is such a fine line, in this walk with God. Christ was not using vain words when he said that the way is "narrow". Also consider all the times that Christ spake "hurtful words". Truth can hurt, but if one loves the hearer, then at time we must be cruel in order to be kind.
Just some words from one pilgrim to another.
