Unresovable differences?

I have a question and would appreciate a reply from anyone who may have the Lord's wisdom.

I "accepted" Christ at age ten by way of a radio broadcast and for the next ten years considered myself to be "well on my way", serving God. I knew myself to be imperfect, in many ways openly flawed without intention of changing, because my church and my peers taught and accepted moderate Christianity.

This past October I had a radical experience of repentance and the indwelling of the Spirit (or, if that is to be disputed, it was a spirit that brought holiness, comfort, joy , and power that glorified Christ and compelled me to forsake sin, hungering after deeper righteousness).

Since that time it seems like battle and struggle has risen from every direction. My deepest frustrations come from well-respected teachers and pastors who carry opposing hard-line positions on doctrines.

One pastor tells me that water baptism is essential to obedience but is not a meritorious act. I must also be baptised "in Jesus name for the remission of sins by one who has authority to do so". Another says that to even consider obeying the first man is to return to the law and forsake the way of grace.

One says "every sin shall be forgiven" so long as I have repented in my heart, and that works should follow. Another says that I must make restitution to everyone I've ever wronged or my repentance is illegitmate and I was never saved at all.

Worst of all, my two years of bible college only bred further confusion.

Lastly my church split three months ago. One half stayed with a pastor who justified continuous neglect of family. The other half went after an assistant pastor who belittles private prayer as unbelief in God's providence.

I feel nothing is more desirable than to sell everything I have and take my bible on a walk for six months, and ask the Lord to settle it all.

So my question is, am I "forsaking eldership and gathering together with brethren" if I don't belong to a body with elders and I desire to leave my town for a while, rejoicing in what believers I meet along the way?

It's so hard being told to submit to men that encourage me to go to movies with them but shirk meeting for regular prayer.

Discouraged, but assured of the Lord's faithfulness,

Michael, It looks like you already know the answer:

I feel nothing is more desirable than to sell everything I have and take my bible on a walk for six months, and ask the Lord to settle it all.

I'm not sure if you need to sell everything literally; but you do sense that you need to ditch a lot of those "lead weights".

It is not unlike God to call us apart for a time in order to untangle us from the many faulty notions that imprison us, including those voices of man that block our sensitivity to the Spirit and the Word.

May God bless you, as you seek HIM to renew your mind by Spirit and the word.

Diane

Thanks. God bless.
Mike:.

Michael, I've felt the same way many times these past few months. Remember to stick to the basics: Bible and prayer. Something I often remind myself is that the Bible has the answer to every question of importance. If you read the Bible and obey what you read you will never miss out on anything important.

Concerning your question, I would say no, you would not be wrong in doing such a thing. However, if your conscience bids you to stay, then by all means do that instead, even though you have liberty to leave.

Also, here are some chapters I read when discouraged: Lamentation 3, Psalm 139, Psalm 130, John 17, and Psalm 119.

Take heart, and remember Elijah who supposed that he was alone - but no! God had kept 7000 men for Himself.
-Nile

Lamentations 3:15-32

15 He has filled me with bitterness,
He has made me drunk with wormwood.
16 He has broken my teeth with gravel;
He has made me cower in the dust.
17 My soul has been rejected from peace;
I have forgotten happiness.
18 So I say, "My strength has perished,
And so has my hope from the LORD."
Hope of Relief in God's Mercy
19 Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.
20 Surely my soul remembers
Andis bowed down within me.
21 This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
22 The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
"Therefore I have hope in Him."
25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
26 It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the LORD.
27 It is good for a man that he should bear
The yoke in his youth.
28 Let him sit alone and be silent
Since He has laid it on him.
29 Let him put his mouth in the dust,
Perhaps there is hope.
30 Let him give his cheek to the smiter,
Let him be filled with reproach.
31 For the Lord will not reject forever,
32 For if He causes grief,
Then He will have compassion
According to His abundant lovingkindness.

Psalm 139:1-6

1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, O LORD, You know it all.
5 You have enclosed me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Nile and Corey, thanks for the encouragement.

Yes, I believe the Lord is making a way for me to leave for a time. In the last months my church (which employed me at their coffee shop) split. Then I had to quit a job at a grocery store that asked me to do things that were wrong. As the scriptures say, "Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it." I am free now; I'd like to use it.

Please pray that I have wisdom; after praying for several months I feel more certain than ever about at least this much: selling my car and backpacking the west coast for a while. Lord willing, I'll be taking an mp3 player with the "Alexander Scourby reads the KJV" on it and 1000 tracts. My best friend is willing to mail me books along the way.

By that time the revival conference will be almost here...

It really does come down to the basics of prayer and the word. Even when fellowship is scarce I find within the word and prayer a wonderful fellowship with the Spirit and saints. What better fellowship is there?

But, as the psalm says, 'how beautiful is it when brothers dwell in unity'. I recently seperated from brothers who maintained certain sinful pastimes. I still am friendly towards them as often as we see one another, but after I read "seek the Lord with those who call on Him out of a pure heart", and "do not share in the sins of others, but keep yourself pure," I spent my time with a smaller group (two others, and a few on the phone.) I find now that I am growing to be more truly loving, not nearly so sarcastic as before.

All praise to God, who has redeemed us through Christ. May we all be such obedient lambs.

Brother Nile wrote;

Michael, I've felt the same way many times these past few months. Remember to stick to the basics: Bible and prayer. Something I often remind myself is that the Bible has the answer to every question of importance. If you read the Bible and obey what you read you will never miss out on anything important.

Amen...

Add to that patience...

In Christ
jeff

Since that time it seems like battle and struggle has risen from every direction. My deepest frustrations come from well-respected teachers and pastors who carry opposing hard-line positions on doctrines.

Phi 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

There was another thread recently where a 5 or 6 sentence Know the Will of God by George Mueller was posted. Search for it and see what you think.

So my question is, am I "forsaking eldership and gathering together with brethren" if I don't belong to a body with elders and I desire to leave my town for a while, rejoicing in what believers I meet along the way?

It's so hard being told to submit to men that encourage me to go to movies with them but shirk meeting for regular prayer.

Discouraged, but assured of the Lord's faithfulness,

"But Peter and John answered them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye" (Acts 4.19).

"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5.29).

...Frank Bartleman, one of the men involved in the pentecostal outpouring in the early 1900's said something like this (about the leading they felt surely was from God, but which others were trying to resist): "Believe in your own heart's hunger, and go on with God."

Of course we always want to be open to the counsel of any godly person, to weigh what they are saying, whether it be of God. But, there are many "popes" in Protestantism who would like you to surrender your spiritual liberty and conscience to them. DON'T DO IT.

AD

Hey Openlife
I see you live in WI. drop me an email (thom@closing.shorewest.com) and I'll give you my phone number. Maybe we could get together for coffee and prayer if you are ever in/near Milwaukee. We can discuss Word together and as brothers come before Christ and lift up your situation. God bless
Thom Provost