The Loneliness of a Christian

sermonindex Sep 25, 2007

I am sure many have read that article by Tozer, curious to know how many feel this article speaks of them?
http://www.crossroad.to/Bible_studies/sermons/devotions/loneliness.htm

Do others feel alone in their church? You long for spiritual awakening in others, but it seems to be to no avail. Do you find yourselves becoming hard to the "American Christianity" today? And if you dare share your convictions people think your a zealot. Are we Pharisees? Zealots?

Where do you draw the line? Others don't understand you. You seem to notice things in the church that would be deemed as CGM or EC styles. The mega church mentality and the water down teaching. And when you see it, it grieves and angers you, but what do you do? Ignore it and move on?

Just some thoughts in my brain?

:-)

sermonindex Sep 25, 2007

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ~~[b]~~Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.[/b]" (REV 18:4)

"~~[b]~~...to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word...[/b] I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. ~~[b]~~Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed... Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of ~~[i]~~a man child...[/i][/b]" (ISA 66:2)

In other words, stand up, be a man, and get out of that whore before God's wrath falls on her.

Where do you draw the line? Others don't understand you. You seem to notice things in the church that would be deemed as CGM or EC styles. The mega church mentality and the water down teaching. And when you see it, it grieves and angers you, but what do you do? Ignore it and move on?

Yes. Move on and "let the dead bury their dead" (LUKE 9:60).

The Lord said a great apostacy would come. He did not say any of us would be able to stem the tide. He did not say He would stem the tide.

You can't save the present "church system", much less the world. Just get out while there's still time - like He told you to:

"~~[b]~~When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation[/b], spoken of by Daniel the prophet, ~~[b]~~stand in the holy place[/b], (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then ~~[b]~~let them[/b] which be in Judaea ~~[b]~~flee[/b] into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but ~~[b]~~for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.[/b]" (MATT 24:15-22)

Remember that the human body is the Temple now, and that the Shikinah now lives within us as the Holy Ghost. The "holy place" is not within a physical building, it's within you. Learning false doctrines and practicing hypocricy will pollute it.

You need to decide who to believe: the Gospel or the System.

~~[b]~~"Remember Lot's wife."[/b] (LUKE 17:32)

Hope this helps.

P

poet Sep 25, 2007

EZEKIEL 9.
God may be starting to see who notices, and who will respond correctly.
The Lord shows us as perceivers what were to do.
Pray, intercede, be a watchman, stand in the gap.
Me personally. Im so immature sometimes I forget and just complain, and wine about it. Im not saying you are, you were just asking a question. So,,,
Thank God, he's patient with all of us.
So that we should endure until the end.
My 2.5 cents.

R

rowdy2 Sep 25, 2007

Greetings to all

I have suffered with this same question for months and yesterday (Sunday) was as bad as the first day. When I read your post I wanted to hear more responses. Is this loneliness coming from our spirit or our flesh?

sermonindex Sep 25, 2007

Is this loneliness coming from our spirit or our flesh?

great point, I guess my thought on that would be the motives. The motives would indicate if it be the spirit or flesh. For me if I don't still have joy and feel more sad and depressed, then maybe its my flesh?

You stumped me on this one, I have to give this more thought and search the scriptures. Who can know the heart, its wickedly deceitful.

sermonindex Sep 25, 2007

ou can't save the present "church system", much less the world. Just get out while there's still time - like He told you to:

Corey it is good to hear from you, I knew that this thread would get your interest. I know we had our discussions about this matter. But I am not sure about not going to church at all, If I found a sound doctrinal church I would go. But I am not willing to stop unless the Lord of Heaven tells me so clear that it echoes through to my wife and kids.

Rowdy does bring up a great point is this our flesh or spirit? It is easy to feel that we have some great knowledge about the church and others don't see it. There is a pride in that, thinking we know something the Lord has shown us and others haven't be privy to this revelation. I have often felt this way about others in church, not so much in feeling superior but more so on feeling angered and hurt that they don't recognize or willing to disagree with the church system. it has become to corporate in church.

I must go to work, I will finish this thought later.

Blessings
Mike

O

Onesimus4God Sep 25, 2007

It is very lonely out here. If it were not for the internet, it would really be lonely.

I've been struggling with how to deal with this for some time now. I think there are those, as I'm sure you are, that God allows us to feel some of the grief He feels about things that are amiss here on earth. I think it is a prophetic anointing. The church has most assuredly lost it's way, and the prophets know it. Trouble is, the church is ruled by the pastor who is not about to give any room to the voice of heaven.

Currently, I am homeless, jobless, and churchless. But I'm not burdened. We are staying in a motel for a week, and I do have a non church job lined up.

I have learned over the years to really watch what I say to pastors and church elders. It doesn't take them long to feel threatened. I try not to be harsh, just truthful in a very tactful way. But as soon as they notice you are "different", they give the stiff arm, or they pry around trying to find some weakness to attack.

A few years back, this one pastor and I started out with great fellowship. We were alone one day and I opened up to him and shared something personal. He used it against me for the next 3 years. This was a man who I was praying with every morning at 5:30 and we saw God pour out upon us His Spirit. Yet, he was scared to death of me.

I don't covet pastor's jobs. I could easily function as a pastor, but I know that is not what I'm about. I have remnant church contacts all over the world, mostly developed from here on the net. They encourage me. I have grown accustomed to just making myself available to God and allow Him to use my fingers. It's the only voice I have.

I've preached in other churches, but few ask me back. I visited one recently that I had previously preached in. The pastor, whom I really love asked me to sing. When he brought me up he said, "he's a good preacher and he gets real serious when he preaches". Well, I guess I do. But there is so much at stake, I have to take it real serious.

I don't try to arrange engagements. I've learned that that does not work either. The most successful opportunities I've had have been unexpected and of the moment. I call them "divine appointments" where God places supply and need together. All of a sudden I realize that what is happening is much bigger than I am. So I just kind of have this "out of the body" experience in that I let God do what He's doing and try to pick up on when He is finished.

A.W. Tozer was such a man as this. I'll close this with a quote from him about the new modern churches that are packed each time they are open.

"Any objection to the carryings on of our present gold-calf Christianity is met with the triumphant reply, ”But we are winning them!” And winning them to what? To true discipleship? To cross-carrying? To self-denial? To separation from the world? To crucifixion of the flesh? To holy living? To nobility of character? To a despising of the world’s treasures? To hard self-discipline? To love for God? To total committal to Christ? Of course the answer to all these questions is no."
-A.W. Tozer

God bless you all real good today. Thanks for listening. It always helps.

"O"

M

Mirac Sep 26, 2007

I found myself searching church after church disappointed time after time in the spiritual maturity level and watered down preaching. BUT during this time and drawing near to God and searching for Him. I found Him. He spoke to me very clearly, to dig in where I ended up. So, rather than complain or be negative about others who to the best of their current understanding are pursuing God the best they know how, I felt God speak to me to shut up, quit looking down on others and go to work for Jesus here and love those people. Thats what He said to me, but you will have to find your own answer.

Now a few months down the road...God has so blessed me to have connected with some awesome seekers of Jesus who have authentic relationships with the Lord. And yes, He is moving here.

Just do as Jesus commanded, love others as yourself. Learn and work and pray at humbling yourself to not think so highly of yourself and just love on these people. God makes us all different. What turns me on and lights my fire, probably is no secret formula that can be used on every single believer.

Hopefully that encourages you as it has me.

Love brother, let us grow togther with one goal, Jesus and loving others as Jesus has loved us. We have the choice in free will to impact this world for the positive, for love, for Jesus. We have been granted much liberty in America to pursue God with all we have, let us remind others not to take this liberty for granted.

sermonindex Sep 26, 2007

I found myself searching church after church disappointed time after time in the spiritual maturity level and watered down preaching. BUT during this time and drawing near to God and searching for Him. I found Him. He spoke to me very clearly, to dig in where I ended up. So, rather than complain or be negative about others who to the best of their current understanding are pursuing God the best they know how, I felt God speak to me to shut up, quit looking down on others and go to work for Jesus here and love those people. Thats what He said to me, but you will have to find your own answer.

Yes you are right, we must love others where they are. I try not to have a proud heart and I am sure I put of a vibe, but I look like I am one of those guys who look mad, I'm Italian and German! Two worst combinations. :-) I am praying that I would soften, and my heart not to be harden. It just angers me and times that others will see some inconsistencies in the church, and just say, 'well thats church.' I wonder if instead of ignoring it, if we focused on what God wanted truly for the Church, what would happen?

There is a danger when preaching from the pulpit is more about getting the leadership point acrossed in the church, instead of speaking the truth. A pastor said one time from the pulpit, that he would rather have you not go to worship service and than not go to Sunday school class. I think that is a big error. things just bother me, but I trust that it is for a purpose. And God will reveal Himself and I trust that the Holy Spirit will convict me of sin.

I don't want to be a prude and look down on others, i am praying that God will help me.

sermonindex Sep 28, 2007

Brother hmmhmm posted this piece, that I thought was quite good.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=19734&forum=34&0

F

frazier72 Sep 28, 2007

The Lonliness of the Christian by Tozer is a classic. I actually keep a print out inside my Bible cover as a reminder. So often we can be in Church or with are fellow brother and sisters, an nobody wants to talk about Christ. They will talk about Church activities, programs and the sort, but trying to find a brother who has a heart for Christ is a lonesome walk. This is not to make us feel proud, or special, it is however to make realize that only in Christ is our true rest and comfort.

It has been very difficult for me during times at Church, trying to get even small groups together for prayer meetings and Bible study. Often this is like pulling teeth. What I have found is that if the Church is having an activity, at the Church, plenty of people will show up. However, try and get brothers and sisters together outside of Church, and it's mission impossible. We apparently only have time for God on Wednesday Evening and Sunday morning's. The rest of the time we need to be in control.This is truly sad, and is indicative of the lack of spiritual depth of the modern Church.

My old Church actually turned the prayer room into the food pantry for the care closet. In addition to no prayer room and very little in the Church period, leadership found it more beneficial to pray for the sound equipment and instruments, instead of lost souls. When will we awake. I guess it's Leonard Ravenhill used to say, when the Flesh is trying to lead the Spirit, you get the Modern Church, which is no Church at all. This makes for those who are truly seeking after Chirst and want to experience true fellowship with Christians turn to Christ and Christ alone as their solice. Where are the intercessors?

reformer wrote:
I am sure many have read that article by Tozer, curious to know how many feel this article speaks of them?
http://www.crossroad.to/Bible_studies/sermons/devotions/loneliness.htm
Do others feel alone in their church? You long for spiritual awakening in others, but it seems to be to no avail. Do you find yourselves becoming hard to the "American Christianity" today? And if you dare share your convictions people think your a zealot. Are we Pharisees? Zealots?
Where do you draw the line? Others don't understand you. You seem to notice things in the church that would be deemed as CGM or EC styles. The mega church mentality and the water down teaching. And when you see it, it grieves and angers you, but what do you do? Ignore it and move on?
Just some thoughts in my brain?
:-)

sermonindex Sep 28, 2007

So often we can be in Church or with are fellow brother and sisters, an nobody wants to talk about Christ. They will talk about Church activities, programs and the sort, but trying to find a brother who has a heart for Christ is a lonesome walk. This is not to make us feel proud, or special, it is however to make realize that only in Christ is our true rest and comfort

I agree that it is hard to get them together or on time, I don't want to come across prideful and perfect, God knows I am far from that, but I find it odd that believers don't like to get together and talk about Jesus Christ and the Word. i love meeting with brothers over coffee, bible study and just talk about scripture. I have a mens bible study I started sometime ago, and some guys are usually late, which is understandable, but when some come in and say I wanted to see the end of a TV show thats why I was running late, (I know that brother loves the Lord and desires to know Him more), but isn't it typical of church today with how believers view God. Activities and other things have corrupted our true relationship with Him. And activities I think are sometimes a way to make us feel connected to Him.

God is always on my mind, I find somethings just so fascinating I want to talk about with others. I asked one guy, as I was looking up into the dark sky, "Have you ever thought about what is going on up in heaven?" He looked at me like I was weird, He says "No". Of course that doesn't mean that He doesn't love the Lord, but I just can't help think about things like this, I can't explain it. I hope this doesn't sound condescending. i am not trying to feel superior. But things like that to me, are worth discussing. I just grave it, you know.

Hope that makes sense.Whats better than talking about scripture and praying to the Lord.

sermonindex Sep 28, 2007

I find it odd that believers don't like to get together and talk about Jesus Christ and the Word.

Church people may get together and talk about wordly things but the bride will want to talk about her husband. I weep thinking back on all the times I spent in "fellowship" with my "church" friends and the only difference between that and the world is we didn't swear...

Matthew 13:
44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

If a group of "christians" are "fellowshipping" and the talk is not regularly centered on Christ and His kingdom thats a pretty good indicator that they know not God and have never truly discovered the treasure hidden in the field.

In Christ -Jim

sermonindex Sep 28, 2007

I weep thinking back on all the times I spent in "fellowship" with my "church" friends and the only difference between that and the world is we didn't swear...

Thats funny! you are so right. its funny how we get together on the pretense of a "Christian" super bowl party. I confess I went to one a couple of years ago. Knowing what I know now, i wouldn't want to go now. I don't have nothing against fellowshipping with others, but if go with that concept of using the word Christian in front of anything, we will have things like we do now, Christian yoga!

I praise the Lord for opening my eyes to this. I have prayed for God to show me the things He hates and the things He loves. Not just the sin in my life, but maybe He also showed me His bride in extreme error. I just pray that I won't be prideful and hateful to my brothers. I used to be so concerned on what they think of me and began to stifle my thoughts, because others thought I was to serious, But you know I am not going to do that anymore. i used to think I have a problem and their is something wrong with me to have such disdain for the worldly things in the church. I am not going to be ashamed anymore. I am going to stand up for my convictions.

Got to go now. My wife is beckoning me to feed them food. :-)

Thanks so much for all your input.

love you all in the Lord

I

IRONMAN Sep 30, 2007

Greetings in Jesus' Name by Whose Blood we are Saved.AMEN.

i read that article and was weeping inside out of joy and sorrow. Joy because i felt uplifted, God was letting me know i'm not crazy. Sorrowful because the things which to me seem so plain about God, the Faith and so on are largely not on the radar screens of most people i am in contact with. really it boils down to God opening the eyes of some and shutting the eyes of others. The ones we oft think should be the ones in the know are often the very ones who are blind. i am reminded of Paul's statement here in 1 corinthians 1:

~~[b]~~26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. [/b]

so then i am comforted in the midst of my despair. i'm one of those things/people which is foolish, weak, base, despised and nothing called to undo those things/people which are wise, mighty, esteemed and those which are something. my life is filled with thr wreckage of past failures, sins, rebellions and so on which make me unsuitable for much as the world/wise/mighty/esteemed see it.how then could God ever use such? then this foolishness (really the word in the Greek i believe means madness) of God comes through as well as His Mercy. All that wreckage which the enemy meant for evil God had in mind always to use it for the Good. an interesting thing has happened to me over the yrs, when i screw up, my concern is that our Lord's Name has been tarnished and this puts saved and unsaved folk alike off...

i bless God His Mercies are new each day even when we don't show one another Mercy anew each day.i am reminded that Paul toward the end of his life realized that he was chief of sinners as he wrote to Timothy. He went from counting himself as not being less than the most eminent apostles to being the least of them and then chief of sinners.there's a man who realized he ever desperate need for God's Mercy each day! i hope we never lose sight of that.

Grace and Peace are ours in Jesus.AMEN.

I

IRONMAN Sep 30, 2007

dear Saints
Greetings in Jesus' Name by Whose Blood we are Saved.AMEN.

If a group of "christians" are "fellowshipping" and the talk is not regularly centered on Christ and His kingdom thats a pretty good indicator that they know not God and have never truly discovered the treasure hidden in the field.

*sigh* my wife and i talked about this very thing yesterday and today. we seem to be spending more time talking about God and the things of God and strangely, we don't talk as often to as many people as we used to since interests have changed. most people want to talk about other things and so the conversations can be laboured. i suppose being recepients of God's Mercy draws us into being more interested in Him! someone said and i don't remember who, but it was one of the saints we oft mention here. He said something to the effect that any conversation which isn't centred on Jesus, isn't a conversation of any eternal consequence...yikes! i find it odd when i try and talk about Him, people change the subject...quick...something about that Name frightens the smack out of people...

even at the Church we go to, this is the case. our Lord has had us stay and be transformed by Him to affect some kinda change there.Where before we used to feel like outsiders or rather treat the brethren there as beneath us, God has changed our hearts so we don't say "they" anymore but "we". sometimes we are yet treated as outcasts but that's ok, as long as our consciences are clear before God that we have done as He has asked us to as best we can, it's all good. we have yet much to be purged of and are not yet at the point of claiming perfection but i bless God we have been brought thus far...

saints it seems the majority may well be lost in this Babylonish whore counterfeit system. my wife had been reading the Revelation and the whore of Babylon who is the bride of antichrist and discovered something interesting. antichrist is indeed against Christ, but in the Greek, anti is more of a false parallel as opposed to something overtly at odds with something. this is why the angel says "come out of her!" the system is so close to the real thing that many will be deceived, persecuting the True Saints in various ways and so on.

that Jesus isn't the topic of choice among many of us is telling of something more sinister going on...God help us...

Grace and Peace are ours in Jesus.AMEN.