Hurt

This is my first and will probably be my last post on a sermonindex forum.

I am young, and have been saved for only a little over a year, and only been on this website for half of that year, but I have been greatly blessed through this website and have devoured the sermons here with zeal and fervor. I thank God that he has founded a place where I can access such anointed preaching and that he lead me here.

Because I respect the preaching so much, I often find myself drawn to the forums to read what other people have to say or reccomend.

However, almost every time I read something here, I come away sickened and upset. In the midst of such anointed preaching and an entire culture centered on revival, the main attitude of conversation is self-righteous bickering almost entirely void of love or understanding. Every poster seems to immediatley assume that every other poster is a backslidden, lukewarm affront to Jesus Christ! The prejudices and harsh assumptions that abound are appalling to me. We are brothers and sisters in Christ! Not opponents! When I first discovered the nature of these forums I felt sure that I would never post anything, but I felt compelled to try to encourage everyone to assume the best about each other and treat each other with gentleness, meekness and patience (2 Timothy 2:24-26). Thats how Paul says we should treat brothers in Christ AND the backslidden shouldnt we err on the side of love instead of judgement? It seems like the majority of people on this website are involved in ministry of some kind, shouldnt we assume that they are being led by God unless they say something that contradicts that? (applying to Bible School and like matters should not matter, God lead Hosea break the law and marry a "wife of whoredoms" how dare we assume that going to a Bible school is against God's will.)

After I wrote all this, I still feel that I have somehow contributed to the bad atmosphere,perhaps I have misunderstood the majority of posts here or simply am misinterpreting what is said. I only wish we could be more thankful and encouraging and less judgemental. I think I am most hurt by this because I can see it in my own life and have been asking God to make me less judgemental. I love the sermons on this site, and their worth to me is unmeasured, but I often find that the judgemental side of the messages rub off on me and I find myself judging things without the anointing or Holy Spirit.

in many ways you are correct, please forgive us for not loving others as we should.

sorry
andy

well said krispy, i agree 100% in what you just said..
andy

I think lively debate can turn ugly, but surely with all the apologies of late there does seem to be at least a tinge of humility here.
Look at it as a challenge to offer a loving ingredient to si!

Anyway welcome to the fire! LOL

David

I want to thank you for your responses, they have helped me understand the nature of the discussions that go on here. I have been praying about this throughout the day, and I feel encouraged by God to become more active in the forums, if only to try to lighten the atmosphere with encouragement and raise some questions that I have not seen addressed. It was not my intention to give a rebuke or make an accusation, but instead to make a passionate observation. The apologies I have noticed in other threads are encouraging to me and I do find the forum informative.

If we are praying for revival we should ask God to start with ourselves, and we should live in constant renewal and revival with God. If we want the Spirit of Love to move people toward repentance, then that Spirit of Love should first be manifest in our own lives.

I think I understand how to best approach the forum now that I have prayed and read more, and though I am still of the same opinion, I am optimistic that especially lately God is moving in the forum to promote a loving atmosphere that focuses on the best way to edify. I understand that sometimes we can accidentally let our zeal for God turn into contempt for man, and I have also been guilty of this. May God bless us with love and encouragement that goes before and beyond judgement.

I have been praying about this throughout the day, and I feel encouraged by God to become more active in the forums, if only to try to lighten the atmosphere with encouragement and raise some questions that I have not seen addressed.

This made me smile. I would very much encourage you - and anyone else reading these forum posts - to unashamedly join in, introduce, and share. You will find these forums to be a terrific chamber of growth, a grand supplement God can use in your walk to foster character refinement and theological honing. The trick is to not come aboard with a personal agenda, disputatious suppositions, or a frivolous, secular mindset. If you enter these forums with a seriousness to grow in knowledge of God's will and grace, you will not be disappointed.

If God gives you a specific scripture revelation during quiet time, do consider sharing it here, among your brethren, and without fear of defense. If it has been birthed in God, and is of the honorable fragrance of purity and uprightness, it will hold its own and shut the mouth the staunchest critic here. However, if you present a thought or gripe clothed in a tapestry of flesh and thus unbacked by God, prepare to have it thoroughly scrutinized.

Like I said, this is a wonderful growth chamber and caulderon of refinement for those afforded by the grace of God. Welcome!

Brother Paul

Flameoffire,

You are young in the Lord, and I am old in the Lord, and I too have been grieved by a lot of the content on SI. And so are others, it seems. Is this not a clear witness, then, that the Lord Himself is grieved? "In the mouth of two or three witnesses...." We need to lay that to heart. HE is the Lord of the church.

I've been away from this site for a number of months; it's been a time of heart searching for me. Because, not only what others have posted, but some of my own contributions here have left me troubled.

Yet, of late, returning here of late, I have been noticing different ones apologizing... asking forgiveness... wanting to come to a higher place. This is very encouraging. There are a lot of true-hearted brothers and sisters who visit here.

I think of the Lord, as He appears to the seven churches in The Revelation. He would say, You have this, and that, which is good, and so on... But then He would say, Nevertheless I have this against thee...

So, can we hear that right here on this site? There is much good... "But I have this against thee..." What is our reaction when He speaks to us like that? Do we get defensive? Or do we recognize that His love for us is very deep, and He wants to bring us further, and into a very high quality of Testimony in this hour... in which HE HIMSELF is being seen in His people! I hope we-- this site, I mean-- which has a reputation for being concerned for His Name... will have the courage to submit to the hand of the Lord, and acknowledge His reproof, and ask for His searching Eyes to purify us according to His own standard of love and righteousness. Peter says the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God. Then he says this: "But if it first begin AT US..." Never mind the apostate church out there. He will deal with it. But He begins AT US. And... I've experienced a measure of that in my life. Anyone who has walked with the Lord for a while knows all about this. It's painful. Hard. But thank you, Jesus, for it all. Please don't stop now.

And so, with this in mind, I often wonder about the different ones who might be "listening in" on this site. And what they find. I greatly feel we need to tremble about that. All who post here need to know a responsibility rests upon us to guard the Name of the Lord, that His Name shine here (in a day when His Name is so defiled in the earth). That might mean, for all of us, seeking a deeper circumcision, and a deeper "trembling at His Word." And therefore, saying less: being sure that when we speak, we are in the Lord, in the mind of the Lord. In the Spirit. I know this is a growing experience; we don't put anyone under condemnation for expressing what they truly feel the Lord has laid on their heart, even though they sometimes might not get it right. We all need great grace. And if we know our own personal need for His grace, how much more, then, do we need to extend it to one another.

But I think that all too often we are still just taking for granted our "democratic right" to freely express our opinions on these forums. And so, when others are doing the same, there is that raucous discord we're troubled about. We forget that as Christians, our "democratic right" to our own opinion has been crucified with Christ. "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God."

We do want to hear from God, don't we?

...So, I do pray there will be an increase in a spirit of true repentance right here on this site. Grant it to us, Lord, all of us. Myself included. ...And that there will be more sensitivity, and care for one another. Yes, we do need to stand for the truth. But let us be positive it is Truth Himself who is speaking when we open our mouth. All too often that very thing is no more than a cloak for wanting to be right in the eyes of others. And there is no fragrance of Christ in that.

Sometimes the only way you can be right is to admit you are wrong.

AD

... it's been a time of heart searching for me. ..., but some of my own contributions here have left me troubled.

I hope we-- this site, I mean-- which has a reputation for being concerned for His Name...

... will have the courage to submit to the hand of the Lord, and acknowledge His reproof

I often wonder about the different ones who might be "listening in" on this site. And what they find. I greatly feel we need to tremble about that.

Sometimes the only way you can be right is to admit you are wrong.

Straight to the heart of the matter. Just outstanding ...

This humility thing is freaking me out! If we dont get back to dogma real soon ,all the folk are gonna think we got baptised in love or something!
Can you imagine love being deeper than our lips?
Maybe it took a babe in Christ to upset our apple cart.
In picking up the pieces we discover the culling process somehow got neglected.
"examine yourselves to see whether or not ye be of the faith."

I suppose I also need to apologise for a few choice words I coulda deleted from some of my "inspired posts."[some of you are probably saying "you're inspired alright"]

David

psalm1 wrote:
Maybe it took a babe in Christ to upset our apple cart.
David

..."These things saith the Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flameoffire..."

Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me O Saviour, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy Word, and make me pure within.
Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame;
Grand my desire to magnify Thy Name.

Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine;
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine.
Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride;
I now surrender, Lord: in me abide.

O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me.
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessing now, O Lord, I humbly plead.

Well I have to say that when I first encountered this forum several weeks ago it reminded me of a bunch of Pharisees all sitting around trying to be more "right" than one another. That is not a condemnation, just an observation from "outside". I had only just started when my hard drive fried and I found we had to get a new computer... just in time for Christmas! (But my son got a new one for Christmas, so graciously passed his old one on to us, bless his heart!) So here I am again, and blessed to be in such august and esteemed company. Like any fellowship of believers, or a church one visits for the first time, there are many of you who have obviously known each other for years, etc. This can make it pretty intimidating for someone new to come in and start participating. When people know each other well, they talk in familiar ways to each other... and READING it instead of listening in means we don't get to hear the love, the feeling, the sentiment behind the words. For example, one can say something to another that the recipient KNOWS is a "joke" or meant in a certain way. But since EVERYONE gets to read what they are "saying" to each other, it can appear differently - because we don't all know the depth or level of relationship between the two communicants. Not sure if I am explaining very well what I am trying to say.
The nature of my job means I am away most of the week anyway,and only get to even come close to spending time on SI on the weekends... except this week because of the holiday. I read more than I respond or contribute. Not everyone has to hear my opinions on everything. Jesus only said and did what His Father said and did. He didn't feel compelled to be involved in everything. So this is where God has me now... learning to be in tune with HIM; speaking only when HE says to and saying only what HE gives me, not necessarily weighing in with my own opinions. Believe me, nobody is more conscious than I that "brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended..." I am a long way off, but as has been said, God is still working on me! Thank God He never gives up on us!

kingsson wrote:

Jesus only said and did what His Father said and did. He didn't feel compelled to be involved in everything. So this is where God has me now... learning to be in tune with HIM; speaking only when HE says to and saying only what HE gives me,

Hi kingsson.

Nobody else has posted anything on this so far, (EDIT, I mean since you last posted) ...but I wanted to let you know I appreciated what you wrote.

This sees the mark. We are not there yet, but we are going to get there.

This is the yoke Jesus walked in, and we are "invited" (our Lord is so gracious) to walk in it as well. Such restraint, yet at the same time such wondrous liberty. Freedom from myself, from my own carnal mind!

And we ARE going to get there, because the Holy Spirit in us is confined to the same yoke the Son walked in. Jesus when He was here said, "The Son can do nothing of Himself but what He seeth the Father do..." (Jn. 5.19). And, "The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself, but the Father that dwelleth in Me..." (Jn. 14.10).

And-- this is the thing-- the Holy Spirit is under the same restraint. "Howbeit when He the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of (that is, from) Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak..." (Jn. 14.13).

How then can we, who are the temples of the Holy Spirit, speak from ourselves, and continue to have opinions on all things, and say and do whatever is good in our own eyes? We must give the Holy Spirit His lordship in our lives in all we say and do. And, given His lordship, He will only speak what He hears the Son of God speaking, will only do what He sees the Son of God doing.

The Holy Spirit is commissioned to bring us into union with the Son of God so that God is seen and heard in His temple in the earth again.

We are not there yet, but we are going to get there. We are going to get there. At least, those who press toward the mark are going to get there (Phil. 3.14).

"So run that ye may obtain" (1 Cor. 9.24). Apparently the thought here is that we need to run the way a winner runs. "Run THUS..." And in doing so, we shall obtain the prize.

(EDIT...adding this: Also much appreciated what everybody else has said on this thread earlier as well.)

AD