Edifying?....Uplifting?.....Sweet and Fragrant?

sermonindex Dec 8, 2012

i wont be making be some grand and dramatic "good bye cruel forum" as some have.

But, i can safely say, i will be taking my posting level down about 95%....

the posts that deserve our attention, like poetic devotions from a most loved Scotsman on here, get ignored, while the divisive posts devolve into squabble and rancor, its just not profitable in God.

i bless God for the FACT of this forum, where saints CAN come together, and reason, uplift and encourage, but such fruit is few and far between on this "tree".

We are meant to be either face to face with God, or with each other. The times i have in the LORD, happen in the dark watches of the night, as i usually awake between 2 and 4 AM, coffee abrewing, the night air stilled and quiet up on this lonely rural ridge......i pray, commune with Jesus, am allowed to eat of His Word....what happens in those hours, i cant even explain with human words, except to say, "to be caught up in High Places with God"...its Joy and Joy multiplied......only to be sullied by my own foolishness, to come here,and look for fruit, or fellowship.

True fellowship is face to face, there is no substitute for it.

none.

neil

M

MaryJane Dec 8, 2012

Greetings Neil

Just wanted you to know you will be missed. I find myself agreeing with you all the more that true fellowship as the LORD intended is best when face to face in worship and prayer of our beloved KING JESUS. I pray you will have many blessed nights like the ones you described with our FATHER in Heaven. Such peace and joy is a special gift from GOD!

After much prayer and consideration over the past twenty four hours I have also decided to step away for a time. I have some things pressing on my heart, some areas where I need to have deeper understanding and I realize at this time even being here in the forum will steal time away from seeking HIM only.

I pray you will be well and find the fruit of fellowship there where you are, that too is such a gift from GOD :)

God bless and be well
maryjane

G

ginnyrose Dec 8, 2012

Awww, Neil...you'll be back - you can't stay away very long - you'll miss us too much! :-)

Wonderful testimony, Neil. God bless you in your walk with the LORD.

ginnyrose

M

Miccah Dec 8, 2012

Brother Neil,

Now that you live in Badger country, give me an email. I would love to get together with you some time and worship the Lord together. I am just a hop, skip and a jump away from the driftless region. :)

christiaanhanson@gmail.com

sermonindex Dec 9, 2012

Dear bro Neil,

If you are gonna step away then I will just have to call you more :) I am gonna ratchet down my own participation, but I never know which way the wind is gonna blow next so who knows :) I love you bro Neil and I love Maryjane as a dear sister in Christ.............. bro Frank

sermonindex Dec 9, 2012

my dear brother Frank,

you are most precious to me,our wee phone chats are glorious times, and i look forward to the time we share in the choice portions of the wave offering....rib eye, God loves a barbeque....didnt he say " a smell pleasing" in reference to the the Temple offerings?....when i bbq, i always think of what it must have been like in that First Temple's courtyard.

MaryJane,Mother Sandra, i love you both, so much, and Badger "C"....we GOT SNOW!! see ya soon......dont drive today bud,in Jesus' love, neil

sermonindex Dec 9, 2012

True fellowship is face to face, there is no substitute for it.

I can't agree with you more, there is nothing like it.

Online Christian forums is a whole evil in itself. There is very little profit in it.

Every once in a while some good will come out of these discussions but the majority of it is sheer nonsense. Even the stuff that I talk about is not worth sharing.

The problem Neil is it's an avenue for everyone to contribute each one's beliefs. We literally want everyone to know what we believe and why we believe and dam the consequences. I think it's in this that every one's feathers get all ruffled because we are upsetting each one's apple carts with constant rebuttals.

Lets be perfectly frank, we don't know one another to care about who we are speaking to. We shoot first ask questions later. Personally, when a thread is getting heated, I have a hard time donning that door. I look for more gentler pastures. And when someone replies to my post, I try to ignore reading it until the dust settles. I will read my post first to get enough courage to read the rebuttal.

Someone may ask, why do you come here? I like to think there is a lot of godly men and women here that I can learn from.

I like your contributions Neil. I like them because your like a lion charging in. I picture you reading certain posts and you see the exchanges being made and then out of the blue, you enter the arena with guns a blazing declaring the whole council of God.

sermonindex Dec 9, 2012

its good to be shattered.

you wrote

Lets be perfectly frank, we don't know one another to care about who we are speaking to.

i care deeply, and i do NOT write that as to appear to some super saint, God knows i am FAR from that, if such a person existed.

i TRY, try, to be so careful with my words, because i can say, i fear God. One stumbles His children at their peril.

i'm alone 99% of the time, which is good....i LOVE people, but He has hid me away, and i'm alone WITH HIM...when i can break thru the crust of my own flawed heart, and access His Heart, His Mind, His Counsel, His Word.

Usually, as i said, its in the early watches of morning, 2AM to 9AM...precious fellowship with Jesus, whether in the Word of God, or in prayer, or talking with Him...its a luxury He has given me.

you wrote me some sweet things, encouraging things, and in all humility and tears i thank you, and in a way of thanking you, can i play a comp, Jesus and i cut in 2003?

yes? trust me, you wont be bored.

its entitled "Worship in Your Way"...this is for you:

http://www.fireonthealtar.com/compilations/neil%20g/Worship%20in%20your%20way2.mp3

in Jesus' love, neil

R

RobertW Dec 10, 2012

As I read through here I see the names of dear brothers and sisters that I have had the privilege to meet this side of eternity. Some I have met face to face and others I have had a window in through Facebook, etc. To me the greatest transition that can take place in these forums is when I can identify a real person with their call-sign or forum name. It has happened many times over the years and it is such a blessing.

When I first came to these forums I was guilty of not recognizing well enough that there is a real person behind the posts. I'm looking to my left as I type this and I see names of folks I have met, logged in. Real people. People I have met at conferences or have had in my home.

Beloved, if we can love one another in these forums it is all downhill from here. If we can love somebody that we have never met and only know by an obscure title, often with no way to know the significance of why the call themselves what they do, we are well on the way. When we can love in obscurity, waiting for the time when we will all know one another the better, I believe God would be pleased.

It may seem like a funny thing to say but the relationships I have been blessed with here on SI have proved time and again to be invaluable. I have called them 'friends'. I pray we could be mild and patient with one another, despite our differences and personalities, until we can call each other my beloved brother or my beloved sister, and say it with heart-felt conviction. I don't know how this fits this thread, but I just felt to share that, for what it's worth. Blessings.

sermonindex Dec 10, 2012

I totaly agree brother Robert. I have made many great relationships here and on the prayer call we had for about four years. We have met and ministered on the streets and in meetings and to each other and it has been rich. I met my best friend and dearest brother, Brian, on the prayer call. We have met brother Robert and I have heard your heart and I know your love and passion for the Lord. There can be no substitute for face to face, heart sharing, holy hugs and holy kiss fellowship. One can much better discern a brother or sister face to face and spirit can witness with spirit................... bro Frank

G

ginnyrose Dec 10, 2012

May I suggest that if posting on a forum, reading the posts has little spiritual value, one is missing a wonderful blessing, or maybe one has misplaced loyalties?

The printed word has been used for many years to spread the word of Jesus. There are tract societies that exist for this purpose only. Today we have the internet where people can share what they believe. Whether it is edifying or not reveals to others what means a lot to me/us. The message can be the same - the medium is just different. This forum is not a tv show, it is real people speaking real words with heart-felt meanings.

When I post I write what means a lot to me. I pray, read the WORD, study it, and then write about it. My testimony is what is true and has happened in my life. I am very serious about what I write and I am certain many others on here do likewise.

In time I have had the privilege of emailing posters privately and even talked with them by phone. We live to encourage each other in our journey to heaven. Some have serious difficulties so we live to encourage - this is what Christians are called to do. If we fail in this we must never have known the Master because we never have experienced his comfort. Unless you have have been filled with divine comfort you have nothing to give.

A few years ago a lady came on board here who challenged a post - the subject started around valentines day. As the thread evolved I and a few others saw a troubled woman...pms followed and as far as we know today, that marriage ended in reconciliation. She quit posting because she lives beyond the reach of internet. How I would love to talk with her!

I, for one, have been greatly blessed by posters on SI. The friends I have made have inspired me. When they post on here I see real people in my mind - people who live, think and act. These posts are just as real as any book or article I may read elsewhere - the format is just different. In any case God is going to call us to give account for what we say, whether it be writing or speech. God takes our words seriously.

God bless.

sermonindex Dec 10, 2012

It's nice to hear your voice brother. I like that compilation.