After many years

After many years I have decided to return to the church and have begun reaching out to christians. My heart and the burden I carry is to see a true Move of God in my nation, that goes into the nations, God willing I will play a part.

My first venture back into the fold was a prayer meeting for revival in a wee village called Old Dear in Aberdeenshire. I guessed if you want to find the more serious Christians that would be where I would find them.

I was made very welcome, there was a group of around 20 people, the group had 3 x Messianic Jews, 2 x Nigerians, 7 x English people and the remaining amount were Scottish people. I was really glad to find such a mix and many denominations and non-denom represented and of course the Jewish crowd who attend the synagogue in Aberdeen on Friday and wait for it have allowed Messianic Jews - Christians and standard jewish people to attend on the Friday so I will look into that a bit further.

The praying itself was a bit reserved with many moments of silent reflection but I can persevere with that (I really want to find people who groan and travail if I am honest) all in all I felt refreshed and there was a joy released in me that I haven't experienced in many years just being around fellow believers.

They encouraged me to find a church, which of course told them I was planning to do but in the mean time I was wanting to network and get to know believers around the North East of Scotland as I have been away for so long.

On the Sunday I attended a church called Destiny Aberdeen in a recent church plant and they have around 30-40 people attending on a Sunday. There are a lot of newly saved from the a poor background with a lot of baggage and problems - with not a lot of solid Christians to support the church.

The preaching (teaching) was basic - milk for children as you would expect with so much newly saved people. Something that grieved me was that senior Pastor said a word of knowledge prior to the teaching and that God would heal them but at the end no one was asked if they were healed - no one jumped up and shouted with joy as the felt Gods healing power healed them. At the end of teaching he did mention it but didn't ask for testimony in response to the word of knowledge.

Another point that got me thinking was they opened up the front to allow to share things like a scripture a verse or word of encouragement which was all fine until this guy came up and started saying that he had seen God it started at his feet and moved up until he was looking at God face, at which point he was holding back tears - but I just could help thinking if you looked on a God's face would you cry out like Job my eyes have seen you and I loathe myself. Maybe I am missing it here but you would expect this guy who is not a new christian to able to comb his hair after getting out of bed to come to church at least if he had seen God face to face. (Am I being harsh?)

Now after the meeting I spoke to the pastor and senior pastor they just kept on saying about the words the had been receiving about what God was going to in Aberdeen. Now I have no problems with that, I to have know in some part what God will do in this area of Scotland, but thy really need to focus on these newly saved people rather than seeking for more as they are stretched with the ones they have...

However after the meeting and I was alone I must admit I was bit confused and didn't have the joy like I had after the prayer meeting.

Anyhow onwards and upwards.... I will go back there as there is a man who goes to bible teaching on a Thursday who used to attend the church I used to attend I guess I need to get whats on chest off of it - so that I can move on from there and forgive him, regardless of how he reacts. (I am sure it will be fine)

Anyway thanks to all in Sermonindex over the years as you have been my only contact with Christians over that time, the sermons on here and communications through the different posts have been a blessing to me during that time. If anything being here listening to the sermons and reading some real good articles and communicating through the posts my thinking on what it really means to be a Christian has been transformed.

Know that you are not alone in searching and seeking out for deeper fellowship and prayers for revival. The Lord truly does have his remnant and we are seeking to see Jesus Christ lifted on high by the willingness and the tongues of all men. I pray that we would seek Christ diligently, even more than we seek revival, and that we would walk with Him ever so close.

May you be encouraged this day my friend.

Blessings,
bro jeremy

Thanks Jeremy for the encouragement, and your right that we must seek the Christ rather than revival,.

You are the second person who has said that to me, so please take that as encouragement for your own-self.

Two things come to mind, along with a third thing which is that I too live in something of an unchurched wilderness.

When my friend, now in Glory, went back to church after many years in the weeping wilderness I asked him why he had gone back. He was back in the Presbyterian church where we had both been for many years.

He said, "I found out there wasn't anything wrong with the church that wasn't wrong with me first."

I have been pondering that thought for several decades!

My thoughts on this go to some of the things Jesus said as he did His walk-about among the people of His earthly ministry. He constantly marvelled at their little faith, their unbelief, His "How long must I put up with you's" and "If only you knew..." He observed their "church failure" lifestyle every day, made constant reference to it, and loved them all anyway. He would go up to the mountain to pray, but always come back to the mess.

His love and mission always exceeded His disgust.

My own coping with all this led me to the street ministry. For eleven years I brought a circle of chairs out on the sidewalk in my nearby town and erected a little sign that said "Sidewalk Sunday School." Then I sat in one of the chairs and read my bible.

Over the years I was able to feed the gospel into a variety of odd folk who wouldn't go into a regular church. Often I just let them regale their life of woe, and just love on them. Many wanted nothing to do with Christ Jesus, but some did and I felt like it was worthwhile to be there.

I am back in church now, but way differently than I would have imagined. I helped the pastor of the little ministry to handicapped adults where my daughter had been attending start a new church after the board of the original church fired him. (I saw the board's actions as almost criminal in their treatment of a Godly man.)

What really helps me is seeing this church as not just church, but a ministry confronting Satan, sin, and the inability of business model churches to serve a segment of the population they wish weren't out there. Way different from sitting in a pew wondering what stupid thing the pastor will be saying next to boil my blood and make me wonder why am I hanging around this place. Boy do I remember those days!

Just some thoughts for you, as you seek His word and guidance. May He reveal to you ministry opportunities you would never have seen had you stayed in the wilderness!

Thank you for sharing this, may the Lord bless you and make you a blessing to others.

No one makes spiritual progress alone. We're going to need strong fellowship in the days ahead, find some who can pray with you in faith.

In Christ,

As a Christian we are not expected to live alone no matter how holy we are. We are all expected to be built into a Body of Christ. All the self standing Christians are just examples of a Holy mouth or eye standing alone, saying it is a body. This is a deception.

One may say that the Churches are not perfect. The answer is it has never been perfect. Even the Church headed by Jesus himself had a thief and a betrayer.

A Christian living alone does not have a revelation of Church. He should seek wisdom from God. And then ask some fellow brothers to meet with him. It takes humility to be in fellowship with other believers. The Classic self sustained Western life lacks such humility. That is why many Christians do not belong to Church. According to me all the works of a man are useless before God if he was not part of a Church. All ministries are intended to begin and exist within the Church.

Brother Zac Poonen used to pray that if there is a Righteous man living in my locality then he should meet with us, if not show us what we are lacking. We might be lacking humility to seek fellowship with him or we might be legalist. How many of us can say we have prayed this way? Without seeking how can one find? Ask it will be given.

Sidewalk ”“ I guess that’s what I am doing, going back to the mess ”“ I am going to start networking getting to know as much people and build relationships with as much people as I can from the dom and the non-dom all over the North East of Scotland.

However my key goal is not ministry my focus will be humbling myself further and drawing closer to God.

InTheLight ”“ you are right now one makes spiritual progress alone ”“ I thank God he has been with me every step of the way. I slipped and fell many times but God remained faithful ”“ it is his goodness that led me to repentance. My whole way of thinking has changed and that is all outside of the church, I am not going back a weak and broken man. - I am going back stronger but not in my own strengh, I am going back cleaner for he has dealt with sin in my life, I go back more disciplined as God has disciplined me.

I know who is coming ”“ it is one of the reasons I go back.

Sree ”“ we are never alone, I was never not apart of Christ or his church, because I didn’t go the building that men call a church. I just withdrew from the people who claimed the name of God and for a while God himself.

The reason I left the church was because of the hurt I saw it (church) causing to those it was called to heal ”“ I ran angry at God and Men ”“ when I left the church (building) walking home to my house God spoke to me after praying and telling him I wasn’t going back. He said you’ll be like Job ”“ The turning point for me was when my skin broke out - it was at that point I sought God ”“ then he broke through in my life in a wonderful way it was around this time that I joined sermonindex. He used the sermons on here to change my thinking…

Consider Jonah ”“ who ran from God who didn’t want to deliver God’s message who spent 3 days in the belly of the whale, which ended up being prophetic message about Christ death burial and resurrection.

God’s way are not our own ways ”“ in any situation he can turn it around for good. God doesn’t turn his back on you because you have walked out on him or those who claim the name of Christ ”“ he draws us back and as we respond he rejoices, just as the Father rejoiced at the return of the prodigal.

Now I am sure if I didn’t respond like I did when I broke out in spots I would have eventually lost everything ”“ I may have ended up in a belly of a whale so to speak ”“ but thank God for his goodness… I thank him for those spots on my skin..

We're here, your beloved fellow wilderness people- keep us apprised on your adventure!

But don't be surprised if God thrusts you into ministry- if only to one. He has been known to move heaven and earth to effect the birthing of just one precious son...