Comments on: Positive and Encouraging? http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html Christ-Centered Teaching for Christ-Centered Living Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:58:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Madonna http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-847 Madonna Thu, 18 Feb 2010 18:03:28 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-847 This is positive and encouraging for me. I have young adult children some of whom go to church and like the confort of positive words. In fact, they say I am negative when I say anything that sends waves into their comfort zone, but I have told the Lord that they are truly only His as He created them and trust Him as their shepherd, who will bring them into His flock in His time. They are continually in my heart and prayer life and I hope for the timing that will bring them to the reality of His Life. I have failed Christ by providing them with comfort and nuturing to an unrealistic degree for the sake of His kingdom and am saddened. As for myself, prior to meeting you Chip, God has been the primary focus of my life, but I have looked to organized religion too much and not listened many times to His guiding voice. This is another sad regret, but it does show me how long suffering, compassionate, loving, and forgiving He is. This is positive and encouraging for me. I have young adult children some of whom go to church and like the confort of positive words. In fact, they say I am negative when I say anything that sends waves into their comfort zone, but I have told the Lord that they are truly only His as He created them and trust Him as their shepherd, who will bring them into His flock in His time. They are continually in my heart and prayer life and I hope for the timing that will bring them to the reality of His Life. I have failed Christ by providing them with comfort and nuturing to an unrealistic degree for the sake of His kingdom and am saddened.

As for myself, prior to meeting you Chip, God has been the primary focus of my life, but I have looked to organized religion too much and not listened many times to His guiding voice. This is another sad regret, but it does show me how long suffering, compassionate, loving, and forgiving He is.

]]> By: Rick http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-824 Rick Wed, 17 Feb 2010 04:40:54 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-824 Good word, brother. Jesus won't be another one of our lovers (idols) and He is not here to entertain us. We are to come to Jesus Christ with our whole heart and not be joined to anything else in our heart but Him. We are to say what He says and do what He does and be more interested in being a friend of God than a friend with the world. The church today is a dwelling place of demons and people are calling curses, blessings and good, evil and evil, good. The stumblingblock of their iniquity has blinded the church to what God's Word is really saying. God's will for us is our sanctification and to walk in holiness and righteousness before Him. The only way God's character will be formed in us is if we get rid of the idols in our hearts and come to Him with our whole heart, not holding back otherwise we are just going to have a religious experience. The Churche's doctrines of once saved always saved is a false security that has put the church to SLEEP. Yes, to sleep! "I prayed a prayer 20 years ago, so I am safe". Try telling Christians today that a relationship with God requires, no demands that we walk in holiness and righteousness. Why is the hedge down and many are sick today and being destroyed? May I recommend Isaiah 5 (all of it), 2 Tim 4:3-4, 2 Pet 2:1-2, Isaiah 30:9-14, Jer 5:30-31, Amos 8:11-12, Titus 1:13-16 There is a trumpet blowing and a few are hearing it, but the false doctrines of the church have captivated the majority. The unspoken mantra is "Peace and Safety", that everything is ok. God is love, God is love, God is love. And God's Grace and Love have been perverted today. That is the False Gospel. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (If you do not receive God's chastening you are illegitimate). The very first doctrine of demons from the chief demon himself is, "Ye shall not surely die", and this lie is still being whispered into people's ears today. You prayed your prayer and went to the altar, and you were "saved", so its ok to have a little "fun", YE SHALL SURELY NOT DIE. Good word, brother.

Jesus won’t be another one of our lovers (idols) and He is not here to entertain us. We are to come to Jesus Christ with our whole heart and not be joined to anything else in our heart but Him.

We are to say what He says and do what He does and be more interested in being a friend of God than a friend with the world. The church today is a dwelling place of demons and people are calling curses, blessings and good, evil and evil, good. The stumblingblock of their iniquity has blinded the church to what God’s Word is really saying.

God’s will for us is our sanctification and to walk in holiness and righteousness before Him. The only way God’s character will be formed in us is if we get rid of the idols in our hearts and come to Him with our whole heart, not holding back otherwise we are just going to have a religious experience. The Churche’s doctrines of once saved always saved is a false security that has put the church to SLEEP. Yes, to sleep! “I prayed a prayer 20 years ago, so I am safe”. Try telling Christians today that a relationship with God requires, no demands that we walk in holiness and righteousness. Why is the hedge down and many are sick today and being destroyed? May I recommend Isaiah 5 (all of it), 2 Tim 4:3-4, 2 Pet 2:1-2, Isaiah 30:9-14, Jer 5:30-31, Amos 8:11-12, Titus 1:13-16

There is a trumpet blowing and a few are hearing it, but the false doctrines of the church have captivated the majority. The unspoken mantra is “Peace and Safety”, that everything is ok. God is love, God is love, God is love. And God’s Grace and Love have been perverted today. That is the False Gospel.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. (If you do not receive God’s chastening you are illegitimate).

The very first doctrine of demons from the chief demon himself is, “Ye shall not surely die”, and this lie is still being whispered into people’s ears today. You prayed your prayer and went to the altar, and you were “saved”, so its ok to have a little “fun”, YE SHALL SURELY NOT DIE.

]]> By: frank pytel http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-823 frank pytel Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:20:38 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-823 I appreciate your fellowship, and the statement you made that today, "Content is judged not according to Truth, but according to how I feel about it." When Jesus spoke the truth concerning Himself, many said, "This word is hard who can bear it?" This was their feeling or opinion. From that time they went back to what they left behind and no longer walked with Him (John 6:60,66). Brother, may we be those who take what we hear to enquire before the Lord, and not firstly be occupied with how I feel about it. Then we might see Micaiah's word in a different way, and not hate him, but repent and believe. I appreciate your fellowship, and the statement you made that today, “Content is judged not according to Truth, but according to how I feel about it.” When Jesus spoke the truth concerning Himself, many said, “This word is hard who can bear it?” This was their feeling or opinion. From that time they went back to what they left behind and no longer walked with Him (John 6:60,66). Brother, may we be those who take what we hear to enquire before the Lord, and not firstly be occupied with how I feel about it. Then we might see Micaiah’s word in a different way, and not hate him, but repent and believe.

]]> By: Jean http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-822 Jean Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:05:05 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-822 Hello Chip. I was encouraged by your article, or rather should I say this is something I needed to hear, something negetive.... At times I strugle with the sin of pride, but I am normally in denial about it and try to brush it aside, yet God will do what He has to do to cleanse me of this wicked sin. And He normally does it in a negetive way- to my discouragement! Yet for my own good. Your article just spoke to me. Thank You. Hello Chip.

I was encouraged by your article, or rather should I say this is something I needed to hear, something negetive…. At times I strugle with the sin of pride, but I am normally in denial about it and try to brush it aside, yet God will do what He has to do to cleanse me of this wicked sin. And He normally does it in a negetive way- to my discouragement! Yet for my own good. Your article just spoke to me. Thank You.

]]> By: Len http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-819 Len Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:51:18 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-819 A just God granted eternal life to only one man, the only man who, in Himself, was not under the curse that the wages of sin is death. All other men, born in sin, have been judged to die. Otherwise, God would be breaking His own Word. Our salvation lies in taking up the cross, following Christ into the grave, where the fallen, flesh, earth, stone man is buried, and a new creation is resurrected in Christ. It is no longer I that lives but Christ in me. This is the meaning of baptism and is beautifully illustrated in the account of Israel crossing the Jordan to enter the promised land, heaven. Each tribe took a stone and placed it on the riverbed as they crossed as a picture of burying the stone man (dust to dust) with his stone heart. For our fallen man is dead and we are to leave the dead to the dead. We would have, and do preach, Jesus as savior but not Lord. Sure we call Him Lord, honoring Him with our lips, but unless He truly has the reigns of our hearts, as Shepherd, we are no different than the hypocritical pharisees and will never find the promised land. And God is not fooled. Rather it will be us who are counted as fools, like the foolish virgins, having been given a measure of light, having had a taste, by God's great graciosness, through willful disobedience have not received another measure of oil, the Holy Spirit, and hence are deceived by our own stone hearts, thinking more of ourselves than we ought. To be the Israel of God, His everlasting family, we have to be true to the meaning of the word Israel, i.e. God prevails. Christ came to restore our right (righteous) relationship to The Father, with God as our God. Our greatest enemy as David writes in Psalm 55.13 is ourself. Ye shall be as gods. Self as god must die. I thank God that despite our slumbering, in the dark, in His great graciousness and longsuffering, with undeserved mercy and compasssion, He is waking some of us up to the Truth. Christ did not die for nothing. Though I grieve and mourn over the waywardness of mine own heart, and that of "christians" in general, I am absolutely convinced that God and His Christ will be glorified, in the end, when Jesus harvests just men made perfect-come quickly Lord Jesus into my heart and soul as my all, my everything. So let us heed our Savior's Word as the darkness is on us like a flood, Rev. 12. We are what we eat, so eat the Holy righteous spiritual manna of the Word, Christ, with that Word quickened by God's breath the Holy Spirit, and starve that fallen flesh nature by refusing the whore's wine and bread. This we must do daily,striving against ourself, that we, through the counsel and power of the Holy Spirit, can be overcomers of self. And pray without ceasing, asking, seeking, and knocking for the acceptable fruit of Christ's righteousness in us. Give God no rest till He brings the peace of true reconcillation of us with Him, into our hearts. Amen. A just God granted eternal life to only one man, the only man who, in Himself, was not under the curse that the wages of sin is death. All other men, born in sin, have been judged to die. Otherwise, God would be breaking His own Word. Our salvation lies in taking up the cross, following Christ into the grave, where the fallen, flesh, earth, stone man is buried, and a new creation is resurrected in Christ. It is no longer I that lives but Christ in me. This is the meaning of baptism and is beautifully illustrated in the account of Israel crossing the Jordan to enter the promised land, heaven. Each tribe took a stone and placed it on the riverbed as they crossed as a picture of burying the stone man (dust to dust) with his stone heart. For our fallen man is dead and we are to leave the dead to the dead.

We would have, and do preach, Jesus as savior but not Lord. Sure we call Him Lord, honoring Him with our lips, but unless He truly has the reigns of our hearts, as Shepherd, we are no different than the hypocritical pharisees and will never find the promised land. And God is not fooled. Rather it will be us who are counted as fools, like the foolish virgins, having been given a measure of light, having had a taste, by God’s great graciosness, through willful disobedience have not received another measure of oil, the Holy Spirit, and hence are deceived by our own stone hearts, thinking more of ourselves than we ought.

To be the Israel of God, His everlasting family, we have to be true to the meaning of the word Israel, i.e. God prevails. Christ came to restore our right (righteous) relationship to The Father, with God as our God. Our greatest enemy as David writes in Psalm 55.13 is ourself. Ye shall be as gods. Self as god must die.

I thank God that despite our slumbering, in the dark, in His great graciousness and longsuffering, with undeserved mercy and compasssion, He is waking some of us up to the Truth. Christ did not die for nothing. Though I grieve and mourn over the waywardness of mine own heart, and that of “christians” in general, I am absolutely convinced that God and His Christ will be glorified, in the end, when Jesus harvests just men made perfect-come quickly Lord Jesus into my heart and soul as my all, my everything.

So let us heed our Savior’s Word as the darkness is on us like a flood, Rev. 12. We are what we eat, so eat the Holy righteous spiritual manna of the Word, Christ, with that Word quickened by God’s breath the Holy Spirit, and starve that fallen flesh nature by refusing the whore’s wine and bread. This we must do daily,striving against ourself, that we, through the counsel and power of the Holy Spirit, can be overcomers of self. And pray without ceasing, asking, seeking, and knocking for the acceptable fruit of Christ’s righteousness in us. Give God no rest till He brings the peace of true reconcillation of us with Him, into our hearts. Amen.

]]> By: Janvier Billong http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-818 Janvier Billong Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:07:04 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-818 Hello Chip, I give thanks to God our Father in heaven in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth for haven inspired you through the Holy Spirit to write this message. Most of the questions you ask here have been troubling my heart for the past six months.In fact, I have practically been thrown out of all christian cycles in my town because of my strong desire to call christians to repentance & to return back to the true gospel of Christ. My Country Cameroon in particular & Africa in general is full of this other gospel Paul talks about in his epithets.Radio stations & TV channels are full of "prophets" issuing messages o prosperity, miracles, healing,weddings,jobs etc & the crowds are amazed.No preaching of the cross,the fear of God or the wrath of God."Just give your life to Jesus & you'll get well,married,have a job, travel to Europe or U.S.give birth etc.A message like this one will be treated as heresy. May God continue to bless you with every spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus our Lord & Savior. Janvier Billong from Douala CAmeroon Hello Chip,

I give thanks to God our Father in heaven in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth for haven inspired you through the Holy Spirit to write this message. Most of the questions you ask here have been troubling my heart for the past six months.In fact, I have practically been thrown out of all christian cycles in my town because of my strong desire to call christians to repentance & to return back to the true gospel of Christ. My Country Cameroon in particular & Africa in general is full of this other gospel Paul talks about in his epithets.Radio stations & TV channels are full of “prophets” issuing messages o prosperity, miracles, healing,weddings,jobs etc & the crowds are amazed.No preaching of the cross,the fear of God or the wrath of God.”Just give your life to Jesus & you’ll get well,married,have a job, travel to Europe or U.S.give birth etc.A message like this one will be treated as heresy.
May God continue to bless you with every spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus our Lord & Savior.
Janvier Billong from Douala CAmeroon

]]> By: Melissa http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-817 Melissa Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:22:09 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-817 The truth IS the only thing that sets us free....Thank you for the freedom you have expounded in this article. What a joy we are denying the church world of true brokeness, and repentance,and the dicovering our true ever present need for our sweet Savour--by just making them "feel" like everything's alright. Thank you for this true article...may it bring freedom to many! The truth IS the only thing that sets us free….Thank you for the freedom you have expounded in this article. What a joy we are denying the church world of true brokeness, and repentance,and the dicovering our true ever present need for our sweet Savour–by just making them “feel” like everything’s alright. Thank you for this true article…may it bring freedom to many!

]]> By: Kris http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-816 Kris Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:24:25 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-816 The reason that this is such a foreign concept to so many is because church, tv ministries, etc. etc. is all about "me, me, me....what's in it for me?". When people find out that "its NOT about me" AT ALL, they turn a deaf ear to the Truth. What a sad state that the vast majority are either seeking God out of fear, or for what I see more than anything; what God can do for them....prosperity, healing, gifts, etc. etc. etc. And what a viscious cycle it becomes, one person tells another who tells another "if you do this, God will do this". They make God the debtor and think THAT is the normal Christian life! The reason that this is such a foreign concept to so many is because church, tv ministries, etc. etc. is all about “me, me, me….what’s in it for me?”. When people find out that “its NOT about me” AT ALL, they turn a deaf ear to the Truth. What a sad state that the vast majority are either seeking God out of fear, or for what I see more than anything; what God can do for them….prosperity, healing, gifts, etc. etc. etc. And what a viscious cycle it becomes, one person tells another who tells another “if you do this, God will do this”. They make God the debtor and think THAT is the normal Christian life!

]]> By: Mary Darrell http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-815 Mary Darrell Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:54:11 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-815 You don't know how happy your comment made me. Happy because I hear someone else objecting to the constant use of the word "Destiny". I agree, it is self-centered. Jesus had a "destiny"--the Cross. But it says that He foresaw the joy that would be His when He gained a people, a Church, for Himself through His death and resurrection. His death--His destiny--was for others. Jeremiah 29:11 is often quoted in reference to the destiny teaching. However, these words were spoken as the Israelites were being dragged off to Babylon because of their sin and disobedience. Most would not see the Land ever again. God was giving them hope as a nation, not as some personal promise of destiny and prosperity. Context! You don’t know how happy your comment made me. Happy because I hear someone else objecting to the constant use of the word “Destiny”. I agree, it is self-centered. Jesus had a “destiny”–the Cross. But it says that He foresaw the joy that would be His when He gained a people, a Church, for Himself through His death and resurrection. His death–His destiny–was for others. Jeremiah 29:11 is often quoted in reference to the destiny teaching. However, these words were spoken as the Israelites were being dragged off to Babylon because of their sin and disobedience. Most would not see the Land ever again. God was giving them hope as a nation, not as some personal promise of destiny and prosperity. Context!

]]> By: Mary Darrell http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/positive-and-encouraging.html/comment-page-1#comment-814 Mary Darrell Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:36:39 +0000 http://www.theschoolofchrist.org/socwp/wordpress/?p=242#comment-814 Thanks! Sometimes I get so weary of the "positive" messages without any reference to taking up the Cross or discipleship. Just finished reading an intriguing book entitled "Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America." by Barbara Ehrenreich. This is NOT a Christian book written or published by Christians. However, she does have a chapter on how the secular world of positive think has affected the Church: "By any quantitive measure, the most successful preachers today are the positive thinkers, who no longer mention sin and usually have little to say about those standard whipping boys of the Christian right, abortion and homosexuality. Gone is the threat of hell and the promise of salvation, along with the grim story of Jesus's torment on the cross." This book is an eye-opener! A "must read". Thanks! Sometimes I get so weary of the “positive” messages without any reference to taking up the Cross or discipleship. Just finished reading an intriguing book entitled “Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America.” by Barbara Ehrenreich. This is NOT a Christian book written or published by Christians. However, she does have a chapter on how the secular world of positive think has affected the Church: “By any quantitive measure, the most successful preachers today are the positive thinkers, who no longer mention sin and usually have little to say about those standard whipping boys of the Christian right, abortion and homosexuality. Gone is the threat of hell and the promise of salvation, along with the grim story of Jesus’s torment on the cross.” This book is an eye-opener! A “must read”.

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