“Have we the true Children of God, been over ran”?

[Sue D.]

Well in marriage / business relationships, yes. We are to have our Main friends as other believers.

No one is being yoked together in a church service.

Any church I've ever been in -- there has Always been an invitation time -- those wanting to know more about salvation, baptism , church membership any questions

I should Hope that the unsaved would be Welcome to come in to hear God's Word. Feel the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and respond in a positive / accepting way.

 

[Trevor]

Well in marriage / business relationships, yes. We are to have our Main friends as other believers.

No one is being yoked together in a church service.

Any church I've ever been in -- there has Always been an invitation time -- those wanting to know more about salvation, baptism , church membership any questions

I should Hope that the unsaved would be Welcome to come in to hear God's Word. Feel the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and respond in a positive / accepting way.

Well Sue, It's all according as to how we perceive a church, the church you speak of is the established church i.e. Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic. etc... Many would see these as worldly churches. This is unlike the early church where believers met in each others homes and kept themselves separate from synagogues. the method they used to evangelise was on the streets, in the hills etc... those who received Jesus were then invited into peoples homes and became part of the church. Believers had to be sure in those days because followers of Jesus were, in those days, persecuted. I pray that God will bless you Sue and lead us all into his truth. Bless you. Trevor.

 

[Sue D.]

Actually I'm speaking of the Church that Jesus Christ founded.

The RCC's basic belief's are not based on Scripture. There were men within the RCC that were finding errors in it's teachings and were trying to reform from within, That didn't work so there became the Protestant Reformation -- thus, the Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran churches. Anglican, Baptist has their origins later.

And, yes, believers Were persecuted. In order To meet they had to do it secretly within individual homes.

There are the accounts of Jesus preaching/ teaching to the multitudes of people on the hill sides -- feeding the 5,000 and another feeding of the 4,000. Jesus Christ was busy performing miracles and teaching all who would listen. And He chose his 12 disciples to become fishers of men.

There's nothing 'worldly' about gathering as local groups in your town --- times change and people want to learn together and groups get bigger and bigger and some stay small.

How do you think the 7 churches in Asia came to be. The result of Paul's missionary journeys with various companions helping him.

Back in those days -- there was a period of persecution -- believers scattered all over -- and , in process, reached others with the Gospel. There have Always been periods of persecution. That is one way that the Gospel unto salvation Is spread. And Also by reaching out to neighbors / friends and inviting them to church with you.

And Now we are in a very different stage in history -- the virus and all the steps being taking to try to stop it. But people forget that we've had much worse flu / cold seasons that we see now. It started in China and spreads every where and fairly quickly because we're a very mobile world.

During these past few weeks -- life is being change For us -- temporarily -- how a person responds To this is up to the individual.

 

[Reba1]

Well in marriage / business relationships, yes. We are to have our Main friends as other believers.

No one is being yoked together in a church service.

Any church I've ever been in -- there has Always been an invitation time -- those wanting to know more about salvation, baptism , church membership any questions

I should Hope that the unsaved would be Welcome to come in to hear God's Word. Feel the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and respond in a positive / accepting way.

Amen...

through out my life time there has always been the men who tell us not to listen to men . . They most often are the ones who have a full and complete knowledge of Scripture that the 'church ' does not have. The Scriptures tell us not to forsake the gathering together , and
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Countless cults have been developed by such men

 

[Sue D.]

@Reba1 -- Amen to you, also. So right.

 

[Trevor]

Amen...

through out my life time there has always been the men who tell us not to listen to men . . They most often are the ones who have a full and complete knowledge of Scripture that the 'church ' does not have. The Scriptures tell us not to forsake the gathering together , and
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Countless cults have been developed by such men

Reba, It's always wise to remember that it was the church of the day that had Jesus crucified. Throughout history men have abused the church. the Catholics headed by the Pope had the inquisition, the protestants, headed by the monarch produced Cromwell. In our own time there are those in the clergy of both Catholic and Protestant who abuse children, and put more store in repairing ancient buildings than feeding the poor, in fact there are many so-called houses of God that one can't enter unless they pay. I would rather give my tithe to someone in need than use it to buy lead for the roof of a building covered in gargoyles. I am a Christian, born again in the Spirit of God. I believe the scriptures are inspired by the Spirit of God and are there to be obeyed and when I meet a like-minded 'living stone' who diligently follows the teachings of Jesus and the apostles that he ordained I then experience his Church. bless you.

 

[Reba1]

Reba, It's always wise to remember that it was the church of the day that had Jesus crucified. Throughout history men have abused the church. the Catholics headed by the Pope had the inquisition, the protestants, headed by the monarch produced Cromwell. In our own time there are those in the clergy of both Catholic and Protestant who abuse children, and put more store in repairing ancient buildings than feeding the poor, in fact there are many so-called houses of God that one can't enter unless they pay. I would rather give my tithe to someone in need than use it to buy lead for the roof of a building covered in gargoyles. I am a Christian, born again in the Spirit of God. I believe the scriptures are inspired by the Spirit of God and are there to be obeyed and when I meet a like-minded 'living stone' who diligently follows the teachings of Jesus and the apostles that he ordained I then experience his Church. bless you.

Trevor i think we are saying the same thing only phrased a bit differently .

 

[Trevor]

Trevor i think we are saying the same thing only phrased a bit differently .

Bless you Reba, I pray that God will continue to expand our understanding and make us useful in His body.

 

[PloughBoy]

(Daniel 11: 29-35)NIV.

29“At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

31“His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. 32With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.

33“Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. 34When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. 35Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

 

[Samson2020]

Reba, It's always wise to remember that it was the church of the day that had Jesus crucified.

Actually it was his own Father. God himself who had Jesus crucified. "The Lamb of God"

I would rather give my tithe to someone in need than use it to buy lead for the roof of a building covered in gargoyles.

Tithing was done away with 2000 yrs ago, but give to the needy all you can. Your New High Priest is from the tribe of Judah, the Law was for the Levites of the priest hood to collect tithes from the other 11 tribes, and the Levitical priesthood ended the day Jesus was crucified. It's in Hebrews 7:11-12.

And one last thing.

As long as your looking at evil outside yourself you will never find the evil lurking in you that must be eradicated. Your obedience must be fulfilled first.

 

[Reba1]

Jesus gave his life. God sent Him, He died for my sins. The Romans did the deed the Jews asked for .

 

[Samson2020]

Matt 16:21 " From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and
scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."
22- "Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: THIS SHALL NOT BE UNTO THEE."
23- "But he turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offense unto me: FOR THOU SAVOREST NOT THE THINGS THAT BE OF GOD, but those
that be of men."

He became obedient even unto the death of the cross which was foreordained for him before the world was formed.
Why would you suppose he forgave them and said "They know not what they do" and indeed they did not. But he knew that his obedience unto death would bring
him a kingdom along with all power in heaven and in earth at his resurrection. And having been perfected by his suffering he became the author of eternal salvation
to all those who obey him.

Does this sound like a mans plan or Gods?

 

[Samson2020]

He died for my sins

This is true but there was a lot more to his cross than just our sins. His reward for his unblemished sacrifice was unfathomable.

 

[PloughBoy]

Thread Title:
“Have we the true Children of God, been over ran”?
I am feeling it more and more each day, even as we get deeper and deeper into this "Covid-19" era.
It almost, have a likening, or sort of, "Biblical motif" a picturesque , "snap shot" view of this:

American Standard Version
And they went up over the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city:

As if, we have been so surrounded and being choked, by the whole world into their their mold of thinking , Hierarchy of respectability and moral code ethnicity. that is outside of the [true camp of God's thinking] and it is choking us to death by the effects it is having on us and those love ones around us, by their great deceptions of the truth, even joined by those who:
(Matthew 23:15).
" traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are."

I feel so overwhelm, sometimes by these "hypocrites" I know i am not perfect either and come very short in a lot of matters, but I say: "still tell the truth"! If you live like a liar, claim it!!! I say; you know, you need prayer. If you live like a *****, claim it! and say, I need prayer! and you still say; I know those who practices such things go to hell! Because the "Bible says so"! Who do we think Jesus came to saved? "Debutantes"!

New International Version
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
"James 5:16"

You better not do this in a "institutionalize Church". or to so called friends. They will burn you to the stake! If you are real, God will make a way for your confessing your sins, to a stranger and yet not a stranger! That His word may be fulfilled in you! That is why, not only must you read you bible, you got to know it!
New International Version
Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.
(Matthew 22:29).

We are just being overcome by a great Army,
We are being so surrounded, and covered, and it effects our "born from above" thinking, and this stuff is being pour on top of our heads and it becomes hard to keep clean. everywhere you step. In the neighborhood, Walmart, beach, airport, park, at work, Youtube, Television, sons room, daughters room, it goes on and on, grandma's room, grandpa's room. Oh yes it is, The Devil is not "prejudice" to age groups or gender! This is the 21st Century! They do not have to be in the same room to cheat or the same zip code!

Ok, you can understand what i am saying, it is our environment and it seems we cannot escape it. It has become a complete WarZONE.

 

[Reba1]

1Sa_17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.

 

[PloughBoy]

So true.

7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.

 

[Reba1]

We all tend to see the world from where we are .. There is a lot of years of history behind us.. This Covis 19 is not as bad as some of the past...
Black Death
What is now called the Black Death, also known as the Pestilence and the Great Mortality, was the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history. The Black Death resulted in the deaths of up to 75–200 million people in Eurasia and North Africa, peaking in Europe from 1347 to 1351. Plague, the disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, was the cause; Y. pestis infection most commonly results in bubonic plague, but can cause septicaemic or pneumonic plagues.Wikipedia

Genghis Khan came to power by uniting many of the nomadic tribes of northeast Asia. After founding the Mongol Empire, he started the Mongol invasions that resulted in the conquest of most of Eurasia. These campaigns were often accompanied by wholesale massacres of the civilian populations – especially in Khwarezmia. Mongol campaigns may have resulted in the deaths of 40 million people which at the time accounted for approximately 11.1% of total world population.
Malaria
The disease is widespread in the tropical and subtropical regions that exist in a broad band around the equator.[1] This includes much of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America.[2] In 2018 there were 228 million cases of malaria worldwide resulting in an estimated 405,000 deaths.[3] Approximately 93% of the cases and 94% of deaths occurred in Africa.[3] Rates of disease have decreased from 2010 to 2014, but increased from 2015 to 2017, during which there were 231 million cases.[3] Malaria is commonly associated with poverty and has a major negative effect on economic development.[8][9] In Africa, it is estimated to result in losses of US$12 billion a year due to increased healthcare costs, lost ability to work, and negative effects on tourism.[10]

 

[PloughBoy]

I know you are right "Reba".
Just like me i cannot tell at the moment if "Covid-19" has effected me in any matter. No curing life style. Now i say I cannot tell, it does not mean it has not.

Now, if the Pandemic had occurred 1st part of the 21 century, oh yes, $2600.00 Mortgage, 4 new car payments, about $50.000 a year plus college payments for kids plus their apartment payments insurance on cars,, I might had died!! I think that people has lost employment wage earnings world wide is the biggest problem. lost of crops, lost of harvesting, trade, I think the relating effects to 'Covid-19" I can image what some might be going through.

 

[Reba1]

Buy a home over what you truly can afford
Justify buying new cars when the old one is really fine
Send kids to government schools ..
So often we allow advertising to control our lives.

I am blessed to have more in the way of things then i ever thought i would. Remembering where the blessings come from and thankful for the way they are provided. I live simply, yet a big step up from the tents, one room , back of churches i lived in in my youth.. God is good and from Him all blessings flow.

 

[PloughBoy]

That is what we did, the bible says: "own no man"! we did what we could afford. and nothing more. and retired at 62. a lot of sacrifices. My entertainment and enjoyment reading the word of God and related hisitorical facts. and I like to cook, beans and peas, I don't need no meat. i rather have "Blackeyes Peas" and corn bread than steak! LOL! Butter beans, red beans, navy beans, Pinto beans! I can eat beans everyday of the week. I would say GOD bless me to like Beans and Peas, My kids would look at me and shake their heads. I and can cook the heck out of them. My mother and father said it was not hard to feed me and my brother, Because they always wanted 'Dry Beans". and drink gallons of milk. LOL! I can season those beans all different type of ways. I am not hard to please. now that is my opinion.