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Urban_Hermit 70M
122 posts
1/7/2019 12:19 am
Topics for discussion at men's meeting


This is just some 'thought's on paper' so to speak about in an upcoming men's meeting, probably in a few months time. The feedback.will be interesting.

I said to a pastor recently to accept Jesus into your heart was unscriptural, he agreed and said but it was just a point of entry. He handed me a great line but no! So subtle but that is entry into the 'ism,' the denomination, it's not into Christ. Though a few may wend their way into Christ through His grace and guidance through this deception, it's not Scriptural. Nowhere in the Bible does Jesus say to ask Him into your heart. It's by faith alone in Christ alone, the gospel is repent, confess your sins and He is faithful and just to forgive our sins. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, you've got to come on His terms. Eph 1 & 2 talks about it's Christ alone, by Him. It's impertinent and presumptuous to think 'we allow Him in' as if it's ok by us. He comes when we repent.

Falsely telling people they are saved, then they have no power to overcome sin. "Oh, nobody's perfect." I hear the Mansion example, we are like a big house and God cleans out one room at a time, it's out of the pit, an excuse to keep holding onto favorite sins saying, "God hasn't got to that room yet, could take years." No, He comes in and shines His light on many things. Without holiness no man shall see God. (Heb 2:14) Wow. Something to think about.

We renew our mind. Trying to do move in the power of miracles and wonders without ever having overcome the power of sin. What spirit have you received? One of deception? Just as I am? No, you have to believe, have faith and repent first.

You must first believe, to have faith is to act on the belief, the action is repentance, turning from all sin, not just some. It's like power steering, power brakes, there's the power yes, but you must turn the wheel and press the brake, we must act before the Holy Spirit's power will help us. Sure sanctification is a lifetime journey, but beware of the "Hath God said?" in it, we have the power to overcome sin, we just have to understand how God changes us.

Are you silenced in your church? Can you not say anything unless you've been to their brand of bible college, been an 'intern' pastor, made to conform to the 'ism' from the man at the top down to you? The 'ism' will snuff out your flame, quench your fire.

Here you have a voice, orderly, in order, but you can have a voice. I'm not the pulpit person, we all are, no one is left out. No pastor / pew warmer, clergy / laity segregation here.

Have you been bursting with a testimony or word from God but have had it suppressed? Not here, though you'll learn 'brevity' for the sake of others. It's all about Jesus, it's all about your relationship with Jesus, not a church, that's secondary, this is true church - to be about Him and for all to be equal, no overlord pastors/shepherds, just a few 'elders' who are no greater than you and serve for free like Paul.

You will know who are true shepherds, wolves and hirelings, most are hirelings in the 'ism' church world. True shepherds protect the flock from the wolves. They expose them. Paul named names.

We are all equal, just different roles. The bride should not be about herself but about the bridegroom. Don't let your oil run out, they were friends of the bride, not the groom, He didn't know them. Do you feel something is missing in the church? Is Jesus is missing, is worldliness in? Is your church always loud? Why? It's hard to think, share, witness to new comers & listen with all that noise. In the sound of a gentle stillness is the still small voice. Can we be silent together? (I've come from Pentecostal background, that's why I've written this part and I'm tired of hype)

Men are the head of the home, the gate to their home, the door to what comes in. Just as the eyes are the window to the soul, we watch out and are careful what we choose to look at. Satan is trying to crush men with political correctness, feminism and government laws that are anti-man as far as family separations go, he is out to destroy through false marxist education, are not taught to think but follow the 'party line'. Do as they are told. How can they discern corruption? We as men have to warn our families and brothers. The great apostasy is upon us, we are in the age of Laodicea, the church has left its first love yet believes it's rich, but is poor, blind, miserable and naked. The lies that have crept into the church, New Age mysticism, W.O.F. N.A.R. Emergent church, co-exist. True Christians will be the enemy of this false 'unity'. Unity at the expense of the true Gospel of Christ. Their unity is antichrist. Fortunately there are pockets of small churches that still believe and are following Christ.

Bringing up your to be marriable, it's important.

Many men are not marrying, laws and government is against them, they've seen their fathers or father's friends lose their homes in divorce cases. Pre-nups are not legal, but a 'financial agreement' is. The government is the 'new boyfriend' who pays the bills for the woman & when the woman wants to move on. Sure there are some bad guys out there, but a lot of women become professional mothers to leech of the system so they don't have to work.

Judgement Day will be interesting.


Urban_Hermit 70M
319 posts
1/7/2019 12:27 am

Anyway these are some topics that will be discussed this year. God bless.

Judgement Day will be interesting.


Urban_Hermit 70M
319 posts
1/13/2019 8:09 am

Hi H.M.

Thanks for your response. You've raised a good point about Rom 10:5-10. It says the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. (V and if you believe in your heart (V8 & 9) and in Deut also. Valid and true.

My point though, is there is an act of obedience before He comes to dwell in our hearts in both the O.T. and N.T? In the O.T. there was obedience from the heart to obey the law, they had to repent and turn from their sins, in the N.T. obedience from the heart was to repent first, once a true repentance has come to the sinner he/she is forgiven, then He comes into our heart, on His terms not ours. We cant just invite Him in and still be living like the devil. We cant say, "Sure come on into my heart and save me but I'm still going to party hard, live with my girlfriend/boyfriend etc. but I need to feel safe about not going to hell."

I agree with the Joel verses too but that has to be balanced with Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Did these people ask Jesus into their heart? Or did they repent confess with their mouth and believe in their heart and were saved?

Ps 119:11 is good, the word is hidden in the heart, that means a love of the word. If you love the word you'll obey it and you are dead right, to quote you, "THERE'S A LITTLE MORE THAN JUST ASKING" Maybe a lot more? lol.

I'm glad you raised these points as I might alter the way I phrase them in my presentation to make them more Scripturally understandable and to give more clarity to them. It's good to bounce of others.

In response to your loving with heart and mind, there's a lot that dont love with the mind, they say they love with their heart but they couldnt be bothered learning or even reading the Scriptures. Proverbs 1 & lots of others covers that.

As for your Calvinist thoughts, let them read Heb 6:4-6, Heb 10:26-31. Scary.

I would never say Jesus was a feminist but I do say He respected women.

Judgement Day will be interesting.


Urban_Hermit 70M
319 posts
1/13/2019 8:15 am

I'm thinking about your comment of the head covered. I heard a sermon some time ago that having her head covered was being submitted to her husband but I'm not sure if the pastor was 'spiritualising' that though it kind of seems doctrinally sound. Your thoughts?

Had a laugh at the Burka comment and resident whitewashed tombs comments. Funny.

Judgement Day will be interesting.


Urban_Hermit 70M
319 posts
1/15/2019 7:11 am

    Quoting  :

Yes it is a bit long, and it's more than one topic also. Hope it's becoming understandable for you. God bless

Judgement Day will be interesting.


Urban_Hermit 70M
319 posts
1/15/2019 7:15 am

    Quoting  :

I dont know if the points are 'controversial' or just facts people dont like. It's all up there to agree with or throw mud at. Makes it interesting and it might just shock you to find out I'm not always right. lol.

Judgement Day will be interesting.


Sojourner06 60M
1768 posts
3/2/2019 6:56 am

Hi Urban.

As many others I read your Post with interest. I find it interesting because mainly you describe the content of most religions in the world, but not the basis of Christianity.
Most religions are based on salvation based on what you are able to become. To become better so that the god of that religion eventually finds you good enough to be saved. or more precisely you are deserving to be with him after this life.

You write a lot about repentance, but repentance isn't the ticket for eternal Life with Him (Jesus). People of every religion repent. Even humanists; agnostics and atheists.
They find out they have done something wrong and they want to change it/make it better. To make it up to someone else.

Besides that everybody thinks he/she is living a life were we do nothing wrong. But that's seen through the eyes of humans. You look at your life and think everything is well. You don't see any errs, and you see the errs of others.
Maybe you see the errs of your own, and end up repenting.
But how do it look through the eyes of God?

But repentance is also a gift from God. Both OT and NT tells us, that God points out the errs of our life and makes us able to repent, so we can repent.

Salvation is not based on repentance but belief. The Bible tells us that if we believe in Jesus and what he did for us at the Cross, then we shall be saved.

Just imagine your concept of always to have to be clean by what you are able to do. If you succeed THEN you are good enough for our God. And then one day you commit a severe sin, and right after you die in a car accident. You didn't manage to make it up to anyone not even God. Your hands are dirty now; you are going to Hell.
And besides that, if your concept is true, for what reason did Jesus die? For fun...?

You can't do it on your own, and even if you manage to make yourself better, then there are still the small hidden sins that you are not aware of. Like pride and self-pride.
Remember: breaking one commandment even the smallest one, and you have broken the Law.
There is NOTHING to be proud of.

But a lot to be thankful for.

Regarding inviting God into our hearts. You found that pastor willing to agree on your concept. - I bet you can also find a pastor willing to confirm LGBT marriages and confirm they are Biblical as well... Being able to find someone willing to confirm anything only proves you have been willing to search long enough. Nothing else....
If we can't invite Him into our hearts it can only be because He can't be in our hearts. That's still not what the Bible tells us. And if we don't have God in our hearts, who then? The Devil?? There is no neutral ground so you are either following God or the Devil.
"It's impertinent and presumptuous to think 'we allow Him in' as if it's ok by us. He comes when we repent.".

How rude you think God is.

Jesus said "I stand in front of the door knocking. If anyone opens the door and invites me in, I will eat with him and him with me."
First comes the Holy Spirit. He always comes first before we do. He points at Jesus and says "Look at Him". Then we can open our hearts and let Him in. - or do you really think Jesus referred to your HOUSE??

God do not just walk in without any invitation. If it was that simple, Jesus died in vain.

We are all good at looking for the patterns of God for at least trying to understand some of Him and when/why/how He do things. And then MAYBE we can figure out when He (e.g) heal people and then just do exactly the same so He will do it again. (On our command.....).

I often find patterns of what He do and when. But I always end up finding something that is the exception that confirms the rule.
And it will always be like that.

The reason is - as for Salvation and Repentance as well - that we are to learn that we are totally depending on Him. In every thing we do, say and think.

Some people think it's a ticket for committing sin. And some people even think OTHERS are thinking it's a ticket for committing sin.
It's not.
But fighting sin in our lives; standing up against sin in our own lives is still not saving us. God helps us fighting the sin in our lives so we become more holy. Like Him (We are created in His image). So our mindset becomes more and more like His. And we become more and more dependent on Him.

Jesus fought our sins - the ones that divides us from God - on the Cross. And He won the Victory. Are we then to do His job all over again?

His grace is sufficient for me.

Blessings



Sojourner

I Can Explain It To You, But I Can’t Understand It For You

Good News For Christian Man ABP

"REVELATION"


Sojourner06 60M
1768 posts
3/14/2019 6:16 am

I really don't get what it's got to do with the subject whether or not Urban is valuable......?

Blessings



Sojourner

I Can Explain It To You, But I Can’t Understand It For You

Good News For Christian Man ABP

"REVELATION"


lalalovelee 58F

3/23/2019 4:21 pm

God bless you, Urban_Hermit


Urban_Hermit 70M
319 posts
1/26/2020 7:24 am

Yes believing what Jesus did on the cross and faith in that is a major part of our salvation however if faith without works is dead. We don't work to get saved but because we are saved. Repentance is simply an attitude change about sin not loving it but turning from it.

Judgement Day will be interesting.


Sojourner06 60M
1768 posts
1/30/2020 2:45 am

    Quoting Urban_Hermit:
    Yes believing what Jesus did on the cross and faith in that is a major part of our salvation however if faith without works is dead. We don't work to get saved but because we are saved. Repentance is simply an attitude change about sin not loving it but turning from it.
Hi UrbanHermit.

Good to see you start to get things right. God is the one to judge. Not us.
Also God is the master of our calling and what we are to do as our work.
Comparing ourselves to others isn't and their work isn't our business as Jesus also told us.

Men see the outside, God knows our hearts.

Blessings



Sojourner

I Can Explain It To You, But I Can’t Understand It For You

Good News For Christian Man ABP

"REVELATION"