Unveiled Faces

[sim hae]

Thank you guys. @JoChris, I will.

 

[JoChris]

Thank you guys. @JoChris, I will.

Update?
How are you and your brother now?

 

[sim hae]

Update?
How are you and your brother now?

He is a lot better. His battle is not over yet, but I'm going to try to fast and continue praying.
On the day that I wrote that, I was experiencing some pretty troubling stuff too. That post was to help my brother, but I think I ended up feeling the benefits too, because all of a sudden my physical ailment was gone, so really, thank you very much guys!!!
God bless you! <3

 

[llleopard]

Well we did the interview for the pastor position. It was nearly two hours - much of it was directed at Rhino, cos he is the one actually applying, but I was definitely being interviewed as well. This morning we went to the church service too, which was really interesting - seeing all the good things and wondering how we could fit in! Rhino really would like this position. He's been a pastor before, so it doesn't freak him out as much as me. I know we could do it, but it's totally terrifying looking at all those people and thinking these could be the ones we commit to for the foreseeable future and intend to blend with. Eeeeek. Should know in a week or two. I definitely have God's peace about it, because otherwise I would be a quivering jelly of panic. Ho ho ho.

 

[JoChris]

Well we did the interview for the pastor position. It was nearly two hours - much of it was directed at Rhino, cos he is the one actually applying, but I was definitely being interviewed as well. This morning we went to the church service too, which was really interesting - seeing all the good things and wondering how we could fit in! Rhino really would like this position. He's been a pastor before, so it doesn't freak him out as much as me. I know we could do it, but it's totally terrifying looking at all those people and thinking these could be the ones we commit to for the foreseeable future and intend to blend with. Eeeeek. Should know in a week or two. I definitely have God's peace about it, because otherwise I would be a quivering jelly of panic. Ho ho ho.

Either way it goes you already know it is in God's hands.
Which church denomination is it?

 

[llleopard]

Affiliated to nz church of Christ. Is diff to COC. I suspect they have a Baptist or open brethren type history, but have become more Pentecostal

 

[elsbet]

Yesterday at my church they had a travelling evangelist from the USA. He said he had been going around Australia for 43 years and was only going to stop doing it here because of his deteriorating eyesight. (I wish I could remember his name.) He looked a bit said when he said that.

His sermon was pretty old-school in delivery but very clear and concise. I was impressed. Immediately afterwards I went up to him.

Me:"Do you put any sermons online?"
Evangelist *looks surprised* "no... why?"
Me: "you should put them on Youtube.... your messages are simple but clear enough to be understood by atheists and Muslims..."
Evangelist *looks more surprised*
Me "you should get someone to help you then."
Evangelist *looks like he is getting ready to move on* "I will have to think about it."

I was glad I said something to him but I feel a bit frustrated as I type. In his message he mentioned a few false teachers and churches Christians should avoid. I have seen those same preachers' messages are on YouTube and are very popular.

The old-school preachers' content needs to be packaged for Gen Y/Z generation. It will be a shame if unchurched people will never see such clear messages in the future because older preachers won't put their time into recording them.

So please pray for his eyesight and that he will have people in his church help him YouTube some short videoclips.

Oohh... seed: planted. That could very well get the ball rolling. Next time he hears something about 'youtube' he'll remember what you said. ♡ Will say a prayer as well.

 

[JoChris]

Oohh... seed: planted. That could very well get the ball rolling. Next time he hears something about 'youtube' he'll remember what you said. ♡ Will say a prayer as well.

I assume in the USA the church he will be returning to will be larger, have better internet connection and a more normal town size -therefore more likely to have some computer professionals there to help him.

His eyesight may be failing but he still has a very powerful voice and is gifted at communicating to non-academic minds. The children there were quieter than normal, so they must have been getting the message well.

 

[llleopard]

Just got a No from the pastor position. Hmm. Not sure how I feel about it. Rhino sounded really flat when he phoned and told me he'd had the call. He's gonna be very flat for a while I think, because he really really wants to be pastoring. We know it's more than having a title and $ attached, but to be able to be dedicated full time to pastoring would be awesome. Oh well. There's another position advertised in Tauranga, so I will quietly look at that one and eventually suggest it gently to Rhino.

 

[JoChris]

Just got a No from the pastor position. Hmm. Not sure how I feel about it. Rhino sounded really flat when he phoned and told me he'd had the call. He's gonna be very flat for a while I think, because he really really wants to be pastoring. We know it's more than having a title and $ attached, but to be able to be dedicated full time to pastoring would be awesome. Oh well. There's another position advertised in Tauranga, so I will quietly look at that one and eventually suggest it gently to Rhino.

Well there has to be a reason why it didn't come through this time around.
My husband got to last stage of 5 separate job interviews, and he got the 5th job. The first 4 different jobs have since been removed due to downsizing.
Who knows - difficult people/ families, current/ future situations not compatible with your husband's weaknesses/ strengths. Not much consolation right now but something else has to be in the works since your husband has this desire to begin with.

 

[JoChris]

Sometimes my Christian life seems to be unchanging and sometimes it all happens at once. This week feels like the latter.

There has been some spiritual battle, my birthday, a "heavy" Rapture seminar at my church the past 2 days and now my father has left my town to visit some family in England then go back to Argentina to stay with rest of family - possibly permanently.

I have mixed feelings about my father leaving. He stayed with us for several days and proved to me is unsaved. He wants to argue religion, believes in "a god" but does not want to believe in Jesus. He will be 77 this year so he really does not have that much time until he meets his Maker. He was flippant about that of course, just as always.

This is when the Calvinist in me tries to make me see the big picture but I am so frustrated and sad my father's heart is so hardened. I do not know if any family members overseas are religious because I have never met them (except my grandmother when I was little).

 

[llleopard]

Well a happy thing is that I will get to teach on the kingdom in the near future! Working on using the treasure in a field and pearl parables. Still in the thinking stages. Rhino has asked for two days, but I'm only gonna do one. Don't try too much too soon!

 

[Unknown Warrior]

I struggle to make Church fellowship as my family dynamic makes it really difficult!

My wife was made to feel (by her Mum) that God would reject her if she didn't attend the Methodist Church meetings regularly. She never felt 'good enough'. She needs to understand God loves her not for works and regular attendance but for herself.

I absolutely love another local Church I sometimes visit, this one is a mainly African, non-denominational fellowship and I am the only one of us who goes there out of the four of us. The church is extremely dynamic and would potentially scare my wife who comes from a more traditional background!

Me going alone puts strain on things as my kids, 10 and 14 now are at a delicate age - when I was a teenager I was prone to rebellion and I don't want to be the 'religious' one they react against!

I would love to be able to be in more regular fellowship with fellow believers as it seems so hard for me to find it in the usual way!!! Prayers for a breakthrough would be greatly appreciated!

I know exactly how

I struggle to make Church fellowship as my family dynamic makes it really difficult!

My wife was made to feel (by her Mum) that God would reject her if she didn't attend the Methodist Church meetings regularly. She never felt 'good enough'. She needs to understand God loves her not for works and regular attendance but for herself.

I absolutely love another local Church I sometimes visit, this one is a mainly African, non-denominational fellowship and I am the only one of us who goes there out of the four of us. The church is extremely dynamic and would potentially scare my wife who comes from a more traditional background!

Me going alone puts strain on things as my kids, 10 and 14 now are at a delicate age - when I was a teenager I was prone to rebellion and I don't want to be the 'religious' one they react against!

I would love to be able to be in more regular fellowship with fellow believers as it seems so hard for me to find it in the usual way!!! Prayers for a breakthrough would be greatly appreciated!

I know exactly what you are going through and I sympathize with you about the situation that you're in. My wife and her entire family are members of the Jehovah Witness fellowship and I was raised in a traditional nondenominational church. I have agreed to disagree with their beliefs but I still try to coexist with the extended family members, although they make it a point to try to persuade everyone that their beliefs are the only way. Any time I mention going to church, they try to get me to go with them. I have never been to one of their assemblies because I know deep down that it is a false doctrine that is being taught. So I do sympathize with you and I pray that God will make a way for all of His followers to gather together and learn to accept each other and help us to get along with others.

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

I know exactly how

I know exactly what you are going through and I sympathize with you about the situation that you're in. My wife and her entire family are members of the Jehovah Witness fellowship and I was raised in a traditional nondenominational church. I have agreed to disagree with their beliefs but I still try to coexist with the extended family members, although they make it a point to try to persuade everyone that their beliefs are the only way. Any time I mention going to church, they try to get me to go with them. I have never been to one of their assemblies because I know deep down that it is a false doctrine that is being taught. So I do sympathize with you and I pray that God will make a way for all of His followers to gather together and learn to accept each other and help us to get along with others.

Thanks for the encouragement - I will pray for you too!!! It must be hard dealing with JW doctrine. Have you read much on the topic - my Mum has an old friend who is a JW and has has studied up quite a bit on the issues...

 

[Unknown Warrior]

Thanks for the encouragement - I will pray for you too!!! It must be hard dealing with JW doctrine. Have you read much on the topic - my Mum has an old friend who is a JW and has has studied up quite a bit on the issues...

What I have gathered from the discussions with some of the JW members, they have their own version of the Bible and the word Lord is replaced with Jehovah throughout the entire Bible. They also claim that hell is merely the grave and only certain people will be resurrected from the grave. Also, they seem to deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, claiming that He is actually Michael the archangel. There are also various rules and regulations involved in being accepted into their congregation. I am not saying that they are all bad people, but I believe that they have been deceived. I have tried to debate some particular points with them but they are extremely defensive and will not listen to anyone who disagrees with their beliefs. It became very tiresome after years of debating with them, so I finally stopped trying to explain anything to them and said that my beliefs are different and that they could never convince me to adopt their beliefs.

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

What I have gathered from the discussions with some of the JW members, they have their own version of the Bible and the word Lord is replaced with Jehovah throughout the entire Bible. They also claim that hell is merely the grave and only certain people will be resurrected from the grave. Also, they seem to deny the divinity of Jesus Christ, claiming that He is actually Michael the archangel. There are also various rules and regulations involved in being accepted into their congregation. I am not saying that they are all bad people, but I believe that they have been deceived. I have tried to debate some particular points with them but they are extremely defensive and will not listen to anyone who disagrees with their beliefs. It became very tiresome after years of debating with them, so I finally stopped trying to explain anything to them and said that my beliefs are different and that they could never convince me to adopt their beliefs.

One of the ways they manage to misunderstand the Gospel is by their use of an alternate translation. It is interesting that JW thinking grew up around the time Westcott and Hort were working on the RSV based on the "Critical Text". You might find this line of investigation interesting as it goes to the issue of the text itself...

https://vigilantcitizenforums.com/threads/the-critical-text-criticized.3461/

 

[JoChris]

Anyone - please pray. My atheist husband is looking at Noah's Ark stuff online after I challenged his willingness to believe in aliens but not God. My son is almost as bad now.
I am no good at speaking what I believe.

 

[mecca]

My atheist husband is looking at Noah's Ark stuff online after I challenged his willingness to believe in aliens but not God. My son is almost as bad now.

What do you mean?

 

[Red Sky at Morning]

Anyone - please pray. My atheist husband is looking at Noah's Ark stuff online after I challenged his willingness to believe in aliens but not God. My son is almost as bad now.
I am no good at speaking what I believe.

My great uncle, after a lifetime of Atheism was ill, off his feet and watching some creation videos on how information cannot arise by chance. He watched quite a bit as his legs were letting him down!

All he said to us at the end, with an inscrutable expression was "it's all true"...

God has ways of reaching us.

 

[JoChris]

What do you mean?

My son was showing signs of being interested in Christianity in his early teens. He read some of the bible and even came to church one time.
He claims he has forgotten but I remember when he was upset when he discovered that people who did not believe in Jesus would go to Hell.
Since then high school science, modern music and videogames has removed all traces of interest.