VCF Christian Fellowship

The VCF should enable…

  • Christian perspectives on events

    Votes: 7 87.5%
  • Encouragement

    Votes: 7 87.5%
  • Sharing experiences

    Votes: 7 87.5%
  • Prayer

    Votes: 7 87.5%
  • Friendship

    Votes: 7 87.5%
  • Sharing helpful teaching

    Votes: 6 75.0%
  • Fostering understanding of different points of view

    Votes: 2 25.0%

  • Total voters
    8
  • Poll closed .

Lyfe

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God remembers the prodigals. It's not too late to come back home. The blood of Christ is more than sufficient to wash away all sin and uncleanness..

Jeremiah 31:18-20
English Standard Version
18 I have heard Ephraim grieving,
‘You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined,
like an untrained calf;
bring me back that I may be restored,
for you are the Lord my God.
19 For after I had turned away, I relented,
and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh;
I was ashamed, and I was confounded,
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
20 Is Ephraim my dear son?
Is he my darling child?
For as often as I speak against him,
I do remember him still.
Therefore my heart[a] yearns for him;
I will surely have mercy on him,
declares the Lord.
 

Lurking009

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A long time ago now I watched a clip which I found really inspiring, and which reflected the kind of dynamic Christianity I have encountered here and elsewhere.


Christians here come from every time zone and culture and from all denominational backgrounds. We have the opportunity to learn from one another, share our joys and challenges and encourage one another as brothers and sisters in the Lord. The intention of this thread is to create an “all purpose” area to be real, open and to allow positive interaction for the interesting mix of followers of Jesus this forum draws in.

There have been other threads going back a few years where Christians have gathered but as there are so many new voices on this forum I felt it might be helpful to start something fresh!

To make this possible, I guess we have to start with setting out the basics of Christian faith within which we have fellowship.

I used to be involved in a university Christian Union. In the UK universities, Christian fellowships that draw members from diverse backgrounds fall under the umbrella of UCCF (University and Colleges Christian Fellowship). One thing they do is to have members subscribe to the doctrinal basis.

Our Doctrinal Basis

The Doctrinal Basis represents the central truths of the Christian faith as we discern them in the Bible. From the beginning of the CU movement nearly 100 years ago, it has been the basis of our unity, the foundation of our ministry and the content of our message. We are unashamedly confessional and value gospel clarity and gospel unity

Our Doctrinal Basis

The basis of the Fellowship shall be the fundamental truths of Christianity, as revealed in Holy Scripture, including:
  1. There is one God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
  2. God is sovereign in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgement.
  3. The Bible, as originally given, is the inspired and infallible Word of God. It is the supreme authority in all matters of belief and behaviour.
  4. Since the fall, the whole of humankind is sinful and guilty, so that everyone is subject to God's wrath and condemnation.
  5. The Lord Jesus Christ, God's incarnate Son, is fully God; he was born of a virgin; his humanity is real and sinless; he died on the cross, was raised bodily from death and is now reigning over heaven and earth.
  6. Sinful human beings are redeemed from the guilt, penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death once and for all time of their representative and substitute, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between them and God.
  7. Those who believe in Christ are pardoned all their sins and accepted in God's sight only because of the righteousness of Christ credited to them; this justification is God's act of undeserved mercy, received solely by trust in him and not by their own efforts.
  8. The Holy Spirit alone makes the work of Christ effective to individual sinners, enabling them to turn to God from their sin and to trust in Jesus Christ.
  9. The Holy Spirit lives in all those he has regenerated. He makes them increasingly Christlike in character and behaviour and gives them power for their witness in the world.
  10. The one holy universal church is the Body of Christ, to which all true believers belong.
  11. The Lord Jesus Christ will return in person, to judge everyone, to execute God's just condemnation on those who have not repented and to receive the redeemed to eternal glory.
If you read the above and are happy to stand for Jesus in this online space, just reply by saying “I’m in” and share a bit about yourself if you would like to.

One last thing…
There is great potential in Christian unity but there are many secondary doctrines over which we will hold different views and these are best left for debate and discussion outside this thread.
I'm in. I describe my conversion as God patiently pulling a fearful stubborn donkey to the cross. It was a long process rather than a quick event. In my sinful state, it was just as the Bible said: I didn't open my heart, I didn't grant myself repentance, I didn't make a decision for Christ. I was incapable of doing any of that. God alone brought me to repentance and into faith, truth, and salvation.

Praise Jesus Christ!
 

Lurking009

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Mar 19, 2018
Messages
638
I started New Year with the resolution to read a chapter from Proverbs every day again.
Although I am quite familiar with the subjects throughout the book, each time I read it I notice something different.

Today in Chapter 2:

View attachment 83531

... gives sound wisdom for the RIGHTEOUS... for those who WALK UPRIGHTLY. Am I doing that?

If we wish to be truly wise [not just intelligent or highly educated!] we need to be righteous in God's eyes. That will only happen as a result of believing in Jesus and following Him, repenting of our sins and returning to God when we need to do that.
My prayer is that this year Christians readers here -as well as me - do I what I typed above.
Proverbs is such great comfort food.
 

Lyfe

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3,639
Comfort for the contrite.

Isaiah 57:15-19

English Standard Version


15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 For I will not contend forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before me,
and the breath of life that I made.
17 Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry,
I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,
but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.
18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,
19 creating the fruit of the lips.
Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord,
“and I will heal him.
 

Dalit

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Oct 23, 2018
Messages
1,911
from https://www.gracegems.org/2014/06/says.html


True love to God says

(William Nicholson, "Love to God, and the Divine Approbation" 1862)

"Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine!" Luke 22:42

True love to God . . .
produces sweet submission to His will,
does not rebel at His difficult dispensations,
does not resist the appointments of His wise and holy providence,
will not permit us to call into question any part of His government,
will not indulge a doubt respecting the rectitude of His proceedings.

True love to God says, "This trial, this affliction, this bereavement, this piercing cross — has been arranged by my Father in Heaven! He is infinitely wise, and infinitely good — He does all things well — I submit."

Like Job, it says, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave — and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." Job 1:21
 

Lyfe

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Today I have been meditating on mystery babylon and what it could possibly be. I think the temptation and seduction to take the mark to have citizenship in the beast empire(false utopia) will be so strong and irresistible that the only ones who will be able to resist it are those who's senses remain spiritually protected by the holy ghost.

I was talking to someone earlier about why the masses are so asleep. We get angry, but these people are literally casualty to some of the most sophisticated forms of mind control that have ever been created. Television is basically mk ultra in your living room. Not only that, but all the sorcery and occult power keeping the masses under a spell of hypnosis. This war is so spiritual and people try to fight the torrents of fascism in the natural.

This scripture got me excited earlier. God promises his saints victory over the coming beast system. We have to be filled with the holy spirit now more than ever so we don't get carried away by these powers of seduction that will lead the world into worshipping the beast and all he has to offer.

Revelation 15:2

English Standard Version


2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.
 

Lyfe

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Yes it seems as if we keep getting more and more time. If it wasn't for the saints in the land that stand in the gap and make intercession this nation would be a hellscape of demonic perversion.

I think of how Ninevah repented but God granted it more time. I almost wonder if the longer the judgment is postponed the more severe it will be when the hammer does drop. It makes me sad. They called Jeremiah the weeping prophet and I'm wondering if we won't see the same type of destructions and desolation's in our time.
 

Wigi

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Aug 24, 2017
Messages
891
What are your guys thoughts on Jehu?
I think Jehu is somewhat a great analogy for Christians of this age.

Most true Christians today have been called by God although we grew up in harsh circumstances where Christendom at large is currently plagued by various forms of idolatry and divided by numerous denominations. Jehu was called in a time where Israel and Juda were divided and deep into idolatry. Jeroboam, Jehu's father, made two golden calves saying these were Israel's original gods just like in Christendom today we are told lighting candles before statues, prayer to Mary and saints or icons are an early Christian customs and there is no 2nd Commandment forbidding the carving of images (which is a lie perpetuated for centuries literally).
God appointed His prophet Elisha to anoint Jehu. God in Jesus anoints us with His Spirit. In order to anoint Jehu, prophet Elisha (an archetype of Christ in the OT) sent one son of the prophets without a name. Someone really not important at first glance :

And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Get yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among his associates, and take him to an inner room. Then take the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ Then open the door and flee, and do not delay.” So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. And when he arrived, there were the captains of the army sitting; and he said, “I have a message for you, Commander.” Jehu said, “For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, Commander.” Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel.
2 Kings 9:1‭-‬6

This not so important young man without a name ended up turning Jehu into a king because he obeyed and believed in God.
True christians today turned to Christ after we listened to a sermon at a church, got touched by a Bible verse, or watched a video with an honest and humble heart. Those means looked insignificant and were done/assumed to be done by "no-names" yet God used these means so we put aside our egos and reasonings, repented and welcomed Jesus in our heart thus received the anointing of His Spirit.

Jehu became a king but was somewhat insecure about it so much so he tried to hide this information.

Then Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this madman come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the man and his babble.”
2 Kings 9:11

Jehu heard them describe this no name as a madman and got afraid of their reaction if he told them the truth.
Many fresh Christians are very insecure about their faith and it's still something I'm working on personally. Unlike early disciples willing to risk death for their testimony, we don't share this faith we have with strangers and just like Jehu, when random people on internet, our friends or colleagues at work say "look at these weird and backward priests and pastors, this mad preacher saying sex outside wedlock is evil, their ‘fictional’ Jesus talking against divorce and adultery. How do people believe them? Thankfully we’re not delusional like them", we often refuse to take a stand and rather go along and implicitly admit "yeah some people are weird really" knowing full well we disagree with their views.

Look how they responded to Jehu :

And they said, “A lie! Tell us now.” So he said, “Thus and thus he spoke to me, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ ”
2 Kings 9:12

Indeed, in one way or another the world isn't dupe and the Antichrist spirit ruling on our society ultimately finds out what we're on about and asks 'what you've been told to say? I see you're not bowing to my baals, nor accepting the seduction of my evil spirit, neither you’re revering my golden calves nor waving my rainbow flags to join my rebellion against God so stop lying to yourself.'

I know this is something very unpleasant to hear for Catholics but Jehu was in fact the archetype of a reformer because he reversed the idolatrous customs during his reign as king of Israel.

"And they brought the sacred pillars out of the temple of Baal and burned them. Then they broke down the sacred pillar of Baal, and tore down the temple of Baal and made it a refuse dump to this day. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel."
2 Kings 10:26‭-‬28

King Jehu from the Old Testament was an iconoclast, the Protestant reformation was a Christian repeat of Jehu's action inside the Church and the 2nd commandment has been re-established like that. Yet the Reformation couldn't finish the job, just like Jehu hasn't finished the job.

"However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan."
2 Kings 10:29

Unfortunately Jehu hasn't loved God with all his heart and the sins and rebellion of his nation he grew up with remained after his death. We can argue Protestantism breaded other forms of idolatry as well for the same reason thus becoming the idol maker it tried to fight.

"But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin."
2 Kings 10:31

I feel somewhat compelled to say, true Christians of this age have the duty to learn to take a stand against the various forms of idolatry in our lives and Christendom at large. It would be a great start to ask ourselves if our political stances, whether it's Nationalism, Liberalism, Socialism or Zionism for example have become a form of idolatry.
The Bible isn't there to cuddle our feelings but to tell the harsh un-compromised truth.

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children."
Hosea 4:6

All I can say it's that I pray Christians would all welcome the works of the Holy Spirit in them so their behaviors would be transformed into something that conforms to God's commandments. Not thanks to personal efforts but with His positive influence in our lives through prayer and scripture meditation lest we repeat Jehu’s mistakes.
 

Lyfe

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I feel like one thing that was pointed out to me while I was reading Kings is that CNN and MSNBC and the woke establishment are the modern day house of jezebel or atleast function as a part of the house of jezebel. I found it interesting in revelation it speaks of a prophetess jezebel even though she had been dead for years. I'm wondering if jezebel isnt an entity? She drove all of God's messengers into a cave and now we are seeing CNN spread the same kind of spiritual pollution( defiant contradictions) and pushing the messengers and message of God into that same cave of suppressed dissidence. I think these woke outlets are spiritual operations or spiritual arms for the house of jezebel.

I was fascinated with how God uses Jehu to singlehandedly take down the house of jezebel. Honestly when I read the account of Jehu I thought of Keifer Sutherland lol. Jehu was a straight rider and assassin. He didn't play games...


2 Kings 10:16

English Standard Version


16 And he said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord.” So he[a] had him ride in his chariot.
 

Lyfe

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People are very quick to presume and judge matters of another persons heart. The reality is that none of us have a good heart which doesnt really make us a fit judge of whats in someone elses. Its like someone with lust or idolatry or malice judging the heart of someone who has bitterness or selfishness within them.

If we think about it we are often just as guilty of having an uncleanness in our heart and a speck in our eye as the person we may be judging in our thoughts and speculations. Its acctually a hidden form of self righteousness to think your heart is somehow more pure before God than someone elses. The only right standing anyone has is through Christ. That's it.
 
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