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 .

Dalit

Star
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
1,911
I'm excited about this. I saw the first American Gospel after I came out of the hyper-charismatic. Disclaimer: I'm in no way looking down on my continuationist brothers and sisters who go to churches like Calvary Chapel and others that seem to hold the Word of God/Bible in high esteem, and famous theologians or teachers like Wayne Grudem and John Piper, even though I lean more away from that now since I've seen the excesses, works done in the flesh, emotionalism and sensationalism, etc. I'm certain I saw some demonic impartations going on in these places, which you'll see on this video clip of American Gospel: Spirit and Fire.


Here's a prime example of Scripture-twisting. When I was charismatic, I believed baptism with fire was a good thing because it's sold as a good thing. It's asking for hell, literally. See Matthew 3:11, but don't stop there, go to verse 12. Just one more verse. That's intellectual laziness at best and demonic at worst to make a false doctrine from one verse without reading the very next verse. Wow!

Matthew 3:11-12 (ESV)
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

They keep using that word [fire], but I don't think they know what it means. Or do they?
 

Lyfe

Star
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
3,639
God's purpose for allowing trials and life's storms in the life of his children(those in Christ) is to detach them from this world and to further crucify within them whatever still remains of the old man(his tendencies and patterns that still have yet to align with God's character). There are some things within us that need to die hard, but there are also things within that usually only die out slowly and over the course of time through extended wilderness seasons(pride, ego, self righteousness, distrust of God, religious mindsets, tendencies to murmur). This removal and dying of the old man is so that there is more room for the resurrection power of Christ (through the holy spirit) to dwell more abundantly inside of us. Bit by bit the old person is crucified and put to death and bit by bit the holy spirit and measure of Christ within us increases in stature!

2 Corinthians 12:9
Amplified Bible
9 but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me.
 
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Lyfe

Star
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
3,639
In communion and prayer(time spent) with The Father its usual that we go in with our hands extended and then leave with some sort of spiritual blessing. God is a God of blessing and it's his good pleasure to give his children (those who have accepted and received him through his son Jesus Christ) the kingdom. The kingdom of God is more than an outer and visible kingdom. It's also within through the holy spirit.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32

for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, James 1:17

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3

Psalm 145:15-19
English Standard Version
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.

Joel 2:13-14
English Standard Version
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,

For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12
 

Lyfe

Star
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
3,639
...as the saints and luminaries of God's kingdom we are called to shine a light that the world is unable to comprehend or even appreciate. It's only by being able to see Christ as he really is(enabled by the holy spirit) and by being given a heart of flesh that we can truly glory in and value the light.

John 1:1-5

King James Version


1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
 

Red Sky at Morning

Superstar
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
13,931
Somebody posted this up on Facebook and I thought it was very true…


“Just a gentle heads up.
I know some of the saints who say this have the best of intentions but please do not advise folks to “go to church” without any other information.
Do we really want folks to show up at a Catholic Church with its false gospel, false Jesus and rampant idolatry. Or a Rick Warren, Joel Osteen or Kenneth Copeland style Church.
People new to the faith may well consider a Mormon, Jehovah Witness or progressive assembly to be a valid Church and could suffer under the false teachings contained in these cults.
Better advice in these days of rampant heresy is to encourage believers to check the teachings of any assembly they attend to ensure they line up with Scripture and if they don’t, leave the Church.
I got saved at home in my bedroom reading the Bible and Christian books. It took a full year of searching to find a Church that actually believed the Bible.

There is no merit in Gods eyes in “ going to Church” if that Church is in rebellion against God. Obvious really.
Just my advice. Take it for what it’s worth.

Matthew 15:14
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
 

Lyfe

Star
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
3,639
The truth is that no Christian is perfect so we have to be careful with what sort of standard we are holding others to and our attitude toward them when they don't measure up. The enemy is the accuser and we are called to be the encourager and uplifter. If the holy spirit is really at work within someone then he will open their eyes and a light will be shone over all the unholy things still at work in and coming against their heart. Christians can still struggle with evil thoughts, intents, and attitudes, just like the next person. They can still struggle with pride and envy, just like the next person. They can still struggle with lust or gossip, just like the next person. They can still struggle with bitterness and contempt, just like the next person. It's only through God sanctifying and cleansing our heart through the holy spirit and his word that these things are truly dealt with.

We all have strongholds and footholds of the enemy that God will reveal to us. We live in a fallen world and satan is always sending demonic assignments against us seeking to estabalish or exacerbate a foothold inside us. Its not always simple to maintain a perfect heart toward God especially when temptation is on every smart screen and the enemy is doing everything he can to get people to fall into sin and become proud. The introductory calling of God for every person isnt really about perfection. God meets us wherever we are at and just simply calls us to turn to him(by accepting and receiving him through his son Jesus) and to walk with him and acknowledge that he is infact the God who made us.

Micah 6:8
English Standard Version
8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,[a]
and to walk humbly with your God?
 

Lyfe

Star
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
3,639
It's an absolute must to forgive and to allow the holy spirit and full armor of God to guard our heart from offense. I know with certainty that there are plenty of people I have offended(unintentionally) over the years and continue to offend even to this day. In the same respect there has also been those who have offended me as well. People are offended by what you do and don't do, by what you say and with what you don't say. It's not hard to offend someone at all just by not choosing your words carefully enough. The truth is that God is the only one who can love a person perfectly and when people have offended us all we can do is take it to The Father and seek his grace and power to enable us to overcome. He is the only one who can heal someone inwardly and remove all the bitterness, malice, anger, and unforgiveness that builds up within the human heart. When Christ was slandered and poorly treated what did HE do?

...when He was reviled, reviled not in return; when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously; 1 Peter 2:23
 

Lyfe

Star
Joined
May 11, 2020
Messages
3,639
Jeremiah 8:5-6

5 Why then has this people turned away
in perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit;
they refuse to return.
6 I have paid attention and listened,
but they have not spoken rightly;
no man relents of his evil,
saying, ‘What have I done?’
Everyone turns to his own course,
like a horse plunging headlong into battle.
 

TokiEl

Superstar
Joined
Dec 13, 2017
Messages
7,239
It's an absolute must to forgive and to allow the holy spirit and full armor of God to guard our heart from offense. I know with certainty that there are plenty of people I have offended(unintentionally) over the years and continue to offend even to this day. In the same respect there has also been those who have offended me as well. People are offended by what you do and don't do, by what you say and with what you don't say. It's not hard to offend someone at all just by not choosing your words carefully enough. The truth is that God is the only one who can love a person perfectly and when people have offended us all we can do is take it to The Father and seek his grace and power to enable us to overcome. He is the only one who can heal someone inwardly and remove all the bitterness, malice, anger, and unforgiveness that builds up within the human heart. When Christ was slandered and poorly treated what did HE do?

...when He was reviled, reviled not in return; when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously; 1 Peter 2:23
Yes it is of course easier for God to forgive... since man got ego. L0L
 
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