'Cause I'm Scared

[OneAccord]

Haven't read the entire thread, though I know there have been some good thoughts put forth. If I say something that someone else is already said, just look over me. But I can relate to what the original poster said. The question I have to ask is this: Do we serve God out of fear... or out of love? I can remember a time when I served him out of fear. I was so afraid of making God angry. I think this came from sitting under a ministry that painted God as some tough Master who was just waiting for an excuse to strike me down for some petty infraction and send my soul to a burning, tortourous hellfire to spend all of eternity forever separated from Him. In short, I was afraid of God.

That fear of God actually drove me from Him. During those fearful years, my Christian experience was so shaky. So, I turned from God and spent several years away from Him.

While away from the Lord, I spent a lot of time studying the Word. Actually, I think I spent more time studying the Word while I was out of church than I did while I was in church. And I came to see God in a different light. I came to see Him as a Father leaning on a fence, anxiously awaiting the return of his wayward son. I saw Him as a loving and compassionate Father who cares for His own, even those who stray from Him. And, I think I learned to love Him, and to serve Him out of love rather than fear.

This verse helped me to change my mindset: Hbr 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. We seek to please God because we love Him, not because we fear (are afraid of) Him. We diligently seek Him, not because we are fraid of what might happen if we don't, but do so, because we really want to know Him.

What does it take to please God? I don't know...the Bible is full of things that please the Lord. Thats where faith comes in. I try to use faith to determine what it is that pleases God- and do my best to do that which pleases Him. Always successful? Hardly. But, I try and I think thats what pleases Him the most. I try, I fail, I cry out to Him, and He helps. That, IMO, pleases the Lord- when I come to the realization that I can't make it without Him. And He doesn't expect me to, nor does He want me to. I'll always need Him because He is always there and thats why I love Him.

[Tina]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

Haven't read the entire thread, though I know there have been some good thoughts put forth. If I say something that someone else is already said, just look over me. But I can relate to what the original poster said. The question I have to ask is this: Do we serve God out of fear... or out of love? I can remember a time when I served him out of fear. I was so afraid of making God angry. I think this came from sitting under a ministry that painted God as some tough Master who was just waiting for an excuse to strike me down for some petty infraction and send my soul to a burning, tortourous hellfire to spend all of eternity forever separated from Him. In short, I was afraid of God.

That fear of God actually drove me from Him. During those fearful years, my Christian experience was so shaky. So, I turned from God and spent several years away from Him.

While away from the Lord, I spent a lot of time studying the Word. Actually, I think I spent more time studying the Word while I was out of church than I did while I was in church. And I came to see God in a different light. I came to see Him as a Father leaning on a fence, anxiously awaiting the return of his wayward son. I saw Him as a loving and compassionate Father who cares for His own, even those who stray from Him. And, I think I learned to love Him, and to serve Him out of love rather than fear.

This verse helped me to change my mindset: Hbr 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. We seek to please God because we love Him, not because we fear (are afraid of) Him. We diligently seek Him, not because we are fraid of what might happen if we don't, but do so, because we really want to know Him.

What does it take to please God? I don't know...the Bible is full of things that please the Lord. Thats where faith comes in. I try to use faith to determine what it is that pleases God- and do my best to do that which pleases Him. Always successful? Hardly. But, I try and I think thats what pleases Him the most. I try, I fail, I cry out to Him, and He helps. That, IMO, pleases the Lord- when I come to the realization that I can't make it without Him. And He doesn't expect me to, nor does He want me to. I'll always need Him because He is always there and thats why I love Him.

Great post!! I do wish you would post more!!

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Tina

Great post!! I do wish you would post more!!

Your wish is my command. I will post more. MORE. There, I posted more.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by noeticknight

D4T, did you start this thread around (10-31-09) intentionally? I never did like Halloween…

LOL... No sir... I never even thought about it. I don't do the halloween thing so it isn't even in my thought processes.

I just started it on the heels (within minutes) of an email exchange that got me to thinking about this subject. No reason beyond that.

Good catch though.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by noeticknight

EA,

Wow. I appreciate you sharing this. I think I can relate to your experiences quite well. I too was brought up with special speakers who were “professors” on Christian Rock, Hard Rock, and Heavy Metal. One in particular presented slide shows with reflections and images of a demon looking out from the screen of a television set, (supposedly after the power had been turned off) and records that played demonic messages in reverse. Fear. The only literature promoted for the young people back then, was “Turmoil in the Toy Box,” the Bible, or whatever else speakers happened to mention as good Christian reads. Of course, when one particular evangelist mentioned that he liked Louis LÁmour, (it was part of his sermon) he told the story apologetically, as if reading Westerns was borderline sinful.

I also remember our youth group watching a film on the rapture. We were discouraged from watching even Disney films, but somehow, this film made the cut. I remember the fear. Kids were writhing on the floor, wailing and weeping. “Don’t leave us behind!” “Don’t send us to hell God!” Then there was youth camp. Looking back now, it seemed like indoctrination designed exclusively for the youth. There was always an expectation for that one night of “fear fest.” Experiences and stories of youth dying in horrible car wrecks after rejecting the pleading preacher to pray or leaving service during alter call. Fear. I don’t wish to portray that part of my childhood as all bad, but those are the emotions and feelings that I remember the most from those days.

My decision to attend college thrilled my parents, but in the culture of our church, it was something that had to be done with a great deal of caution, as if I might not make it out believing in God anymore. Fear. I brought home questions about evolution to an elder in our church (he worked as a scientist). I can recall him rebuking me for engaging in debates, when I should have been a “good soldier,” teaching more bible studies instead. At that point, I began to reject the fear and pressure to “do what your told,” and began to search out truth for myself. I can’t believe that God enjoyed this environment, which led to such an unbalanced perception of him, and life in general. In some ways I think I have become hardened inside. I’m not sure, but I know I don’t want that for my (future) children.

To be fair, I will say that I did have good times. I was born again in this assembly. I met and married my wife. I gained a great deal of knowledge about God’s word. But the constant, even up until my wife and I decided to quit attending, was fear. Fear if we left “The Ship.” Fear that if we left, or thought for ourselves, we were somehow rejecting God’s will for our lives. Fear…

D4T, did you start this thread around (10-31-09) intentionally? I never did like Halloween…

One of my favorites: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7.

Man... reading your post brought back lots of memories. Backward masking... those movies about people who were left behind after the rapture (who can forget the opening scene where they are about to chop this womans head off and she starts screaming... OKAY... I'LL DENY HIM! and an earthquake comes and everybody runs off. The shaking of the earthquake causes the guillotine to release and it cuts her head off anyway right after she had denied Christ)

It really makes you realize that fear was the popular motivating factor in the 80's. Not to mention 88 reasons why God is coming back in 1988.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I will insert one small thought on the use of the phrase "God is not the author of confusion"

This scripture never said there would not be confusion. But if there be any confusion we are assured by scripture that God is not the author of that confusion.

Let me give an example.

Take someone who has been a trinitarian all of their lives and they begin to see the oneness. When all that they have been taught all of their lives begins to unravel there WILL BE confusion. Moving from a well ingrained false doctrine to truth will almost always be coupled with confusion. After all, we are moving from what we have known.... what we have drawn comfort from... what we have believed as being from God himself... to another place.

When the landmarks that we have stood by no longer matter there is confusion. I know of no major doctrinal change that will not be coupled with confusion.

But... even though there be confusion... rest assured that God did not author the confusion. The confusion will pass as we begin to strengthen our understanding and feel more confident in it.

If we used that scripture to simply state... if you are feeling confusion then rest assured this is not from God... then no one would ever leave the doctrine of their birth.

Good post, Digging! That brings a good perspective on confusion!

[*AQuietPlace*]

The Mark of the Beast, the endtime and the Tribulation was taught a LOT when I was growing up. The fear that it provoked really drove a lot of my early decisions. I didn't go to college, and I married young because the Lord was coming back any day, and what was the point of college?

I was terrified of the tribulation. Absolutely terrified. The stories that were told were horrendous. Torture, starvation, the most awful things you could think of were predicted to happen to anyone who wouldn't deny God. Your kids were going to be slowly tortured in front of your eyes until you'd deny him. I used to pray 'God, the day before this whole thing sets into motion, please kill me and my entire family in a car wreck.' And I was serious about that.

It was such a relief to me to move to a church for a while that believed in pre-trib. I got a break from the Fear Factor for a while. Although, in that church, the fear was about God himself. He was a real meanie who would smack you for getting slightly out of line.

Fear comes when things get out of balance. When we place way too much emphasis on one thing, it can cause fear. I think that the closer we get to God, and the more balance we find, the less fear will have a hold on us.

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

LOL... No sir... I never even thought about it. I don't do the halloween thing so it isn't even in my thought processes.

I just started it on the heels (within minutes) of an email exchange that got me to thinking about this subject. No reason beyond that.

Good catch though.

Actually, today is the 31st - you started this thread yesterday and it's been a great thread.

I've received many emails that people need this discussion because of what they are going through.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Actually, today is the 31st - you started this thread yesterday and it's been a great thread.

I've received many emails that people need this discussion because of what they are going through.

Yes ma'am... I am appreciative for the blessing it has been to me and that it is a blessing to others

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I will insert one small thought on the use of the phrase "God is not the author of confusion"

This scripture never said there would not be confusion. But if there be any confusion we are assured by scripture that God is not the author of that confusion.

Let me give an example.

Take someone who has been a trinitarian all of their lives and they begin to see the oneness. When all that they have been taught all of their lives begins to unravel there WILL BE confusion. Moving from a well ingrained false doctrine to truth will almost always be coupled with confusion. After all, we are moving from what we have known.... what we have drawn comfort from... what we have believed as being from God himself... to another place.

When the landmarks that we have stood by no longer matter there is confusion. I know of no major doctrinal change that will not be coupled with confusion.

But... even though there be confusion... rest assured that God did not author the confusion. The confusion will pass as we begin to strengthen our understanding and feel more confident in it.

If we used that scripture to simply state... if you are feeling confusion then rest assured this is not from God... then no one would ever leave the doctrine of their birth.

Great post!!!!!

When so many find out what they are being taught as heaven/hell issues aren't anymore, it does cause confusion AND that confusion isn't coming from God.