For those that left the UPC...

[tv1a]

I don't despise anyone with conservative personal convictions. Scriptures says personal convictions become witchcraft when forced on other people.

If they want to repent of their witchcraft, we'll be pals. If not, they are on the wrong side of God.

Originally Posted by Godsdrummer

The loser is you if that is the attitude you have towards another child of God.

I have a couple of things to say cocerning this, and I say it in love. REPENT YOU SINNERS !!!

Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

If any should understand the mind set of those that are legalistic it should be us that have come out of legalism. Paul tells us explicitly not to despise those that put unnecisary restrictions over their life.

And John reminds us that we are to love one another.

1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Paul gives us a good description of Love and how we should act if we have love.

1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Jesus tells us to love as he loved us, how was that? He gave his life for us!

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Contrary to popular opinion we are not known by our clothes but by our love one for another. If we have not love we are not his.

Check your attitude.

[Godsdrummer]

Originally Posted by tv1a

I don't despise anyone with conservative personal convictions. Scriptures says personal convictions become witchcraft when forced on other people.

If they want to repent of their witchcraft, we'll be pals. If not, they are on the wrong side of God.

Now that is a new one on me where do you get in scripture that personal convictions become witchcraft when forced on other people? Chapter and verse please.

[faithit166]

Originally Posted by Falla39

What an unkind thing to say! I honestly feel this person
was very sincere in her concern! In my opinion she is NOT
a loser. Why did you feel you needed to add she was a upc
woman.

Falla39

i agree with falla i truly feel this woman was very sincere in her concern,

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Godsdrummer

Now that is a new one on me where do you get in scripture that personal convictions become witchcraft when forced on other people? Chapter and verse please.

It comes from the idea that witchcraft is control over people. You know, casting spells is the principle of manipulating events that people experience.

[faithit166]

i would like to share some of my testimony with you,its on my heart about 18 years ago i was in a very abusive relationship,always believed in god you know but didnt know him lived my own life downright sinner,one day i picked up a quiji board messed with it 3 times scared me to death i started praying (smiling) i had no direction i lived outside of the city hadnt been to church in yearsss,if you know what i mean but i guess i started seeking for god and his ways,so many different churches different beliefs which way do i go.

i heard this preacher on the tv one day saying come as you are just come as you are.i thought you want me to come as i am lol i was living in sin let me tell you,i found myself kneeling beside my bed asking god to forgive me for everything i had done stc i found out later i was repenting didnt even know what that was smilin.suddenly i found myself crying,lord there are so many churches i dont know which way to go i do not believe all these churches or of you lord just lead me to that one church that will take me straight up to you thats all i want,about a week later i ran into this older lady was drawn to her asked her her faith i thought ok whatever i didnt know much you know,she invited me to church i declined told her maybe some other day as this woman walked away i felt something tell me to go,but i also had thoughts telling me not to i battled with this about 20- min and decided i was going no matter what,the lady had left her number in case i changed my mind,i called her told her i would go,i found out later at that very moment she was on her knees praying that i would change my mind smilin.

so they picked me cried all the way to church,this was strange to me.i got out of her van the tears stopped i walked in this church the tears flowed once again.i had lived in this city all my life and had never attended service here,but what did i know i was lost and undone. it was a upc apostolic pentecostal church.god filled me with the holy ghost that day i was baptized in jesus name my life was totally changed from that moment on i seen where alot of the women wore skirts didnt cut their hair,etc this lil lady had mentioned i should wear skirts so i did it,i at that time felt no conviction i just did it i wanted to please the lord and thats what they taught standards and i was okay with this,cause what he did for me that day i will do anything to please him my thoughts.

ive seen alot of people come and go in the upc alot of people who i thought were very strong in the lord,i just didnt understand why they would leave go some where else or fall out completely i found myself looking around at empty pews i felt lord did you leave me here to die,lots of people are leaving but i continued going worshipping praying and so on,and the lord said to me one day look not to the left or to the right but keep your eyes on me,all i know was he didnt move me out of there god knows

a few years later i fell away from god thirteen years then one day it was early morning the lord said to me and yes i was living in sin he said you know its wrong to be wearing those pants 6 in the morning i ignored this then he said it again and i said lord i know but im not right with you you know this and im no hypocrite im not gonna play church i thought well i told him then a few minutes later he said it again so i did it i put my skirt back on but he knew i wasnt right he turned my house upside down that day and blessed me in my marriage all the way around because i obeyed in that one thing,i no longer need anyone to tell me to wear a skirt he spoke to me himself im responsible to do what i know is right he will help me with the rest, and alot he has,it saddens me when people leave for whatever reason not everyone in a upc church is where they need to be some people may not even use wisdom before they speak,none of us have arrived yet but many get offended and leave not everyone is gonna make it you know all i know is i wanna please the lord we all must keep our eyes on jesus and i wanna totally be seperate from the world

if i posted this in the wrong place my apologies it was on my heart to share,please put this post where it belongs someone needs to hear it god bless you all

[faithit166]

we need to be careful the trail we leave behind when leaving a congregation! i have on many occasions witnessed to the lost.invited them to church when asked where do you go and i tell them they say to me oh ive heard about that church this happened and that happened,so and so use to go there but not anymore,and they decide not to go there reasoning because of what they heard from an apostolic pentecostal one who has been there,talk about a stumbling block it may be the only house of worship in town another church may be an hour away not all souls can get there.not everyone drives or has a vehicle many people leave for their own reasons maybe god moves them,maybe they just quiet dont agree,maybe theyve been offended,only god knows be careful the trail you leave behind there are many lost souls out there and many many stumbling blocks as well god bless everyone in jesus name

[Godsdrummer]

I just love to hear how God convicts some to not do certain things but if it is not backed up by the word of God it is just your conviction. Don't preach it as Gods commandment.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

See the thing is your church is not the only church and further we do not have to go to church to be saved.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
this is not speaking about church as they did not even have churches when Paul or whoever penned this. They met in homes etc.

Act 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Act 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

If God gives someone the holy ghost he has accepted them, period they have been saved by faith.

No special initiation process, ie baptism, certain dress codes, or a whole bunch of do's and don'ts.

It's time to do as the Boreans did and study for ourselves the word of God and quit being spoon fed by the man behind the pulpit.

[faithit166]

interesting god knows amen

[Falla39]

Originally Posted by faithit166

interesting god knows amen

Yes, HE does, Sister, He surely does!

[missourimary]

There is most definitely a right and wrong way to leave, Faith. Do keep in mind, though, that most of what is happening when people say "oh, I know about them, such and such happened," is the result of a little truth and a lot of gossip... mixed well with some of the person's own experiences that they don't want to state outright. So yes, we need to be careful when we leave, but those of us who stay should also be careful.