Just Wondering....

[Rhoni]

Originally Posted by ShayHyler

This is a good thought. We should all think about this. Even if we're afraid of what the answer is. If we truly considered this, how would it change the way we interact with sinners on a daily basis. I would hope it would change us greatly.

ShayHyler,

This is interesting...I think maybe our mindset of helping 'sinners' is the problem. They have come up with a more socially acceptable term: the unchurched. When you approach anyone making a judgement of their relationship to God you are setting yourself up to offend, even if it is not intentional.

There are many people out there who pray to God every day and are open for a divine appointment but when we come with an attitude that we are in someway better or they are someway inferior then we have lost the witness before it has begun.

Just some things to think about.

Blessings, Rhoni

[jediwill83]

AMEN Sis! If you will notice Jesus always met the needs FIRST BEFORE addressing any kind of sin. I think unconciously sometimes we get it backwards...we want the SIN taken care of before the need and God forbid that we be inconvinenced in ANY way!We get too busy with our own lives...our own problems that we have no time for anyone else...almost like we are in a lifeboat passing others who are drowning and we are too afraid to pull them in thinking if we do our boat will capsize.

[jediwill83]

Seems like ive read something to the effect of "whoever will seek to save his life will lose it..."I think maybe sometimes our life is in so much turmoil because we keep such a micro-managing deathgrip on it.Im not saying turn family night into a good wholesome game of russian roulette or anything,just think he was saying to quit being so self absorbed and take your hands off the wheel cause you arent doing such a hot job driving,and when you let go you will actually find the life you were searching for.

[AmericanAngel]

Originally Posted by Rhoni

ShayHyler,

This is interesting...I think maybe our mindset of helping 'sinners' is the problem. They have come up with a more socially acceptable term: the unchurched. When you approach anyone making a judgement of their relationship to God you are setting yourself up to offend, even if it is not intentional.

There are many people out there who pray to God every day and are open for a divine appointment but when we come with an attitude that we are in someway better or they are someway inferior then we have lost the witness before it has begun.

Just some things to think about.

Blessings, Rhoni

I am ONE OF THOSE unchurched peoples.
I believe if there is a hunger,and a thirst..God will satisfy it.
Also, just my observations when I first moved here and seen a (later learned) Pentecostal person for the first time, I was not much impressed by them. All the women I waved and said "HI" to just ignored me. This perplexed me.
But God is good and He is an on-time God!

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by jediwill83

I just think that if we are being truly effective we should see some overlapping thats all...Or how about ministry? Has anyone ever walked up to you in a Walmart or something(since it IS our natural habitat) and through the course of the conversation ministered to a need in your life?

Yes, and she does it every time she sees me. Started once years ago at the laundrymat. Grocery store, Wal-mart, cafe, she will lay hands on me and start praying for me out loud, I have never been embarrased by it at all. I don't know what denomination she is but she can pray and I get such peace every time she does it. Some that I know are UPC or Apostolic, they witness almost every day. I have witnessed at work before.
My question for you is do YOU?

[jediwill83]

Yes I do nearly every day. I witness and pray for people at their houses AND at my job. Wherever I go I try to connect with someone I dont know.Havent started praying people through in the produce aisle yet...but just hang on that days coming.lol. I just try to let people know that even though I may not know them that I care about whats going on in their life.

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by jediwill83

Yes I do nearly every day. I witness and pray for people at their houses AND at my job. Wherever I go I try to connect with someone I dont know.Havent started praying people through in the produce aisle yet...but just hang on that days coming.lol. I just try to let people know that even though I may not know them that I care about whats going on in their life.

There you go. And may God use you to further His kindgdom.

[jediwill83]

Yes, the term sinner that I used was not well thought through...but in all fairness I couldnt use unchurched either because people I talk to GO to church for the most part...they just are unsatisfied because they hunger for something they are not getting and are spiritually neglected. Im sorry if I offended anyone though for using sinner in a general way though. In fact when I am talking to an "unfulfilled" person I avoid discussions about sin like the plague and also religion.I focus only on relationship..

[jediwill83]

One of the quickest ways to get someone to turn u off is to come across as my religion, holiness, or relationship is superior to yours. I've been to houses to pick stuff up and the guy gets through half a bottle of wild turkey and a pack of ciggs while we are talking about the goodness of God. I did NOT discount his relationship or experiance.When I was walking back to my truck he told me"Son...for a young guy u make alot of sense...I cant bless u because im a sinner...but I hope God will bless u..."

[jediwill83]

What this man said affected me greatly...5 minutes down the road I had to pull over I was weeping so hard because we use God Bless u in church so much its a cliche...but this man...when he said that and for a while afterwards I felt such a strong Presence of God. I felt God tell me that if He walked the Earth in a physical form that these were the kinds of people He would be visiting with and eating with.