In her defense I think the "new religion" was a bit TIC. Also, I think one could believe God has brought you to your current preferences Etc. - i know i do! Lol
Posting ones likes and dislikes does not mean excluding the will of God...
I suppose we view things mainly and solely from our own experiences.
I couldn't imagine leaving a place because of my likes and dislikes. We've been in situations that were untenable, but God told us to stay put, that He would bring us the victory. We obeyed and He brought the victory to pass.
Having a goal of making heaven is serious business. "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22
No one ever promised us a Eutopia or rose garden. JMO.
T2W: Your post speaks of a sincere cry from your heart that you want more from God than what you are getting out of the UPC church system.
Good luck. We left the UPC/ACI/AMF church groups ourselves because of so many things being taught that were just pure foolishness, and not truly Scriptural.
We began a journey that took us to quite a few different denominations... Baptist, Calvary Church, and independent Pentecostal churches also, as well as others.
What we found was this... all basic church denominations share many of the same problems. Pastor superiority, prosperity teaching (Give until it hurts so you can be blessed...), various doctrinal teachings that basically teach do this, or else you won't be saved.
Churches, most of them, are the same, no matter what denomination you look too.
This is the hard part - but the best part - let the Lord lead and guide you where HE would have you to be. THAT journey may be the most surprising of all, but allow God and the Word of God to be your handbook and foundation of truth. You may be very surprised where the leading of the Lord will take you.
I don't believe you are going to find what you are looking for in the current church systems as they are now though....
Will be praying for you as you walk this journey of faith!
I was thinking that might not be in all of their churches... someone said that they are actually bigger than the UPCI.
Yes- I read in David Bernard's Oneness of God book that they were bigger than UPCi as per 1970 stats- but who knows?
I can feel for what you are saying about needing a change. Everything you wrote sounds like the worst of the UPCi (and I've seen many of those bad traits up close and personally).
I don't know if it's a bad thing to get feedback on an online forum. If you are totally convinced that certain convictions are biblical (even if they may not be popular or non-mainstream) it makes sense that you'd want to know going in what the churches are like and what they believe. For example, I'm to the point now where I just can't get on board with doing pagan holidays in church, so if I were to move to another city, I'd want to be aware of whether or not a church does Xmas and makes a big deal of it before I join up with them. It makes no sense to suffer in silence or lie about what you believe just to be around people.
As for True Jesus Church, I don't think I'd personally feel comfortable in one of their churches (and they probably wouldn't have me as a member because I'm not so rigid about Saturday worship).
The answer might be to start having service in your home and be open and honest with yourself and others about why you are doing what you are doing and then like kind will atrract like kind as far as fellowship is concerned.
__________________ If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey that catches his heart...
Abraham Lincoln
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. - Eph. 4:29
Being a very big proponent of Romans 8:28 and Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. (NIV)" , when I read your post, all I am seeing is this:
I do not
I prefer
I would like
I want
I would like
I'm not
I don't really care for
And then you are asking people, on a forum, to give you suggestions on where to go and what to do.
Not trying to be rude, although very direct - where does God's direction fit into your view? Where does God's leading fit into the scenario?
I've never made a change without God directing my steps, so forgive me, but I don't get the thread at all. It seems as though, after seeking the Lord's direction, you wouldn't have to ask anyone else. IWO, it has never been my experience that I have had to do that.
REALLY?? I would love to hear some honest sharing about how you arrived in your current fellowship and how it meets the needs of you personally, your family, your friends who are not churched. How it helps you to fullfil the great comission, helps you meet your obligation to feed the poor, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the prisoner because we don't really have that going on.
I am not sure why you would assume that I have not sought God about my situation but if it makes you feel better I have indeed.
I am a firm believer that sometimes God uses PEOPLE to help us find our way... plus I just loved the oportuntiy to interact with you all, you are such a lively, opinionated, and diverse bunch.
If you were trying to avoid being rude, I'd say you narrowly escaped it, so good for you. But if you were trying to avoid comming across as self righteous you missed
Being a very big proponent of Romans 8:28 and Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. (NIV)" , when I read your post, all I am seeing is this:
I do not
I prefer
I would like
I want
I would like
I'm not
I don't really care for
And then you are asking people, on a forum, to give you suggestions on where to go and what to do.
Not trying to be rude, although very direct - where does God's direction fit into your view? Where does God's leading fit into the scenario?
I've never made a change without God directing my steps, so forgive me, but I don't get the thread at all. It seems as though, after seeking the Lord's direction, you wouldn't have to ask anyone else. IWO, it has never been my experience that I have had to do that.
If one thinks God is directing one's steps, is it necessarily true that He is?
And you have never asked another human for advice in these kinds of things? Does that apply for all spiritual matters, or just what church you should attend?
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Sis, I don't think you'll find any new "religion" to be just what you like.
I tend to agree with what Scotty posted about this not being just a UPC
thing.
I'll be praying for you and your family.
I suppose we view things mainly and solely from our own experiences.
I couldn't imagine leaving a place because of my likes and dislikes. We've been in situations that were untenable, but God told us to stay put, that He would bring us the victory. We obeyed and He brought the victory to pass.
Having a goal of making heaven is serious business. "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22
No one ever promised us a Eutopia or rose garden. JMO.
I am a little curious.... How did God tell you to stay? And did He confirm it in anyways?
REALLY?? I would love to hear some honest sharing about how you arrived in your current fellowship and how it meets the needs of you personally, your family, your friends who are not churched. How it helps you to fullfil the great comission, helps you meet your obligation to feed the poor, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the prisoner because we don't really have that going on.
I am not sure why you would assume that I have not sought God about my situation but if it makes you feel better I have indeed.
I am a firm believer that sometimes God uses PEOPLE to help us find our way... plus I just loved the oportuntiy to interact with you all, you are such a lively, opinionated, and diverse bunch.
If you were trying to avoid being rude, I'd say you narrowly escaped it, so good for you. But if you were trying to avoid comming across as self righteous you missed
Last edited by Le Penseur; 01-18-2012 at 03:03 PM.
I suppose we view things mainly and solely from our own experiences.
I couldn't imagine leaving a place because of my likes and dislikes. We've been in situations that were untenable, but God told us to stay put, that He would bring us the victory. We obeyed and He brought the victory to pass.
Having a goal of making heaven is serious business. "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts 14:22
No one ever promised us a Eutopia or rose garden. JMO.
And I think that we get enough tribulation from the world and don't have to seek to withstand it from within the church, which should be a refuge.
If you feel somehow sanctified for having stayed in a horrible situation, more power to you. All I feel is tired, hungry, ineffective, frustrated, disgusted, and maybe a little angry. I long for that peace and joy that the bible does promise but that some people love to snatch away even as I look. No rose garden, why not? I do not presume that hell on earth is the norm, do you?
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