Letters To Seoulsearch, Part 2: What Kind of Christian Are You?
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QUOTE=DuchessAimee;1665471]The funny thing is, Stephen63 was the person I knew would attack first. Call it sight, call it luck, call it what you wish, but it's a shame I didn't message Seoul or Gypsy or someone who could verify my claim now. Ehh, whatevs.
You claim love and peace and praying for those who oppose you Stephen, but all I've ever gotten from you is overbearing meanness. To the point of my feelings being hurt from the roasting you and your cohorts gave in that other thread. You know the one where Gypsy had to come to my rescue? And I didn't bother to say anything about the hurt because y'all seemed to disappear. Well, it seems you're back and MORE THAN WILLING to start it up again. It's yet another reason for me not to respect you as a man or an elder. If you're actually a pastor, I'm not seeing much pastoring going on. All you've given me is passive aggressive nonsense, meanness, and force. You didn't even bother to ask me to define what seer meant. I left it vague for a reason. I wanted to see what other people would assume.
It's my own fault I'm crying as I type this and that I've let you hurt me. I guess I shouldn't expect anything else out of you.[/QUOTE]
God bless you my precious sister. The Lord is our defense and comforter. You do not have to explain or defend who you are in Christ, that is between you and God. I pray you are obedient to the Lord and His word. Your identity is in Christ alone and who ever hurts you hurts God. You have been bought with a price that is beyond compare. Why can't we just build up the body of Christ instead of wounding each other. Blessings to you in Jesus mighty name.
Amen
QUOTE=DuchessAimee;1665471]The funny thing is, Stephen63 was the person I knew would attack first. Call it sight, call it luck, call it what you wish, but it's a shame I didn't message Seoul or Gypsy or someone who could verify my claim now. Ehh, whatevs.
You claim love and peace and praying for those who oppose you Stephen, but all I've ever gotten from you is overbearing meanness. To the point of my feelings being hurt from the roasting you and your cohorts gave in that other thread. You know the one where Gypsy had to come to my rescue? And I didn't bother to say anything about the hurt because y'all seemed to disappear. Well, it seems you're back and MORE THAN WILLING to start it up again. It's yet another reason for me not to respect you as a man or an elder. If you're actually a pastor, I'm not seeing much pastoring going on. All you've given me is passive aggressive nonsense, meanness, and force. You didn't even bother to ask me to define what seer meant. I left it vague for a reason. I wanted to see what other people would assume.
It's my own fault I'm crying as I type this and that I've let you hurt me. I guess I shouldn't expect anything else out of you.[/QUOTE]
God bless you my precious sister. The Lord is our defense and comforter. You do not have to explain or defend who you are in Christ, that is between you and God. I pray you are obedient to the Lord and His word. Your identity is in Christ alone and who ever hurts you hurts God. You have been bought with a price that is beyond compare. Why can't we just build up the body of Christ instead of wounding each other. Blessings to you in Jesus mighty name.
Amen
Seoulsearch, I'm probably one of those corrector's (prophet according to spiritual gifts test) you are talking about. I find, even when I'm working with students, I'm constantly correcting the mistakes they make. And I learned early on, when I first started teaching private students that I need to be aware of how my students are feeling and making sure I give them praise. I warn them when they first come to me, that I don't have perfect pitch, but I do have imperfect pitch, meaning, I generally hear all the mistakes that they make. But I also encourage them to communicate with me when they are feeling frustrated, as I may not always be aware of that. Some are good, some, not as much.
And yes, that correction does carry on into the spiritual realm. I think for me, my safe guard is remembering when I judged a situation involving a young girl incorrectly, also in listening to others in regards to people who ended up being the opposite of what everyone else was saying. Also, I try to remember what it's like when people judge me based on what one person has said, instead of getting the full story. When I keep these in mind, it reminds me to get all sides of the story. And when I don't hear all sides of the story, well let's just say that things don't always go as plan. In fact, quite honestly, I probably make things worse.
Another things that I'm also supposedly, according to the spiritual gifts test is that of an evangelist. And, to some extent, I can see this. For me, it's hard keeping it in that I'm a Christian. Most of my private students are aware that I am. And I will not be surprised if my public school students end up being aware that I am.
I would also say that I have a mission minded heart. Any time things related to missionaries or mission organization are mentioned, I'm usually all ears. I'm also currently volunteering with an organization that works with orphans. (Two in one combo. What could be better.)
I would like to say that I'm also a teacher, because I love learning and sharing what I've learned. Whether this is the actual Biblical definition of a teacher, or something similar, I don't know. But I do know that, unlike the first three mentioned, the teacher has never been one of my higher gifts listed on Spiritual Inventories. (Neither is mercy, and if you know me in real life, you know I have very little mercy.) Instead, it's something that I have more of a passion with.
And before anyone says anything, I realize Spiritual Gifts Inventories are not the end all be all, but only a tool that might help you become more aware of what your gifts might be.
And yes, that correction does carry on into the spiritual realm. I think for me, my safe guard is remembering when I judged a situation involving a young girl incorrectly, also in listening to others in regards to people who ended up being the opposite of what everyone else was saying. Also, I try to remember what it's like when people judge me based on what one person has said, instead of getting the full story. When I keep these in mind, it reminds me to get all sides of the story. And when I don't hear all sides of the story, well let's just say that things don't always go as plan. In fact, quite honestly, I probably make things worse.
Another things that I'm also supposedly, according to the spiritual gifts test is that of an evangelist. And, to some extent, I can see this. For me, it's hard keeping it in that I'm a Christian. Most of my private students are aware that I am. And I will not be surprised if my public school students end up being aware that I am.
I would also say that I have a mission minded heart. Any time things related to missionaries or mission organization are mentioned, I'm usually all ears. I'm also currently volunteering with an organization that works with orphans. (Two in one combo. What could be better.)
I would like to say that I'm also a teacher, because I love learning and sharing what I've learned. Whether this is the actual Biblical definition of a teacher, or something similar, I don't know. But I do know that, unlike the first three mentioned, the teacher has never been one of my higher gifts listed on Spiritual Inventories. (Neither is mercy, and if you know me in real life, you know I have very little mercy.) Instead, it's something that I have more of a passion with.
And before anyone says anything, I realize Spiritual Gifts Inventories are not the end all be all, but only a tool that might help you become more aware of what your gifts might be.
A corrector is a misdirected edifier. One who sees insights, but has not a pulpit from which to preach them.
Me, my place is to be the local nerd. Grandma has remonstrated wih me about calling myself that, but I am in fact a nerd. And if I were not in my place, it would go unfilled or at least not filled as well. I maintain the stuff in the sound booth at church, trouble-shoot if something goes wrong... shoot, I set the whole system up to begin with. I have multiple laptops, some of which found a place in various parts of the church. I'm the one who burns copies of a CD for the praise team to practice with, the one who knows how to "get that song off youtube," or edit a song if a part (like a wild guitar solo) doesn't fit the project they're doing... I'm the resident nerd.
Some are called to be burrs. Ever seen a horse with a burr under its saddle? There was this one guy in church who was always the loudest praiser, the most active, always the first one on his feet when the Spirit started moving. One day some of the quieter people asked the pastor if something could be done about this noisy person. The pastor only said "I've been praying about the matter." A couple days later, the active praiser himself came to talk to the pastor. "Say Reverend," he said, "You know that pew where the really quiet guys sit? Think it would be alright if I could sit with them for a few services?" The pastor said, "I've been praying you would say that."
About corrections though, some corrections should not be made because some churches have different standards, because some churches are in different places. I like to use the bowling alley illustration. In one town the bowling alley is a seedy dive where prostitutes hang out in the parking lot and the church in that town finds it necessary to have a standard against bowling. In another town the bowling alley is a family-friendly, brightly-lit, clean establishment and the church in that town needs no such standard. One church cannot (well... SHOULD not, but sometimes they do) judge the other church as reprobates and sinners for lacking this standard, and the other church cannot... er, should not judge the first church as legalistic and uptight for having the standard.
By the way... seoulsearch, do you play dominoes? You do? YOU SINNER!!! (For the record, the previous sentence was said very much tongue-in-cheek.) I know of a church that had to have a standard against dominoes. Sound ludicrous? In most places it would be, but in this church they had a problem - more than half the congregation was skipping church to play dominoes at a friend's house on Sunday night.
Me, my place is to be the local nerd. Grandma has remonstrated wih me about calling myself that, but I am in fact a nerd. And if I were not in my place, it would go unfilled or at least not filled as well. I maintain the stuff in the sound booth at church, trouble-shoot if something goes wrong... shoot, I set the whole system up to begin with. I have multiple laptops, some of which found a place in various parts of the church. I'm the one who burns copies of a CD for the praise team to practice with, the one who knows how to "get that song off youtube," or edit a song if a part (like a wild guitar solo) doesn't fit the project they're doing... I'm the resident nerd.
Some are called to be burrs. Ever seen a horse with a burr under its saddle? There was this one guy in church who was always the loudest praiser, the most active, always the first one on his feet when the Spirit started moving. One day some of the quieter people asked the pastor if something could be done about this noisy person. The pastor only said "I've been praying about the matter." A couple days later, the active praiser himself came to talk to the pastor. "Say Reverend," he said, "You know that pew where the really quiet guys sit? Think it would be alright if I could sit with them for a few services?" The pastor said, "I've been praying you would say that."
About corrections though, some corrections should not be made because some churches have different standards, because some churches are in different places. I like to use the bowling alley illustration. In one town the bowling alley is a seedy dive where prostitutes hang out in the parking lot and the church in that town finds it necessary to have a standard against bowling. In another town the bowling alley is a family-friendly, brightly-lit, clean establishment and the church in that town needs no such standard. One church cannot (well... SHOULD not, but sometimes they do) judge the other church as reprobates and sinners for lacking this standard, and the other church cannot... er, should not judge the first church as legalistic and uptight for having the standard.
By the way... seoulsearch, do you play dominoes? You do? YOU SINNER!!! (For the record, the previous sentence was said very much tongue-in-cheek.)
I know of a church that had to have a standard against dominoes. Sound ludicrous? In most places it would be, but in this church they had a problem - more than half the congregation was skipping church to play dominoes at a friend's house on Sunday night.
No sound at all? First I'd plug a music player (smartphone, mp3 player, whatever, but start it on low, low volume) directly into the amplifier, see if it has gone out. If sound pipes through it you can proceed to troubleshoot the soundboard, but don't pull your hair out with a soundboard that might be working perfectly fine.
The trick is to run sound through the last link in the chain first, and work backward until you find the problem.
First I'd plug a music player (smartphone, mp3 player, whatever, but start it on low, low volume) directly into the amplifier, see if it has gone out. If sound pipes through it you can proceed to troubleshoot the soundboard, but don't pull your hair out with a soundboard that might be working perfectly fine. The trick is to run sound through the last link in the chain first, and work backward until you find the problem.
T
I don't know what kind of Christian I am.
I'm definitely a bit of a philosopher and I feel led to encourage and comfort people. But I'm also a little too hasty at times to correct trolls, false teachers and KJV-Onlyists etc (I'm getting better at not doing this).
Is my assessment fair? Should I add anything/delete anything from my list?
I'm definitely a bit of a philosopher and I feel led to encourage and comfort people. But I'm also a little too hasty at times to correct trolls, false teachers and KJV-Onlyists etc (I'm getting better at not doing this).
Is my assessment fair? Should I add anything/delete anything from my list?
No sound at all? First I'd plug a music player (smartphone, mp3 player, whatever, but start it on low, low volume) directly into the amplifier, see if it has gone out. If sound pipes through it you can proceed to troubleshoot the soundboard, but don't pull your hair out with a soundboard that might be working perfectly fine.
The trick is to run sound through the last link in the chain first, and work backward until you find the problem.
First I'd plug a music player (smartphone, mp3 player, whatever, but start it on low, low volume) directly into the amplifier, see if it has gone out. If sound pipes through it you can proceed to troubleshoot the soundboard, but don't pull your hair out with a soundboard that might be working perfectly fine. The trick is to run sound through the last link in the chain first, and work backward until you find the problem.
WHAT KINDS OF CHRISTIANS ARE ALL OF YOU?
ABSOLUTELY AWESOME.
I sure hope no one feels left out or somehow at a loss if they think they can't clearly define their gift or "what kind of Christian" they are--it's taken me 40 years of God trying to chip away at my own stubbornness for me to see some of the things He's been trying to tell me!
Perhaps I worded the entire question incorrectly... It's more like, what kinds of characteristics seem to come more naturally to you than others in the your Christian walk?
ABSOLUTELY AWESOME.
I sure hope no one feels left out or somehow at a loss if they think they can't clearly define their gift or "what kind of Christian" they are--it's taken me 40 years of God trying to chip away at my own stubbornness for me to see some of the things He's been trying to tell me!
Perhaps I worded the entire question incorrectly... It's more like, what kinds of characteristics seem to come more naturally to you than others in the your Christian walk?
Hi Viola!
Thank you so much for your post. I want to clarify that I am NOT saying at all that being a "Corrector" is somehow bad--God calls people for this very purpose!!! We need Correctors! Everyone, at some point, has to give some kind of correction. But this, to me, yours is an example of how correction was meant to be--in love and with encouragement, NOT a contest of "who has the bigger/better/more valid faith" or "if you disagree with me, I'm going to flood you with Scripture and beat you into the ground, because I can back everything I'm saying with the WORD and you are obviously an ungodly heathen."
THANK YOU for being a GODLY Corrector. Goodness knows we need more of those. You gave an example of what good correction SHOULD be, and I've had plenty of correction in my life--fortunately, much of it was by loving correctors such as you.
The fact is, the very reason I'm writing these threads is because of men who have tried to Scripturally beat me into a pit with their "correction" via private messages. No matter what I answer, they tell me I'm wrong, Spiritually blind, unsubmissive, etc. and quote another passage as to how worldly I am and not needing listening to what they see as their infallible point of view (in other words, "I'm right, you're wrong, and I have the Bible passages here to prove it.")
Some will say I should have kept this all in PM but I find that many abuse such a privilege. I almost always decline to engage in such arguments but one person PMed me back with a quote I had written in a thread saying I will always address questions or accusations people bring against me, implying that I was backing down and running from being questioned.
First of all, I wrote that post in the context of being questioned publicly, not in private messages, because, as I said, there is so much potential for abuse. If I don't address something some asks or brings against me in the forums, it's because I either missed it or have already addressed the issue and do not wish to repeat myself.
So because the implication is that I said I would answer but tried to say, "Let's let it be and go on our separate ways" (even though it's PM's and not in public), here I am, answering, and unfortunately, getting pulled into circular arguments that I despise. I wrote this person back that I'm rather irritated that I feel I'm being bullied into answering pointless questions instead of spending time with my family, but I'm a person of my word, and since he pointed out that I said I would answer (even though it was out of context), here I am.
PM's are not always such a great a idea because if a person who has something against you or your thoughts knows they are talking to you "in private", they will think they have a right to tear you to the ground, especially when they don't know you, which is why I brought this to the public table (and told the person I planned to before I actually did.)
I also firmly believe that NO ONE HERE has to justify or explain why or how they came to conclusion of what their God-given gift is. I would simply suggest that if you have an issue with someone else's gift, please take it to God in prayer instead of verbally tearing the person down. Thanks!
Thank you so much for your post. I want to clarify that I am NOT saying at all that being a "Corrector" is somehow bad--God calls people for this very purpose!!! We need Correctors! Everyone, at some point, has to give some kind of correction. But this, to me, yours is an example of how correction was meant to be--in love and with encouragement, NOT a contest of "who has the bigger/better/more valid faith" or "if you disagree with me, I'm going to flood you with Scripture and beat you into the ground, because I can back everything I'm saying with the WORD and you are obviously an ungodly heathen."
THANK YOU for being a GODLY Corrector. Goodness knows we need more of those. You gave an example of what good correction SHOULD be, and I've had plenty of correction in my life--fortunately, much of it was by loving correctors such as you.
The fact is, the very reason I'm writing these threads is because of men who have tried to Scripturally beat me into a pit with their "correction" via private messages. No matter what I answer, they tell me I'm wrong, Spiritually blind, unsubmissive, etc. and quote another passage as to how worldly I am and not needing listening to what they see as their infallible point of view (in other words, "I'm right, you're wrong, and I have the Bible passages here to prove it.")
Some will say I should have kept this all in PM but I find that many abuse such a privilege. I almost always decline to engage in such arguments but one person PMed me back with a quote I had written in a thread saying I will always address questions or accusations people bring against me, implying that I was backing down and running from being questioned.
First of all, I wrote that post in the context of being questioned publicly, not in private messages, because, as I said, there is so much potential for abuse. If I don't address something some asks or brings against me in the forums, it's because I either missed it or have already addressed the issue and do not wish to repeat myself.
So because the implication is that I said I would answer but tried to say, "Let's let it be and go on our separate ways" (even though it's PM's and not in public), here I am, answering, and unfortunately, getting pulled into circular arguments that I despise. I wrote this person back that I'm rather irritated that I feel I'm being bullied into answering pointless questions instead of spending time with my family, but I'm a person of my word, and since he pointed out that I said I would answer (even though it was out of context), here I am.
PM's are not always such a great a idea because if a person who has something against you or your thoughts knows they are talking to you "in private", they will think they have a right to tear you to the ground, especially when they don't know you, which is why I brought this to the public table (and told the person I planned to before I actually did.)
I also firmly believe that NO ONE HERE has to justify or explain why or how they came to conclusion of what their God-given gift is. I would simply suggest that if you have an issue with someone else's gift, please take it to God in prayer instead of verbally tearing the person down. Thanks!
I am a newcomer to this forum but I want to give you an opinion from what I have noticed all these days.
You and Tintin come across as two people who can put thoughts into words in a way that is clear to every reader. Whether it is for pointing out a mistake, or for encouraging someone, or for correcting somebody, I have noticed that the two of you can put it in words very well. What makes it better is that both of you can portray your emotions even through words. In a virtual world where communication can always be misunderstood or misinterpreted, the two of you have never let that happen. Perhaps even Arlene89, DuchessAimee and Seoulsearch would join that list but I have not read their posts often enough.
Pipp and jer2911 are very encouraging. They can pull up people who are down in the dumps, comfort the broken, and spread a lot of love around. They seem to radiate peace and love through their posts. I have spoken to Pipp a couple of times and I have noticed that she can easily put someone at peace.
Lynx and Popclick have a wonderful sense of humour. They can lighten up any sad heart through their jokes.
Well, this is my observation from what I have seen all these days. My intention is only to point out a few good things in a few people who I have noticed often. It is not to praise anybody or put down the others.
My mom always tells me an anecdote when we talk of ministering to God. In one church, there was a powerful preacher. He was a mighty man of God through whom God gave many a powerful sermon to the church. One night as he was preparing for his sermon, he saw a vision. He saw himself at the pulpit preaching to his congregation. A pair of hands appeared in the room holding a golden crown. The preacher thought that the hands were bringing the crown to him because he was delivering such a powerful sermon. But the hands went the other way. They went towards the far corner of the church where sat a poor old man. The hands placed the crown on this man's head. Puzzled over this vision, the preacher asked the Lord about it. The Lord told him (paraphrased), "Son, you are preaching to your congregation. Your sermon is powerful and the church is being blessed by it. But the credit for your sermon goes to that poor old man who was sitting in the corner. He was sitting there praying for you and your sermon while you were preaching from the pulpit. Hence, he deserves the crown more than you."
This is how God looks at us. We all are chosen by God as "vessels for the Master's use". Whether we are placed at the King's table or placed under the servant's bed, it does not matter. We are all different vessels in the Lord's kingdom. There is nothing dishonourable about being a vessel used by Him for His purpose.
I
The test I took said "Prophecy" but I understand the distinction you are making. I think the whole matter of prophecy is very much misused in today's church, and should only be approached with the most extreme caution. And we do need leaders who are prophetic, in the best sense of the word. I am thinking about Martin Luther King, for example.
K
There you go! Good choice of words Jim and I think it fits the Duchess. It still leaves a thread hanging though, because it's a little like something else....... You know when you're with someone and a dog you've seen around won't come up to you like usual? And you share that standoffish spirit with the dog - you don't want to be with that "someone" either?There's discernment or that ability to immediately judge a "dark" spirit through interaction, but there's also a kind of radar that alerts you from the get-go. Still - even that "radar" goes beyond simple perception. Like I'm not talking about forming perceptions of the hooded guy in sunglasses - no it's a little more refined. That "sight" can see even the outwardly non-threatening and mundane.
There was this dude I knew in school whose name was Doody. I always thought it was a trifling name for a kid with a mental disorder. He was hit by a garbage truck when he was maybe 6 or 7 that caused some head injuries. Doody may not have known it at the time, but I believed that for every brain cell he lost in that accident, his inner sight exponentially improved maybe like unfolding cheese cloth becoming more and more translucent. Doody could spot dark spirits and maybe you don't think they're walking about, but they are, and they're hidden and they sometimes claim righteousness and humility but be advised, they're there. Doody's whole demeanor would change and I saw that change with my own eyes. Like a dog that sniffs out cancer or a mom who suddenly stops washng dishes to check on her child about to be in harms way - it's a gift and like I said, discernment is a good solid word, but it leaves a thread hanging.
Oh and Duchess, I'm not equating you to a mentally challenged kid I knew school, though I think you'd be in good company if I were. I was just trying to explain what I thought it was.
There was this dude I knew in school whose name was Doody. I always thought it was a trifling name for a kid with a mental disorder. He was hit by a garbage truck when he was maybe 6 or 7 that caused some head injuries. Doody may not have known it at the time, but I believed that for every brain cell he lost in that accident, his inner sight exponentially improved maybe like unfolding cheese cloth becoming more and more translucent. Doody could spot dark spirits and maybe you don't think they're walking about, but they are, and they're hidden and they sometimes claim righteousness and humility but be advised, they're there. Doody's whole demeanor would change and I saw that change with my own eyes. Like a dog that sniffs out cancer or a mom who suddenly stops washng dishes to check on her child about to be in harms way - it's a gift and like I said, discernment is a good solid word, but it leaves a thread hanging.
Oh and Duchess, I'm not equating you to a mentally challenged kid I knew school, though I think you'd be in good company if I were. I was just trying to explain what I thought it was.
