I'm so sad and discouraged..

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sonofjay817

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#1
#1
I use to be very involved in church but I've become so disillusioned and perplexed. I've been so disappointed in Christian ministers that I respected immensely because they are afraid to acknowlege freemasonry is evil.

I went to an evangelical presbyterian church for a while and absolutely loved it. I felt as if the Spirit was really in that place but after I realized I had a lot of problems with the Calvinism I began to question what I felt.

I visited another baptist church and had lunch with the pastor who let me know that his dad was a freemason and he felt it would be a conflict of interests for him to join, but he was sure to qualify that it would only be wrong for HIM as if to say its not necessarily wrong in general. I love and respect this guy, but I just don't understand. If men of God who devote their lives to serving are wrong about key issues, what hope is there for me to right on issues. I wonder if Im merely too contentious. These things don't seem to bother anyone else. I miss having a church. Please pray for me.
 
NoahsDad

NoahsDad

Senior Member
#2
Oct 30, 2006
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soj............You've got my prayers,I too am having trouble finding as church that I feel comfortable in their doctrine to turn my children over to,I dont want to have to do damage controll every monday after going to church on sunday,I have to do enough of that with my highschoolers now.Every day it seems that the teachers are trying to pound home a "New World View" with every homework assignment,Even on the abortion issue,
But geting back to church,theres a big church here that is almost taking over,they have baught 6 churches so far and are looking to open in the next county,I've been to this church on more than one occasion,and have yet to see them crack the bible open,it consists of mostly music and what they are doing on their mission trips
 
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sonofjay817

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#3
#3
Thx for your prayers and commiseration.
 
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LynnJ

Guest
#4
#4
Hi Sonofjay, so sorry to hear about your experiences in the church. Churches and pastors will let us down oftentimes, but I am so thankful God doesn't. I encourage you to keep your focus on God, stay in the Word, and I'll be praying that He leads you to the right church that correctly handles the Word of God and teaches true biblical doctrine. It's out there somewhere for you, and as you seek God on the matter I feel confident that He will lead you to it.
 
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BLC

Banned
#5
Feb 28, 2009
711
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sonofjay817 said:
I use to be very involved in church but I've become so disillusioned and perplexed. I've been so disappointed in Christian ministers that I respected immensely because they are afraid to acknowlege freemasonry is evil.

I went to an evangelical presbyterian church for a while and absolutely loved it. I felt as if the Spirit was really in that place but after I realized I had a lot of problems with the Calvinism I began to question what I felt.

I visited another baptist church and had lunch with the pastor who let me know that his dad was a freemason and he felt it would be a conflict of interests for him to join, but he was sure to qualify that it would only be wrong for HIM as if to say its not necessarily wrong in general. I love and respect this guy, but I just don't understand. If men of God who devote their lives to serving are wrong about key issues, what hope is there for me to right on issues. I wonder if Im merely too contentious. These things don't seem to bother anyone else. I miss having a church. Please pray for me.
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You don't have to be discouraged or perplexed and become a victim of anybody's sin, beliefs or shortcomings. There is a time that we wait on God to renew our strength, but there is a time to seek Him out. Jesus sought you out and saved you, now go seek Him out while He can be found (Is 55:6). Don't look at the conditions of others around you, go after God by faith, because God loves it when you do it that way. Find out a church that is red hot for God, that has a grace message, that builds up believers and has outreaches that goes into all the world and preaches the gospel. Don't settle for anything less than God's best. They won't be perfect but they will have a heart after God and you will know it, because it will be in the message, in their countenance, in their conversation and the way they treat one another. You will sense the presence of Christ in their midst. When you find it, rejoice and go right up to the pastor and tell him that you want to be part of a church that preaches and lives by the whole counsel of God and tells it like it is. Then be bold with your humility and ask him, 'Are you that kind of church that will help me grow in Christ and the love of God'? That is the kind of church that magnifies Christ and worships Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:24).
 
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sonofjay817

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#6
#6
BLC said:
You don't have to be discouraged or perplexed and become a victim of anybody's sin, beliefs or shortcomings. There is a time that we wait on God to renew our strength, but there is a time to seek Him out. Jesus sought you out and saved you, now go seek Him out while He can be found (Is 55:6). Don't look at the conditions of others around you, go after God by faith, because God loves it when you do it that way. Find out a church that is red hot for God, that has a grace message, that builds up believers and has outreaches that goes into all the world and preaches the gospel. Don't settle for anything less than God's best. They won't be perfect but they will have a heart after God and you will know it, because it will be in the message, in their countenance, in their conversation and the way they treat one another. You will sense the presence of Christ in their midst. When you find it, rejoice and go right up to the pastor and tell him that you want to be part of a church that preaches and lives by the whole counsel of God and tells it like it is. Then be bold with your humility and ask him, 'Are you that kind of church that will help me grow in Christ and the love of God'? That is the kind of church that magnifies Christ and worships Him in Spirit and truth (John 4:24).
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I like that! Thx. You're right. Part of it is my fault. I know I haven't been as aggressive as I should seeking out that kind of church.
 
M

Mango_Nugget

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#7
#7
Then NOW IS the time to act! :)

I am in the process myself of looking to move away from this area - away from friends and family, to start afresh and be ready in the place where God wants me to be to start a new family unit. The first thing I do is ask "Is there a good church here that openly preaches the Word of God as it is?".

Being away from the will of God is never pleasant in the long term! Things start to go downward, you start longing for things, and then you realise just how much God loves and wants for the believer to be in His Word and His will. When you find the right church, God will open up even an opportunity into a ministry within that church. So, I will back what BLC has said 100%.
 
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Baruch

Guest
#8
#8
sonofjay817 said:
I like that! Thx. You're right. Part of it is my fault. I know I haven't been as aggressive as I should seeking out that kind of church.
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I don't mean to sound like a wet blanket, but just reminding you that from your OP, that you felt that the Spirit was really in the place, but that evangelical presberian church just wasn't right for you, leaving you unsure about what you felt, right?

Don't go by feelings. The Holy Spirit doesn't need to be felt in the worship place to give the impression that it is right. I know that the Book of Acts has recorded such spectacular events, but in context and application, we do not need to feel the Spirit in the place to know if something is right or of God, since you became disillusioned from doing so.

In all respect, one should not use that as a guideline at all because of what Jesus had spoken to the Samaritan woman whom had asked where she was to worship.. as the Jews do at Jerusalem or continue as her people have been doing.. worship God at the mountain? Jesus said that a time will be coming and now is when those that seek to come to the Father to worship Him shall do so in spirit and in truth: in other words, right now as you are a believer, you can worship Him right where you are.. right now. There is no going to a place to get closer to God or near to Him for now He is with us always.

So when error pops up in a church, lean on Jesus to correct it by the scriptures. He has to do this in our individual walk with Him: so the same has to be done for the assembly. Oftentimes or not, structure and routine will prevent this, and if no one hears.. move on as a witness that it is an error not to be sweeping under the rug.

Shortcomings or believers struggling with sin is one thing as we are to pray for one another, but not acknowledging the error or not being repentive of the sin... if it is a believer... the church should be addressing it and excommunicating... unless they repent or later on they repent.. then they can come back in.. which is the purpose of excommunication... to show the severity of their sin or unbelief so that they may know that it is not a matter of "opinion" held by some.. but of all those like-minded in Christ in that assembly. Thus... if the church is not like-minded in regards to that erro or sin, then the believer contending for the faith should leave and seek another church.

If there is no church where a believer can be like-minded in Christ... start a Bible Study and invite those that you know are.

And if it gets really bad that you feel like wondering where the faithkeepers are, always remember that the Lord is your Refuge. The persecuted saints are going to go through this and get killed through the great tribulation: it's not like they are going to be free to gather and assemble. Some may find an underground church while most are on the run.... but for the amount of freedom that you have..... you can gather an assembly of like-minded believers at your home or some public meeting place to have worship, time in the word, prayer, and fellowship...which I believe believers will get more out of than being complacent in a scheduled routine, relying on the pastor to do it all because that way, everyone participates in exhorting one another, building up one another, and praying for one another personally in a home gathering or whatever.

But as it is, I testify that I cannot... and therefore the Lord has become my refuge. I do not care to get into the oddity of my civil rights violation, but the Lord had shown me in dream past in high school that it was going to occur, as I am living it. So I am not worrying about it as I am in God's hands.

Hopefully, you have more options than I do, but the Lord will help you as to which way you are to go... even if it is just to Him.
 
RoboOp

RoboOp

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#9
Aug 4, 2008
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#9
I never could find a church that I could agree with 100%... until I started one in my home... that one I did agree with 100% :D hahaha
 
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1still_waters

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#10
#10
This is gonna sound cliche, but you need to keep your eyes on Jesus. Easier said than done.
 
RoboOp

RoboOp

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#11
Aug 4, 2008
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#11
Look for faith and love among the people, and good doctrine. Look hard. Pray.
 
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1still_waters

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#12
#12
And look for fellowship instead of just a BIG church of ministry that looks successful according to man's standards.
 
RoboOp

RoboOp

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#13
Aug 4, 2008
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Yah you might get a lot more fellowship in a church of 20 or 30 than you would get in a church of 3,000. (Many NT churches met in a very simple way, in homes, by the way.)
 
1

1still_waters

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#14
#14
RoboOp said:
Yah you might get a lot more fellowship in a church of 20 or 30 than you would get in a church of 3,000. (Many NT churches met in a very simple way, in homes, by the way.)
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Man I've learned this lesson a few times.
 
P

phelpo2003

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#15
#15
Unfortunately, my family was in a church that I didn't agree with alot of the things that went on. However, we have been lucky and found a church home. It truly has been a blessing.
 
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shinethelightforever

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#16
#16
RoboOp said:
I never could find a church that I could agree with 100%... until I started one in my home... that one I did agree with 100% :D hahaha
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I guarantee you will not find any perfect church that you agree with 100%. Any church that you were searching for are not 100% perfect. Not to judge you...even though you have your own home church is not 100% perfect just like any other local churches.
 
W

watchmen

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#17
Apr 23, 2009
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#17
sonofjay817 said:
I use to be very involved in church but I've become so disillusioned and perplexed. I've been so disappointed in Christian ministers that I respected immensely because they are afraid to acknowlege freemasonry is evil.

I went to an evangelical presbyterian church for a while and absolutely loved it. I felt as if the Spirit was really in that place but after I realized I had a lot of problems with the Calvinism I began to question what I felt.

I visited another baptist church and had lunch with the pastor who let me know that his dad was a freemason and he felt it would be a conflict of interests for him to join, but he was sure to qualify that it would only be wrong for HIM as if to say its not necessarily wrong in general. I love and respect this guy, but I just don't understand. If men of God who devote their lives to serving are wrong about key issues, what hope is there for me to right on issues. I wonder if Im merely too contentious. These things don't seem to bother anyone else. I miss having a church. Please pray for me.
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You are not too contentious, no true believer should attend a Calvinistic church, nor any church pastored by a free mason.
 
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