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Topic: You Are Going to Church
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padre
Community Member
Member # 7102
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posted
I heard it described as a crisis of faith. Might be worth a look at google. If i find anything more about it, I will post it here.
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Michael Harrison
Advanced Member
Member # 6801
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posted
I personally have no problem with your reference to Mother Theresa. I don't know anything about her personal beliefs. Neither am I Catholic. In fact I find it intriguing that you mention her describing a crisis, I assume, of faith. This can mean something to the effect that she discovered what it means to be totally dependant upon Christ our Lord.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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padre
Community Member
Member # 7102
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posted
I read somewhere that Sister Theresa also faced a crisis in faith even in her latter years. Some of her writings told of this. Perhaps it is a way to keep us on our toes so to speak.
Don't let my nick and the talk of Sister Theresa fool you. I'm not catholic. I was raised in a Baptist church and that is the church I have attended all my life. Today I would consider myself non-denominational but feel comfortable in a Baptist church, when I go. There are just a couple of points in their doctrine that I don't agree with. The denominational affilliation has no bearing on our salvation. Salvation is a real and personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
God wouldn't allow these things in our lives for no reason. Paul told us that in our troubles is when God's grace shows the strongest.
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Michael Harrison
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Member # 6801
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posted
I think He does this to show us where we aren't, so that we will appreciate when He fills us to be able. This way we do not become puffed up as though we 'did something for God'. For pride goeth before the fall. And:
1Co 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
Moses, finally becoming privy to the fact that he was called of God, thought that he was responsible to execute the judgments and actions of God, and thereby slew the Egyptian who mistreated Moses' people. He did this on his own. It was not the providence of God.
And, a crisis of faith can be the best thing ever. You'll discover that when He pulls the carpet out from under you; when he takes the security blanket from Linus, then will you realize that you are standing in the palm of His hand. Amen!
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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padre
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Member # 7102
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posted
Yeah, I know exactly why He did it. It wasn't too long ago that I realized why this was done and that is when I put it all in a Word file.
God does this often to me and chances are does it to everyone. As mentioned, it isn't to show anything to God or to prove something to Him. It is usually for the benefit of someone other than God and most times is probably for our own benefit or to teach us something.
Sometimes it teaches us something so simple like we really will be obedient to God or we see that we really won't. Sometimes it is to show us that we have faith or that we don't.
I feel as if God hasn't hardly spoken to me in a long time. It is all where I have my mind focused that determines if I hear Him.
You are right though. My walk with the Lord is facing some turbulance now. It is self imposed I'm sure, like a crisis of faith or something.
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Michael Harrison
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posted
There is a time in our walk when we are in the wilderness. It is during that time that He prepares us for a deeper walk. Someday whacha heard will mean something, or give you something to compare with, that you'll understand the reason for later. Then too, sometimes I think that He likes to give us these moments to make us more aware of Him.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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padre
Community Member
Member # 7102
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posted
It was a Sunday morning in 2005 at about 7:45am. I had gone to a church a couple of times in January and here it is about 6 months later when standing at my stove that Sunday morning fixing myself some breakfast when I heard the Lord speak.
He said "You are going to church this morning.". It didn't seem as a question nor as a demand. It seemed like the Lord was just making a statement.
I replied, "Who me?".
"Yes, arent you the one that just this past Wednesday asked me to do something for you that was going to require a miracle?"
I replied, "Yes but"
"And here just 4 days later you won't even go to church and worship me?"
I said "Lord, you know the traditional service starts at 8:30am."
"I know" He replies.
"And you know I really don't like the contemporary service"
"I Know"
"Lord, It is almost 7:50 now, I am just cooking breakfast, I am going to eat breakfast."
"Okay" He replied
"And I still have to take a shower"
"Okay"
"And I need to shave"
"Okay" said God
"Then get dressed and it takes at least 15 minutes to get to church and You know I don't want to go in late."
He replies "I know, but you are going to church aren't you?"
"Lord, I don't have time"
Again He said "but you are going to church aren't you?"
I finally told the Lord, "Lord, yes, I will eat my breakfast, get ready and if by chance I make it on time I will go to church"
and I thought to myself (as if the Lord couldn't hear) "I'm not going to break my neck getting there either" and by now it was 8am.
I didn't just poke along as I ate breakfast nor did I rush. The same held true with the shower, shaving, dressing and driving to church.
I made it to church with 5 minutes to spare. God truly did multiply my time.
The very next Sunday, I didn't go to church and I didn't hear from God. Perhaps He spoke but I didn't hear Him.
There was nothing earth shattering that morning at church so just why was it that God insisted on me going to church?
It sure wasn't so that I could show God how obedient I am willing to be for 2 reasons. 1 - I wasn't being obedient and 2 - I can't show God anything cuz He already knows everything. This had to be to show me something, not God.
I guess that once again He was showing me that I can count on Him for anything and He is even willing to bend the rules of physics for me if only I will allow Him.
And what I was showing myself is that even if I ask God to do something for me, I am not willing to give anything in return. Sure, I did go to church that morning but look at what that meant. That was God showing me that He is able and willing to take care of my request from a few days earlier.
God was doing that for me. I wasn't going to church for God's sake but for my own and on this Sunday, God was telling me something very special. It is just too bad I didn't even try to listen, much less understand His love for me and the message that He showed me.
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