Quote:
Originally Posted by bearbear
"Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."
Jesus also tells us that we're the light of the world and a city on a hill and to let our good deeds shine before men. It's interesting that there is a record of Barnabas in Acts selling his home and laying his offering at Apostles' feet (Acts 4:35-37). There is a public display of giving, but the spirit behind it was not to promote Barnabas, but to show how the glory of God was able to transform lives to selflessly give to one another.
Rahab's faith also began when she heard of stories of what God did for the Israelites, it was these testimonies that was the catalyst for her own salvation..
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Certainly we are to tell forth the glory of God's calling. The woman in Samaria who ran around telling everyone about how she had found the Christ is a powerful image. This led to many more people there meeting Jesus. John 4:39-42.
I guess I was thinking about a "deeper experience of Christ." Perhaps I was missing the point of your post. I often do that: ignore the theme and go right to whatever I have been thinking about that day.
Certainly we should testify. But the "mountaintop experience" is not for show.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bearbear
I didn't have much of a faith of my own growing up as a church kid, however I often enjoyed hearing testimonies from my grandmother and parents of stories of their faith. I think these stories helped me to hold on to my faith when I was tempted to consider if God was real throughout my youth.
I'm also interested in hearing stories of faith of those who have left the LCs. There are enough negative experiences/testimonies going around that I believe it would give many hope here that God is indeed living and working to restore lives post LC.
aron, I've much enjoyed your writings, but what has impacted me the most of your writings was your introductory testimony of how God transformed you from a rough life involved with drugs to someone who seriously pursues God today ( http://localchurchdiscussions.com/vB...read.php?t=167). It's hard to believe that this was your background when I compare it to the person whose writings I read on this forum today.
As a church kid who was insulated from most of these things growing up, I'll never have such an interesting story to tell of a powerful story of transformation. But such powerful testimonies gives me hope and faith that God can transform and speak through the lives normal people including myself and others around me and not just self proclaimed spiritual giants such as Nee and Lee.
2 Cor 3:2-3
You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. |
You have a much more interesting story than you realize, I bet. Certainly God is as interested in you, and your journey, as in mine.
But there is really only one story worth telling. And that is the story of a Man on Earth, who was always with His Father in heaven. The Son reveals to us the Father, and the Father tells us about His Son -- "This is my Beloved, in whom I delight. Hear Him." But the depth of this story is hidden. We could spend our lives pursuing it and maybe only get one inch deep. And certainly if we make a show of what we have seen and heard it indicates that we got nowhere. The flesh is no place for boasting, and waving things about.
Anyway, there is a very, very interesting story in front of us. All the so-called ministries, the moves of the Lord, the Body of Christ, various creeds and theologies, even miracles, if they detract or distract us from the story in front of us, should be treated very carefully. It is too easy to lose sight of Jesus Christ, standing at the right hand of the Father (or seated, or however you see it at the moment).
"We beheld His glory". To me, there is no other image, worth holding, here on earth. Everything true and good flows from that.