Quote:
Originally Posted by countmeworthy
I meet with about 12-15 people for bible study on a very regular basis. Most are babes in Christ. Most go to different church denominations for Sunday worship. A few of us do not go to 'church'.. but I for one do not forsake the assembling together as instructed in Hebrews 10:25. Still. I feel alone (but not lonely or discouraged) because I am not able to fellowship and discuss what I have learned. Hardly anyone I know reads much less studies the Word of God. They are satisfied just going to church on Sundays. I don't criticize or judge them, or look down on them. I like them and love them all. They are my friends in Christ and in the natural man.
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Yes and AMEN regarding being faithful to meet with other believers - it is a huge must for us in order to go on in Christ, and is so much a part of His design . . . regardless of the maturity level of other believers!!!
I know some who are in a very similar situation as you CMW. They have moved somewhere and find themselves meeting with whoever. Often these ones seem to have little realization of Christ IN them as their only hope of glory. Many of these ones (who have moved away) do minister Christ as they can. And maybe that's the Lord's purpose in having them there - love and minister Christ as they can.
Often these ones are asked to teach little classes on some topic, or perhaps to take over some established teaching position. I think it often takes quite a while for others to start getting that Christ wants to be our life and live the Christian life in and through us (listen to me talk -- I'm still learning this after 45 years!!).
But there is encouragement. For instance, one brother was asked to do the ongoing teaching in a small group on Tuesday mornings. (The previous teaching brother got all caught up in paranoid, conspiracy, preper thought that someone was coming to persecute him and his family, and then abruptly moved away.) So there was an opportunity, and the Lord very specifically told him to accept their offer to come teach regularly. So little by little he's just ministered the riches of the indwelling Christ to this small group.
Some of the ones from this Tuesday group come to our Thursday breakfast gathering, and I have to tell you that over time (3-4 years or so), I can see a little growth and more of a focus on Christ alone in some of them! One used to be so full of all the dark conspiracy theories and always spoke passionately about these ideas. (this is really just fear and giving the enemy too much credence) It used to be that in the Thursday group after really good and open sharing about the indwelling Christ between the bros, he used to blurt out something about how we had to keep an eye on such and such dark thing that was - for sure - going to happen soon! (you just have to love someone like that and gently steer them to looking away unto Jesus once more). But now I almost never hear him prognosticate all those sorts of things, and has encouraged all of us with his focus on Christ!
(BTW - even if all of these dark conspiracy theories were true, what are we to do about them? Should we not trust Him and therefore live in fear mode of what might happen? I don't think so - it's a big distraction.)