I need a church life that isn't led astray!!!

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by countmeworthy

Which leads me to ask.. how do most of you address your prayers? Most Christians I know including pastors pray ' Oh GOD Father etc in the name of Jesus'. I think that kind of prayer has it place but truth be told AND HELP ME OUT HERE friends, I get the sense they don't really know Jesus Christ.

If Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no man can go to the Father but by Him, why do so many people skip Him in their prayers and pray directly to 'God'? This has been bothering me for years and years. So I am seeking your insights. Thanks in advance.

Good question! I too have wondered about this a bit. Currently I'm in the place where I don't think it matters a lot who we address in our prayers, as God is one God. (I don't completely understand this, for sure.)

In recent years I have come to address our Father more. But when praying with the bros it is more regarding the Lord Jesus. God is addressed too, but somewhat rarely as the Father. It's still very mysterious to me, and I figure if I'm meant to know then He will show me. I have conversations with Him about this, and I always come away thinking that nailing it all down is not important, and that seeking God - Father, Son & Spirit is the key thing.

And Christ lives in us, so however we address God, I think He gets the communication job done in us "irregardless" (as my grandpappy would say)!

[aron]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

And Christ lives in us, so however we address God, I think He gets the communication job done in us "irregardless" (as my grandpappy would say)!

I have long seen it this way: Christ is at the right hand of God, always living to intercede for us. So it doesn't matter, really, whether we pray to the Father through Jesus Christ, or pray through Jesus Christ to the Father.

Jesus is the way to the Father, and when you come to Jesus, you come to the Father. So either approach works.

On a side note, I read the Didache recently, and it said to pray the "Our Father" 3X daily. I thought, "Pretty good advice". And then I began to wonder (as I typically do), "Why don't we read the Didache more in church?" The easy answer is, "It's not the Bible" but Witness Lee is not the Bible either! Or Joel Osteen, or whomever.

This epistle was written in the first or second century, was circulated among the saints, and it has some pretty good advice if I do say so. We Christians have largely lost touch with our history and our heritage, and fall prey to charlatans.

[awareness]

Originally Posted by aron

I have long seen it this way: Christ is at the right hand of God, always living to intercede for us. So it doesn't matter, really, whether we pray to the Father through Jesus Christ, or pray through Jesus Christ to the Father.

I don't bother with any of this. My most common phrases throughout my day is : "I love you Lord," and "Thank you Lord." Sometimes I don't even say them, I just think them. I even think pray. God can hear them too.

But coming out of a Cargo Cult type group, we should never forget that deep down inside our Old Man is the primitive Cargo Cult drives, instincts, and thinking, that God doesn't deliver His "Cargo" unless we set up and do everything just right.

But God hasn't set up such a combination lock type system. God's system is a matter of the heart and mind.

[aron]

Originally Posted by awareness

But God hasn't set up such a combination lock type system.

Jesus said, "When you pray, pray in this manner..." I'll take Jesus' formula over yours. Your cargo-cult objections notwithstanding.

Doesn't mean we HAVE to pray in this manner. But Jesus gave us a pretty good template, if we want one. And nowhere in the subjequent text do I see anyone say, "That formula is now null & void". So I daresay it had currency beyond the gospels. Like the writer of the Didache.

Originally Posted by awareness

God's system is a matter of the heart and mind.

God's system is Jesus. Only Jesus had/has the heart and mind that matter to God. Yours doesn't and neither does mine.

Now, if God didn't raise Jesus from the dead, if it's all a hoax, then there's that. But I believe. So there it is. It's his faith, not mine. His faith in me. His spirit come to me, not mine to his.

[awareness]

Originally Posted by aron

Jesus said, "When you pray, pray in this manner..." I'll take Jesus' formula over yours. Your cargo-cult objections notwithstanding.

Doesn't mean we HAVE to pray in this manner. But Jesus gave us a pretty good template, if we want one. And nowhere in the subjequent text do I see anyone say, "That formula is now null & void". So I daresay it had currency beyond the gospels. Like the writer of the Didache.
God's system is Jesus. Only Jesus had/has the heart and mind that matter to God. Yours doesn't and neither does mine.

Now, if God didn't raise Jesus from the dead, if it's all a hoax, then there's that. But I believe. So there it is. It's his faith, not mine. His faith in me. His spirit come to me, not mine to his.

Then you don't need the Didache, cuz it's a Cargo Cult method of pulling down God's cargo/blessings.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by awareness

Then you don't need the Didache, cuz it's a Cargo Cult method of pulling down God's cargo/blessings.

So I gotta ask - where did this "cargo cult" idea come from as applied to the LC?

[UntoHim]

Sons to Glory!, If you simply google "Cargo Cult" (just like Harold did) you will see the "definition" of this artificial, off-the-wall description of some obscure religious cults. It has nothing to do with the Local Church of Witness Lee, but that has not kept my dear friend awareness from bringing it up from time to time.

"Cargo Cult" is OFF TOPIC FOR THIS THREAD. NICE TRY HAROLD. LOVE YOU BROTHER!
-