The loneliness of a Christian

[mesaboogier]

Someone else had this posted on another forum. This really hit me hard. I could have never expressed in words like this the real loneliness that I do feel in the Christian circle I'm in. This is beautiful and sad and true. Thank you Lord.

The Loneliness of a Christian- AW Tozer

"The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share his inner experiences he is forced to walk alone. The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.

"The man who has passed on into the divine Presence in actual inner experience will not find many who understand him. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and over-serious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens. He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart.

"It is this very loneliness that throws him back upon God. His inability to find human companionship drives him to seek in God what he can find nowhere else." AW Tozer


God Bless,
Jeremy

 

[verses]

Someone else had this posted on another forum. This really hit me hard. I could have never expressed in words like this the real loneliness that I do feel in the Christian circle I'm in. This is beautiful and sad and true. Thank you Lord.

The Loneliness of a Christian- AW Tozer

"The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share his inner experiences he is forced to walk alone. The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.

"The man who has passed on into the divine Presence in actual inner experience will not find many who understand him. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and over-serious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens. He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart.

"It is this very loneliness that throws him back upon God. His inability to find human companionship drives him to seek in God what he can find nowhere else." AW Tozer


God Bless,
Jeremy

I can really relate to that.

 

[Jeffz]

Thank you Jeremy that is so true, I love to spend time talking about the mercies of God and it is hard to find others who understand but when we do it is like a drink of water in a dry place. I have read several of AW Tozer's works, as well as Art Katz and John Bevere. All some of my favorite authors speaking hard words that we need to hear, I am tired of the tickling of the ear. Let us go deep crying deep unto deep. Come Lord Jesus meet with us.
one man set free,
Jeffrey

 

[praisehimalleluia]

Yes, I truly agree with you, Jeff and Jeremy! It is so true about how lonely we feel at times and this reading is so good.

THank you for sharing this with me today. I just needed some inspiration and it made my day.

 

[gideons300]

Someone else had this posted on another forum. This really hit me hard. I could have never expressed in words like this the real loneliness that I do feel in the Christian circle I'm in. This is beautiful and sad and true. Thank you Lord.

The Loneliness of a Christian- AW Tozer

"The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share his inner experiences he is forced to walk alone. The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.

"The man who has passed on into the divine Presence in actual inner experience will not find many who understand him. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and over-serious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens. He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart.

"It is this very loneliness that throws him back upon God. His inability to find human companionship drives him to seek in God what he can find nowhere else." AW Tozer


God Bless,
Jeremy

Jeremy, your post blessed me. I fully realize why there are those who do not seem to be able to just join in frivolity of 'church activities" for I am one and have been for many years.

I do not know why some seem destined for this type of walk, other than God is calling them to pray for His church. Perhaps you can identify with Paul like I seem to, where he said he has continual heaviness in his heart for his countrymen, the jews.

In my humble opinion, we are in the time spoken of by the prophets where "the meat and drink offering has been cut off, yea even joy and gladness from the house of the Lord." Especially in western churches, we seem to fit the description of the Laodecian church spoken of in Revelation. Many may debate whether we are Laodecia or not, but does it really matter, if by our actions and attitudes, we are still just like them?

I have seen something however, that I have not seen for the past four decades. I see more and more, His people, here a little, there a little, becoming dissatisfied with "the religion of Christianity", church denominations, church activities, nice tidy doctrines, nice Sunday services, a walk with God without cost, hearts that act like they are satisifed but are starving spiritually on the inside.

I believe we are in the time of the parable of the virgins where all the virgins slept, wheat and tares alike. And the faint echoes of "The bridegroom cometh" can be heard faintly if we are listen closely enough...and the cry is getting louder.

More and more, I see various saints questioning "Is this all there is? Get saved? Be good? Go to church? Is that all there really is to being a Christian?
More and more, I see people hungering for the bridegroom Himself, longing for him, hating the sin that has bound them and the unbelief in His delivering power from it.

Jeremy, I pray that you do not lose heart in this lonely time, for it is coming ot an end. Seek out those who are being roused from the slumber that has caused all of us to "walk as in a dream", as opposed to realizing that as people called by His name, we are called to be part of God's army fighting the "good fight of faith", and that it is the fight of our lives, and, in truth, our one purpose on earth... to reflect the glory of God so that others may too come to the light.

At stake are the souls of our children, our parents, our spouses, our friends and the millions who have been deceived by the enemy. As well, at stake our our own eternal souls, for many will come in that day convinced that they are right with God but who have lived to themselves and their pleasures and not realized that we are not our own, we have been bought with a price.

Paul told us "The night is far spent, the day is at hand." Now it is high time that we wake out of sleep and put on the armour of light, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.

Our Lord is coming...and coming soon. He is not coming for a half asleep bride who cares not that she is still laden with sins, with worldliness, with lack of care for the souls of those around her. He is coming for a bride without spot or wrinkle and that is what He will find. The fact you feel as you do is a wonderful thing. Take heart, brother.

Gideon

 

[mesaboogier]

I do not know why some seem destined for this type of walk, other than God is calling them to pray for His church. Perhaps you can identify with Paul like I seem to, where he said he has continual heaviness in his heart for his countrymen, the jews.

First let me thank you Gideon for your thought provoking and very insightful response. Tears welled in my eyes when I read the quote above as I have never put those thoughts together on my own, but they ring very true to me and I believe your assessment is dead on. I really do feel a burden for my "Christian" brothers and sisters. I feel I am to poke them and prod them, to disturb their almost too comfortable walk with God. The other uncanny (but not coincidental) truth you hit was the whole call to pray. I believe I may be an intercessor though trust me, I am not in a place where that would be totally understood by my peers (at least by most) much less understood by me. When I do pray it is almost always for others in some way. When I do pray for myself, even spiritual desires, I feel almost selfish in not including those I care about to receive the same blessings I seek myself, so your thoughts were needed much more than you will ever know.

I have seen something however, that I have not seen for the past four decades. I see more and more, His people, here a little, there a little, becoming dissatisfied with "the religion of Christianity", church denominations, church activities, nice tidy doctrines, nice Sunday services, a walk with God without cost, hearts that act like they are satisifed but are starving spiritually on the inside.

I am also seeing what you spoke of here also mainly due to the fact I am one who recently felt the call to move into the next level of spirituality. I was a self-professing Christian who was being destroyed by the sin in my life. I tried everything to resist the sin, and always failed. I prayed to God to take it away because I knew that fellowship with Him was impossible due to the hardening of my heart, and I really can't say I was going to heaven if I died at that time, but that's a moot point now. The thing is I was in church one night when a former missionary came in and during his speaking he casually mentioned that he and his fellow missionaries would do 3 day fasts once a month. At once the Holy Spirit told me to start my own 3 day fast right then and there, it was clear as day, "do that and it will be done". I didn't know what I was doing, fasting has not ever mentioned by any of my church leadership but I spent the greatest next 3 days of my life growing more spiritually than could be imagined by me or those who know (or should I say knew) me. There is a lot more to that and I don't know why I went that direction in this reply but thats what came out. Thank you for your understanding and Gideon I do believe you spoke words that God intended me to hear. Bless you!

Thank you Jeff, Gideon, and Praise Him and may God keep growing you as He keeps growing me.

Jeremy
Jeremy

 

[gideons300]

First let me thank you Gideon for your thought provoking and very insightful response. Tears welled in my eyes when I read the quote above as I have never put those thoughts together on my own, but they ring very true to me and I believe your assessment is dead on. I really do feel a burden for my "Christian" brothers and sisters. I feel I am to poke them and prod them, to disturb their almost too comfortable walk with God. The other uncanny (but not coincidental) truth you hit was the whole call to pray. I believe I may be an intercessor though trust me, I am not in a place where that would be totally understood by my peers (at least by most) much less understood by me. When I do pray it is almost always for others in some way. When I do pray for myself, even spiritual desires, I feel almost selfish in not including those I care about to receive the same blessings I seek myself, so your thoughts were needed much more than you will ever know.







I am also seeing what you spoke of here also mainly due to the fact I am one who recently felt the call to move into the next level of spirituality. I was a self-professing Christian who was being destroyed by the sin in my life. I tried everything to resist the sin, and always failed. I prayed to God to take it away because I knew that fellowship with Him was impossible due to the hardening of my heart, and I really can't say I was going to heaven if I died at that time, but that's a moot point now. The thing is I was in church one night when a former missionary came in and during his speaking he casually mentioned that he and his fellow missionaries would do 3 day fasts once a month. At once the Holy Spirit told me to start my own 3 day fast right then and there, it was clear as day, "do that and it will be done". I didn't know what I was doing, fasting has not ever mentioned by any of my church leadership but I spent the greatest next 3 days of my life growing more spiritually than could be imagined by me or those who know (or should I say knew) me. There is a lot more to that and I don't know why I went that direction in this reply but thats what came out. Thank you for your understanding and Gideon I do believe you spoke words that God intended me to hear. Bless you!

Thank you Jeff, Gideon, and Praise Him and may God keep growing you as He keeps growing me.

Jeremy
Jeremy

Dear Jeremy, thank you for your encouraging words. To be somehow used by God is an amazing thing, one we cannot really comprehend, but it is a feeling like no other. Let God be glorified. If I have seen anything, it is by God's mercy, that is for sure.

You are on a good path, brother. Do not be misled by the idea of "majority rule" in Christianity. More often than not, the path less traveled is the one where God is moving. We need to remember that when the Jews left Egypt, there were 600,000 Israelites. How many of them inherited the promised land? Two. Two! Were these better than the rest? More spiritual? Pre-destined? Not at all. They simply refused to give in to unbelief. They refused to be satisfied with less than God's full will. They refused to stumble at the promises of God.

Your testimony of sin and how it corrupted your hunger to please God has closely mimicked mine. I have served God for almost four decades and yet, for the vast majority of that time, there was a huge addiction to pornography that I battled alone. Although I may have walked in "victory" for a week or two, it was a white knuckle victory at best, and eventually, I would tire of hanging on and fall again, and the condemnation would return twice as strong as before. Heaven would again be brass and I would repeat the cycle ad infinitum.

A year ago, God blessed me with the answer I sought. Why then after 38 years of serving Him and trying, harder and harder? Because finally, I broke before God, devoid of all strength, and told Him that His commands were too high, too hard, and my sin too strong, and it seemed unless a miracle happened, I was destined to hell. I stubbornly refused to accept as most Christians have that sin is to be a part of our lives as long as we live, that Jesus was "stretching the truth" when He said that sin was not to have dominion over us, that whom the Son sets free would be free indeed. I judged myself guilty, and refused to use His grace as a license to sin. Because of this, a miracle happened.

My eyes of my understanding came open by the hand of God. He spoke to me and explained to me that He knew I could not walk in obedience, the issue was that I had never realized it! He patiently explained that my problem was not that I was too weak, but rather, too strong! I had not yet exhausted any hope in myself to walk in God and in obedience to His commands. I was saved by grace but trying to please Him by the law, a trust in my efforts to defeat sin. I was still in the flesh, trying to produce spiritual fruit. No wonder I was failing.

I was directed to Romans where we are counseled by Paul to reckon ourselves dead to sin, and the Lord asked me if I believed that I was no longer in the flesh, but in the spirit. I was dumbstruck. I did not...obviously, and because of it, my fleshly nature had never been brought under the cross, and I foolishly had tried to kill it a bit at a time, 38 years worth of "dieing daily" yet never dying. ( I was also shown clearly that dying daily had NOTHING to do with overcoming the flesh, but the dangers Paul faced every day in bringing the gospel to the gentiles. Read the scripture..you will see it too.) I had not simply put off the old man, reckoned it DEAD, not dying...by faith..and put on the new man, created in righteousness and true holiness.

This past year has been miraclulous to say the least. Our God is calling us to fight the good fight of faith, not the good fight of the flesh. And what is the good fight of faith? We are called on to believe the exceeding great and precious promises. And why? Because it is by believing them that we are made partakers of the divine nature. That is how He abides in our hearts...by FAITH!

Jeremy, I have learned much, but have a long ways to go. All I know is now His yoke is an easy one. Victory is not a mirage. His promises work for God is not a man that he should lie. God stands behind His promises and longs for us to climb out of the boat of religion and walk on the water of victory over the world, the flesh and the devil with Him living the life out through us. This is why Paul said:

"I am crucified with Christ. nevertheless I live. Yet not I but Christ liveth in me."

Let me direct you to one of the most amazing chapeters in the Bible. It is Ezekiel 36 where God outlines what the new covenant was to accomplish in our lives. Hear this word, because for me, it was like cool water on a dry parched soul in need of rest:

"and I will cause you to walk in my statutes..."

Obedience in the old covenant of the law (i.e. self effort) was a requirement. How many today still look at their Christian walk in the same way, feeling the pressure to please God by obeying "standards" either written or embedded in our minds?

Yet, in the new covenant, God has promised us to clean us from the inside out, not visa versa. He has promised to make us obedient children by His grace and His abiding presence.

Think back. Is not self control what is lacking in most of our lives? Is this not why we still find ourselves more often in Romans 7, than in the overcoming life promised in Romans 8? Yet look closely at the list of the fruits of the abiding spirit. There, last on the list, tucked neatly away from our view is the last one...self control, a fruit of abiding in Christ!

One will ask then, "If this is so, then why has it not worked thus far for most saints...even struggling ones like you and I? It is simple. According to our faith be in unto us! Becasue it has not been mixed with faith..the only way to move God's hand, we have wallowed in struggles and defeat. We have simply doubted our God. No more. God is reviving faith in the hearts of His children. Hunger for Him is growing and a dissatisfaction with anything less than a victory that pleases and glorifies God is driving saints all over to their knees in search of how to walk in true heart obedience. You and I are just some of the first bones to be rattling, LOL.

One last note in that amazing chapter in Ezekiel, a verse of amazing hope for us. We are just beginning to see the fulfillment of it before our eyes. When the entire church comes to this point, we shall see the latter rain in truth, and the latter shall be greater than the former. (the church in Acts). Trust me, at that point, we will NOT be lonely anymore!

Here is the scripture I leave you with:

"I shall yet be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them."

WOW. Does this not explain our failure up till now? Because we have not seen the totality of the truth that "Without Him, we can do nothing", the truth of "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me" has been hidden from our eyes. But no more.

One last thing. I have learned to take the effort to really search out other seekers and begin a dialogue of mutual encouragement for those beginning to see the state of the church and the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who will simply believe. I welcome any communication as it is one sure way of combatting the lonliness of being called out to serve Him in this trying time. Write if you wish. I pray you do. Let's be a support to each other, for two are better than one, and a threefold cord is not easily broken.

Gideon

 

[mesaboogier]

Gideon,
You and I were cut from the same cloth. The things you speak of... holiness, faith, walking in the Spirit all are music to my ears. If I understand you correctly you said your revelation came last year? Mine came last November. But even after tasting the true fellowship with God I allowed myself to fall back into the pit I was before. How miserable I became. To know the true pleasures of God and turn my back on them? I am not espousing "works for salvation" and I know you are not either but the verses you quote and the words of Jesus in John's gospel chs. 14, 15, and 16 "if you love me you will obey my commands", these truths mean alot to me as I can tell they do you also. I believe and maybe for you too, the real struggle with sin that I have had, and still can have if I take my eyes off the light, was to make me know the real difference between pretend obedience to Christ and the real deal. It goes back to the whole praying for the church thing you mentioned before. I do feel at times my struggle was unusually difficult, but that is because I can't experience anyone elses, but I do know that it has prepared me. I have experienced giving myself to God 100% and after doing that anything less is very dissatisfying and leaves a sour taste in my mouth. The benchmark has been set for me, and thank God for it. Had I never experienced the true power of God, I would have never known what realy having God's presence inside of me is like. It is addicting! Now I just want more.

You know, I set on this crazy idea to read the whole Old Testament in 2 months. I did not read the New Testament while I was doing this and I'll be honest... it burned me out a bit. I learned alot, and things have stuck with me more than I could have planted them on my own, but I stopped at Ezekiel about the 4th week. It almost became this obsessive thing to do and it wore me down in my spirit. I haven't opened the Old Testament since and that was a couple of months ago. Again Gideon, you are a God-send. I will pick up where I left off, but not in a race against myself this time.

By the way, do you know of IHOP? Not the pancake house Just a yes or no will suffice on that question because I think you do... or should if you don't. I have some great resources and God lead me to some great teachers through online sermons and such. It is amazing how God lead me to things that could be written off as coincidence by most, but you and I know better

If you have the time, I have written a few things and I will be posting them here eventually (they are still in progress) but I have a blog I started last week when God gave me the desire to begin writing for family and friends what I am pursuing in my walk. I am by no means an educated person or any experience with writing at all but I lay my heart out and hope for the best. The site is jeremysbiblestudy.blog.com and I think you will be amused to see how similarly we think.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:9-11

God Bless,
Jeremy

 

[Jeffz]

Oh how the Spirit of God leads us. Thank you both Jeremy and Gidion it is so good to read what the Spirit has been showing me. I went to IHOP about 20 months ago, had some close brothers and sister who moved there to go to school and sit under Mike Bickell they shared some teaching with me and it served to intensify my hunger and thirst for the Bridegroom and a love for Isreal. Also through one of the same brothers was introduced to the writings and sermons of Art Katz a 'messiniac jew' which opened the door to an even deeper hunger, which has caused me to not be satisfied with what I have seen and experienced in the local body that I am with. Struggled with where to seek fellowship but God has not led me to go anywhere else but to share what God has been showing me with my local brothers and sisters. Having found my way to this site and to share in fellowship with some here who have the same desires to bring Glory to God by being a living example of his mercy and Glory, has been a blessing. Thanks for sharing what God has been doing in your lives.
a fellow traveler of the Way,
Jeffrey

 

[gideons300]

Gideon,
You and I were cut from the same cloth. The things you speak of... holiness, faith, walking in the Spirit all are music to my ears. If I understand you correctly you said your revelation came last year? Mine came last November. But even after tasting the true fellowship with God I allowed myself to fall back into the pit I was before. How miserable I became. To know the true pleasures of God and turn my back on them? I am not espousing "works for salvation" and I know you are not either but the verses you quote and the words of Jesus in John's gospel chs. 14, 15, and 16 "if you love me you will obey my commands", these truths mean alot to me as I can tell they do you also. I believe and maybe for you too, the real struggle with sin that I have had, and still can have if I take my eyes off the light, was to make me know the real difference between pretend obedience to Christ and the real deal. It goes back to the whole praying for the church thing you mentioned before. I do feel at times my struggle was unusually difficult, but that is because I can't experience anyone elses, but I do know that it has prepared me. I have experienced giving myself to God 100% and after doing that anything less is very dissatisfying and leaves a sour taste in my mouth. The benchmark has been set for me, and thank God for it. Had I never experienced the true power of God, I would have never known what realy having God's presence inside of me is like. It is addicting! Now I just want more.

You know, I set on this crazy idea to read the whole Old Testament in 2 months. I did not read the New Testament while I was doing this and I'll be honest... it burned me out a bit. I learned alot, and things have stuck with me more than I could have planted them on my own, but I stopped at Ezekiel about the 4th week. It almost became this obsessive thing to do and it wore me down in my spirit. I haven't opened the Old Testament since and that was a couple of months ago. Again Gideon, you are a God-send. I will pick up where I left off, but not in a race against myself this time.

By the way, do you know of IHOP? Not the pancake house Just a yes or no will suffice on that question because I think you do... or should if you don't. I have some great resources and God lead me to some great teachers through online sermons and such. It is amazing how God lead me to things that could be written off as coincidence by most, but you and I know better

If you have the time, I have written a few things and I will be posting them here eventually (they are still in progress) but I have a blog I started last week when God gave me the desire to begin writing for family and friends what I am pursuing in my walk. I am by no means an educated person or any experience with writing at all but I lay my heart out and hope for the best. The site is jeremysbiblestudy.blog.com and I think you will be amused to see how similarly we think.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:9-11

God Bless,
Jeremy

IHOP? Heck, I thought we were going to get to meet for coffee and some hearty grain pancakes! LOL. Actually I do not know of it, but am all ears.

If you want some good preaching, and trust me, I do not find it often that someone really moves me in preaching, this man is awesome. His name is Paul Washer, former Southern baptist, now just a Christian with his own missionary society. The man is used is all I can say. Get on youtube and look up videos of him...you will be blessed. There is an awesome sho0rt one called A heart and a passion for God. There is also another great resource called illbehonest dot com that has 150+ videos of good sermons, including many of Pauls.

Since I cannot post links yet, I have to write things out but if you want the best three minute sermon in the last 100 years, check out a vdeo called Do You Know Him written by a black pastor named Shadrack Meeshack Lockhart. You will see several when you do a youtube search. Go to the one with the sepia colored graphics...it is a work of art, and to this day, after watching it more than 100 times, it still makes me cry and inspires me to press harder into Him.

I will cherck out your blog. Be sure and check out mine as well..
exceedinggreatandpreciouspromises dot blogspot dot com.

Jeremy, I really look forward to talking and sharing and getting to know one another. Be sure to read the message I sent you, ok?

God bless, brother.

 

[gideons300]

Oh how the Spirit of God leads us. Thank you both Jeremy and Gidion it is so good to read what the Spirit has been showing me. I went to IHOP about 20 months ago, had some close brothers and sister who moved there to go to school and sit under Mike Bickell they shared some teaching with me and it served to intensify my hunger and thirst for the Bridegroom and a love for Isreal. Also through one of the same brothers was introduced to the writings and sermons of Art Katz a 'messiniac jew' which opened the door to an even deeper hunger, which has caused me to not be satisfied with what I have seen and experienced in the local body that I am with. Struggled with where to seek fellowship but God has not led me to go anywhere else but to share what God has been showing me with my local brothers and sisters. Having found my way to this site and to share in fellowship with some here who have the same desires to bring Glory to God by being a living example of his mercy and Glory, has been a blessing. Thanks for sharing what God has been doing in your lives.
a fellow traveler of the Way,
Jeffrey

Jeffrey, you and I have already had some great interactions on here and it is obvious that the spirit is speaking to us in the same manner. Like with Jeremy, I look forward to getting to talk to you so we can mutually encourage one another. Satan would have us to remain isolated because he can then keep us quiet. I am convinced God is beginning to rattle the dry bones for the purpose of the bones connecting!

Jeremy has shared his blogsite and I did just now on the previous post. If you will leave me a message with an e-mail address, we can communicate better. I have also begun using skype for video phone calls, all free, and it is a GREAT way to study the word together. Two are better than one.

Gideon

 

[verses]

Interaction is a beautiful thing to behold

 

[praisehimalleluia]

Hello there, Jeremy, Jeff and Gideon.

I just got back from a long public holiday declared in my country. So it was a solid 3 days OFF work, and I took a stroll back home, to visit my mom. It was a blessing.

Your post is inspiring to me, Jeremy, Jeff and Gideon. It actually brought tears to my eyes, as I passionately see these wt a saddened heart at times. I always go in prayers to seek the Lord to lift me up cause my flesh is too weak often at times to bear the pain of these loneliness when all around me are just different.

Speaking about the ones who live with me, at work and society, we know everyone is so different. But we can still be alone despite trying to fit in. In my loneliest moment, I cry to the Lord that I just need Him alone in life.

I can't trust anyone around me. I rely on the Lord and am very uplifted.

My journey is not that easy though being an ex-muslim, I love the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind. The strength I had all these time is Jesus Christ. He walks and sometimes carries me thru it all. I am so blessed I knew the Lord.

Ever since I fell in love with Christ, my whole body lingers to have His Spirit more and more filling me every moment of my life. I wanna rest in Him all my days. The world became an outcast to my soul. I lay my head upon the chest of the Lord, knowing my final return is to Him. Oh what a glorious day it would be!

I pray that each of you are blessed with this blazing passion for the Lord, as you see the world in its decaying process in every aspect of spiritual life. We only can pray for the world, but too much is decaying. What can we do but pray and surrender to Him? LEt it be His will, not our fear, nor our worries. That is what I think at times, and it eases my heart.

 

[Jeffz]

It is so good to know that we are not alone in our walk with the Lord. I know sometimes it feels that way, but feelings are fleeting. I praise God for you my friends and I am thankful for this open door that we participate in. As for those that I come into contact with who are still blinded by this world I pray that I can be light in the darkness. We are living epistles and others watch to see what this is all about. We do not have to say anything but just be light. As Elohim spoke light into existance in Genisis He has also spoke light into existance in our time. By the power of the Holy Spirit we walk in the light and others can see that the light has come into the world. So we must always remember that we are ambassadors for the King in this world.
one man set free,
jeffrey

 

[Amylisa]

I am blessed by everything being shared in this thread.

It is good to seek out others of like mind...like Gideon said, the devil loves to isolate us to keep us quiet. I am often too timid to speak, especially if I've been misunderstood in the past. The scripture "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind" comes to mind for me often. I never thought of myself as a fearful person, but once when I was being prayed over, the person spoke against that in me. Since then upon taking a look at myself I've seen that has been true...I've allowed fear to hold my tongue. Fear of man is something God has worked on me about, I guess it is a lifelong process.

At times loneliness can be so overwhelming. It feels as if this life is too long and this loneliness will never end! But Jesus is ever present, we have to live by FAITH as has already been said here. So true. It's easy to think we are already doing that until something pulls us up and God lets our eyes be opened. Longing for Him can be painful, but it's a good pain that purifies us. David Wilkerson wrote a message over a decade ago, called "Walking In The Spirit"...and it's all about how the Spirit's work in us is to bring us to Christ as His Bride. And that longing for Him is painful, because we cannot yet come into the fullness of what awaits us. I keep that message in my Bible! It was the first thing I read that let me know I wasn't weird or crazy. God wants us to be so longing for Jesus that we lose our desire for this world, absolutely. I pray more and more believers will come into this place in Him. And even this place in Him is not the end in itself. It's just the beginning!

Thanks for this thread and allowing me to share. God bless everyone here.

 

[Amylisa]

Just wanted to share something....this painting to me really is a great representation of what Jesus does for us. We are peasants, He is the King of Glory who gave us everything, out of His great love for us. How amazing!

 

[praisehimalleluia]

Amylisa, The picture brings a special message that touched me today. Isn't Jesus the greatest of all love? It brings me such peace to be sailing in the wind in His arms. When the world outside is in a hurricane, there is peace within our spirit when we focus on the Lord.

 

[Jeffz]

Great responses! In the loneliness I am driven to the feet of my Lord, Jesus even when it seems He is not anywhere near by, I know that He is there by faith. In my faith I cry out to Him. To be overwhelmed by His love is what I long for, it increases my passion for God. I will praise him in the lonliness and when the breakthrough comes I am consumed by His love.
jeff

 

[mini21]

This is amazing. It all makes sense. Sometimes I fall into a depression (I know that is NOT of God, but the enemy trying to come against me) because I feel there is no one on this earth that I can relate to. Sometimes I feel so "weird" for wanting to be so submerged in him ALL THE TIME when no one I come in contact with on a daily basis can share my intense interest in the things of the Lord. I am so hungry and thirsty for him I can hardly stand it sometimes.

This is the only board on CF I have found that seems like the REAL TRUE bible believing, word seeking, people of faith are hiding here! I guess there are so many interesting boards to choose from, "deeper fellowship" is one they just skip over because it doesn't sound controversial enough for them to start one of their unedifying arguments or pick fights...

I love you guys!!!!!!!!

 

[mesaboogier]

Yes, I agree! There are some great believers on this board! And you really hit the nail on the head when you brought up the unedifying arguments. I have been that guy before, and I recognize that there wasn't much love in my arguments and I never walked away edified. What is sown in love will be eternal, and Paul says without love we are but a resounding gong (1 Cor. 13:1). I think that the idea of making someone see something your way has been proven, to me at least, that only by the Holy Spirit will their eyes be opened to truth. The Holy Spirit will not be in my argument when I have a bad spirit myself, and I have not followed his rules of teaching and edifying. I do appreciate the politeness on here and the fact that we know we are not alone!

God Bless,
Jeremy