Greetings,

Well, that has let the cat out of the bag concerning my age, using such an old fashioned word as spouse. However, despite the generation category I find myself in, I am not over the hill as some might think or say.

Better get on to the subject before I forget what I was going to say.......

How to Get Your Future Spouse

First of all you must

DELIGHT YOUR SELF IN THE LORD

and then.....

HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART

Secondly you must

MAKE YOUR REQUEST KNOWN UNTO GOD

Ask God specifically for the character traits you want your future spouse to have.

Some people have written their list down and thanked God for the answer daily.

My wife (now departed) did exactly that before meeting me and she got everything on the list. Wow, that made me God's gift to her. Well, it worked both ways. She was God's gift to me too!

Thirdly you must

BELIEVE WHEN YOU PRAY THAT GOD HEARS YOU

Now this is where your faith comes in. If you don't find the faith in your heart, then pray until you do. When faith is in your heart you can expectantly be looking for that spouse to come into your life. Go out, get amongst His people, seek and you will find. With faith in your heart you will find.

Fourthly you must

CONTINUE TO SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IN YOUR LIFE

This is an ongoing requirement for all of us as Christians. Let God search the deep issues of your heart and bring you to repentance. Its an ongoing work, let Him do it. For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.

DO THESE THINGS AND YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF RECEIVING FROM GOD

Peace to all in Jesus Name

Elihu

When I was newly married and having some difficulties in our relationship, I cried out to the Lord one day saying, "Why doesn't she love me?"

The Lord gently spoke to my heart and said, "That is the wrong cry."

With that He had my attention. Then He said, "You should be asking me why can't you love her."

Everybody is looking for someone to love them, to respect them, to comfort them, to be understanding toward them in their weaknesses etc.

But most people don't understand that love is a giving thing.

1Cor 13:4-5

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

Of particular note, love is described as that which "does not seek its own".

Love is not looking for someone for comfort, but to comfort.

Love is not looking for someone for understanding, but to understand.

Love is not looking for respect, but to be respectful.

Love is not looking to be cherished, but to cherish.

So I say, STOP LOOKING FOR LOVE.

And START LOOKING TO LOVE.

Give, and it shall be given unto you.

Peace to all in Jesus Name

Dear CeriseRose,

You gave the following as support for your pre-trib rapture theory.


"I will shorten this reply by giving some scripture.

.The Rapture will happen before the Tribulation.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:9
• Revelation 3:10

The Second Coming will happen at the end of the Tribulation.
• Revelation 6-19 "

A closer examination of these scriptures is needed by you and others who use this to "prove their point" for there is actually nothing in any of them that give even a hint of a pre-trib rapture followed by a second event which you call the Second Coming.

1 Thessalonians 5:9
New King James Version (NKJV)
9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

There is nothing in this verse that mentions anything about the timing of our gathering to Him. Nor does anything in this verse even mention the tribulation. What on earth is going on here. The wrath of God in not the tribulation. Tribulations have never been God's wrath on His people, they have always been the persecution of the saints brought about by evil men under the influence of the devil. The devil certainly has brought tribulation upon the saints and in the end of the age he will do his worst.

Jesus said that in the world we will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, He has overcome the world and the devil and we too shall overcome by the word of our testimony, the blood of the lamb and loving our lives not, even unto death.

Revelation 3:10
New King James Version (NKJV)
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

This is simply a scripture taken out of context. This verse is part of a message given to the church in Philadelphia. It has nothing to do with the end of the age.

To take scriptures like this out of their context is simply cut and paste theology, which can be used to support anything you want.

I have no problem with your statement that the Second Coming is after the Great Tribulation. However, to separate the rapture from the Second Coming can not be substantiated by proper exegesis.

Hear again the words of Jesus.

Mark 13:24-27

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

Note that He sends His angels to gather us all together after the Great Tribulation of those end days.

Dear Cerise, I don't doubt your sincerity, but you are sincerely wrong in your interpretation. You have also been careless in your use of God's Word, not reading carefully the context of the scriptures and also making huge leaps of logic as you apply the interpretations of man to God's Holy Writ.

Beware of private interpretations of the Word. When it has a plain meaning, don't go beyond it and you will find yourself being taught by God and not by man.

Its a pity that after some excellent post of yours that you should fall into this false message that spreads like cancer in the Body of Christ and is setting countless people up for the false hope of being out of here before it all gets bad.

There are many false prophets proclaiming this heresy, and that is another sign Jesus said to watch out for towards the end of the age.

2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people ...
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will
be false teachers among you.

Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and ...
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and
miracles to deceive the elect--if that were possible. ...

Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and ...
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and
miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. ...

Matthew 24:11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many ...
and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ... And many
false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. ...

Luke 6:26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is ...
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is
how their fathers treated the false prophets. ...
/
Matthew 7:15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in ...
"Watch out for false prophets. They ... "Beware of false prophets who come
disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. ...

1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the ...
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they
are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ...

And not only false prophets, but false teachers shall also abound.

2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people ...
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will
be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce ...

1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the ...
... Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but put the spirits to the test to see
whether they are from God; for many false teachers have gone out into the ...

Matthew 7:15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in ...
... "Beware of the false teachers--men who come to you in sheep's fleeces,
but beneath that disguise they are ravenous wolves. ...

Galatians 4:17 Those people are zealous to win you over, but for ...
... Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions
are not good.

2 Peter 2:3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with ...
In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made
up. ... And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. ...

That last verse is particularly to be noticed. Just look at the great money making that is going on with the "Left Behind" series of books and movies.

Be warned.

Love and blessings to you, and to all who are following this thread.

Elihu

To one Oldhippie from another oldhippie. (Though to be honest I'm more happy than hippie with Jesus as Lord)

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Make your request known to God, believe He has heard you, and get out there and seek and you will find.

In the meantime, give thanks to God for the life that you now have as a single man.

Be seeking first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and your faith will change the facts!

Peace to you in Jesus Name.

With trembling heart I say, that I will walk through hell on earth for you my Lord.

By your grace and your strength alone I offer myself to be abased before all men if it pleases you my Lord.

May your love and compassion so grip my heart and take me where I would normally not go, that you may receive the glory.

The Lord impressed upon me that if something does not glorify Him, have nothing to do with it.

Therefore I shall set NO evil thing before my eyes.

What goes in through the 'eye gate' to your heart that has your will's endorsement will sow seeds in your heart that will bear fruit.

If you are willful in allowing sin in, then sin will come out.

You reap what you sow.

Therefore, guard your heart with all diligence for out of it issues your life.

Peace to you in Jesus Name

Cerise Rose

To believe that Christ could return at any moment means one has to completely disregard the scriptures that foretell the events that must happen before He returns.

Mark 13:19-27

19 For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

21 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

He comes after the tribulation, after the darkening of the sun, after the stars of heaven fall and the heavens are shaken.

My wife died suddenly recently, having no known medical condition or any other advance warning. A reminder that God could call any one of us home at any time, but the scriptures concerning what happens before He comes will be fulfilled. He said it, we should believe it, and that should settle it.

But this man-made doctrine of imminency would make God a liar. The apostles understood no such thing as Christ's imminent return.

Paul taught that the apostasy must come first and the revealing of the son of perdition.

Because life is so short we have plenty to motivate us toward fruitfulness. The encouragement you have given to get on with the work of the Lord is to be commended, but bringing in a contradiction of Jesus' words is not.

By all means be ready, He may call you home, but He is not coming till all is fulfilled

Peace to you in Jesus Mighty Name

Indeed Ladybird, we do get to enjoy the intellectual fellowship that cyberspace offers. My study of God's Word on the matter only focuses on what Biblical Fellowship really is and if we are walking in the light we will be drawn into such.

A great danger I have found is that some people have been swallowed up in cyberspace, using it like a plug in drug to escape the realities of their world both without and within. Some have even needed to have a spirit of escapism cast out of them and a corresponding healing for the heart.

Symptoms are sometimes easy to detect, like they have little to no real face to face relationships having become content with their friends at a distance on the other side of the screen. Friends that can not see what is really going on for no one can see their eyes which are like a window to the soul. And whatever relationships they do have in this world, they keep their walls up so that people don't get too close. They need our compassionate understanding and our prayers.

Of course, not everyone in cyberspace is escaping from reality. Without personal contact it is very hard to tell without a word from God.

I have had to check my own heart in the aftermath of my wife's departure. Temptations to escape the pain instead of taking it to God have come to me and the ongoing aloneness provides fertile ground for temptations to accept substitutes for real relationship to fill the gap left in my heart.

It is absolutely amazing the workings of the heart, what it conceives in order to preserve the self life. Again and again I find myself taking thoughts captive. Putting to death the carnal reasonings and denying self that I may keep the eyes of my understanding on Christ and Him alone.

Well I can't sit here forever, the three dimensional world is awaiting with all its challenges.

Peace to all in Jesus Name

Whilst I appreciate and even enjoy exchanging ideas and learning from others on forums such as this, I find that as far as fellowship goes Cyberspace Relationship falls way short of the mark.

Many years ago I was provoked to do a study on the word fellowship as found in our Bibles. It is a translation of the Greek word 'koinonia'.

When I went to my Greek Dictionary, I found that this same word had been translated into a number of different English words. My curiosity was aroused.

Koinonia itself comes from the root word 'koinos', which translates into the English word 'common' and is used in Acts 2:44 speaking of the disciples holding all things in common.

In the King James Bible koinonia is variously translated: distributing Rom 12:13, communion 1 Cor 10:16, contribution Rom 15:26, distribution 2 Cor 9:13. After looking up the context of these words in the scriptures I began to think how on earth do we call the conversations that we often have after church 'fellowship'.

I decided to get out my trusty old English dictionary. It is well over a hundred years old and as such is a little closer to the meaning of words used originally in our Bibles. Language and meanings of words are in constant transition. Some change not at all and others change radically.

Fellowship is a composite word, the ship suffix means the state of being. Partnership is the state of being a partner, comradeship is the state of being a comrade, and fellowship is the state of being a fellow. But what is a fellow. In New Zealand we might think it means a bloke, and if that colloquial expression leaves you in the dark a bloke is a man.

The word 'fellow' is originally an Icelandic word. It is a composite word, the first part meaning 'fee' as in money that is paid. The second part is 'low' as in laying down something. The word fellow was used in England at the early Christian Universities. A man was a fellow of Oxford University or a fellow at Cambridge University because he had entered into fellowship by laying down his money and holding all things in common.

The word 'koinos' is also where we get our English word coin from. Fellowship has a lot more to do with money and with the sharing of what we have freely with our brothers and sisters in Christ than it does with the conversations we have with one another.

This does not mean I can go and help myself to my brothers goods. That would be stealing. But it means that my heart is ready to share, ready to give.

This kind of fellowship cannot be had in cyberspace.

1 John 1:6-7

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

There is more I could say, but enough for now.

Peace to you all in Jesus Mighty Name

A bit over twenty years ago the Lord called my wife and I to be pastors in His Body.

At the time I did not consult the Lord as to His description of a pastor. I just looked around at the contemporary church and saw what I thought was a pastor and set off to become one of them.

Right from the start the Lord began to correct my thinking, but to my shame it took nearly 15 years for me to allow His thoughts on the matter penetrate my heart.

The religious spirits that prevail in our western churches had a grip on my heart (more on that later) and so I got caught up in the clergy/laity , pew/pulpit, preacher/people system of institutional churchianity that we have all inherited from the apostate catholic cult.

Although the so called reformation did away with maryolatry, indulgences, purgatory etc., it did not do away with ecclesiastical hierarchy, written or unwritten liturgies and consecrated buildings. None of which can be found in any shape or form in the New Testament.

Eventually the Lord got it through my thick head and my wife and I finally repented of our foolishness and I said to the Lord, "You are going to have to rewrite my job description." The Lord's reply was, "No, son, you just didn't read it right in the first place."

In the passing of time He brought these scriptures to mind about leadership.

Matthew 20:25-27

25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—

Does a slave have authority over those he serves? I had to answer NO. He only has authority to serve.

Matthew 23:8-11

8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

What would be the contemporary titles Jesus would reprove of today? I had to answer that pastor, reverent, bishop, pope etc., would be reproved and prohibited by our Lord.

1 Peter 5:1-3

5 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;


Again the Lord shows through this scripture that the only way a leader is to lead is by example for the authority of being a lord over them is exempted.

At one time the Lord made it plain to me that if I was looking for a leader for myself, I was to look for someone who had more love than me for they alone could lead me into loving more. I was to look for someone with more faith than I had so that my faith might grow and to look for someone with more wisdom than I so that I might put away foolishness by following their example.

And likewise, I would only be able to fulfill the call to pastor in my life when I could demonstrate more love, faith and wisdom than those I was appointed to minister to.

I learnt that bible colleges are very poor places to prepare one for ministering the way God wants ministry to happen. I know, we went through a bible college (I wont mention names) and afterward we met this older couple who we came to refer to as our spiritual mum and dad and they discipled us into the ministry and OH what a difference hands on demonstrated functioning in the Spirit makes in bringing one to maturity. Not to mention the school of hard knocks as we are disciplined by the Lord Himself.

SO I am not surprised that you found none to help whilst in churchianity. The thing that continues to amaze me is that God still turns up in some or these institutions people call churches. People think that because healings happen and sometimes deliverance and revelation knowledge flows, that they are doing things right. The truth is that if anyone shows half an once of faith God will move on their behalf and they can be in a pub and He will do it because He honours His Word. That is why He turns up in worship for His Word says that He inhabits the praises of His people. Face it, new Christians do untold things wrong and God is still with us for He declares that He will never leave us or forsake us. HALLELUJAH!

One of the most shocking thing the Lord revealed to me was about the ongoing use of monolog preaching used to instruct the saints. He showed me that for all the good that it does, more harm is done by the fact that the people are kept in a passive mode by not functioning in His Spirit, that while I was preaching I was cutting off the sap from flowing into the branches and instead of growing they were withering up through lack of opportunity to minister in the Spirit themselves. I was supposed to equip them in the manner that we had been equipped by that couple I mentioned before.

My heart had deceived me. The flesh likes preeminence, or it likes passiveness, sometimes flitting from one to another. These two aspects of the flesh nature need to come to the cross for it is these attitudes of the carnal nature that make place for the religious system to arise.

I thank the Lord that He has granted me repentance and given me grace to be the pastor He intended. Without position, without stipend, often persecuted by the very people we are out to serve, only trusting in Him and His anointing to accomplish the work He has for me to do.

Enough for now. Off to bed. Work in the morning. Praise the Lord.

Peace to all in Jesus Name

Because I have helped countless people hand over the hurts of their hearts over the years, I knew what to do.

I had to do what I had helped others do. Some can release it to God on their own, others need help. Its not that one is better than the other, just different. And on different issues some can go direct alone on somethings but not on other things.

For sure I wept. No, I sobbed. But in my sobbing, when my heart was overwhelmed I simply yielded my heart to Him and believed He is my comforter. Then I had to do a number of "letting goes".

Like, she is not my wife any longer. In the resurrection she will not be my wife.

I got to the point where I wanted to die. But I was talking to the Lord about it. He showed me it was because when she was with me I didn't want to live without her, but now that thought was not appropriate. Gently He led me to choose LIFE, and to thank Him for the life I now have without her. In this was great peace. Yes, we are to thank Him for all things.

I had to take captive all thoughts of self pity and woe is me, recognise them as being from the carnal mind and to reckon my flesh life that would not accept the situation, DEAD AND BURIED AND THE KEY THROWN AWAY.

I also had tremendous support from my house church, both practical and spiritual. My wife and I had taught them how to minister to one another and now they were able to minister to me. The show of love from the brethren would sometimes bring me to tears.

And now everyone is amazed, though they should not be really. Their prayers for God to comfort me have been answered and now I am having to comfort them for they have lost a dear friend!

Enough for now.

Peace to all in Jesus Name.

I realise I didn't fully answer the original question......

God makes use of me not so much on account of my ability, but on my availability.

Therefore, whilst I am getting on with 'the ministry' I am at the same time being prepared for the future He has for me.

I am a work in progress, and thankfully I can rest in the knowledge that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it.

And as for my place in the Body of Christ, I know that for the time being it is among the people He has put me with.

But I have been conscious of the fact that down the road God has changes coming, and although I have known something was going to radically change, I had no idea that it included the death of my dear wife a little while ago.

Because I know God works ALL things for good for those whom He loves and has called, even the sudden departure of my wife is good for my soul. Already I can see many silver linings to this dark cloud. I am being prepared for greater things.

Praise the Lord

The Spirit of the Lord God Almighty is upon me because He has anointed and appointed me to tell the Good News to the poor, the meek and those whose souls are afflicted; He has sent me out into the world to bring His healing to the broken-hearted, to set free those that are bound in spiritual bondage, to open the eyes of their understanding that they may know God's Love for them, to announce the remission and forgiveness of sins, to proclaim the freedom that is found in being filled with the Spirit of the Living God.

You may recognise this paraphrase of Isaiah 61. It has been my joy to see this scripture fulfilled in my life and I look forward to the ministry God has given me being made all the more fruitful as He continues to both to will and to do His good pleasure within me.

Whilst I have much enjoyment casting devils out and bringing the healing of God to the deep wounds of the heart, my rejoicing is more in knowing Him who has saved me from my sin.