Why Do So Many Fail to Spread the Gospel?

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Permalink Reply by ribbon on September 22, 2014 at 5:54pm

The world is a bit of a mirror into the Kingdom as well. 

Im not sure what that means

Look at how we are born as babies into the world drinking milk and grow up to eat solid food:

 

I remember how the bible talks about babes on milk and that they would choke on meat...... Im not sure if the bible says that or I heard it said that though

How does one take thoughts captive unless they have read the Word that tells them to and then have been trained of God to do so?

I remember when I was following the Lord ... if and as soon as a bad thought crossed my mind that was against the Lord I would ask God to forgive me and then I would pray and praise God and I would read scripture. If something at home that I could control was causing me to sin I got rid of it.   When I found it hard to not have hatred toward someone who hurt me most of my life   instead of focusing on the hate I focused on God and asked and thanked God for setting me free from this life time of hate  I knew in my heart I couldn't do it alone but trusted God for His help. Anyway that is some of what I remember of how I took captive my thoughts.

 

What are sins? 

Seriously?  I could go on and on and on and on about what is against God and I don't know scripture. To keep it short if it is against God a Christian shouldn't be doing it. If a Christian is having a battle with sin they should maybe go to their christen elders or pastor and ask them to guide them into the word of God to help them focus on the word and for agreeable prayer.

Is smoking a sin?  Some people claim being the temple of God smoking is a sin.

Smoking can cause death not just for the smoker but it is my understanding that the second hand smoke can also cause heath hazards and  or death. if a person be it Christian or non knows these things then they know they shouldn't smoke. Is it a sin?  Thou should not kill is what comes to my mind. I believe if a Christian is having a tough addiction habit to break ,they should believe God is able to help them quit. But, also they should do their part and put it out.

Others will quote Matthew 15:17-18 Don't you understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the belly, and then out of the body? But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart, and they defile the man.

 

Yes , I remember the last part of those verses ... But the things which proceed out of your mouth come forth out of the heart, and they defile man. This verse I have thought about for years..... I have or had a vicious mouth and it scares me when I think about judgement. When I first backslid ... my thoughts were evil toward the Christians and I said some evil things to many of them plus evn before that I said some mean things.

 

About the scriptures from Judges... I am not too familiar with them so I don't know what I think about it yet.

Do you know of any Christian in the world that accepted Christ and flew out the next day on the most dangerous mission trip and began healing everyone?  Just doesn't happen.  Even Paul, who had a great encounter with God, had to go off and be trained. We're told to study to show ourselves approved.  Why would one need to study material they already knew?  And head knowledge isn't the same as heart knowledge.  If you've had bad fed into you for 30 years, don't think one reading of scripture will wipe it all out overnight.

I think when Paul went off to be trained , he focused on the training and God. Im not sure as to why you bring this u to me. Did I say a babe in Christ should go out into the world and do as Paul did? It was a babe in Christ who first showed me a glimpse of Jesus. I could see the love when she talked of the Lord. She didn't know much scripture but she sure shined the light. I wouldn't think she should go on dangerous mission trips though. I think those kinds of trips should be done with a lot of prayer and fasting and spirit guided.  

I think head knowledge is a good thing but not as good as heart knowledge. I have heard Christians say that when they reread scripture they sometimes are shown spiritually the meaning when they didn't before.  I am blanking out again. I am glad you ask me questions. This encourages me to try to get involved in the forums so to learn. thank you.

Permalink Reply by ribbon on September 22, 2014 at 6:10pm

If you've had bad fed into you for 30 years, don't think one reading of scripture will wipe it all out overnight

 

Why would it be one reading of scripture?  Wipe the bad out overnight? You mean the memories? If so my guess is that no matter what happened in that 30 years ... God is able. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and trust not your own understanding. I think that's what it says anyway.... I have seen that verse quoted many many times on this site.

I know I look like a hypocrite with the things I am saying to you..... maybe I am.... well ok I am... or am I? I don't know... my excuse is not being a Christian and not following God and I don't put Him first. But when I read some of the forum post verses and comments it sometimes reminds me of  my walk past with Jesus

Permalink Reply by Seek on September 22, 2014 at 8:43pm

So you asked Him to forgive a thought. Did that stop you from ever having that bad thought or any other again?

Yes seriously. What is your list of sins. Is it thou shalt not kill, don't covet, have no other gods, don't commit adultery, etc.? Or do you have in your mind in addition: Be sure to always pay 10% to tithes, don't wear any jewelry, wash your hands cause cleanliness is next to Godliness. Grandpa said that as long as I can remember and I didn't learn it wasn't in scripture until he passed. My church used to say Jezebel wore makeup and jewelry. My mom won't wear either til this day because she was taught this. Even knowing it's not a sin, it's so ingrained in her thinking that it's difficult to accept otherwise and change.

That was my point on smoking. Is it a sin according to scripture? Just like drinking. Scripture says don't get drunk on wine but I know a few old church ladies who'd faint dead away if you picked up a glass of wine at dinner with them. They'd never eat with you again for sure.

You didn't say a babes should go out. What you did say though is to believe somehow I'm sinning when you can't even say what I've sinned in and you spoke as if it was a sin if every Christian didn't run out and preach the gospel...even babes. And this is what I was addressing

Yes, God is "able" to wipe out bad memories. He was also able to kick Pauls thorn to the way side. Instead He said...NO. Paul that thorn will keep you humbled and to the one wanting 30 years erased, He says I know what's best and you don't. Trust me to do what's best and not what you want me to do.

Believe me, I've had battles with thoughts. God knows I absolutely hate such thoughts but He hasn't removed them. But then if He did the majority of my life would be removed and I'd have nothing to compare to see my growth.

It's up to each of us to learn to put God first. We spend time in His Word and in prayer, time in fellowship with other Christians, showing Christ's love to others in little things we do, speaking to them about Christ, trying to go a step higher in excellence towards what He calls out in us.

Many have said repeatedly that it's up to you. If you don't feel you're saved then ask Him to save you and believe it. I know of a past thing told to you by someone in the church you told me of and I'm betting that is where you began to doubt your salvation and there's the problem. Believe it. You let that woman, or satan working through her, cause you to stop believing you were saved.

The verses from Judges by the way was just to show you that God doesn't call us down for having low self esteem. He builds us up in Him to ultimately overcome that. After all, He is CLOSE to the brokenhearted and those crushed in spirit.

Permalink Reply by Seek on September 22, 2014 at 9:22pm

Maybe you meant this in a general sense then?

If you are hurting and feeling the things that you are mentioning then maybe you should reflect on why you are sinning against God and not trusting Him enough to not just read His word but live it.

Permalink Reply by ribbon on September 22, 2014 at 10:24pm

I typed something but felt that it would be deleted so I deleted it myself. I also think I first accidently deleted another earlier comment to you but not meaning to,

I wish you would reread my beginning response to your forum post and then read your questions to me and see I was answering them, My first comment or reply had nothing to do with sin. I want to say more but sometimes its best to not say anything. If I somehow took this topic away from why Christians wont spread the gospel and took it to sin... then please pardon me. But I don't think I did I think I was just answering ad responding with the things you were saying. 

Permalink Reply by Seek on September 23, 2014 at 6:21am

I'm pulling an LT and starting a new thread so we don't have to keep searching for the reply button....

I wish you would reread my beginning response to your forum post and then read your questions to me and see I was answering them, My first comment or reply had nothing to do with sin. I want to say more but sometimes its best to not say anything. If I somehow took this topic away from why Christians wont spread the gospel and took it to sin... then please pardon me. But I don't think I did I think I was just answering ad responding with the things you were saying.

You didn't take it away but added to it when you said fear of rejection.  But I think that goes back to feeling as if even God rejects them, feeling unloved.  And without knowing God's love, they cannot share it.  But it sounded like, as we went along, that you thought one should be able to take all their thoughts captive and only think things holy, true and pure and go spread the gospel to their neighbors when they're still in the healing phase themselves.  And like it was a sin they could just stop doing.  I tried to stop being fearful, worried, all that, and couldn't.  Through a lot of trials though, I've been learning to.  It's not that I wanted to be those things, but they were ingrained into me and God had to work them out and is still working them out of me. 

When you said:  If you are hurting and feeling the things that you are mentioning then maybe you should reflect on why you are sinning against God and not trusting Him enough to not just read His word but live it. 

This is where someone has to be taught to trust, someone who's been taught all their life not to trust because of what has been done to them won't know how to trust.  They'll think they do, they'll want God in their life and want a change in themselves, but they will struggle with trust until God teaches them how to.  Which is why I posted the Judges story of Gideon.  Gideon didn't trust what God was telling him and so he expressed his doubt repeatedly and asked for signs on three occasions.  He'd been so beaten down, that he couldn't see what God was telling him to be true, that he was a mighty man of valor, because he thought he was the lowest of the low.  For some, it isn't something you just do, but it's something you have to be taught. 

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