Young people leaving the church is "a symptom of lack of discipleship".... As a young person in the church, I can only say, "yes, yes, yes, this is true." By the grace of God and the gift of a godly mother, I have become grounded in what I believe. But I see a massive lack of discipleship and mentoring in the church and young people leaving out of disgust for the shallowness and hypocrisy they see. We young people want mentorship, we want to understand why we believe things, we want to wrestle through our beliefs in relationship with mature Christians who care about us and glow with the love of God, we want to live bold and faithful lives grounded on the reasons for our faith.
A significant evidence of the Sda church not being a cult is the profound diversity of viewpoints opinions and ideas within the body of SDA believers. The church does not have the imprint of one persons mind.
Another mark of a "cult" is that cults try and interfere in and dictate every aspect the lives of its adherents. For instance, a friend of mine was a JW. He bought himself a classy sports car and the elders told him that he had to sell that impressive car and buy a more humble-looking vehicle. He complied..
I praise and thank God that He created LBM, with its beautiful emphasis on God as love and with the gift of the brilliant communicators who have persuaded we once-stale SDAs to fall in love with God finally.
On the issue of God's sovereignty according to Calvinism, when pain hits the Calvinist (i.e. something very painful impacts their life) they'll change and become open to reconsider their belief.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Romans 8:2-5 NKJV
We need to change the story we are telling ourselves. ARISE taught me this and it is life changing. People are so bound by old theology and practise and it is depressing. Dive into a deep relationship with Jesus and His peace will be yours.
Ahhh! I missed it! I would have loved to ask all of you guys if you could share some insight from the Book of Judges. In regards to the story of Ehud. In contrast to the story of Jonah. I am trying to understand and looking for some clarity. Please elaborate on these stories. Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
As for some of those weird stories in the book of Judges (such as the one about the father who killed his daughter so as to keep his vow to God) there is a verse near the start of that book which frames such stories: the Israelites had wondered far from God and entered into a spiritual darkness in which they did what seemed right to them - in their ignorance and darkeness.
Yes, a righteous person falls seven times, and rises up again, with repentance. We cannot tell the devil to do anything. Only Jesus Christ can fight him, while the devil can tempt our choices and reasoning, and many things are within our power to resist (because of God’s grace), but many other things are not. We need the power of the Holy Ghost to overcome, and to teach. John 3:3; Matthew 5:20; Matthew 18:3. Acts 1:18 is the same for us, today.
Greatest blessing in the Bible. Acts 3:26. Freed from the bondage of iniquity and all the horror it brings. Self possession is a miraculous gift. Only by His grace
Gracias Ptr Angelo, increíble para la mente humana que siempre se esfuerza por hacer las cosas bien por si mismo, pero cierto para los que escuchan la voz amorosa de Dios. porque yo se los pensamientos que tengo acerca de ti, son pensamientos de paz y no de mal Jeremías 29:11
Yes this is my experience even my confessed sins get regularly replayed, it burdens me briefly as I lay it down at Jesus feet and reinforce my hatred of sin . I cant change the past but Christ Jesus has changed the future. Blessings prevail over all as repentance is reinforced. This my Hope.
