Author: kogfamily
Posted Feb 16 2012 06:17:41pm
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Courage...hmmm
It is difficult to be honest with others until one can be honest with themselves. Many walk around hiding behind a mask. Trust has to be established before anyone will venture into disclosure and many lack this ability to trust. The bible says that we shall know the truth and the truth will set us free. The lie that imprisons is that our failures are who we are not just what we have done. That is why people don't want to disclose failures for fear of being judged "as" a failure. Many need to be set free by the truth of who we are and what we can become in Christ, in our new creation. When truly set free from the imprisonment of our old sin nature, trust and then the courage to disclose our failures to testify to the power of God in our lives will come.
Thanks for sharing the truth
kogfamily |
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Author: shadowalker
Posted Feb 16 2012 07:14:57pm
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Well put, Sister.. We must begin with the courage to look within ourselves. I do not pretend to have all the answers, but I do know these two things. We must be honest with ourselves as well as with God, and that God can help us accomplish both if we truly surrender control of ourselves and our lives to Him. -This is a personal issue between us and God, but we as fellow Christians can help each other... uplift and encourage each other. -Especially to those who are on that rocky ground where they can either grow or fall away. But we cannot help others find the truth if we are afraid to face it ourselves. Amen?
Thank you for your comments and encouragement. Both are appreciated.
God Bless! 
Shadow  |
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Author: shadowslady
Posted Feb 16 2012 07:03:28pm
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Very well written. I could touch on this subject on so many levels. Christ does forgive all our sins and makes us "new". What we choose to do after that is up to us. We can and should put our trust in Him. One thing I finally learned is I had to forgive myself before I could get anywhere. I had to stop being concerned about what other people thought or said.We hear of love,acceptance in our churches but how true is that? Does the new christian walk away from that altar and have the support they need? I think not.How many people have given their lives to Christ but it didn't last? At that moment, they felt accepted and loved by all. Maybe it lasted awhile then people just didn't seem to care about them anymore. It discouraged them or maybe they heard those same loving people being judgmental about others. Did those people have a past to live down? I'm sure they were not perfect. None of us are, even as children of God. Do we point the finger at the church or the person who fell away? We should uplift and encourage everyone. Where does the judging stop and true christian acceptance begin? |
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Author: shadowalker
Posted Feb 16 2012 07:28:38pm
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(Sigh) All true, Shadow's Lady... all true. We see it every day from people who claim to be Christians, and in way too many churches, but what should we do? Should we give up? Do as many do, and either turn away from God or try to stay alone, seeking God's will outside the church?
That is exactly what Satan would like us to do... His favorite game is Divide and Conquer! Never forget that a church is more than a building or a denominational name on the door... WE are the Church!
What you should do is what you are doing here... STAND UP and be counted! -If a church is not behaving in a scriptural manner, then say so. -And if no one stands with you for change, then find you another church. -And keep looking until you find the right church. -Sometimes that can be difficult and discouraging... but they are out there. I found one, you can too! 
Thank you for taking time to share your comments... speaking up is what starts the process of change. Amen?
God Bless!
Shadow |
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Author: kreynolds
Posted Feb 16 2012 07:20:13pm
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Shadow! It is so good to read a blog from you, my friend. I have missed them.
What you write is so true. It might seem a bit odd but I remember when God told me I needed to blog about cancer treatment as I was going through it. I remember sitting for the longest time, crying because I did not want to do that. You see, I'd already faced some rather sharp criticism from a few people about Christians getting sick because I wasn't healed immediately. Apparently they believed I was either being punished by God or I had unconfessed sin in my life. I suppose they meant well but I felt a bit like coals of fire were being heaped on my head at a time when I was physically, mentally and emotionally drained as well.
Did I have people criticize me when I got "vulnerable"? Yes. I did. There were even people who said it was wrong for Christians to open themselves up like that. I suspect that's because they didn't want to do so. 
On the other hand, doing that was the very thing which enabled me to form some very deep friendships with people who accepted and continue to accept me as their friend even if I fall flat on my face. I feel the same way about them.
You wrote:
Amen, my friend. Amen!
Blessings!
K  |
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Author: shadowalker
Posted Feb 16 2012 07:38:09pm
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True, K,
Sometimes I think that people miss most of the main points of who a Christian is, and what Christ expects of us. He established His church because He knew how vulnerable we were alone. Our job as Christians (as the Church) has never been to judge each other... it has always been to keep each other uplifted and encouraged.
I am glad that you stayed the course. Your courage has been an inspiration to many. Thank you so much for your comments and the encouragement you have been for me.
God Bless!
Shadow |
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Author: whobelieve
Posted Feb 17 2012 07:47:18am
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Shadow,
This is a great blog. Transparency is terrifying and crucial.
This series on relationships is "coincidentally" (is there such a thing?) timed with some major growth I am having in learning how to have real relationships with people. Thank you.
~wb |
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Author: shadowalker
Posted Feb 17 2012 06:49:36pm
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wb?
You haven't figured out how God works yet? -Watch closer, little sister, and you will notice every time you are dealing with any issue, you will find yourself accidentily turned to scripture verses that are on that subject; your preacher speaks on the same topic that Sunday, etc... {Laugh Out Loud}
I am proud to have been part of that chain...
God Bless!
Shadow |
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Author: harkrider
Posted Feb 18 2012 04:45:10am
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Hello Brother,
This rings many bells.
I may not be around to keep up with your postings but I can and do second everything you say here in person and spirit.
Today I don't often share my past because it's been so many years ago. As soon as I started reading this blog I thought of it for a minute and every long and lasting relationship I have since accepting Christ are with people that know me - past and all - including my children. It is also the reason for severed ties with some family members and others.
I look forward to catching up with you and reading more.
HR |
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Author: shadowalker
Posted Feb 18 2012 08:17:43am
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Thanks for sharing, brother. The fact is that we have a blessing that many others do not share. -Although we endure additional pain and rejection from some about our past, we also have an assurance of knowing who truly does love us, support us, and even those who are true Christians.
Stay in touch, brother... Maybe one day we will sit down and share a cup of coffee.
God Bless!
Shadow |
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Author: callinginthedesert
Posted Feb 18 2012 08:03:25am
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God's Word says to "confess our sins to one another". The reason for this is to bring them out into the light - into the light of God's truth, then the sin can be dealt with, prayed over, and the righteous to mentor us into spiritual health. Anything we hold in secret, in the dark, will tend to keep us in bondage of that hidden sin. Only the light (God's Truth) and the result of that truth, which is love, will be able to heal us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. KJV
God accepts us the way we come to Him, but He will not let us stay that way. As a church we also have to accept people the way they enter the church, no matter what our/their past has been. The only people the church needs to reject are the ones wanting to stay in their sin(s).
Thanks for this blog. It can have many different facets to this subject.
Mike |
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Author: shadowalker
Posted Feb 18 2012 08:37:34am
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Very true, Mike... I truly believe that those who had fallen the deepest in sin (darkness) appreciate the most how far Jesus reached in to that darkness to save them.
Unfortunately, many Christians are like the eldest son in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:15-32). They are indignant that God has forgiven someone who were so deep in sin... lived so unrighteousness.
And you are also right... there are many different facets to this subject. I will give it more thought... maybe you should too?
God Bless! 
Shadow |
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Author: clayonmyeyes
Posted Feb 20 2012 07:33:42am
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Dear Mike,
Great blog! This is so important... as individuals and as the Body. David, Paul and many others in the Bible had their share of serious imperfections. And all were made useful for His Kingdom.
Grace to you,
Vince |
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Author: shadowalker
Posted Feb 20 2012 08:59:36am
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Good Point, Vince!
If you really research you will find that EVERYONE in the Old and New Testament that God has used had serious imperfections. -Makes you wonder why so many Christians try so hard to appear to be "perfect" when God has shown us so many times how His Power, Strength, and especially His Mercy is revealed through His use of "imperfect" vessels. 
Thank you so much for your insights and encouragement! 
God Bless!
Alan aka Shadow |
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Author: callinginthedesert
Posted Feb 20 2012 04:13:27pm
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The great thing about being perfect in God, is that living in agape love all the time is God's perfection for us. We only need to think and act in God's pure Holy Spirit love to be perfect. No where does God say we aren't suppose to make mistakes. God blesses all things done in pure love. There is no law against pure love.
Mike |
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Author: shadowalker
Posted Feb 20 2012 05:14:32pm
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True, very true, Mike...
...So why is it so difficult for people to not look at others past, or even present imperfections, and show them agape love anyway? -Do you think it might be because we are still wearing our flesh... that one thing that keeps us from reaching spiritual perfection?
-And please understand... I am not being judgmental, nor I hope are you. This blog is not to point fingers at anyone. It is written in the hopes that those who read it might look inside themselves... and ask themselves the same questions I ask myself. "Am I guilty of any of this?"
We cannot ask God to help us "fix" a problem we did not realize we had...
I do appreciate your insights...As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17
God Bless!
Shadow |
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Author: callinginthedesert
Posted Feb 21 2012 05:41:29pm
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Shadow,
If we are living by the Holy Spirit (by God's pure love), we will not expect people to not make mistakes. "Mistakes" are only counted as sin when a person knows before hand that what they are about to do is not in the will of God. In that case they are not "mistakes", but willful sin against God. God only holds us accountable to our willful sins, which are against His known will. Otherwise if anyone doesn't know God's will in a certain matter, God can't and doesn't hold that against them as sins - then they are mistakes instead. Keep in mind, even our mistakes will have earthly consequences, even if we didn't know they were against God's will.
As far as sinners coming into the church with much imperfections in their past - well we have to understand, sinners are going to sin, that is their nature. Even if they didn't realized they were going against God's will in the past, they still will have the consequences in their life because of those sins, but we should not hold anything against them - because they did not know what they were doing.
As for the flesh (the body), the body only does what the spirit inside it commands it to do. What ever spirit is master in that person, then that will be the fruit that body will display. So if our selfish spirit is still in control of the body, then it will make the body do sinful things to fulfill the desires of the sinful (selfish) nature the body was born with. If it is the Holy Spirit that controls the body, then the body will only have the fruits (works) of pure love.
God has provided the way to kill all of our selfish nature and only live by the power of His Holy Spirit (pure agape love). Then our body will be a slave to righteousness instead of a slave to sin. This spiritual perfection is what makes even our body righteous.
1 Thess 5:23-24 - May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. NIV
Mike |
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Author: shadowalker
Posted Feb 21 2012 07:01:12pm
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Thank you, Mike, for your insights...
I am not really talking about "mistakes" in this blog, nor in my comments, so we are basically getting off-subject here... I do think you have the start of a good blog here, so I would suggest that you think about copying your comments over to a blog and expand on them there...
Blessings,
Shadow |
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Author: callinginthedesert
Posted Feb 21 2012 07:32:04pm
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Thanks Shadow,
I realized it was getting off topic some, but didn't want to ignore answering your comments. I guess I must of misunderstood your comments and questions - sorry.
I will take your suggestion and start another blog with this.
God bless,
Mike |
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It is difficult being an open and honest person when your past has been less than prism. -But as hard as it can be discussing our past, it is necessary if we hope to build any kind of successful relationships in our future. Sadly, Satan, the Master Deceiver, will always be there whispering in our ear that no one will like, or truly accept us if we tell about our past sins, and (sigh) unfortunately, too many times Old Nick can point to many examples of that very thing happening in our lives. What it all boils down to, my friends and brethren, is that we must be brave enough to trust in Jesus to support us through any possible rejections that we might face.
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