Easy Believism

[Edward]

There's so much easy believism going around that it scares me. I turn on the TV to TBN and it's usually always the prosperity gospel. There is a prosperity message in scripture, but it is not the primary promise to us for after we receive the Lord and get born again. The Church is not preparing the people for persecution or tribulations which are promised to us in scripture.

They've given everybody a promise of la la la now I'm born again and everything is going to be cushy. That couldn't be further from the truth. When we get born again and become Christian, scripture says that the entire world will turn against you and hate you for His namesake. Then when people do get some tribulation in their life, they are not prepared for it mentally, and they think, why is God doing this to me? Many fall from the faith for this reason.

Let's scripturalize this and get some proof of this up, lol.

John 16:33
These things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.../

2 Timothy 3:12
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.../

1 Peter 5:8
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.../

Revelation 2:10
10 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.../

John 15:18
"If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.../

John 15:19
19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.../

1 John 3:13
Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you.../

Acts 14:22
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.../

Then you have Matthew 7:14 also;

Matthew 7:14
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.../

If we go to the Greek dictionary (https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2346&t=KJV) to define the word "narrow" in this verse, we find this;

G2346 (Narrow)
θλίβω thlíbō, thlee'-bo; akin to the base of G5147; to crowd (literally or figuratively):—afflict, narrow, throng, suffer tribulation, trouble.../

...and there you have it, Brothers and Sisters, We can expect tribulations and hardships from the moment that we accept Christ as our savior. There's many reasons why, as a Christian, problems will come our way. It may be the world hating you, or a spiritual attack, or it may be the Lord testing your faith or trying to teach you something, or even perhaps chastising you for being disobediant. Sometimes when people start having a problem, they may express feeling as if God is distant from them, but in actuality, God may just be 'in your face' so to speak, working within you, testing, teaching, seeing how you'll react and so forth. This is probably true, more often than not.

I mean, geez, we got born again and start walking with the Lord, and then, boom, something happens. Then we start feeling discouraged, dejected, perhaps even frustrated or angry. Don't get mad or discouraged, start praising the Lord because you know He's with you, is working within you, and has promised to never leave you or forsake you! A better reaction would be...What does this mean? What are you trying to say, Father?

If we remind ourselves of these things, then we know that we are not to fear...just be patient, and see where the Lord takes you in the situation.

Life is 10% what it throws at you, and 90% how you react to it.

 

[reba]

any one of us capable of what the disciples went through?

 

[Nathan]

any one of us capable of what the disciples went through?

I can't even imagine. In fact, I don't think anyone in today's age could possibly imagine what it was like for them. We are so far removed from that culture and time.

I think the closest you could come, and then it would be hard because your not having to deal with rejection from family, would be to setup shop in a middle eastern Islamic country and start preaching.

Then you might understand what it was like for them.

 

[Nathan]

I think its wise for us to know those things you pointed out Edward, and keep them in our heart. We never know whats around the corner.

 

[Eugene]

.
Hi Brother Edward. Waking up to life as we see it is not always easy, nor welcome but God is with us in the fire.
Consider the following pamphlet I wrote "Christian Sufferings."
http://www.christianforums.net/Fellowship/index.php?threads/christian-sufferings.52898/
I've heard that all we have to do is speak away problems, and yet remain bald. Evidently Elisha was better at cursing his tormentors with mama bears than speaking away the obvious problem of looking like a bowling ball. 2 Kings 2:23-24.