off balance

[Guest]

I have been through alot with this new Eschatology study that I began to dive into since joining this site. I was given alot of information concerning the Millennium (or perceived lack thereof) and the tribulation that was not easily found in scripture. I listened to all of Steve Gregg's lectures on the subject and they were very informative.

However something didn't sit right with me about it. It was not because of his evidence for the case that was made. Well not completely. THere are still things that make very little sense to me from his point of view.

What didn't sit right with me was the heeding of the Spirit. However I continued on. Falling in love with the Bible for it's information. Very little did I pray about what I was hearing. It was heavily learning and very very little inquiring at the Throne.

I fell into this trap and I am free from it. I went to a Life Builder's conference this weekend and it came to my attention that this study has (ironically) led me away from God. I wanted to obtain information to use to debate against the way I had believed my whole life. I even debated my own pastor that loves me with all his heart. After I went home I was sickened at myself for doing so.

Though it is not Steve's intention to be my leader, I had made him my leader and had left my true leader that God gave me, my pastor.

I am not normally one cast around with every doctrine, but I let this in and it is difficult to get out. I still see many logical points in the doctrine Steve holds to but the Spirit of God is telling me to run from it.

While I believe that all who hold this doctrine are sincere, and while I cannot at the moment say scripturally why I have decided to pursue it no longer, I can assure you that by the witness of the Spirit I have felt since the beginning of it, the Spirit of God I have muzzled...It is error and I encourage all of you that love the Lord and want to be led into all truth, seek God about this. Pray for illumination from the Word.

This is my plan and God will show me the truth. When He does I do not plan to get on here and debate it for fear that I will slip out of His will for my study life of scripture again.

I want the Bible to be more than information to me again. I want it to come to life the way it used to for me. It is unhealthy to make the Bible nothing but a book of information. It is off balanced to do so. It must be accompanied with much prayer and submission to the Spirit.

God bless all of you
Aaron

[Guest]

God bless you Aaron. I'll pray for you.

[Guest]

Thank you Michelle I need it I am a mixed up mess right now. But God is back in control and I will be led by Him!! And He will get me back to walking in the right way again. I know it for sure!

[Guest]

I want the Bible to be more than information to me again. I want it to come to life the way it used to for me. It is unhealthy to make the Bible nothing but a book of information. It is off balanced to do so. It must be accompanied with much prayer and submission to the Spirit.

God made us different and it's a good thing. In my own case i love the information in the bible because to me it's what Jesus referred to that we should "live by every word that comes out of the mouth of God" so i take it as God speaking to me and i find it breathtaking.
God be with you!

[Guest]

I agree Steve, but in my life and experience, analyzing and agonizing over scripture didn't bring me any closer to God. It made me drift further from Him.
Opening my mouth in praise to Him and sorrow for my distance that I created from between He and I did bring me closer. I feel more fulfilled now after having spent time with Him - rather than sweating out the intricacies of this disputed doctrine.
I am happy to distance myself from that and to approach study with His help and in prayer that He would "show me wondrous things" in His Word. The Spirit is who will lead me into all truth.

[Guest]

I agree Steve, but in my life and experience, analyzing and agonizing over scripture didn't bring me any closer to God. It made me drift further from Him.
Opening my mouth in praise to Him and sorrow for my distance that I created from between He and I did bring me closer. I feel more fulfilled now after having spent time with Him - rather than sweating out the intricacies of this disputed doctrine.
I am happy to distance myself from that and to approach study with His help and in prayer that He would "show me wondrous things" in His Word. The Spirit is who will lead me into all truth.

This is so true.

Matthew 5:39-41

"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."


Like you say, you neglected this side of the seesaw, so to speak. This is a trap I have fallen into myself many times, when blogging about the core of our existence. I think this is why Jesus went off by himself so many times within the span of his ministry into the wilderness and why it was even written about for us to read.


I am interested in what it is you feel drove you away from God. Was it just eschatology or debating etc. in general?

[Guest]

On the other hand this has been very valuable information for me. It has verified the very issues I was once bearing on my own concerning the erroneous teachings of dispensationalism. I have friends who are sucked in so deeply that they hinder the truth because they are afraid to completely do the study that this requires. They are invloved in international ministries that stop short because they believe the Jew will be taken care of on its own because all "Israel will be saved".

Each of us must decide on our own if God is leading us in this direction for His glory or not. Not all are called to the need to know the more perfect truth of this message, but it does not diminish the truth.

I for one am so glad that God brought me to this understanding. It has increased and enhanced my faith. To God be the glory.

[Guest]

Hi Aaron,

Blessings in your journey. My own switch from dispensationalism to amillennialism has been freeing in myriad ways. The very reasons one could give for eschewing it, are the very reasons another could give for embracing it. I wonder what the Holy Spirit thinks when two Christians say He is leading them to or from a doctrine?

I sometimes sense a false dichotomy among Christians. This idea that some are more intellectual, while others just "get alone with Jesus." Then, we put a line in the sand and declare one approach to be more spiritual than the other. We forget that Jesus said we are to worship God with all our hearts, minds, soul, and strength. Maybe the Spirit wants more thoughtful worship?

Is critical thinking worship? I think so. And it's a lost art in the American church.

Can rigourous debate among brothers and sisters, stimulating study into the riches of His word, and mining the nuances of Scripture with the curiosity God gave us be sincere and acceptable worship to Him?

I think so.

Regards,
JD

[Guest]

I have been through alot with this new Eschatology study that I began to dive into since joining this site. I was given alot of information concerning the Millennium (or perceived lack thereof) and the tribulation that was not easily found in scripture. I listened to all of Steve Gregg's lectures on the subject and they were very informative.

My leaning is to the historical view of eschatology but however you see it ,in the end Jesus wins.
I thought everyone made good points , i especially liked what Chris said about Jesus going off by himself to pray, that's something i should meditate on.
I would like to say though that even if we have out little debates here i don't have any interest in winning a debate, just sharing ideas.

[Guest]

There are some great points being made here. I personally, love getting on here and finding answers to questions, or even just looking at a different point of view on a particular subject. In the several years I have been researching and visiting different forums, they've been intellectually fulfilling and in many cases spiritually as well. I do particularly enjoy this forum, as I have found it to be, honest. Honest to what I believe to be the true spirit of Christianity. I have seen nothing except civil, yet kindly zealous debate, amongst knowledgeable men and women- humbling for me to say the least.

I think what we often fail to see is, the other side of each others lives. Upon scanning through various post, I have come across people who think this site is too "intellectual" or something along those lines. Perhaps that is exactly what is being fulfilled here, in that aspect of our journey with God as JD has said. Possibly, because as he concludes, it is lacking in our church today. I went out on a hike the other day in the mountains and it was absolutely what I needed. I prayed and gave thanks for His blessings in my life, and it was as if I had just washed the windshield, and the road ahead was visible once again. Sometimes, this clarity comes when reading the various articles in here.

It is apperant in our own creation, and in the creation itself we have an order, we have His words for a purpose, without them we are simply a leaf in the raging winds of good and evil.

Jesus always wins, that's right Steve.