Christian Chat

Oh, I'm so pleased you find it enriching @Realness ! 🙂 I think God has given you this ability. I couldn't do anything like it! I like what you add on at the end as well. Some little thought. For someone like me with a very limited attention span, it's perfect!

I haven't heard of high-probability and low-probability actions before, but it makes sense. You can only do what your body allows!

Oh, it has to be Lucille Ball! I think we can say her name because she's a well-known actress! Is that right @moderator I think she was hilarious! 💛

Hello @heartathome , @Realness , @ENKELI , @Appleblossom

The geisha girl is looking good @Shaz51 . I love the colour. I hope you're doing okay and keeping out of the weather. I know the weathers not good up there at the moment. Sending warm (or cool as the case may be) healing hugs. 💛

thanks @heartathome 😍 we will

how has your weekend been my friend

@Realness , @ENKELI , @Appleblossom

I wrote this 32 years ago. I was in the Pentecostal cult when I wrote this. I think I was a lot closer to God back then but the church in itself was abusive. My relationship with God has never been the same after leaving that cult. My son was four years old at this stage. I was in the church for a couple of years. 💚

GRATITUDE TO GOD

In sorry and pain, love and joy

Through Christ we've grown, me and my boy

The conflict I have is no more

Though challenges exist at every door

God's guiding hand that shows the way

Through every step of each new day

I cling to the hope of glory ahead

Wonderfully alive and spiritually fed

Pain does not allude me nor sorrow not exist

God's love supports me as I go through this

His goodness and kindness I have felt like no other

His love, mercy and grace always reaching to cover

I stumble and fall like a newborn foal

New freedom, an indescribable joy to my soul

My maker, my husband, my counsellor and my King

All praise, honour and glory - to You I sing

I love You with a love I've never before known

The love You gave me from the seed You've sown

I look back and see what You've done

Possible for You, Your spirit and Son

No other is like You, no words express my love

All I have and all I am, I give back to You above

September 1994 💚

@Realness @ENKELI @Appleblossom @DownMoreThanUp

Hi @heartathome , @DownMoreThanUp , @Appleblossom , @ENKELI , @AlwaysMyself , @REDLINEZ750 ,

John 3

- Nicodemus, a Pharisee, visits Jesus at night - We know You're from God because of the miracles You're doing.

- Jesus replies: Unless someone is born again they cannot see the kingdom of God.

- Nicodemus: How can a grown up be born again?

- Jesus: Unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

- Jesus: Everyone born of the Spirit is like the wind - you don't know where it comes from or where it is going.

- Jesus: The Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.

- Jesus: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

- Jesus: But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that their works may be shown to be accomplished by God.

- Both John the Baptist and Jesus' [disciples] are baptising.

- John the Baptist: He must increase, I must decrease - He's from Heaven and speaks God's Words.

Jesus' words are full of the Spirit. I have always liked the comparison with the wind - don't know where it comes from or where it is going - we never know what God is accomplishing through our words and actions.

HI @DownMoreThanUp ,

Just a quick note to let you know that I'm missing you and thinking of you. I'm imagining you surrounded by your family - no need to rush a reply. Are they noticing a difference?

How is the sleep going? How about the depression?

May God continue to bless and keep you. May His healing stay with you always. May the healing extend to the sleep and the depression. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Hi @heartathome ,

Thanks for sharing the poem Gratitude to God.

I don't know much about the Pentecostal church nor cult but I imagine you would have been there at least three or four times a week? And the fellowship would have been close because Christians were spending so much time together. Am I right?

I was really involved for many years with a Church which while not a cult was very separated from the rest of the Church. We met five times a week including a small additional Bible Study and social outing with friends. The fellowship was amazing. After a while I questioned the separation from the rest of Jesus' Church. There was often judgement of other churches in the teaching. Later, I took the time to visit different denominations but I never spent the same amount of time with other Christians again. I think I can relate to you saying your relationship with God has never been the same after leaving the cult.

Did you already know Jesus before you joined the Pentecostal cult? Or was the Pentecostal cult where you found Jesus? When you left did it take time before you could walk into another church? It did for me. (Note: That's a lot of questions. No need to reply but they're there if you want to.)

YES!!! I call it a cult @Realness and it sounds very similar to the church you attended. From AI - One cult expert has said that it is not officially a cult. The church is listed in a book called Churches That Abuse. A paster and psychologist also said he had a video that talks about them as a cult. He offered to show it to me, but I didn't want to go back there.

I do label it a cult (maybe I shouldn't) because there were high levels of control and influence over our lives. There were strong expectations about attendance, behaviour, street preaching and relationships (discouragement of 'outside' family and friends), pressure to conform and shun dissent and outsiders. Highly authoritarian leadership style. Fear-based messaging and rigid rules and harmful. Tithing was another big thing.

I disagreed with them over their practice of speaking in tongues in the service. The pastor's comment was we'll keep praying for you until you believe (what he was saying). When I left the church, no one would have anything to do with me but worse was to see my 3-year-old asking why he couldn't play with his friends anymore! 🥹 We were in a 'family' before. The fellowship was amazing!

There was often judgement of other churches in the teaching Yes!! Backslidden. I don't know if you've heard that word before. That's what I was apparently. I've been prophesied over multiple times (once called Jezabell) which has been a burden for me for many years. I recently talked to a Christian psychologist, and he was the one who told me to remember these three things.

• I'm a child of God
• I'm forgiven
• I'm a work in progress

I was brought up under a fearful God and a lot of hell and damnation sermons back in the 60's. I couldn't wait to stop going to church, especially as a teenager. I've been back and forth with God most of my life. I went wild, had my son and was looking for God. I came back to the Lord just before the cult. I moved from WA back to NSW and the town I originally left (where I was living with all my party friends)

After I left the cult, I tried going to other churches but felt they were 'luke warm'. I couldn't do Pentecostal again!! I started to go to a soup kitchen (run by Christians) church and eventually did some Sunday School 'teaching'. That was good and I was there for about three years before I wanted something more.

I settled for a church that was mainstream until I moved here and found the church where I am now (still mainstream). I've been going there for over three years now and love it. I still only know a handful of people. I wish I had more connection with others in the church. I am the only vaper/smoker, so they probably don't want to be around that. Maybe they're scared of me (I don't think I look scary) I'm definitely scared of them! I talk to the older ones. They're cool!

This is one thing that I haven't worked through yet with any professional counsellor. Are you triggered?

Has this brought up stuff for you? I'm okay! I'm still very hurt (angry) about the experience even though I think I was closer to God when I was there. A lot of people who leave this cult never return to a church. Thank you for sharing and asking those questions. It seems I have a lot to say on the subject that I didn't know I still had! 💚

@Realness Yes we have had a lot of family up over the break. Also a 40+ year old friend and his wife came for a visit, so that was nice.

However the main reason i have been laying low is that i have been finalising a gaming computer, i want to put up for sale on Monday. i had wanted to sell it before Christmas but a part i needed did not come till last week, taking over two months to arrive instead of 10 days. Hopefully i still sell it okay. So the reason for not being around much is that i have been very preoccupied the last few days installing and configuring the computer to its best sell-able state.

And yes things have vastly improved for me. No more anxiety, voices, rage, hallucinations or psychosis, although i can still get rather depressed, on my down days so that has not changed. i also still struggle with nausea and acid, hospital should be in touch half way next month all being well about that.

My sleep is between 5 1/2 to just over 7 hours, and i still seems to be improving daily as i'm calming down. It does seem at times that i have been 'of completely of the planet' mentally for a very long time, which at times does add to the sadness when depressed, but paradoxically also brings me great Joy that i may feel so very much better and i merging more and more into an united self in my alters.

My second favourite song of We The Kingdom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLUM48jPBBw&list=RDjLUM48jPBBw&start_radio=1