“And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go…?

 

We have recently made a decision.  It was a decision, I never thought we would have to make again. This decision is about becoming a part of a church. For those that do not know, we have not be part of a church in over a decade. That’s not to say, we have not fellowshipped or have not been about the Lord’s business.  We have fellowshipped with other churches in the area, Lighthouse Baptist Church, Bible Baptist Church, Families of Faith and a few others we’ll not name due to their unscriptural manner of “worship.”

For the last decade or so, we have taught the Scriptures in our home. We have taught them expositorially. We have studied the Scriptures for ourselves as we have always done. Over the years we have had Tuesday Childrens church for a time, a Wednesday Bible study, a Friday’s Women’s Bible study, where we looked specifically at the roles women play in the Scriptures and we did so by looking att he women in the Bible. We have had a Sunday School hour, a Preaching service, and a Sunday night service. We also held services at a nursing home for a decade and a half.  We have written on different blog sites as well over the years. We have ministered in churches where we have been invited. Recently we have had a Sunday morning service, and this blog site.

I do not write the above looking for praise, God forbid.  I write the above simply to show that we have not been inactive, though we were not part of a local church.  We have been more active if anything.

All of the above has been written to demonstrate why this decision was so very difficult to come to. However, due to what we have seen and heard at Bible Baptist Church, under the pastoral rule and guidance of Pastor Kipp Sonsek, we have been compelled by God to attend this church, when I say compelled, I do not mean to say, against our will, no not at all. We chose the word compell to demonstrate the strength in which God has answered our question. “Shall I go up…?”

To further domonstrate what we are giving up:
*Autonomy
*Leadership
*Will now submit to another’s pastoral authority.
*Offerings…not filthe lucre but offerings.
*Offering up to God my preaching and verbal teaching gifts for safe keeping in order to go where He leads.

Some of the deciding factors:
*Martyn Lloyd Jones once said, he could forgive a preacher of anything if that man   would give him a sense of God’s Presence. This child of God, this brother of Christ, and   this student of the Holy Spirit senses God’s Presence.
*The Doctrines of Grace are preached freely and loudly.
*The pastor’s Burning Bush like passion.
*The pastor’s library is lines with faithful men of God.
*The pastor’s family. From his mother to his wife to his children.
*The Pastor’s view on the governing of the church as in plurality of elders, and deacons as described in Scripture and designed in Heaven.
*The number or persons and families that have departed.  It has been a principle of   mine  for years, when a new pastor is installed into a church, around sixty percent (60%)  of the membership should depart.  Call it the “Gideon Syndrome,” if you will. This  falling away is a good sign. It is a sign of health. Certainly, it will test the shepherd and  the flock, but as God is in it, it shall stand as a mighty fortress.

I look forward and I reach forward, NOT forgetting what is behind, but instead, Praising and thanking God for all of it. I wait upon God to see what God has for His child and for my wife (also God’s child), and my daughters (also His children) and my Father-in-law and my Mother-in-law, (both God’s children).

How to know if God is in it.
*Is it Scriptural?  Is there an example in Scripture?
*Does God speak against it?
*Are you twisting Scripture to get your way?
*Will it glorify God?
*Could you envision Paul doing it?
*Are you moving too fast?
*Too slow?
*Where did this idea come from?
*Have you really prayed and are you truly seeking God’s will and God’s glory in this?
*and if all this fails….you will know if God is in it or not when He is pleased to let you know.

Daniel had to wait upon God’s answer.  Nehemiah was heard and answered right away.  There are times when you must ……………………………………………….w…..a…..i…..t……………….. on God and there will be times when He, in such profound and amazing condescending grace, will wait upon you.

This will not change (DV) thechildrenofissachar.com in the least.

Godspeed.