Should I be offended?

[Gerald]

As many of you may know, this September I was diagnosed with a low level form of cancer. The treatment was quick and easy. The tumor was small, the size of a bb shot. They went in removed it, gave me chemo and I was back to work in two days.

I worked for two weeks before I began to have a bad systemic response to the chemo.

The result was a pain so intense it was the worst of a weary life. Life for a good a solid week consited of passing blood and blood clots ever 10 to 15 minutes. Excruciating pain.

I sent an email to my pastor to be put on the prayer list.

The request was added.

For three weeks I had no income. My finances were drained. Temp disability was delayed and minimal. I was two days away from hitting the food banks.

When I returned to work the partiers, drug users, alchoholics, adulterers and foul mouthed people went together and presented me a gift of 200$ of cash and Kroger cards. They said they were worried about me, wanted to call but didnt know the number. Even the Psychopath that runs the place donated.

I wept.


My church called me one time on a line they know I cant be reached on. I found the call record a couple weeks later. When I returned to church one old lady came to me and told me she'd been praying.


WHO DISPLAYED MORE LOVE???

Would you be offended at YOUR church?

[scooter]

Only sissies get offended.

Really I have tried to stop being "offended".

Psalms 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

My peace of mind doesn't come from what others do or don't do.

Isolation probably has something to do with it.

At work you invest what 40 hours plus? You know who works and who doesn't. When someones out you have to pull their load.

At church you spend what less than an hour two/three times a month? When you miss no one has to pull your load. So for you to miss it's almost normal.

You are correct though. You have exposed a deficiency at your local church. Maybe you can find the inspiration to become the individual who makes the difference for the next soul that finds themselves in a similar condition. However it is much easier just to be offended.

You are correct also in that sometimes we miss the forrest for the trees. Your workplace is your field. Work it. As you described your coworkers you expose how you see them, sinful. The girl who sleeps around or the boss you want to slap, etc.

The truth is they are in the same place spiritually that you were in physically. Have you been a neighbor to them?

Maybe you have.

Glad you're doing better.

[dolfan]

Gerald, I did not know you had been sick nor diagnosed with cancer. I'm thankful you're improving, and I'm sorry you went through such pain.

Your story about who stepped up to "be there" for you is not a surprise. A disappointment, but not a surprise. Scooter hit on some of it. It is beyond your local church, this self-centeredness and difficulty to move people to lay down their lives for one another. But....

There are Christians -- and I use the word in its true sense, not just to describe people who go to church faithfully but who are the church, faithfully -- who congregate for the purpose of the good news. The good news includes healing and helping. Binding up. Romans 15:1 says that the strong among us have an obligation to bear the infirmities of the weak. By all means, physical illness is included.

That addicts, alcoholics and down & out folks came together to express care for you is no surprise, either. That you see them for what they are -- people with a capacity to care but with a capacity to destroy as well -- I hope does to you what God is doing in my own life about those same people. There are lots of different groups of people who need to be reached, Gerald. They need to hear what you know. They need to know what you know.

Offended? If the Lord uses that kind of offense to open a door in your spirit about the last, least and lost, then that's a favor to you and to them. Don't let that gesture of caring from lost people be lost on you in terms of the opportunity to be a bridge back to them of God's love. Those are people who have telegraphed to you a unique message that we aren't all entitled to get from lost folks in such a conveniently packaged way. They have hearts that can be moved with suffering. How much more so if they see the redemption of the suffering of Jesus?

[MacUser]

Gerald,
If something is DEAD and doesn't function.. something is DEAD and don't make excuses for it.

Yet don't take offense... just move onto LIFE. Jesus came so we could have LIFE and have LIFE more ABUNDANTLY. Cling to him and HIS GOODNESS.

Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Rejoice in the fact that Jesus can utilize anything around you. You are a child of GOD. If you are HIS.. He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. NEVER. This is His promise. He's got you and He is fully pleased with you with arms open wide.

[Poimen]

Yes, you should be offend (in the common sense), and you should be motivated to action because of it. Personally, if a church (especially the leadership) showed that little concern or care for me, and it wasn't an uncommon thing for them to do so, that would tell me (short of God directing otherwise) that it's time for me to move on.

My two cents, find a church that cares about people for real. Will they be perfect? Naw, but the good they are pursuing will crowd out and overshadow their deficiencies. And you will feel the love.

[beckrl]

I'm glad you are better, but it seem that response is all to common in today churches. I would be let down if that had happen to me, but as you can see God will use any one even those most unlikely.

[Gerald]

Thanks everyone for the comments. While many think I do not listen there are several thoughts throughout these responses that I have to mull over and think about.

I CHOOSE NOT to be offended, while realizing that the church has some major failngs.


I guess the funny thing was the very day I had been back after seriously thinking I was knocking on deaths door, was the message was on showing care for others and that "this is a caring church, this is a loving church." Yeah, Can I get back to you on that?

ANd then I remember when I was flat on my back for two months after back surgery with only a 6 year old and an ill 66 year old to help me, and I got the ONE CALL. RRRIIIIIING. Our work is done!

[oletimer]

Gerald I heard a story one time and I don't remember all of it but maybe I can get the point out. She prayed and gave God praise for everything and this was very irritable to her neighbor an atheist. The neighbor was always playing pranks on her because of her faith. One day while in the middle of a prank he heard her praying for help as she was out of food and didn't have any money. So he thought of a plan to prove that God wasn't real and couldn't answer her prayer. He went and bought her several bags of grocerys, sliped them beside her door, rain the door bell and ran and hide in the bushes beside her house. When she came to the door saw the grocerys, she went to praising and thanking God for them and her answered prayers. At the time the atheist jumped out from behind the bushes and said there is no God, I brought them grocerys for you. At that timer she said NOT ONLY DID HE ANSWER MY PRAYERS, BUT HE USED THE DEVIL TO BRING THEM. .... Not making excuses, but sometimes God uses those that have to provide for His people in answer to the prayers that are prayed by his people that don't have. Just another thought and view.

[Gerald]

To show you how extensive this thing is becoming one man came to me today at work and lowered his voice:

"Are you going to have enough to give your son Christmas this year?"


The offer was plain. And again, no one in church thought that far ahead...or even far ahead enough to welcome me back.

[Full Quiver]

When I returned to work the partiers, drug users, alchoholics, adulterers and foul mouthed people went together and presented me a gift of 200$ of cash and Kroger cards. They said they were worried about me, wanted to call but didnt know the number. Even the Psychopath that runs the place donated.

I wept.

Luke:5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?


I am not surprised that your "evil" friends displayed such love & concern GERALD but I encourage you to ask the Lord to pour out His Spirit upon you! God bless you!

[scooter]

Any updates?

[Gerald]

Any updates?

As far as what? I do not understand what needs to be updated.

I talked to my pastor and told him some of the things I had been going through, he seemed shocked but then that's what happens when you never talk to the people that go to your church.

[scooter]

Any updates?

As far as what? I do not understand what needs to be updated.

I talked to my pastor and told him some of the things I had been going through, he seemed shocked but then that's what happens when you never talk to the people that go to your church.

Response: You have a way of left handed slapping people that beats all I've ever seen.

but then that's what happens when you never talk to the people that go to your church

He's preaching against it now but where was he when it started?

Update. I mean less than a month ago you're on here beating up your church on the www for not being compassionate enough. I figured if they had shown some compassion surely you would up date us to that fact. However that doesn't fit your template.

Then it's your State Bishop.

Now it's your pastor.

You need to step back from the ledge of taking anything anybody says and running it to the extreme.

The pendulum swings both ways.

The reason that WOF gains traction is because it is mixed with truth.

What if I said "you have chosen to believe"

A. The power of the Holy Ghost in this century is just witchcraft
B. The Major Prophets are simply minor poets
C. There is no "creative" power in the tongue
D. You are the sole watcher on the wall

Which of those would be accurate?

You said that since we are not "the king" there is no power in the tongue.


That is as false of a doctrine as one could come up with. The only reason it escapes you is that you can't accept the truth because of extremes.

Even though I'm not a king I can conspire, with words, to have a hit man off my enemy.

The Word of faith movement takes truths to the extreme.

Maybe you are a bell ringer of sorts.

They take what God has said, the Bible and apply it to their lives.

Unfortunately every promise is not "theirs". True. However some are.

You have fallen for a disconnected view of the Bible citing context as a cure all against any action. Like, The Lord is not my shepherd he was David shepherd.

For you to deny the gift of healing to the church shows an unhealthy bias based in baptist commentary Jewish poetry. failed practice, and unhealthy experiences.

I understand that we are not promised a baby like Mary was, or added years, or certain other individual specific things.

I understand the extremes of prosperity. The pitfalls of preaching a perfect life after accepting Christ. I wish that you could make a difference.

I am afraid of your Christianity just as much as any other extreme.

One to the left and one to the right.

There are simply too many branches to discuss.

I'm sure I've given you enough ammo to shoot me six ways to Sunday.

[Gerald]

Do you know something I dont about my church? They have not changed. So why are you asking to be informed of change that hasnt happened?

The same (And only) family that asked about my health contributed to my boys Christmas. I was and am greatful.


As for the rest I of you post I can only say: A position of WILLFUL ignorance, just because it is the opposite of your brothers position, seems to be the most addled form of obstinancy, doubly so when it comes to religious matters.

If you wish to discuss it I will not hash it out here. Give me a call. I'm not the busy one.