Posted by Lurlee Maxwell, et al on 10/3/2001, 10:04 am

Posted by Lurlee Maxwell on 8/10/2001, 4:54 pm We have had very stimulating discussions on this board for a few years now. (Thank you, Dave, for getting the ball rolling!) But most of this year's "communions" have digressed in such a way that some of the koinonia we had been in the process of restoring was being torn down. I believe God brought us all together years ago for His purposes, and some are yet to be fulfilled. Which brings me back to my question: "Why did God bring YOU to the Chapel?" Here is my answer. God knew my desire to: 1) Know Him better 2) Have a deeper understanding of His word 3) Become more like Him Once Jack DuBois asked me if the reasons why I came to Bible College were being fulfilled. I had emphatically answered "Yes, and so much more!" Oh, how little I knew then compared to now. I'll probably say that again in another thirteen years. God knew I needed: 1) An understanding of pentecostalism and to be around tongue talkers. 2) A biblical view of Lev 11. 3) Teaching on the nature of God and to be baptized in Jesus name. 4) Fellowship with "sold out saints" and an understanding of church life. 6) The awe His Holy Presence, of corporate worship and singing in the spirit. 8) A husband to bridle my independence, and to learn about my own selfishness. 9) Classes in idolatry towards man and his ways. 10) Humility vs pride regarding spiritual deception. 11) The knowledge and the feeling of agony which accompany a church split. 12) To hear His voice for my own life vs others telling me what to think and do. Now it is your turn! Why did God bring YOU to the Chapel? ---------- I can't say that He did, but... Posted by Steve B. on 8/10/2001, 5:44 pm, in reply to "Why did God bring YOU to the Chapel?" Lurlee, I tend to think that God was not involved in bringing people to the Chapel. Based on the end of the Chapel, as well as on the consideration of many of the things taught and done there, I think this is a reasonable conclusion. But I do know that while I was there He did indeed work in my life, and in the lives of most of the people there, corporately and individually. I believe that this was because wherever the Word is preached it will bear fruit, and that in spite of being built on a flawed foundation, and in spite of the presence of much dross, the Chapel preached a lot of the Word. The good at the Chapel was due to the fact that we were sincerely, as a group, eager to hear the Word, trying to live the Word, and spending a lot of time in prayer and in study of the Word, regardless of the other things that were also being taught. But because in the final analysis we did not have a firm enough basis to distinguish what was and what was not the Word (that is, we thought certain things were “the Word” when in reality those things were antithetical to the Word), we were susceptible to deception when it came. Sincerely, Steve ----------- I wonder if Themes now believes that Posted by Dave Kenady on 8/10/2001, 9:52 pm, in reply to "I can't say that He did, but..." I'll spend a little time offline putting my testimony together about God leading me to the Chapel. For now, I just wonder about someone like Themes K. who experienced quite a miraculous and phenomenal leading of God to the Chapel and who ALSO was never deceived by spiritual connections, never followed the rest of CC into the deception of connections and in fact, denounced it -- I wonder if he now thinks God did not lead him there or that "God was not involved in bringing people to the Chapel." I doubt it. ----------- Questions for Steve B Posted by Lurlee on 8/17/2001, 10:04 am, in reply to "I can't say that He did, but..." After reading your response, questions come to my mind: Did God bring Eve to Adam? Did God bring Lurlee to Steve? Does God bring two people together to become husband and wife? Consider Mark 10: 5 But Jesus said unto them, For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of the creation, Male and female made he them. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; 8 and the two shall become one flesh: so that they are no more two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. If God brings male and female together, why can't God bring people to the Chapel ergo typology - Christ the bridegroom and and His Bride the church ------------- Re: Answers for Lurlee M Posted by Steve B. on 8/17/2001, 6:56 pm, in reply to "Questions for Steve B" Hi Lurlee, You ask Does God bring two people together to become husband and wife? In some cases, yes. But I do not believe in all cases. In many marriages, even many in which the two people think that God has brought them together, I do not think that it is necessarily so. But the marriage may still be a good one. Or it may be a bad one that lasts anyway. There is not always a direct correlation between what people feel is the truth about God's leading, and the reality of the situation. Often the reality does not become apparent until a long time later. Like the last several years, for me, in the case of the Chapel. Sincerely, Steve ------------ I hear you Posted by Lurlee on 8/18/2001, 7:21 pm, in reply to "Re: Answers for Lurlee M" Steve, You said: There is not always a direct correlation between what people feel is the truth about God's leading, and the reality of the situation. This is so true. I think that even in some things we may never know wether it was His leading until we see Him face to face. A friend of ours died this week of heart failure. He was only 56, left a wife and five children (two still at home). The reason why I bring this up is that we, humans, think we are infallible, immortal, and all knowing. Passing from this life into the next changes many things. ------------ Re: I'm sure He did... Posted by Keith 1 on 8/10/2001, 10:18 pm, in reply to "Why did God bring YOU to the Chapel?" ... but I'm not sure why, I don't have much confidence in myself, but off and on I have confidence in Him and maybe He'll bring it all together someday. To see His will done on earth, to see man bring Him honor, if I could play a part in that, that would be great. CC gave me a glimpse of His goodness (in the midst of all that was wrong). Again I'm not too sure what to do, I'm too easily distracted, but I believe CC had a definite purpose which maybe was a stepping stone to greater things in Him. ------------ Posted by Andrew Vouros on 8/12/2001, 3:34 pm, in reply to "Why did God bring YOU to the Chapel?" Good question Lurlee!! For me the Lord led me to the Chapel to develop a greater understanding of intimacy with God. Not just the teaching but also the experience. Before attending the Chapel, churches I attended seemed to concentrate more on seeking the hand of God instead of His face. At the Chapel I developed a greater hunger for more of God. At the Chapel is where I first encountered the manifest presence of God. My worship to the Lord from that moment has changed my life forever. Overall the Chapel experience was a blessing. But I am sad for the many who have been hurt, but pray that God will continue to restore and heal the wounded. Is 61 ------------- Posted by lanny on 8/13/2001, 9:51 pm, in reply to "Why did God bring YOU to the Chapel?" Many of the same reasons. I am 100% sure he did. In fact I am honored that I "found" my way there. The last 2 years or so do not take away from the first 18 years of blessing. It is kind of like why does God save people who later backslide? I like to see the positive side of this. Bad decisions reap accordingly. But, so do good decisions. The many good decisions were rewarded by the Lord who gave us years of blessing. Israel was delivered from Egypt only to fail in the wilderness. Did that negate their original call? Was the Red Sea opening a mirage because they failed later? The lesson is simple. If you fail, return to the One who has hundreds of promises of restoration and go on. I still thank God for my time at CC. I also thank God for my many friends from CC. There is a blessed spiritual bond. lanny