Greetings From Down Under

[Jeanne]

Hi All,

My name is Jeanne and I've been on all three versions of this forum now. I have been a member of the CLE church group for three years now. I love all the teaching here and thank God that He has been showing the truth of His Word to Chris and that He has allowed Chris to teach these things to us.

I sincerely pray that the technical problems we have had in the past with the forum are now resolved and that we won't lose more years' worth of teaching and discussion.

[Jeanne]

I realise I did not give much of a testimony in my first post and it has taken me quite some time to figure out what I should really say.

I grew up in a Presbyterian church building that grew from 600 members to over 4000 while I was there. At first, it was a United Presbyterian church but then the denomination started instituting some new policies that our congregation strongly opposed, such as ordaining homosexuals and declaring church property as belonging to the denomination rather than the particular congregation. I was involved in the congregational meeting where the issue was to either remain or break away from the United Presbyterian denomination. The decision to break away was nearly unanimous as I recall only four votes against it. So this church along with a few other founded a new denomination called the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

When I was a child, this church always used the King James Bible. However, sometime around either my junior high or high school years, they switched to the NIV. I never really liked it and I always found myself 'translating' verses I had memorised as a child into the King James. Of course, we grew up celebrating all the pagan holidays such as Christmas, Easter and even Halloween (which also happens to be my mother's birthday).

Even though I was always active in the youth activities at church and went to 'Christian' camps every summer, I started rebelling around the age of 16 or so and got heavily involved in drinking, drugs and fornication. This went on for many years and even though I still considered myself nominally a 'Christian', I did not attend church or get involved with other Christians.

When I was stationed in Virginia with the Air Force, I started attending a Baptist church that was just getting started in the area, and this was my first encounter with modern 'worship music'. I loved it and thought it was just the greatest thing. I still didn't let go of my sinful lifestyle, however.

For many years I was involved in different churches of many different denominations off and on, including some of the charismatic ones. These churches used just about every Bible version available EXCEPT the King James. (For many years, I used the NLT.) I was even in the choir at a Billy Graham crusade once. I can't count the number of times I 'went forward' at an altar call but still nothing changed. This is why I can't really pinpoint the exact time I actually got saved.

Later on I became fascinated with 'creation science' as I never could reconcile what I had been taught about evolution with what I knew from the Bible. I became heavily involved in such ministries as Answers in Genesis and Institute for Creation Research (ICR) and bought all the books and DVDs I could get my hands on. My life was still pretty much the same, however.

I knew that how I was living was wrong but my fleshly desires took precedence over what I knew to be right. I joined another Bible forum many years ago and one of the other members there mentioned the CLE ministry, which is how I found Chris's articles. As soon as I started reading I couldn't get enough. Almost everything I had been taught all my life was a lie!

I'm still not where I know I should be in my walk with Christ and I still lay awake nights sometimes thinking about all the ways I've messed up. But I do thank God that I've found some honest Bible believing and God fearing people to fellowship with and that I've also found a place where the Bible is being taught honestly with no frills or sugar coating the way it should be.

Praise be to God that He has raised up a teacher such as Chris Johnson who is willing to do what is right over what is convenient and to teach the truth of the Word. I pray the Holy Spirit will continue to teach him and give him discernment to reveal the truth.

I have to admit that I feel like such a hypocrite sometimes coming here and presuming to be able to speak intelligently about what the Bible says when my own life is still such a mess. I see so many others who seem to be so much more committed to doing what's right than I am.

I thank you all for accepting me and loving me as I am and for caring enough to give me rebuke when needed.

[Masha]

What a wonderful testimony, Jeanne. I feel strongly connected. I am relieved you shared some of your difficulties in your walk with the Lord. To me it also sometimes seem thast others are sounmoved and wise, yet Ic struggle and am still so ignorant about somany things:-))We ALL have difficulties, challenges and issues. Were it not for Gods infinite patience and grace we would all be lost without hope. (1 Timothy 1) Praise Jesus for allowing us to have a better life in Him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For being merciful beyond measure in giving us courage and strength every time our flesh and lusts get us down, to get back up and continue to walk with our Lord and Saviour.
And we need our Saviour every day!! because eventhough born-again, the flesh is weak at times, very weak.

Romans 7: 17, Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
    18, For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
    19, For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
    20, Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
    21, I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
    22, For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
    23, But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
    24, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body5 of this death?
    25, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.


May the Lord strengthen you, thank you for sharing!!!

[anvilhauler]

That was an excellent read Jeanne.  It can often appear that others are doing so much better but I can assure you that typically we all struggle with things and have things to sort out on a regular basis    ......  at least now I know that I'm not alone 

[Suelong88]

We all put on that happy "public" face, don't we?  Like on the outside everything is fine, but on the inside you're crying out to God to help you!  None of us are perfect and won't be until the very end!  I also thank God that he has led me here to this group of believers where we can encourage and correct each other in love.  (or is that charity?)

Anyway...was that Ward that you went to in Livonia?

[Jeanne]

Yep, and my mum still goes to that church, though it's moved to Northville now. It's at 6 Mile and Haggerty (behind the shopping centre) instead of where it used to be at Farmington and 6 Mile. There's now a Walgreen's and an apartment complex on that corner.

My brother and his wife go to Northridge in Plymouth and as far as I'm concerned, that church is even worse about being worldly. I never heard such watered-down, 'nothing' preaching. Of course, they call it being 'seeker sensitive'... They make a HUGE deal out of their Christmas and Easter productions (which they sell tickets to) and if you miss it, you can always buy the DVD. Well, the Christmas one, anyway. Don't know that they sell tickets for Easter.

[TheChickenWhisperer]

Jeanne, thank you so much for sharing your testimony in your introduction!  Believe it or not, I could relate to some of it!  I knew something was wrong in the churches, but couldn't put my finger on it until Chris started this ministry.  The more I learn, the more I understand what we have all been facing.

Virtual hugs!

Thank you for being a part of our "family."

[Suelong88]

Jeanne, ugh...Northridge is one of the worst.  I remember when it used to be Temple Baptist in Detroit.  I can't see how their "senior pastor" can be leading their congregation when they have 5 services.