 Posted Monday, October 10, 2005 8:50 PM
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Frogs,
Great to hear how the Lord is transforming your life. Thanks for sharing.
I have to confess that I did not invent the FROGS acronym. A while ago my daughter came home from Sunday School with a bracelet that said FROG. She told me what it stood for. All I did was add the "for Salvation" part.
Your posts about gaining a new comfort speaking with people, etc, struck a chord with me. When I got out of CS and started relying on God in the new real way that I was learning in the Bible and in my new church, a series of fundamental adjustments began occurring in my life and character... how I thought, and spoke, what I thought of and expected of myself, etc. I felt a joy and freedom and "rightness" in my life that was new to me. It was a time of excitement and discovery, like a good house cleaning when you throw open the windows on a sunny spring day and throw out a lot of old dusty clutter.
It was also a difficult time since I was seeing myself through a clearer lens then ever before, and the picture wasn't always pretty. Having accepted Christ and invited the Holy Spirit to live within me, He began His transforming work, gently revealing issues, healing, restoring, renewing. Although His hand is gentle and sure, sometimes cleansing the temple can be tumultous (especially when I resist!)
At the time, I likened the experience to my spirit being a mostly deflated air mattress. Major parts of me were crumpled and rolled up and distorted. Then God began to breathe life into me, and I began to fill and unroll and straighten out and come into my intended and natural shape. This shape--God's original design and purpose for me, the character He gave me--was there all the time it just hadn't received the fulfilling breath of God.
There's still a long way to go, but Jesus hasn't given up on me yet! Of course He never will, and the on going process of sanctification makes life exciting and meaningful through the highs and lows.
In Christ,
Bill
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Posted Tuesday, October 11, 2005 5:33 AM
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<< When I got out of CS and started relying on God in the new real way that I was learning in the Bible and in my new church, a series of fundamental adjustments began occurring in my life and character... how I thought, and spoke, what I thought of and expected of myself, etc. I felt a joy and freedom and "rightness" in my life that was new to me. It was a time of excitement and discovery, like a good house cleaning when you throw open the windows on a sunny spring day and throw out a lot of old dusty clutter. >>
Bill,
Thank you for saying this in such a beautiful way! How true and how blessed we (those of us who have left CS) are to make the journey home! I remembering being told when in Christian Science that spiritual growth was such a fundamental part of CS and that studying MBE's books along with the Bible was the only way of obtaining such growth. What at lie that was! I'm sure it was not an intentional lie, as MBE and her students really believe it. Now I know that I never truly grew spiritually AT ALL until I left Christian Science and saw the sin within myself. At first, that sin was totally overwhelming and deeply painful, but just a glimpse of the knowledge of the cross brought the freedom.
It's such a joy to witness others embarking on the journey away from CS and knowing that we are not alone on this path!
Thanks, as always, Bill, for your insight.
-- Grace
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Posted Friday, October 27, 2006 8:44 PM
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| In the spirit of sharing gratitude, I would also like to give some. I would like to start off by saying how grateful I am to the Lord that He has led those of you who were involved in Christian Science out and into His glorious light! Although I've never been involved in Christian Science before and was even raised in a Christian home, I can't help but think from the "coming away" experiences of my life that Bill hit the nail on the head! There are definitely some difficulties in being a Christian as the Holy Spirit comes into you and first convicts you of sin. As He starts cleaning, you can't help but notice all of the dirt that's built up, but as He sanctifies you and you ask Him to take control, the cleansing effect is amazing! The joy and happiness that floods over is wonderful! I also would simply like to express my gratitude for my family. It's so wonderful having been raised by Christian parents who taught and practiced the Bible in our home. We had (and continue to have) our share of problems, but the Lord also brings a joy and happiness on our family that can come no other way. We share a hope and a joy looking forward to eternal life with the Lord that each of us understands because of this upbringing. I would also like to express gratitude for the Lord and His church. He has so blessed us with support and blessings in the form of brothers and sisters all through the world. How amazing that no matter where I go in the world, I have at least a few family members nearby, if not literally hundreds of thousands! What a mighty God we serve!
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"Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another."--Romans 12:4-5 (HCSB)
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