I have just re read my post......

There is a lot more to be said in my story.....

I used to be homosexual ..........in RCI where do u go with that ? where do u turn for understanding.....please believe me when I say that I am aware that it is a sin............but where do u go and at least get an ear that is compassionate?

when I say I used to be ,I truly mean that.....God moved in my life and delivered me from that sin......

I used to be married.................I was homosexual when it wasnt the 'in' thing....peer pressure to get married was great and I ended up married. I have 3 wonderful children who all know my past....and love me unconditionally. (I might add that I was faithful to my wife)

I now live a celibate life..........not because the homosexuality is surpressed, but because God has caused me to be that way........no problems :-) 

In RCI, I knew that I was that way, and sat through many talks about the abomination that I was, but without ever being given a way out. I was always told that I could control my urges. I spent so many nights crying into my pillow asking God to forgive me and to help me. 

It wasn't within my capabilites. Then I had a friend who was ex RCI talk to me about deliverance (years later)and (cutting a long story short) since then my  life has been changed....not by talking in tongues or anything else other than Jesus.

I have tried to remember a talk at RCI about grace, but I dont remember any. I remember condemnation, I remember hiding who I was, I remember fear and I remember legalism. Without grace I wouldnt still be here. Suicide is a valid option when u have no others. Being told that you are an abomination (even by default) is devastating when u aren't given the way out. 

No one at RCI ever spoke with grace about those who are in sin. Yet Jesus did. He said that He didn't come for the righteous........ (I am also not into quoting scripture as if it is the latest Tony Robbins 'Self improvement course'  And before anyone goes into shock..the word of God is important to me...but it doesn't take the place of Jesus.

Any way enough of my ramblings....My life has been transformed.....not by any men...not by being convinced by men (if I can convince u of something, then someone else can convince u otherwise) but by Holy Spirit.

The people in the fellowship I attend all know my past, all know about my deliverance.....and all praise God for His grace and mercy towards me.

hello

The f word isnt used on a regular basis and is usually only used when people are in some sort of distress. I think what I was trying to say was that we allow people to be real. Not every one is at the same place in the Lord and we make allowances for that......believe me I get 'stretched' a fair bit :-)

I have seen nearly all the posts on the Geelong part of the forum....I dont know you or you husband? (sorry if I am making an assumption) but I want u to know that for what it's worth I am in support of u both.

I thought Tony Robbins was a motivational speaker....may be wrong on that....where I live I dont get TV.......Sometimes blessings come in the most unexpected forms LOL

MIchael

yes I got your pm and have read it.......WOW..... our Lord and Saviour is beyond words sometimes:-)

I think I only went to the Vogue once....and that was too many times LOL. I was in the Whyalla Assembly.....oh what joy and bliss...LOL

Interestingly enough, one of the people I led to the Lord back then is now here in Tassie..in fact it was reconciling with her again that caused me to be here (The Lord had lots to do with it of course). I hadn't seen her for over a decade and then in ,answer to a prayer when I first left RCI, He brought her back into my life...and we are true brother and sister now. It is amazing that she is now out of RCI (RF) and is back in 'relationship' with me. He is soooooooooooo faithful!

How's it go Tas,

Your group sounds a lot like mine. We are affiliated with many churches but don't belong to any. we are our own community and it works fine. You don't have to be white, rich and air-headed to be accepted into our friendship. We try not to judge or pigeon hole people... and hey if someone says 'shit' or swears in a conversation the whole room doesnt stop and look down. These are just words people... it's the life u give the word that gives it true offense.

We don't wear a creed of beliefs around our neck and parade it around like it's its own God. Salvation isnt always an instanteous thing... neither is healing. Sometimes people don't get healed, sometimes (often) people don't speak in tongues when they give there life to God. A preterist view of the bible suggests that armageddon isn't coming. another view of bible history suggests that there are ties between israel and britain... but the big issue is accepting others as Jesus did and I'm glad to hear of another group getting real. helping the sick, feeding the poor, lending a hand... that's really what people expect of Jesus... it's what he did.

I was just writing this piece up for someone else but I'll just chuck it in here too. Cya...

What the hell is sin?

We are all born sinners" is what the preachers tell us... it sounds like a ridiculous swear word... sinners... it reeks of religious pontification but what it means is that we're all born self-centred. We are all born self-centred... (especially the men) I think. To admit we are sinners to god is to admit that we are self-centred and proud and self absorbed. True spirituality is when we acknowledge this and understand that life is about loving the people around us more than ourselves...

G'day Heat

Thanks for the response...

We tend to run our meetings a bit different than most places.....we are very relaxed and have coffee while the 'meeting' is taking place.......we believe that each one of us have something to say, a song to sing, an encouragement to bring, so we make room for that in our meetings. We also take communion as our lunch meal. Our meetings start at 11.00 am and finish around 3pm...people say its not long enough.

For those of you who are thinking....BORING......if it was like 'normal' church it would be.  There are times when there is teaching, other times preaching.....depends on what Holy Spirit wants. People are encouraged to ask questions while the teaching is happening....that can be a bit out there at times...but at least it means that u have to know what u are talking about. Meeting together isnt about one voice and many ears....it is about each of us having something to bring. We have discovered the most amazing gifts hiding in people who have been involved in 'normal' church for years and never been allowed to do anything but listen.

We have also been able to reach out to those in the mainline denominations and encourage (note that word ...encourage) them to seek God for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. We talk to them about our own experience and let them decide for themselves...and offer to be there if they need us to be.

One of our local bakers has been giving us bread for a while now and we freeze it and any who have need...they dont have to be part of what we do...can have it. We are very community focused, and believe that being a Christian is about relationship...first with Him and then with each other (in fact the second is hard to do without the first).

Anyway enough...I have a plane to catch...off to beautiful Adelaide for a few days..........thank you Jetstar!!!!LOL