Announcement

Collapse

The Pulpit Guidelines

This is the place for quiet meditations and reflections. No debate is permitted, and we ask that the fact that this is a Christian-owned site be respected in that the majority of the spiritual reflections expressed here will be Christian in perspective. We ask that mediations that are blatantly unorthodox or contrary to Christianity not be posted. Respectful interaction and posting by those of other beliefs is permitted. Moderators are given wide discretion and latitude as to the appropriateness of posts in this area.

Please keep in mind the rules: here
See more
See less

Spritual Sandpaper

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Spritual Sandpaper

    I don't remember when I first heard the term, but it resonated with me immediately.

    The principle is that sometimes God puts us in contact (or allows us to be in contact) with people who just "rub us the wrong way".

    Whoever it was that first mentioned "Spiritual Sandpaper" to me was obviously talking about the fact that these folks can actually help us by knocking off some of our rough spots, and smoothing us out a bit.

    We can fight, hate, retaliate, get bitter.... or (and this is one of my own biggest challenges) allow God to do the work of "refining" us, even if he uses people we don't like to do it.

    Somebody from a former Church reminded me of the prayer I used to pray about 15 years ago when we had some particularly scratchy "sandpaper people":

    "Lord, either change them or move them, or change me or move me".

    (In the case of the former Church friend, God DRASTICALLY changed some people - three of the four died within 6 months, as God is my witness. The fourth had a quadruple-bypass, and became pretty impotent as far as making trouble in the Church)

    I'm back to praying that prayer again.
    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

  • #2
    Be afraid. Be very afraid. CP is praying.

    Comment


    • #3
      And apparently people die when he does that........



      Securely anchored to the Rock amid every storm of trial, testing or tribulation.

      Comment


      • #4
        Note to self...Do NOT rub CP the wrong way...
        "What has the Church gained if it is popular, but there is no conviction, no repentance, no power?" - A.W. Tozer

        "... there are two parties in Washington, the stupid party and the evil party, who occasionally get together and do something both stupid and evil, and this is called bipartisanship." - Everett Dirksen

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Sparko View Post
          Be afraid. Be very afraid. CP is praying.
          OK, more to that story.....

          We had these 4 people who were keeping the Church from doing anything - my first year at that church was nuclear war. Eventually, new people joined, and they began to see the problem.

          We started a men's prayer meeting every Saturday Morning at 6:00 AM to pray for the Church, and that's when I introduced the "move em or change em" prayer (or move me or change me)

          It really was quite sobering when the first two people died -- the man (we'll call him Hubert) had stopped by my office (did I tell this story elsewhere on Tweb?) to tell me he wouldn't be around as much, and, when prodded, he informed me that he just found out he has cancer, and Doc said no more than 6 months to live. About 3 months later, the Sheriff's Office called me to ask me to come to the Hospital because "the Scott family is here and they need you". WOW, I thought, that was QUICK!

          When I got to the hospital, the family informed me that "they have momma inside, and daddy is on the way". I was confused - but, long story short, his WIFE had a heart attack and died on the way to the hospital -- Hubert died 3 months later.

          Then there was one more death about 4 months after that. Yeah, it was VERY sobering, and it really shook our men's prayer group.


          Then, UNRELATED to that, I was going shooting at the range after Church with my youngest daughter. On the way to the range, she asked, "Dad, what's wrong?" I told her nothing was wrong, but she insisted, "no, something's bothering you, is that one deacon being a pest again?" I admitted I had one deacon who was still being a jerk, but nowhere NEAR as bad as he was.

          She very calmly stated, "Then, let's just pray that 'move them or kill them' prayer". I told her "move them or CHANGE them", and she said, "yeah, whatever! Let's just pray for them."
          The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

          Comment


          • #6
            My dad was an alcoholic and agnostic. My mom was a Christian. She prayed that God give him a knock on the head and change him. That was right before he had his stroke. When he recovered he stopped drinking and became a Christian. Sometimes God will do some pretty hard things to change people or get their attention.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Sparko View Post
              My dad was an alcoholic and agnostic. My mom was a Christian. She prayed that God give him a knock on the head and change him. That was right before he had his stroke. When he recovered he stopped drinking and became a Christian. Sometimes God will do some pretty hard things to change people or get their attention.
              Yeah, and I'm getting old enough, and hopefully wise enough, not to require God to get my attention with a 2x4 upside the head.

              So, to be clear - the prayer as I'm praying it now focuses on the "change me".
              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

              Comment


              • #8
                Never ask cp to pray for you.. It mortally dangerous.......
                A happy family is but an earlier heaven.
                George Bernard Shaw

                Comment


                • #9
                  Going along with your OP CP,

                  Another church founded our church as a (I guess the term is) plant church? Our first pastor was actually at retirement age. He got the church up and going nicely, then, after a couple or three years, decided to go ahead and retire. We hired an East Texas boy from Nacogdoches. Pastor "Marvin" took the church to new heights. We outgrew one rented building after another, then bought a Church. We eventually outgrew that church building and built a brand new church on the outskirts of town. Things were going pretty good until Pastor Marvin's wife died. He just didn't have it in him to continue and resigned. Then Pastor Jonathan was hired. Honestly, he really never was able to connect with many of the congregation. We began to lose people left and right. I know for a fact that there were those who were praying the move him or change him prayer for Pastor Jonathan. He passed away from heart failure. Now we have a new pastor (also an east Texas boy) and once again, our church is starting to flourish...we have a long way to go...but things are definitely looking up! I love our Pastors heart...and his preaching.
                  "What has the Church gained if it is popular, but there is no conviction, no repentance, no power?" - A.W. Tozer

                  "... there are two parties in Washington, the stupid party and the evil party, who occasionally get together and do something both stupid and evil, and this is called bipartisanship." - Everett Dirksen

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Correlation does not equal causation... but is it a bit scary that people died after that prayer was prayed??? It's sad that they were better off dead. I guess they couldn't change?
                    If it weren't for the Resurrection of Jesus, we'd all be in DEEP TROUBLE!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Christianbookworm View Post
                      Correlation does not equal causation... but is it a bit scary that people died after that prayer was prayed??? It's sad that they were better off dead. I guess they couldn't change?
                      Couldn't? I'd think "wouldn't". I don't know how many times I heard one of them say "Well, that's how I am, and you'll just have to learn to deal with it".

                      It's sad when we get into the position of "I refuse to change", even when God is obviously at work and changing things.
                      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post
                        Couldn't? I'd think "wouldn't". I don't know how many times I heard one of them say "Well, that's how I am, and you'll just have to learn to deal with it".

                        It's sad when we get into the position of "I refuse to change", even when God is obviously at work and changing things.
                        I would not want to be in that person's shoes and get scolded by Jesus.
                        If it weren't for the Resurrection of Jesus, we'd all be in DEEP TROUBLE!

                        Comment

                        widgetinstance 221 (Related Threads) skipped due to lack of content & hide_module_if_empty option.
                        Working...
                        X