For around 3 years now I have been collecting clichés said by Christians and those attending church; of course I also said most of these. I was born into a Christian family and was active and involved in church life for 40 years until the cult I was in dissolved because of adultery in the upper echelons of leadership. I have not capitalised the words "lord", "god" "jesus", partly because of the fiddle of using caps on a tablet and partly because, well, only humans decided the words needed respect. Why should I follow course?
Then there is the discrepancy with meaning: "Have you found jesus yet?". What? Is he lost? "Lead you to the lord" - led? How? With a dog collar and lead? "Ask jesus into your heart." My heart? How does he get in? Into a physical heart? And then there are the new clichés that have become viral since I left in 1991.
And then "he touched me". Now, there's one for the books!
The main issue I have with these clichés is: how do non-Christians (a very divisive word!) understand this stuff? How are people to know what the meaning of these words are when they're being preached to in an attempt to "save" them? Save from what?
+ the harness of the lord
+ holding the head
+ a word from the lord
+ have you sought the lord (about it)
+ god is moving
+ the dealings of the lord
+ I reject that in the name of jesus
+ god is stretching you
+ we are being stretched
+ follow the platform
+ the move of god
+ the move of god that touched the whole world
+ saving people for the lord
+ lead you to the lord
+ have you found jesus yet?
+ I came to know jesus when ...
+ when jesus came into my heart
+ i found jesus when i...
+ tithing to god
+ I found the lord
+ god never gives you more than you can handle
+ my walk with god
+ ask jesus into your heart
+ what would jesus do
+ you can't outgive god
+ do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together
+ god said it. I believe it. That settles it.
+ i'll pray about it
+ god will provide
+ i'm praying for you
+ i'll be praying for you
+ he touched me
+ i hear from god
+ i heard from god
+ i am under attack
+ he will wash your sins away
+ the power of god
+ the body of christ
+ man after god's own heart
+ become a new person in christ
+ whiter than snow
+ bear much fruit, bring forth fruit
+ a clean heart
+ head knowledge
+ the enemy
+ rooted firmly in his word
+ come under authority
+ go round the mountain
+ brokenness
+ god has something better for you
+ god has a plan for your life
+ demonic warfare
+ called by god
+ my calling
+ god is calling you
+ god is calling you to ...
+ walking with god
+ operating in the flesh
+ under the law
+ the burden of the lord to reach the lost
+ he came to save the lost
+ she has a heart for god
+ stepping out for god
+ the fruit, fruitful
+ the hand of god was in it
+ stepping out in trust
+ devotions
+ so others will be drawn to jesus
+ god has ordained it
+ help me be a good witness for christ
+ stand in the gap
+ step in the breach
+ i come against you in jesus' name (the devil)
+ bind the strong man
+ binding the strong man
+ speak into people's lives
+ where are you with god?
+ god will open the door
+ open the door to god
+ lord, I come to you today (and pray that...)
+ break our heart for the things that break your heart
+ a scripture that spoke to me
+ crying out to the lord
+ the glory of god
+ to the glory of god
+ led many people to christ
+ we are keeping you in our prayers
+ you've got to be in tune with the lord
+ a child of god
+ god has his hand on you
+ rest on his promise
+ lift up the name of jesus
+ grow in the lord
+ hunger and thirst for god
+ seek the face of the lord
+ the lord was encouraging me to
+ catch the fire
+ catch the rain
+ it's beginning to rain
+ manifest his glory
+ miracle working power
+ god quickened me
+ he went home to be with the lord
+ in tune with god
+ spend time alone with the lord
+ accept him as saviour and lord
+ people that have spoken into my life
+ scriptures we can stand on
+ standing on the promises of god
+ I'm believing the lord for....
+ i spoke at church today
+ as I feel led
+ i was led to...
+ that verse really spoke to me
+ get right with god
+ may god use you
+ may god bless you
+ it's not of god
+ worshiping the lord
+ god will never give you more than you can handle
+ let go and let god
+ god is in control
+ all things work together for good
+ washed in the blood
+ god has you in the palm of his hand
+ I'll pray about it
+ i feel led
+ i don't feel led
+ everything happens for a reason
+ I'm saved
+ quiet time
+ it was the lord’s will
+ i don't want to judge
+ used by god
+ sow into that
Then there is the discrepancy with meaning: "Have you found jesus yet?". What? Is he lost? "Lead you to the lord" - led? How? With a dog collar and lead? "Ask jesus into your heart." My heart? How does he get in? Into a physical heart? And then there are the new clichés that have become viral since I left in 1991.
And then "he touched me". Now, there's one for the books!
The main issue I have with these clichés is: how do non-Christians (a very divisive word!) understand this stuff? How are people to know what the meaning of these words are when they're being preached to in an attempt to "save" them? Save from what?
+ the harness of the lord
+ holding the head
+ a word from the lord
+ have you sought the lord (about it)
+ god is moving
+ the dealings of the lord
+ I reject that in the name of jesus
+ god is stretching you
+ we are being stretched
+ follow the platform
+ the move of god
+ the move of god that touched the whole world
+ saving people for the lord
+ lead you to the lord
+ have you found jesus yet?
+ I came to know jesus when ...
+ when jesus came into my heart
+ i found jesus when i...
+ tithing to god
+ I found the lord
+ god never gives you more than you can handle
+ my walk with god
+ ask jesus into your heart
+ what would jesus do
+ you can't outgive god
+ do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together
+ god said it. I believe it. That settles it.
+ i'll pray about it
+ god will provide
+ i'm praying for you
+ i'll be praying for you
+ he touched me
+ i hear from god
+ i heard from god
+ i am under attack
+ he will wash your sins away
+ the power of god
+ the body of christ
+ man after god's own heart
+ become a new person in christ
+ whiter than snow
+ bear much fruit, bring forth fruit
+ a clean heart
+ head knowledge
+ the enemy
+ rooted firmly in his word
+ come under authority
+ go round the mountain
+ brokenness
+ god has something better for you
+ god has a plan for your life
+ demonic warfare
+ called by god
+ my calling
+ god is calling you
+ god is calling you to ...
+ walking with god
+ operating in the flesh
+ under the law
+ the burden of the lord to reach the lost
+ he came to save the lost
+ she has a heart for god
+ stepping out for god
+ the fruit, fruitful
+ the hand of god was in it
+ stepping out in trust
+ devotions
+ so others will be drawn to jesus
+ god has ordained it
+ help me be a good witness for christ
+ stand in the gap
+ step in the breach
+ i come against you in jesus' name (the devil)
+ bind the strong man
+ binding the strong man
+ speak into people's lives
+ where are you with god?
+ god will open the door
+ open the door to god
+ lord, I come to you today (and pray that...)
+ break our heart for the things that break your heart
+ a scripture that spoke to me
+ crying out to the lord
+ the glory of god
+ to the glory of god
+ led many people to christ
+ we are keeping you in our prayers
+ you've got to be in tune with the lord
+ a child of god
+ god has his hand on you
+ rest on his promise
+ lift up the name of jesus
+ grow in the lord
+ hunger and thirst for god
+ seek the face of the lord
+ the lord was encouraging me to
+ catch the fire
+ catch the rain
+ it's beginning to rain
+ manifest his glory
+ miracle working power
+ god quickened me
+ he went home to be with the lord
+ in tune with god
+ spend time alone with the lord
+ accept him as saviour and lord
+ people that have spoken into my life
+ scriptures we can stand on
+ standing on the promises of god
+ I'm believing the lord for....
+ i spoke at church today
+ as I feel led
+ i was led to...
+ that verse really spoke to me
+ get right with god
+ may god use you
+ may god bless you
+ it's not of god
+ worshiping the lord
+ god will never give you more than you can handle
+ let go and let god
+ god is in control
+ all things work together for good
+ washed in the blood
+ god has you in the palm of his hand
+ I'll pray about it
+ i feel led
+ i don't feel led
+ everything happens for a reason
+ I'm saved
+ quiet time
+ it was the lord’s will
+ i don't want to judge
+ used by god
+ sow into that
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