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Let me count the ways.....
I was raised in a traditional northern baptist church. My father was episcopal and my mother was Lutheran. I am good with God, and believe in the power of prayer, yet I haven't attended church for 50 years.
Sometimes I think I want to, but there are things that hold me back. Just this week, a couple of nice men from the local baptist church stopped to invite us to Easter services. I'm tempted, but I know what I'm like.
If I went and liked the atmosphere, I'd probably start volunteering for a bunch of stuff...child care? Sure. Food pantry? Sure. Sunday school? Sure. I don't want to get involved. I'm retired. The next thing I know, I'd be hip deep in mud in someplace in Africa.
There are many good reasons not to attend a church. The main one is that they usually insist that you believe everything they teach and often try to find ways to make you feel that without them, you are without God. There are too many people in church who are confused about God and his true character. They will want you to join and become a paying member. Etc...
Radical thought here....At this moment in time, try to think of them as more of a filling station. Need gas (power) and prayers answered and lively praise music (turn your radio on)? Go visit the Pentecostals. Need to understand basic salvation and water baptism (a wash and wax)? Go visit the Baptists. Need to feel unconditional love and acceptance in a come as you are atmosphere (a new paint job)? Go visit the Catholics. Need to understand the place of law and Spirit in union and see it performed for you every Sabbath in shoe leather, plus some joyful Messianic dancing (air in your tires and your windshield cleaned)? Go visit the Messianics.
Go with the idea of WORSHIPPING Him, not being compatible with the sign over the door. You're not going to find anyone that agrees with your views 100%, I don't care who you are or what you believe. Guard YOUR HEART with all diligence, listening to the Spirit of the Word teach you HIMSELF, and you'll never be moved by anything but Him no matter WHERE you are standing, the place then has become holy ground because He's standing there IN YOU.
Then pick yourself up when the appointed time of infilling is over, and travel on down the road to the next filling station. Twelve baskets of FRAGMENTS out there to be lifted up; the tribes were broken up and scattered, each one having a measure of the Truth. What measure do you need to be complete in Him in works, nature and understanding? He will direct your path if you ask Him to, and just try to keep pressing in during your journey to make sure you don't pick up any "stray pets" (beast of the field/fleshly doctrines") along the way, or you'll just have to "sacrifice" them later and they make an awful mess. Peace
Peace
Let me count the ways.....
I was raised in a traditional northern baptist church. My father was episcopal and my mother was Lutheran. I am good with God, and believe in the power of prayer, yet I haven't attended church for 50 years.
Sometimes I think I want to, but there are things that hold me back. Just this week, a couple of nice men from the local baptist church stopped to invite us to Easter services. I'm tempted, but I know what I'm like.
If I went and liked the atmosphere, I'd probably start volunteering for a bunch of stuff...child care? Sure. Food pantry? Sure. Sunday school? Sure. I don't want to get involved. I'm retired. The next thing I know, I'd be hip deep in mud in someplace in Africa.
In short, if you attended church, you might actually start living in accordance with your beliefs. Can't have that.
Let me count the ways.....
I was raised in a traditional northern baptist church. My father was episcopal and my mother was Lutheran. I am good with God, and believe in the power of prayer, yet I haven't attended church for 50 years.
Sometimes I think I want to, but there are things that hold me back. Just this week, a couple of nice men from the local baptist church stopped to invite us to Easter services. I'm tempted, but I know what I'm like.
If I went and liked the atmosphere, I'd probably start volunteering for a bunch of stuff...child care? Sure. Food pantry? Sure. Sunday school? Sure. I don't want to get involved. I'm retired. The next thing I know, I'd be hip deep in mud in someplace in Africa.
If you went and liked the service/people/etc, then good. If you are asked to get involved in things and you don't want to, just say you're not interested/ready/etc, or no not yet.
Radical thought here....At this moment in time, try to think of them as more of a filling station. Need gas (power) and prayers answered and lively praise music (turn your radio on)? Go visit the Pentecostals. Need to understand basic salvation and water baptism (a wash and wax)? Go visit the Baptists. Need to feel unconditional love and acceptance in a come as you are atmosphere (a new paint job)? Go visit the Catholics. Need to understand the place of law and Spirit in union and see it performed for you every Sabbath in shoe leather, plus some joyful Messianic dancing (air in your tires and your windshield cleaned)? Go visit the Messianics.
Go with the idea of WORSHIPPING Him, not being compatible with the sign over the door. You're not going to find anyone that agrees with your views 100%, I don't care who you are or what you believe. Guard YOUR HEART with all diligence, listening to the Spirit of the Word teach you HIMSELF, and you'll never be moved by anything but Him no matter WHERE you are standing, the place then has become holy ground because He's standing there IN YOU.
Then pick yourself up when the appointed time of infilling is over, and travel on down the road to the next filling station. Twelve baskets of FRAGMENTS out there to be lifted up; the tribes were broken up and scattered, each one having a measure of the Truth. What measure do you need to be complete in Him in works, nature and understanding? He will direct your path if you ask Him to, and just try to keep pressing in during your journey to make sure you don't pick up any "stray pets" (beast of the field/fleshly doctrines") along the way, or you'll just have to "sacrifice" them later and they make an awful mess. Peace
Peace
Careful, you might have to put some Petro in that Pope mobile before it Peters out.
There are many good reasons not to attend a church. The main one is that they usually insist that you believe everything they teach and often try to find ways to make you feel that without them, you are without God.
You clearly have not attended a United Church of Christ. We encourage critical thinking, ask people to think for themselves and ask questions. If you believe everything as I believe, then are completely missing the point of our teachings, and my sermons.
In Revelations 1:20 .....The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand , and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches``.....................See churches of Jesus Christ will have His angels in authority over these church were they will be anointed in Christ , so church who are in obedience to Christ will be anointed like this , and people who go will be blessed , and the angels of Christ will keep report of who goes there , and people who attend to these churches who spread the Word of His testimony will be blessed and can over come the world ..................Church who are not anointed of Christ will not have Jesus angels stars and would be disobedient to the ways of Christ and have very little power of Christ to redeem people for Jesus ............So if people ignore Jesus Christ Churches then it is usually unforgiveness , which God cannot forgive ......So it is blessed to find a church with evidence of Holy Spirit , and go and get counted in with God
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Peace
