I can't find a fantastic church in this area. I just can't. Last Sunday was so bad, but so typical for this area. Remember I've been to about 10-15 churches in this area since living here, but I still haven't given up. I refuse to because I LOVE the Body of Christ. I don't need suggestions from people about where to attend. I just need to be directed by God, and He has absolutely been faithful to direct me regardless of how others perceived it. Remember, people were far less than thrilled when the Apostle Paul had to sail off to other congregations. He kept in contact with everyone and demanded for them to rise to godliness as they were called, and he prayed earnestly for them even though they, in many ways, were obstacles for him with their disinterest in his going where God called him to be. I can relate to that a lot.
Some say I'm a fault-finder. I've been called many names, scorned, mocked, rejected, accused wrongfully, shunned, shamed, and abandoned by those 'who love Jesus'. But truthfully all it is is that I read Scripture and compare everything to it, questioning others' faith for rejecting God's Word though they claim to be of Him, which we are commanded to do. And I still love the people who have wronged me. I must love them, because God's forgiveness has extended so greatly to me that I can't live a loveless life toward others. In fact, as a new creature in Christ, it would be impossible for me to do so.
That said, having spent more time in the epistles, I'd rather go with the reformed church which has "some issues" than a church for the unsaved, which is ultimately what all these seeker-sensitive churches are proving to be. It's been a challenge, but I'm convinced that the best preacher in this town is named Nick Smith, and.... I'm gonna go back. I'm reformed. I need reformed theology.
If I have to EVER again hear a pastor tell a congregation that they are invited to take communion with the saints if they so much as have any level of desire to be closer to God, and they don't even need to be saved.... *deep breath* I'm not sure what I'll do, but I pray in advance that my heart is contrite and that I only use as much self-control as I ought to. And absolutely, under no conditions, is a woman to be preaching to men. Cartoon movies so people forget that they are in church? No. These are the things I have seen lately. It's gut-wrenching and I have cried a lot over the corruption inside churches.
God knows.... God knows.
On a side note, I spoke to a girl today who is in school for Biblical Studies. She explained how she told people who questioned her Christianity that "this is just what I believe and this is what I think is true." Common response, right? A very non-judgmental and non-threatening response, many would say, right? Therefore, completely acceptable, right?
I looked at her and said "I'm glad you believe it, but why should anyone believe what you say if you convince them that with your words and actions that what you believe is your opinion and not actually fact? If Jesus really did die for the sins of those who believe in Him, you can stand on that conviction no matter WHO you are talking to. And you can not only stand by those convictions but you can live by them. None of this 'this is my belief' junk is necessary or profitable when evangelizing. You don't need to force Christianity down their throats. Most people will reject it, anyway. And really, you can't force it, since it's God who changes a person, but God uses means of saving people, and that 'means' is His elect. People say "oh, stop forcing your religion on me," but what they're really saying is "I don't want to hear about your God and I don't want salvation." Arguing against that "don't force your beliefs on me" line is foolish, since when they insist that there is no God, you can use that line on them, too. Please, if you really believe that what you believe is true, don't present the gospel as a nice thought. It wasn't just a nice thought or an opinion that put Jesus on that cross, and uplifting opinions won't ever save a soul. "
She thought about that. She hadn't heard it put that way before. Have you?
"Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;" Psalm 107:2 (KJV)
If you really are saved, you can stand on that. Don't fear what people can and will do to you.
Newest books I'm reading are 2 Chronicles (I'll have the whole Bible finished by the end of summer) and The Confessions of St. Augustine. I have Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola and George Barna pulled from the library, too, but that one needs to wait a bit. I don't think it'll be a problem to hold it for a while. It's not exactly in popular demand. My husband is in training for a supervisor position at work, and our son is starting to read. I'm still exercising consistently. My dirty laundry is in my journal. Not my blog. This is all you get. ;)
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