GO TO CHURCH!!!!

Hello:

I’ve been studying on going to church, the church family and how we should behave. If you look at your life and those who are around you, our lives and theirs should be ever changing ever increasing in Christ. But for some of us, life remains the same; we reach a level of maturity in Christ, and we go no further. For some, life hasn’t changed since we said the sinner’s prayer. This should not be so. We need to go to church faithfully, become a united body in Christ Jesus (not different churches or denominations) and we should behave like the one we belong to; we are the King’s kids.

I love how the Bible is so simple; easy for everyone to understand. The Word of God tells us in Hebrews 10:25 (AMP) - Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching. The day that is spoken of here is the return of Jesus. Each day that passes is another day closer to His return. I am urging you, warning you today TO GO TO CHURCH! It’s important that we are with other believers (people of like faith). Every day we go out into the world, we see and hear how they live and act much more than we see and hear of the things of God (ouch Hallelujah). What or who has greater influence in our lives? Proverbs 13:20 (MSG) – Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces. I Corinthians 15:33 says - Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character. I’m not saying you can’t be around unsaved people. Who else is going to minister to them? What I am saying is if you hang around, or have before your eyes more of the world, then that will be the greater influence in your life. But if we come together with those who are like-minded in Christ, we can encourage and build each other in the Lord. And really we do need to spend more time in the church now than ever before. We need to be around the people of God just as much as we are around the people of this world. But who is willing to make such a sacrifice? It’s not like we’d have to give our very life……. When we go to church not only are we encouraged by the Word of God being brought forth, but we get encouragement from each other. Hebrews 3:13 states - But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Galatians 6:2 states - Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

We, of Christian faith, need to be unified as church members and amongst other believers belonging to others churches. But we have allowed denomination, theology, ideology to separate God’s Body, and it shouldn’t be this way. No denomination is better than the other. Now I do hope that all denominations using the Bible as their main teaching source are teaching the WHOLE TRUTH of the Bible, God’s Word. There should be no omitting or adding to the Word of God. And if we are using the same book, then we should be saying, teaching and or preaching the SAME thing. I live in the “small City of Minden”, and there is like a church on almost every corner. I remember thinking “Why do we need all these churches?” In I Corinthians 1:10, Paul is talking about this very thing, division: I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. Philipians 2:1-4 says that we should be like-minded people serving in love; then it says to do nothing through selfish ambition or conceit: If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. It has been said, true or not I don’t know, that there are some ministers that will not come and preach the “Good News” unless they can get “X” amount of dollars. NO! This is not to say that we do not take care of our ministers, but ministers “whoo-hoo” you don’t do it for the money. If you’re doing it for the money, you’re in the wrong business. You do it because you have a heart/love for God’s Word and a deep desire to see lives changed and souls won.

And guess what……………It’s not only the minister who needs to check themselves; the “lay-people” (people who sit on the pews) need to check themselves too. Romans 12:16-18 tell us to be like-minded as well, and goes on to tell us to live at peace with all men as much as you can:
Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits. Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is honest and proper and noble [aiming to be above reproach] in the sight of everyone. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
The forming of clicks, back-biting, gossiping, sowing discord within the fold is not what this is talking about. Romans 15:5-6 tells us yet again to be like-minded and it says to do it in accordance with Christ Jesus. If we are reading from the same the book, we should be able to walk together like-minded………….unless some don’t agree with what is written in the book, The Bible.

Now, I’ve said it before that over 57% of evangelical Christians believe that there are other ways to get to Heaven other than through Christ Jesus – WRONG! We have to believe and accept the WHOLE truth and nothing but the truth of God’s Word. I believe this is one of the reasons there are so many churches. Someone didn’t believe or didn’t like the truth being brought forth because it didn’t suit their lifestyle or thought a part of God’s Word was “too extreme” “too hard” or just not worth doing. So they broke off from the pack to start their own group. The Bible, the Word of God, tells us many times to like-minded, and when the Body of Christ is like-minded it causes unity within the body while allowing the Spirit to flow easily and smoothly.
We’ve all heard and read I Corinthians 12:12-26, that we are many members of one body. It is true… the left foot can’t go left and the right foot goes right, very far, unless something really bad happens……………….. We have to be united, going the same direction, on the same page, in agreement.

We as Christians need to love one another and act like we’re the King’s kid. We go to church yet we look down on our brothers and sisters in Christ. Galatians 6:10 - Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. I Timothy 5:12 tells us how we should treat of fellow church members - Don't be harsh or impatient with an older man. Talk to him as you would your own father, and to the younger men as your brothers. Reverently honor an older woman as you would your mother, and the younger women as sisters. We don’t respect each other as we should. Pastor reminded us that our faith work by love. If we do not love each other the way God wants us to, then how can our faith bring in those things we request of the Lord? This is yet another reason to check ourselves every now and then especially if your prayers aren’t being answered. Just a little something to think about.

GO TO CHURCH! Go faithfully taking heed to the Word of God being brought forth. Don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves least you see the day of the Lord’s return approaching. Read the Word of God so that we can be united, like-minded in the Word of God. Love one another; respect each other as we are instructed to do. God is love, and we should strive to be more like Him each and every day. It can all be accomplished when we GO TO CHURCH!

Did you put your armor on today???

Be Encouraged Today!!!!