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Sunday, 22 January 2012

  • THE ECO IS BORN

    As of yesterday in Orlando, Florida a new denomination of Presbyterians was formed.   The interim group, The Fellowship of Presbyterians, had met to discuss options of those members of the PCUSA who had fought to retain purity standards for clergy as well as other parts of the constitution which had been based on scripture.   Those measures were defeated narrowly last year, causing much consternation among the members  who had fought these changes for years.   This new denomination is called the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians.   The president is a Minnesota pastor, John Crosby, pastor of Christ Presbyterian, Edina MN.

    I am in the process of reading the notes of the taskforce and waiting for a meeting of the elders of my church to study this over and make a recommendation to the congregation as to our involvement to join or decision not to be involved in the ECO.   There are bound to be stories by the media which may be biased (you think?) but this is a wait-and-see thing for each local congregation and each presbytery.   I'll try to keep abreast of these developments because I think this is a much needed move for the Bible believing members.   We are praying that our message will always be the pure gospel and our head, Christ Himself.

Tuesday, 10 January 2012

  • A Dwelling Place Of God

    Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians2:19-22)

    There seems to be a misunderstanding among some believers as to what the word "Church" means.   If you ask a number of Christians, "what is the Church?" you will hear "it's the Body of Christ."   But upon following up, some will say " I am the body of Christ."   While it is true that Christ lives in us in the person of the Holy Spirit, no one believer comprises the whole of the Church, as the above passage makes very clear.

    In my casual survey of Christians who have left off going to church or who have a difficult time being "satisfied" in a given local body of believers, I learned that for many believers today, it's more about "what I want" or "what I don't want" than it is about being a part of the corporate Church.   That may not be a fair statement to some, but sad to say, the first "reasons" that most people give is about their likes and dislikes and seldom about "what God wants."

    I am sure that my words alone will not change hearts, but I believe that God's plan is for believers to be saved, not only individually, but as a body.   Jesus said that Peter's confession of the deity of Christ was the foundation on which He would build His Church....not having a bunch of loose stones lying around, but a building of "living stones."  

    Romans.  I Corinthians. IICorinthians. Galatians. Ephesians. Philippians. Colossians. I Thessalonians. II Thessalonians. Hebrews. Also, James, Peter, and John wrote of believers corporately as well as individually...and then there are the 7 churches in The Revelation of Jesus Christ. 

    As long as the "I wants" and don't wants are governing our attitudes, we are not cooperating with the Holy Spirit - at all.   There is the temptation to "throw stones" at the churches or call them irrelevant or behind the times, and the accompanying spirit of superiority over those who are regular attenders/supporters of their local body.  Maybe we have just forgotten what God has said: that He is building us together for His dwelling place.   If that is the case, lets begin to realize who it is that is sovereign!

Tuesday, 03 January 2012

  • Church (S)Hopping (4th and final)

    A few of the responses I've gotten from friends who've changed churches (some, more than once recently):

    Again, no particular order and no response from me until after the list:

    I want something new and more exciting.

    I want a smaller/larger church than the one I've been attending.

    I want more traditional/more contemporary music.

    I don't feel challenged by the pastor's sermon.

    The pastor's sermon is more like meddling in my life.

    People don't come up to me to talk after/before church.

    Many of the women here have children, and all they want to talk about is their children.

    The church talks too much about money.

    Nobody/everybody asks me to do things for the church.

    The people don't seem to be really worshiping the Lord as they should.

    The people are too physically demonstrative in their worship of the Lord.

    I can slip out the back after church and no one notices that I was there.

    This is only a sample.  Most people I've asked have been pretty straight-forward about their "reasons."   A few have said something vague, such as, "I just felt it was time to move on."   I purposely grouped these things in contrasting pairs to show that there is no limit to the things people object to or feel slighted by.  Both sides almost always showed up in answer to my question.

    As I've said before in another post, to me, church membership - being accepted into a body of believers either formally or not represents a commitment on both sides.   The congregation welcomes you and accepts the role of supporting/teaching etc. and you, the role of doing the same for them:

      "What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church."(I Corinthians 14:26)

    Now, I realize that there is another attitude prevalent today which says, "I can be just as good a Christian outside the church as in."   Quite often this is followed by the old standby, "there are too many hypocrites in the church" ...or, "I can tell you horror stories about things that happened in church."    All three of these statements and others like them are meant to imply that the person is better/more spiritual/more moral than those in church or, that church, at best, is either totally unnecessary, evil, or purely optional.

    If we think of the church as something we "shop for," this implies that we want to do the choosing.  If we ask God to lead us to the church He would have us be a part of, we want God to do the choosing.   It is no secret that we have been conditioned to "shop" for everything we want.  There are competing products in every line of merchandise and service - and high-powered ads to convince us to buy a certain brand.   So we have taken that attitude to church on Sunday....The church plant, the parking lot, the greeters, the restrooms, the choir or band, the coffee (no kidding), the sermon, the youth ministry - expecting that this church should supply all our needs and wants, including the care and teaching of our children and our personal Bible study.   In doing so, we find that every single church fails on one point or another...(poor coffee) and that none of those things are our responsibility privately.  Also, we are expecting to be wooed by the pastor and congregation, if they really want us, they'll bend over backward to please us.   Then, shortly after joining, something goes wrong or someone looks at us wrong or slights us, and the honeymoon is over.   This is the silliest, most unscriptural, unspiritual, immature scenario imaginable, and yet it is occurring all over the country.   Churches begin to concentrate on getting and keeping people instead of serving God and the community in the gospel of Christ.

    God doesn't want churches to become exclusive "clubs" where only certain type people are welcome.   He is raising an army of believers who can put up with a few less than perfect situations and with less than perfect people (which we all qualify to be) in order to proclaim the perfect Christ who provided the perfect sacrifice for sinners, so that we sinners could be His brethren and live and work with Him forever.   We are a body of believers world-wide, not a scattering of Lone Rangers, loose cannons, and secret believers.   

    In writing this post, I have become aware that we all are losing sight of God - or becoming our own god/constructing a god according to our own ideas.   I pray that God will use you and I to welcome in a revival of the Holy Spirit's power.   Not only do we want to see our brethren prospering in the abundant (spiritual) life and people being saved, but we want to see God's glory more than to be petted and pleased and catered to.  This is my prayer.

     

     

Friday, 30 December 2011

  • Why I Am A Church Member

    My joy in serving God through the ministry of my church.

    I'm taking a slightly different tack here in seeking to know why some Christians are prone to be constantly seeking or moving from church to church - or boycotting church altogether.   In my earlier post, I told most of the history of my own church attendance and membership.   Most of the changes I made were logistical or connected with life situations, such as getting married, etc.   Maybe some of the comments I receive (hopefully there will be comments) will provide situations to discuss.   When I received Christ there was no one telling me that I needed to get into a "good" church, but my desire was for God and God's people so that I could learn more about my new life.  Over the years I have been in some "good" churches and some not as good, for one reason or another.   Let me tell you I love my church friends, my pastor, and just the fact that I have that home place for expressing my love for God and learning ever more to love Him.  

    OK.   Here is a list, not in any particular order because I often write at the keyboard whatever comes to me:

    God has called me here.  It is His design that I not forsake the assembling with others of like faith.

    I enjoy pleasing God.

    My life is open to my brothers and sisters, therefore I have a certain accountability to them and they to me.

    Much of my study of the Word of God is motivated by the messages of my pastor and what I study on my own, I often discuss with him...(we are never in complete agreement on every detail, but I respect him and he me).

    I am free to express my love and worship of Christ during the church meetings, but am considerate of others' expressions.

    I enjoy the many outreach opportunities that are sponsored or initiated by my church.

    All of the members are sinners just like me and have been saved by faith in Christ just as I was...there are no hypocrites among them - none claims to be righteous in himself or better than anyone in or out of the church.

    If I have a need, I know I can speak it and receive prayer and substantive help.  Also, no one will refuse my help and prayers.

    I have made a commitment to that church before God in joining it.   My wife and I had covenanted together to join before she passed away.

    My church has a slight bent toward liturgy, and that's fine with me.  I enjoy it and so did my wife, coming from a liturgical background.

    My voice is welcomed whenever there is a meeting of the congregation and my ideas considered courteously.

    I know where the church dollars are used and am very happy to be able to give what I can.

    My pastor loves his flock and never fails to call on anyone who wants him to.   He is a personable man and a spiritual man.

    We have a meal together after church once a month and always have good food and wonderful fellowship.

     

    I know I could extend this list further, but would probably repeat some points in doing so.  Also, I may have left out something very important.   My point in listing these things is because many of these same things could be said of most all churches.   There is a real reason why God wants us to meet together, break bread together, and work for the sake of propagating the gospel of Christ.  If you love Christ, you love His Church.  He gave Himself for Her and desires greatly to be with Her for eternity.  

Monday, 26 December 2011

  • Church (S)hopping Part 3

    In the previous installment, I included a video clip from the movie, "Passion Of The Christ."   My statement following (or at least my intention) was that the issue of "church" or THE CHURCH is based on the scriptural inferences and references to it that come from the gospel of Christ.   It may seem unnecessary to define "church" to those of us who are IN the church, but there are many church members who are not IN the church and therefore are already at a loss to determine a correct view.

    In saying IN the church, I am eliminating the idea that any one person IS the church.   As members of the Body of Christ we are just that, members.   Misunderstanding this is one of the problems involved in defining the Church.   Those who claim to be "automomous Christians" are using an oxymoronic phrase.  No single member of the Body is self-governing, but is under the headship of the Head ( the head of every man is Christ).  We have been born again into God's family and God is our Father (as Jesus taught us to pray thus), so that He is the head of the family and we are not our own.   We have been bought with a price - the precious blood of Christ shed for us, for our sins on the cross.   It may seem unnecessary, again I say, but the view that so-called modern Christians are falling into is radically different from God's definition and His plan for us.   Even our works that we are to do as His children and members of His Body are already planned for us to do and to walk in.    We are not to be loose cannons roaming about doing what we think is "good" without even consulting Him as to whether that thing is "good" or the timing of it according to His purpose.   The same principle applies to our joining with certain segments of the church (local church).    Assembling ourselves together is a command: "Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is."   So the question remains as to how we find the "right" church; and having "found" that church, understanding what God's purpose there is for us.    The local church is a social organization as well as a spiritual entity, so we have certain functions within that body in order to help maintain the unity and to grow continually toward perfect peace and unanimity in purpose.   (Also to grow thereby in our personal walk with Christ.)

    This is as far as I wish to go in this more or less introductory installment.   Further on, the scriptural passages that talk about the church (and most of the book of Acts and the epistles including The Revelation of Jesus Christ deal with church and church issues) will be cited and discussed.   This subject is of utmost importance for the growth of Christians, for their commission as ambassadors for Christ, and concerning the visible church that the unbelieving world sees.

quest4god

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    • Name: quest4god
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About Me

  • Some important things are happening in my life. God is working all things, including the passing of my dear wife of 31+years for my good. (For her good also!) We had so many years of faithful love for each other and for our Lord. Though it is lonely without her, I celebrate her graduation to heaven. Some friends of mine here on this forum (Xanga/Revelife) are praying with me for revival of the Church here and worldwide. I hope to meet more Christians on this forum and IRL who share in our intense devotion to Christ and are hungry for more of Him and who will join us in exhorting and supporting our brethren in the Lord who want and need revival also. God is sovereign. He has already triumphed over sin and death at the cross. He has equipped us with spiritual gifts and will accomplish everything He has purposed to do. We have the great privilege of being chosen as His children to be His ambassadors to the world.

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  • Jamieliza@xanga
    Hi.... I just want to share a short poem that I wrote with you.. Be encouraged.. ;) http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=KGWLWGNX ♥♥ http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-am-blessed/id484802912?i=484802924Feel free to check out my website: www.wix.com/jamiehardges/wilde-orchid2Jamie
  • quest4god
    @YouTOme@xanga - Thanks so much Julie! I thoroughly enjoy your posts!
  • YouToMe@xanga
    Happy belated birthday to you, Norm. You are a real light and salt in here. :) I am very thankful to learn from your wisdom and experience.
  • quest4god
    @llamalima@xanga - Coming from one whom I admire for his maturity in Christ, I am honored! Thank you!
  • llamalima@xanga
    Bro? Otherwise happy birthday! You're a real blessing around here sir!
  • naphtali_deer@xanga
    @quest4god - You're welcome!
  • quest4god
    @naphtali_deer@xanga - Thank you very much, Sis!
  • naphtali_deer@xanga
    Happy Birthday, Bro!