A Christian Without a Church ....Really !

Once again I heard this statement uttered and like a kick to the gut , it gets me a bit bothered under the collar.Why you might ask ? Well there was a fool that uttered these very words and it just didn't  pan out too well . That fool would be me . I mentioned before on this blog about my wandering in the wilderness of self affliction , thinking I was so right . Needless to say and without going into all the gory details , it was a mitigated disaster .

So when one says I can be a believer and not go to Church , my first reaction is , your joking right! Now let me clarify , I do not believe going to Church makes one a Christian and in extreme circumstances , one may find one self without a place to attend for a brief season due to doctrinal issues or health . But with the advent of a car and transportation , one can surely find a decent Church to go to . perhaps it won't be all perfect doctrinally , but unless its preaching rank heresy , you are called to attend.If you do not and you become a nit picker , its root is pride . What you are saying is I'm all knowing . I know the Pastor is this , the people are that , the teaching is this and one hides their disgust towards Jesus church , pretending to be all pious .

But in reference to the statement that I heard , here is the rub of the matter. If I say I love my wife and children and truly desire a relationship with them and I neglect to spend time with them then how can that statement be true . Love shows itself in action. To love ones wife is to talk with her and listen  , to serve her and be intimate with her . Same with children , one needs to be with them , enjoying their company .

When God calls us out of darkness , He doesn't place us back into isolation and say go your merry way , good luck. No , when Peter preached his famous sermon in Acts and thousands were saved , it says they were added to the Church . The Church was bought with Christ blood . He laid down his life to establish the Church , made up of His sheep.

Acts 2: ⁴² They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

The act to gather together came about quickly .  There was no lone ranger believer attitude . Even when some began to drift away from faithful fellowship , the writer of Hebrews admonishes to not do so (Hebrews 10:25) but to continue on meeting to encourage one another. To say you love the Lord Jesus Christ and want nothing to do with His Church is at best a contradiction and at worst shows a spiritually sick heart , one that even deceive oneself in thinking they are in the right but in truth it can hide a self righteous and legalistic spirit. See it , been it and had the T-shirt.

To gather in God's house to worship , to hear God's word preached , to commune with other Christians is a sweet breath to the soul. We come together not as a perfect family , but one who acknowledges we are broken , sinners in need our a Savior . Yes , the Church will have warts , it will have problems but like the great preacher Spurgeon has said , if your looking for the perfect Church , you won't find one because as soon as you join , its not.

Jesus in Revelation even commends the faithful Christians who remained faithful in a not do perfect Church but He doesn't say go out in the forest and sit and worship , alone. Attending Church regularly shows a heart willing to submit under God's word . It also recognizes the need to be accountable to a larger community . The preached word acts like a surgeon's knife and without a weekly dose of the gospel , one can be so close off to ones blind spots . We can hold one to pride, be unforgiving , hold grudges etc... and think we are all right with God .

So please , unless you are on a desert island with your Bible and a coconut , do not say I can believe and be a faithful Christian without the Church . You will be open to sin and attack . It can show up as real rebellion and a fall or a moralistic , self righteous,false piety . Equally as dangerous and against the gospel of grace .

You cannot have God for your Father
Unless you have the Church
for your Mother.
Cyprian, Third Century Bishop of Carthage

"The bible knows nothing of solitary religion." John Wesley

"Church attendance is a vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man." D.L Moody 

Forward , Onward and Upward

Took a couple days off of writing. Had a funeral to go to on New Years Day of a friend that died after a battle with cancer . He was a solid Christian. So it kinda framed the rest of the day for me as I entered 2011.

Then yesterday I also took advantage of the weather and went to visit my Mom's grave site. So in the quiet of the grave yard , with the wind slightly blowing over the snow covered ground I prayed .

I resolved to look forward . For way too many years I have spent too much time lingering and dwelling on past sins ,mistakes and failures. I do believe one should try to heal hurts one has caused , seeking forgiveness and reconciliation , undoing the wrongs one has done to the best of ones ability but at the same time if we dwell there if things don't go the way we want , we will be stuck in the past. We must except that if we confess of sins , God is faithful to forgive our sins . To linger and let them bog us down is ultimately an insult . Therefore looking forward I will resolve to read Psalm 51 daily , to mark my life with repentance and trust in the promises that in Jesus Christ , I'm whiter than snow . My sins are remembered no more .

I also resolve to move onward in the call to take up my cross ,deny myself and follow my Lord where He leads me (Mark 8:34 ). To truly desire growth and grow in grace in my life not for the purpose to naval gaze , but to exult  Jesus Christ ,to glorify the Father and be filled with the Holy Spirit so that I can be more effective in my witness to others and service to my home Church . I want to love more, forgive much and share more . 


Finally I want to press upward ." I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."Philippians 3:14) I want to set my eyes upward and set my sights on Jesus . This life can pummel you and leave you barren and weak. The flesh(sinful nature) the world and the devil want to rob your joy and peace one has  in the Lord. So the the hope that is found only in Christ , is what I wish to press towards. Just as a runner  that sprints for the finish line , one must fix ones eyes on the finish line . Most successful runners will tell you , to run well you must not focus on who is behind,beside or even ahead of you . One should focus on your goal that you see for yourself ahead to succeed . May the gospel of Jesus Christ, the wonder of the cross and the power of the resurrection be ever in our sight.


So those are my brief resolutions for 2011. May this year be full of God's grace and His glory be the goal . God bless . 

Dying Well

One Pastor that I have read and listened to said one of his main task is to prepare his flock to face death and die well. This song reflects that as well.
 
Death is a reality for all , no one is exempt. The rich , the poor are on equal footing here.For as the word teaches , we come into this world with nothing and we take nothing  with us . But in Christ we have a treasure secure . No more amazing words can be spoken to anyone than to have Jesus say ,"Today you will be with me in Paradise".

What blessed assurance to know that if we cry out to Jesus , acknowledge our sin , repent and trust in His life,death on the cross and resurrection we can look past the grave , past hell and gaze on the beauty of God and His glory in heaven .

"Grave Robber" Kickin it Old School

Ever since I was a kid ,death has always been a fear of mine . For whatever reason it haunted me and I recall thinking about what happens after death. Even after I became a Christian , I still have days that it drives fear into me .

When that happens this song by Petra really speaks to me . Reflecting the promise of what Paul says in Corinthians .


1 Corinthians 15 :[52] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. [53] For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. [54] When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:      

“Death is swallowed up in victory." [55] “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

  [56] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the passage that we need to hold on to when doubt or fear begins to grip ones heart .

How Could One Stand

How many really are honest enough to truly look in the mirror if you ask them by what right do you feel you should have entrance into heaven? How could one stand before a holy all perfect God and  have the arrogance to say that I deserve to be in based on my works. On my merits .

Each day , each hour ,each minute I'm never righteous enough , holy enough to even for a mill-a second come under the gaze of almighty God.  But the beauty of the gospel , we are the recipient of another's perfect life, His righteousness which is given to us .

[21] For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 

(2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

In Jesus Christ we have our substitute who fulfilled all that we cannot . He was obedient even unto the cross.  Its been described as the great exchange . It is humbling and awe inspiring to grasp this truth. Jesus is the only reason I will be able to stand . It will be nothing of me but all of Jesus. 

So how will you stand ? Trusting in your own righteousness , a fools folly for sure or will you trust in one who  can give you a robe of righteousness and truly make you holy before His Father. 

Once Again

As the new year approaches many are preparing for parties and they will ring in the new year with resolutions that most will break within a day .Many will look back on the year and reflect on what has been , what has happened and where they are going.

My question to myself and to others , what are your goals for 2011? What are the things you want to see change , the areas you want to grow in and things do you want to do. These are not resolutions but area in ones life you want to see change .

No matter what one plans , ultimately God is sovereign over all plans . But in terms of personal holiness and growth in Christ, it is God's plan for ones life .Its not an option. That is one hunger for my life , to grow in Christ and grasp fully what it is to be hungry for righteousness.

As one gets older you realize that time is not your friend. So one verse of scripture that I want to take to heart is this one  (Ephesians 5:15-16) Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

May our 2011 be spent with this in mind .

Hope Has Come

Well Christmas 2010 has officially ended . Its hard to fathom once again another year comes to a close. The presents have been opened , the food eaten and still being eaten ( expanding belt loops or what) and family visited.

For many this has been a trying Christmas . A Christmas without a loved one. A Christmas without knowing where they will be in the coming year . So many other trials could be mentioned . But in the midst of that darkness there is hope . Not based on this world , not based on this life . Money is fleeting, life can be full of hardships and people will let you down .You will let others down . The world is broken and full of sin , because we live in it.

But hope has come in God , in Jesus 2000 years ago. He doesn't guarantee a life without pain or hardship but He does save you from the wrath to come , from sin,from hell . He will be our never failing Lord . We must keep our eyes on Christ ,  we take them off Him , we will fall into despair for let be honest , this life is hard.

So Christmas has gone for another year yes , but don't forget the hope that came and is coming again in the person of Jesus Christ.