It's Sunday and I stayed home. I didn't feel the slightest pull to go to church this morning. I did, however, log on to a website and watch a sermon that blessed me.
That's not what I'm called to do though. I'm called to have fellowship with other believers. Today, God spoke into me why. I already knew pretty much why, but He told me in a different more sure way.
He said, "Daughter, when you're apart from others in the Kingdom, you are vulnerable and weak. You aren't as strong in your faith or abilities to act on my behalf. It's the same as the lion which stalks the herd for the weak, young, or injured. He will prey upon you without the protection of the others. There's strength in numbers and you must get back within the group."
I don't argue this point. It's absolutely true! I feel every word He said. The little things are beginning to weigh too heavily. I'm losing my temper. I'm doubting the church instead of standing with them.
It's typical of the enemy to whisper negative things and accuse the brethren. He has begun this trickery. If you read my blog for the last couple of posts, you'll see a decline in my praise. I went from "Hallelujah" to speaking of the failures of the church. But there's victory in the Lord and He won't let the enemy take one. We can't be plucked from His hand.
My heart is willing. It's time for God to do a new thing in me. I'm not done with service to the Lord and I can't go back into the world. But I'm not going back to that church. I'm ready to move forward and find a place of worship and the moving of the Holy Spirit. I'm ready to be swept up in the joy of being with my people. I'm not going until He shows me where and tells me when. I know other people will disagree but there's one scripture in the entire Bible that God uses consistently when dealing with me and my desire to be in the right church, despite the protests of preachers who think they hold the key to my spiritual success. "Work your own salvation out with fear and trembling."
The religion and tradition is what's destroying the church. Case in point..I found a blog wherein the writer is speaking scripture with every breath. The entire blog is "Jesus, prayer, do the works of the Lord, be this, be that." But when I made contact and assured the webmaster that I would pray for his requests and mentioned my own struggles and need for prayer, the reply I got was selfishly centered around meeting his demands for his needs and prayers and no mention was made of acknowledging my needs as a sister in Christ. This person didn't even know my heart was beating but was full of expression for the Lord. That's not our Jesus. Our Jesus sees outwardly.
Yes, I know that's only one person. That's the only story I'm telling. It's not the only incident I've run into. People are hiding behind Jesus, not living Him. There's too many blogs that are loaded from top to bottom with scriptures and the person's interpretations of those scriptures. There's widgets everywhere and little icons all representing Christ. But nobody is posting the prayer of salvation in hopes God will lead the lost to say it and receive Him. (There's one at the end of this page). I see the devil working to blind people as to what faith and works is.
I can't be conformed to this world but I feel like I have to fight conformity in the church as well. I can't be religious. I can't go through the motions. I'm not satisfied with this. I'm outraged that I'm sitting here at home on a Sunday and I already know not to expect a visit or phone call from the members of my church. I have to look towards greater things in God. A greater love and greater move. I'm waiting for the moment when God says, "GO."
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
That's not what I'm called to do though. I'm called to have fellowship with other believers. Today, God spoke into me why. I already knew pretty much why, but He told me in a different more sure way.
He said, "Daughter, when you're apart from others in the Kingdom, you are vulnerable and weak. You aren't as strong in your faith or abilities to act on my behalf. It's the same as the lion which stalks the herd for the weak, young, or injured. He will prey upon you without the protection of the others. There's strength in numbers and you must get back within the group."
I don't argue this point. It's absolutely true! I feel every word He said. The little things are beginning to weigh too heavily. I'm losing my temper. I'm doubting the church instead of standing with them.
It's typical of the enemy to whisper negative things and accuse the brethren. He has begun this trickery. If you read my blog for the last couple of posts, you'll see a decline in my praise. I went from "Hallelujah" to speaking of the failures of the church. But there's victory in the Lord and He won't let the enemy take one. We can't be plucked from His hand.
My heart is willing. It's time for God to do a new thing in me. I'm not done with service to the Lord and I can't go back into the world. But I'm not going back to that church. I'm ready to move forward and find a place of worship and the moving of the Holy Spirit. I'm ready to be swept up in the joy of being with my people. I'm not going until He shows me where and tells me when. I know other people will disagree but there's one scripture in the entire Bible that God uses consistently when dealing with me and my desire to be in the right church, despite the protests of preachers who think they hold the key to my spiritual success. "Work your own salvation out with fear and trembling."
The religion and tradition is what's destroying the church. Case in point..I found a blog wherein the writer is speaking scripture with every breath. The entire blog is "Jesus, prayer, do the works of the Lord, be this, be that." But when I made contact and assured the webmaster that I would pray for his requests and mentioned my own struggles and need for prayer, the reply I got was selfishly centered around meeting his demands for his needs and prayers and no mention was made of acknowledging my needs as a sister in Christ. This person didn't even know my heart was beating but was full of expression for the Lord. That's not our Jesus. Our Jesus sees outwardly.
Yes, I know that's only one person. That's the only story I'm telling. It's not the only incident I've run into. People are hiding behind Jesus, not living Him. There's too many blogs that are loaded from top to bottom with scriptures and the person's interpretations of those scriptures. There's widgets everywhere and little icons all representing Christ. But nobody is posting the prayer of salvation in hopes God will lead the lost to say it and receive Him. (There's one at the end of this page). I see the devil working to blind people as to what faith and works is.
I can't be conformed to this world but I feel like I have to fight conformity in the church as well. I can't be religious. I can't go through the motions. I'm not satisfied with this. I'm outraged that I'm sitting here at home on a Sunday and I already know not to expect a visit or phone call from the members of my church. I have to look towards greater things in God. A greater love and greater move. I'm waiting for the moment when God says, "GO."
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
