I Go To Church Every Week
Real Christianity is not based on your church affiliation, it is based in your heart’s relationship with Jesus. Going to church every week has a purpose, but I have found that most people have that purpose confused.
Church isn’t a task to check off your list. It isn’t a social club to attend-although the social aspect is vitally important to your spiritual well-being. Church isn’t something you ‘do’ to get people to approve of you or to trust you.
Attending church regularly doesn’t necessarily make you a follower of Jesus Christ. As Christians, we are called to be different. Our lives are supposed to point to Christ, just like the little prairie dogs. It is our purpose to be loving, and generous, and forgiving. Not that we should allow others to degrade us or walk all over us, but show that real, authentic Christianity is NOT the nit-picky, divisive, backstabbing, hypocrisy we see in the church today. Real, honest Christianity does tackle hard issues, but with grace, and genuine love. Not in a judging or condemning manner, but as a fellow sinner, who understands and has been there.
So, what does make you a true follower in Jesus Christ? What about church?
Well, the ‘list’ is simple!
- Believe that we are born sinful, and our separation from God is a result of that sin. To be reconciled to God, our sin must be atoned for. There must be death, or a sacrifice of perfect life, to bring us back into a relationship with God.
- Believe that Jesus is God, that He came in human form to live a perfect life, and die in our place on the cross- to give us salvation and reconciliation to God. Why? Because He loves us that much!
- With repentance, and a heart change [gratitude and love], we want to give God the glory, and we want to share all that he has done for us to give us a new life- here- and for all eternity.
- Attend a bible based, bible teaching church. Why? Because being a part of a congregation causes you to be surrounded by believers who can help you as you struggle to change old sinful habits, and as a body of believers, you have a direction to help you as you share the gospel with others.
- Develop a habit of regular prayer and bible study. This is a great stumbling block to many Christians. If this is a problem for you, get connected to prayer group, or a bible study. A great resource is Bible Study Fellowship. This is an International Bible Study that is non-denominational, uses only the bible for lessons, and has been compared to studying at a theological seminary. It is free, and you can bring your school aged children. There are women’s day classes that allow children 2 and up.
- Seek God’s will in your life. Realize that God will reveal to you what He wants for you, and He will move heaven and earth for you to accomplish His priority in your life.
- With God, there is no impossible. The only limits to what He can do are the ones YOU put there.
- God is all knowing. Nothing escapes Him, nothing surprises Him. There is no “oops, didn’t see that coming” or “oops, missed that, now what do I do”
- There are only two options in our lives- Whether we will allow Him to lead us – or not. That’s it. Everything single thing that happens in our lives boils down to these two choices. Whether we acknowlege Him, glorify Him [even in painful situations], seek Him, and follow Him — or— we decide that He isn’t there, doesn’t care, didn’t love us enough to stop ______?_____ [more on that later], or whatever we tell ourselves to justify our dissatisfaction with God or our decision to ‘do it ourselves’.
Choose to be authentic in your walk with the Lord. I can promise it will be difficult. I can promise you won’t always understand. And, I can promise that the outcome will be worth more than anything you ‘check off’ on your ‘list’.
Graceful Faith 