Sunday service

[Snowrose]

Hello dear friends

Yesterday the church that I go to - the service almost drove me nuts. Our pastor is away on vacation for two weeks and the service was being led by one of our chairpersons. She had the service all laid out to what songs to sing, who was to read bible verses, when to testify, ......I felt like I was in a regimental army. I don't mean to complain and I do apologize.

The speaker who took the pastor's place was good. But the thing that was going through my mind was I felt like I was in a box. Everyone who was in church were "Christians". . What does the church look like to those who do not to go? For me lately when I look at the church building, I am seeing a building that say "Good people only - sinners will be prosecuted - not welcomed."

In 1 John 2: 6, it says - "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did."
Jesus himself ate and walked among "sinners" and how that irrated the pharisees. I don't want to be like the pharisees (the holy than you group). I myself would love to walk as Jesus did - talking with and loving the "non-Church goers". Being approachable. If Jesus came up in our conversation - ok but if not that is ok too.

Thanks for listening - God bless you all.

Love,
Snowrose

 

[Coconut]

How humanity tries endlessly to harness the power of God with programs and schedules...never understanding God will only be worshipped in Spirit...(not optional) and without the Spirit flowing from within a true heart of worship...we have only offered God dead and dispised ritual, an offering that stinks in the nostrils of God.

If you think your complaining sister...consider how big a complaint God has accumulated:

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

[Chad]

Maybe the person in charge (chairperson) was a bit nervous and wanted everything organized so to speak. Unless I misunderstood you sister, please correct me. I would like things organized, then again if I've been there for a while I believe it should almost run by itself. In other words, free flowing, naturally as each feels led by the Spirit.

God bless

 

[Snowrose]

Hello Chad,

I will admit that the individual in charge likes everything organized and I do understand that. As for being nervous - well - I am not sure for I have known her to be strong in character and who really loves the Lord. Please forgive me for being critical.

Something got to me that day. I have grown up in the Anglican most of my life but five or six years after giving my life to the Lord, I was taken to a Penticostal church by a friend. Here I saw something I never witness before - a personal relationship with God which I never heard of. But what I love the most was the "free flowing" of the Spirit.

The Penticostal church I was going to here closed about 5 years ago and I started to go this church about 4 year. I will not doubt the love the people have for the Lord here but each time I go, I feel boxed in.

I can't explain it but I do feel a stirring within me to go deeper. I feel like my spirit is screaming to get out (so to speak). I am starting to feel frustrated for I don't know what to do except to sit at Jesus' feet and be still. God bless you.

Snowrose

 

[cotton]

​

HI, Snowrose, I can't remember the actual scripture or even where it's found right now but I will find it for you. You know when it says Jesus didn't come to save the righteous but the unrighteous(I believe the bible says lost). A lot of times we as saints get our minds off the whole reason of our salvation. Just like the lepers that stood outside the camp, when they stepped out on faith and went in they received more than enough, and then thought That it would be wrong for them not to share their blessing for it was more than enough. Our misson as Christians is to share the salvation of Jesus to all , the church is a spirttual hospital for the spiritual sick, Let's be spiritul nurses and midwives heping to birth out salvation and deliverence. My opinon is that God is calling you to go out to the highways and byways, to witness and spread the gospel. Our mission is not the church but the expansion of the church. God Bless I hope I made some sense, cotton:star:

 

[Cognitive]

Hi Snowrose,

Why dont you look further than the church, and the way it is set out, try and look to each individuals heart.

Look to the people, for they were made by GOD. We his people are his church. He lives inside us, not in that building.

I am sure she wasnt use to the role and didnt want to make a mess of it. Maybe she got over worried somewhat. Its easily done.

Like you said you felt like this many times at this church, ask Jesus he will show you the way.

God bless.

 

[Snowrose]

Hello my dear friends,

Your thoughts and suggestions are really appreciated. Thank you. Here is another thought that is going through my mind toward witnessing. (I think I think too much) Deep down people know when they are in the wrong and also in some way about Jesus. True the Lord has called us to witness but what I am concerned about is – will individuals take our witnessing as a lecture. I believe that is how they will take it. If this is the case, they will become resistant to what we want share with them about Jesus. I myself have always believed that the Lord will give the opportunity and the words to say when an individual is ready to hear the “gospel”. When an individual is usually ready to listen, they will ask.

I am concerned about becoming overly “holier-than-thou”. Like I said I want to be approachable. The pharisees acted self-righteous but Jesus was down to earth and I want to be like Him. He love all people without condemnation - He love them just where they were at and the people knew and felt this. In John 3: 17 it says “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."

In 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 it says “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.” Maybe I am misunderstanding but isn’t it the Lord who works at the hearts of men and when they are ready to hear the gospel, He will send someone their way. It happened to Paul on the road to Tarsus, right?

I like to love people where they are at and hopefully through that and how I live will be a witness to them. By this they will ask the questions and I will be able to answer as God leads me. Again thank you for listening to my thoughts. God bless.

Love,
Snowrose

 

[calluna]

the Lord has called us to witness but what I am concerned about is – will individuals take our witnessing as a lecture. I believe that is how they will take it. If this is the case, they will become resistant to what we want share with them about Jesus.]

I like to love people where they are at and hopefully through that and how I live will be a witness to them. By this they will ask the questions and I will be able to answer as God leads me.

Beginning a conversation and asking a couple of questions in a loving way is not going to come across as a lecture. If that individual is open to hearing more then the Lord will guide us, If someone is very resistent, then so be it and we leave them alone until a later date, or they may hear the gospel again from somewhere else. And remember not to take it personally, someone who rejects the 'good news' is rejecting Jesus Christ, not us. The main thing is we do our job and that is to share the gospel, Mark 16:15 " Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." whether that seed falls in fertile soil or not, or gets watered, well that's all up to God. Not everyone becomes a sheep and hear his voice John10:26"You do not believe because you are not my sheep."

Think about your own personal experience, how did you come to give your life to Christ? Was it after the very first time you had ever heard about Jesus? Or was it more like my life, I had heard about the Lord on and off over several years, someone witnessed to me, a seed was sown, then I heard a sermon in church, a little watering of the seed occurred, then I read a gospel tract, yet further more watering, and so on, and by the Grace of God and His patience with me there was no more resistence and I surrendered my life to Christ.

The thing is about waiting for people to ask us questions, is that day may never come and lives are being lost because we are not acting boldy enough, or we are letting our fear of rejection stopping us from saying anything. I understand that by our countenance and actions is a way of witnessing, but sometimes more is to be done and we need to ask the Lord for courage, and not let fear prevent us from speaking. God will give us the right opportunities to share with someone and the Holy Spirit will guide us in what to say. And we don't have to know the bible inside out before we can witness, remember the blind man and his simple statement and testimony for Jesus
in John9:25.....".One thing I do know, I was blind and now I see!"

The fact that you are wanting to and asking about witnessing is this is something the Lord has put it on your heart, as He has done with mine, and with each time we share with someone, our confidence in Christ grows and we will be able to do it more and more with ease.
Just only last night, I and two other Christians were in the park and we were able to witness to someone, My friends shared with him for a while, I was able to say a couple of things as lead by the Holy spirit, the person was not receptive, but hey that's ok, it was a good experience and we obeyed the Lord's command.

Hope this helps

Calluna

 

[Snowrose]

Thank you Calluna. God bless you my dear friend.

Love,
Snowrose

 

[stephen]

Hi Snowrose, appreciate you, in Jesus, He alone is worthy.


Much has been said..


I recall an occasion when asked "What was the pattern of the early church meetings?" We thought........and we thought............ reading the Acts of the Apostles.

I remember a Saint, gone to his reward this year at the age of 97 saying......."there is no pattern".........and there is'nt.


There is no pattern....But............

The paramount, absolutely vital,.....essential is......above all things is that Jesus is there.........

We pray every Friday night at 10 m that He will be there........am Sunday.

Only Jesus can help us as we proclaim........church.


God Bless

 

[Snowrose]

Hello Stephen,

Thank you for your encouragement. God bless you.


"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." - Matthew 18: 20