I recently saw this on facebook, "DONT MAKE FRIENDS WITH GODS ENEMIES". What does this mean? Is this person saying I cannot have friends in a different religion? Is this what Jesus taught us to do?
There is a song by an amazing artist named Todd Agnew, check it out.
So which Jesus do you serve? A Jesus who ignores people of different religions? How are we to reach people of a different religion? Why are we so concerned about making converts? Where has the love gone?
What is God? God is many things. But one important thing to remember is God IS LOVE! Faith, Hope, and Love but what is the greatest? LOVE! If you want to show your beliefs and you want to show people your God, show them LOVE!!!
Labels: Christianity, God, Love, Music Video, religion, Theology, Todd Agnew
Hey guys and gals!
Well when I find myself with time to write I have found myself in a situation of NOTHING to write. Ha ha ha.
Well not to worry I do have something to fill in the time. I have recently found an interesting conversation on Facebook that struck me as one of great interest. Why? well it has something to do with a topic I find a lot of Christians today don’t find important. What’s that? Well Church!!!
The following conversation is an actual conversation that has taken place, so since I have yet to ask permission to use this conversation I will change the names so no harm done!!
James -Christians attending church was God's idea and is his will for his people. It is God who calls people to be pastors. Why? It is God who inspired all the "one another" scriptures in the Bible. How do you love, serve, admonish, encourage, instruct and care for one another if you are not with one another? Scripture says that believers should not neglect meeting together. Find a church and get connected.
Harry- Right. But could you also say the way we run churches is not necessarily the way God intended it? Who knows how God intended it really? Didn't our system of the rituals we practice church stem from the Catholic Church? I thought the original church consisted more of a fellowship of eating with one another and breaking bread, giving honor to God at the same time and discussing his words. It's seems more and more to me that Church was God's plan for us to come together as one and strengthen one another towards his cause.
James-No church is run perfectly. What we know from scripture and the earliest days of the church is that gatherings included singing praise, study of Scripture, Communion, Pastors and Elders serving the people and equipping them to minister to others, correction when needed, exercizing of spiritual gifts, doing the "one another’s", and - yes - giving offerings. Rituals are not bad if founded on the Word of God and not the traditions of men. Consistent personal Bible study and prayer could be considered a ritual - and we should all embrace it. I say again, God's will is that his people be committed to a local church.
Harry-Valid points. I have a hard time accepting Churches these days because it feels like they are off track. I don't want to be so critical of them but church history, in my studies, seems to have started off on the basis of anti-Semitism. Which sadly still has some remaining remnants in a lot of churches today. I love fellowship with Christian believers and discussing God's word. I take great joy in it. I just see a lot of fake fronts in churches today and wish we would all be real with one another and love each other for it. We cannot and will not ever be perfect, and to me that is ok. That is why Christ came to save us. And we should all accept one another as screw ups, cuz we all are. I understand that is what church is for, but church seems to have taken the role of look perfect to one another and pity the one who actually comes clean.
James-Many churches are among the greatest supporters of Israel and the Jewish people. The sin/imperfections of churches does not negate God's will in this area. Find a church that is close to what you are looking for and accept their "screw ups" just as you want others to be accepted. Grow in God's grace together with others.
Harry-The thing I felt most robbed about from my church was that I trusted them for my biblical education. I sat there a listened to my pastor’s interpretation of scripture and it seemed contradictory at times. I just felt that I should have been taught the different beliefs and theological issues, instead of just one view. I wish my church would have taught me how to interpret scripture on my own. I had to go to Bible College to learn the difference and decipher for my own. I believe every Christian should be educated to decipher for their own. It plays a huge role in our relationship to God and in understanding him more.
James-True. And we should learn how to study the Bible for ourselves. My advice is to read a church's statement of faith/beliefs carefully before connecting and look for a strong commitment to the sufficiency of Scripture. You've got to have a pastor whom you trust when teaching God's Word. From a practical point of view, pastors cannot generally give all theological views of a given scripture/topic in a sermon. It would take too much time and promote confusion and factions rather than conviction and unity.
Harry-I don't know if I agree... I think those things being taught in the church would be great for real Christians. When you water down scripture and make messages to win numbers it only creates temporary Christians. There should be no confusion if taught correctly. Our different ideas should actually unite us. There is only separation into factions when people are hard headed and closed minded. How can you learn and study the bible ourselves if we are not given the tools to do so. That is exactly what I want to make prevalent in church, teaching the congregation how to learn on their own. All I ever heard was read your bible. Ok, no what? There is more than just reading, which you know. Please don't get me wrong, I am very thankful for my church experiences. There are many positive and great things the church has done for me in my walk. I am thankful for it. You make some great points and am thankful for the opportunity to discuss.
James-We will have to agree to disagree on this one. Though I am not talking about watering down Scripture or winning numbers for numbers sake. I am talking about pastors/teachers called by God preaching with conviction God's truth as they see it in Scripture. Not being like a member of a debate team who has to be able to argue convincingly for a point of view they don't believe. Finding a church or denomination where you can be in substantial agreement with their doctrinal view should enable to receive teaching and training without always being concerned with what everyone else's view of the topic is. Not bad to be curious and have a well-rounded understanding - more important to receive, embrace and apply God's Word through your pastor to your life.
Harry-I actually have attended two churches were they took the time to answer theological issues and questions. It was great. So many people had great questions and the pastor not only gave an answer from his view point but shared the other views as well. It was probably one of the most beneficial services I have seen. I am not saying it should be my way all the time, but a good mixture of both. We get so caught in the usual routine that we lose focus. Balance is important with everything.
Harry-Getting out there and seeing different churches is great as well. You can learn so much from your brothers and sisters.
James-I agree but still believe you need to have a home church where you commit, serve, build relationships and function as family
Some interesting things in this convo. I hope you chew the meat and spit out the bones
I don’t know what to write I’m just going to let my fingers fly across the keyboard. Then I’ll sit back and yawn, then read what my heart and soul poured out while I wasn’t looking. (FYI: I just re-read what I wrote you need to understand I’m being poetic and random)
Today I got to set back and watch how awesome God really is. Why can’t I keep this feeling through out my life? Why do I let daily activities get to me, I soon become bored and just live life going through the motions. I get up and repeat what I did yesterday, nothing changes. I continue life with my hands in my pocket and my head down. Is this what God created life to be like?
Why don’t we look up more?
Today I was out on my veranda drinking some ice tea. I was watching the lightning in the distance. Then I looked up and the clouds that were building above me had a light red, orange glow to them. It was so breath taking. But I would have missed all that beauty if I kept my eyes on the darkness.
What do we find when we look up?
Sailor's knew to look up. They looked up for stars to guide them. Dreamers look up and dream. People at there wits end look up for comfort.
People travel across the world to Arizona to look at a hole in the ground. Yes the Grand Canyon is impressive. But have you ever realized you have ENTERNITY above your head? Here we are staring at a hole. People saying "Oh it looks like it falls forever," but eventualy it ends. The whole time there staring at a hole, there's never ending space above them!
How big would your problems be ever you looked up, then thought about them?
“Keep your eyes on the heavens, Keeping them on the ground makes you wonder where you are. But look at the heavens you know exactly where you are at to the stars. The lights that God put forth for you to see and to follow.”
(this wasn't the moment I was discribing, But this was soon after I ran and grabbed my camera)
Labels: God, Music Video, problems, Theology
I am a member of a Christian Chat group. I have no idea if anyone knows what the term “Troll” is, but is basically someone who goes on to a Chat Room looking for Trouble. Lately I have noticed that this name is now being expanded to a more broader since. Know if you even mention a question in your faith, and you continue to ask questions, so called “Christians” think your lacking in faith and now judge you as a “Troll”.
Why is this? Why is it, when you have a question about your faith people take it as your weak? Or if you have a question about another religion people take it that your faith shopping?
Isn’t the fact your questioning support you have a faith?
Okay let me clarify that last question. Think back to when you were a child, and your in the classroom. Your in 5th grade and your learning about long division. Your teacher’s standing at her chalkboard, (or marker board depending how old you are) and she is explaining how the numbers on the board can be divided into a longer sense then you’re use to. You know how to divide but your learning a new way to divide and tackle the bigger problems. Everything sounds nice and sweet and easy when she is at the board explaining it to you. That is till she passes out that worksheet. You stare at the numbers blankly, your overwhelmed. You take a deep breath and start on the first set of numbers, 12 divided by 2, oh that’s easy, so you carefully write 6 above the divided bar. Your proud, but you scan your teachers chalkboard again, it doesn’t look the same. Oh no! You forgot what to do with the bottom half. You want to raise your hand. But what is Little smart Timmy going to think of you when your stuck on the first question?!
So what would you do? Would you raise your hand? Do you allow fear to grasp you and hold you back?
Why do we question in the first place?
To find that answer you have to ask yourself, why do teacher’s always say “There is no such thing as a bad question?” Because they know that when your struggling and you have a question, that means your learning. The fact you have a question about something is evidence of growth and comprehension.
So back to the question, “Isn’t the fact your questioning support you have a faith?” It’s true. The fact your questioning is showing you want to grow, you want to learn. Something inside you is wanting to expand.
So next time a judgmental Christian calls you a troll just for asking some questions. Take it as a compliment.
Luke 2:46
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
1 Corinthians 2:10
but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test everything. Hold on to the good.
