Worship, Going to Church

I had thought, when I finally quit fighting His call (about 15 years of resistance), that like CS Lewis had thought when he converted, I would just attend and sit, sing, pray and listen to the message.
There's so more to worship than that.

"Into the community you were called-the call was not meant for you alone; in the community of the called you bear your cross, you struggle, you pray. You are not alone even in death, and on the Last Day you will be only one of the great congregation of Jesus Christ. If you scorn the fellowship of the brethren, you reject the call of Jesus Christ." -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

When I was anti-church and anti-Christian, I presented the argument that church is just a man-made institution, and as such of no import; followed by the usual criticisms of Christians and the Church. Actually, us getting together is God's idea. From Exodus: "From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering...And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them...And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat."

Jesus set the example. From Luke: "So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and stood up to read."

Being a member of the Body of Christ, and worshiping corporately, I find God's grace released to me, and to all of us that are there. I am humbled. I am loved. And I love. I hear His Word, and am matured as a man, a human, and a Christian. I know I am submitted to Him, and am better for it.

This is a place where we enter the presence of God, and we welcome Him into our presence and hearts.

Why Go to Church?

Why Go to Church?

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this! If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it. If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

A church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. 'I've gone for 30 years now,' he wrote, 'and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.'

This started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor' column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

'I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work .. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!' When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

All right, now that you're done reading, send it on! Share it! I think everyone should read this! When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, 'Jesus, could you get that for me?'