Body of Jesus is the church
Sometimes God brings us through the wilderness so that we can see the stars.
Sometimes God allows us to endure hard times so that we can learn to depend on God alone. Because after we try to place our trust in people and things, we discover people aren't perfect, they are sinners in need of mercy and grace just like me.
I had developed a pride bubble over my church family, how we were doing everything biblically and how we were close to each other, how we were willing to spread the gospel no matter what. Like we had some sort of monopoly on the biblical gospel. Well, God popped that pride bubble recently. I realized my church is just like any other church, full of sinners. Sinners needing grace and mercy from a just and loving God.
I noticed that I had separated myself from the rest of the body of christ. The body of Christ is the church, all denominations of Christian churches all over America and the world. I have been judging my fellow Christians, based on what church they attended. I was wrong. God forgive me! In doing this, I had lost the use of an arm.
I needed help and my own church refused to help. I knew very few Christians outside my own church that could help me. However one of those friends that God placed in my path during the last year, he and his church was able and willing to help. I experienced compassion and faith through this different church, different denomination, yet we had the same goal: to see God glorified, life valued, and the gospel proclaimed. Praise the Lord!
Now instead of assuming the worst in a person, I should get to know each person where they are and be grateful for faith family everywhere. We can always learn something new.
I am reminded of acts 17:24-25. God cannot be contained in a temple or any building. We call our meeting places the House of God. To a nonbeliever, this is confusing. Isn't God everywhere? Why must we go there to pray and worship? Answer is....no, we don't have to go there to worship God. We can pray and worship him anywhere. The church is the people. God lives in each believer that follows Christ. The bible teaches his people to meet together to encourage and teach and lift each other in prayer. For the church is also a body, Christ is the head, we cannot do anything apart from the body. Each believer should be plugged into the body. We should be working with other churches regularly, fulfilling God's purpose as a large faith family.
Praise God for bringing me through the wilderness to see the beauty of His creation, the church!
Sometimes God allows us to endure hard times so that we can learn to depend on God alone. Because after we try to place our trust in people and things, we discover people aren't perfect, they are sinners in need of mercy and grace just like me.
I had developed a pride bubble over my church family, how we were doing everything biblically and how we were close to each other, how we were willing to spread the gospel no matter what. Like we had some sort of monopoly on the biblical gospel. Well, God popped that pride bubble recently. I realized my church is just like any other church, full of sinners. Sinners needing grace and mercy from a just and loving God.
I noticed that I had separated myself from the rest of the body of christ. The body of Christ is the church, all denominations of Christian churches all over America and the world. I have been judging my fellow Christians, based on what church they attended. I was wrong. God forgive me! In doing this, I had lost the use of an arm.
I needed help and my own church refused to help. I knew very few Christians outside my own church that could help me. However one of those friends that God placed in my path during the last year, he and his church was able and willing to help. I experienced compassion and faith through this different church, different denomination, yet we had the same goal: to see God glorified, life valued, and the gospel proclaimed. Praise the Lord!
Now instead of assuming the worst in a person, I should get to know each person where they are and be grateful for faith family everywhere. We can always learn something new.
I am reminded of acts 17:24-25. God cannot be contained in a temple or any building. We call our meeting places the House of God. To a nonbeliever, this is confusing. Isn't God everywhere? Why must we go there to pray and worship? Answer is....no, we don't have to go there to worship God. We can pray and worship him anywhere. The church is the people. God lives in each believer that follows Christ. The bible teaches his people to meet together to encourage and teach and lift each other in prayer. For the church is also a body, Christ is the head, we cannot do anything apart from the body. Each believer should be plugged into the body. We should be working with other churches regularly, fulfilling God's purpose as a large faith family.
Praise God for bringing me through the wilderness to see the beauty of His creation, the church!
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