So You're Thinking Of Leaving The Church....

I’ve been hearing it more and more. People, saying they are leaving the church.

“The church isn’t a building. The church is the people,” I hear. And yes, that is true. And I understand that many people have been hurt by church denominations and those who occupy its’ walls.

But there is a danger in this new philosophy crossing so many hearts and minds. There is a danger in this mentality that we can simply “worship” online or on our own. That danger is in lack of Christian community.

While it’s true that we can listen to sermons on our ipods, television screens, or study the pages of the Bible for ourselves – we cannot and will never be able to, replicate a body of people who can encourage, minister, and support us. That is, unless we attend Church.

It is dangerous to go life solo or alone. It’s too easy to lock yourself away when you’re hurting or going through a huge challenge in life. The easier it gets to separate yourself from others, the longer it lasts.

I, like most others, don’t want church to become a ritual in my life that I do simply by habit. I want it to be meaningful and long lasting in my heart. But I also don’t want to wipe away its influence on my life altogether, leaving myself vulnerable to Satan’s attacks on my life.  Without the love and encouragement of my Christian brothers and sisters, I don’t know how I would find the strength, hope, and peace that I need, to go through certain things in life.

I need others. And they need me.

So if you’re reevaluating your place and presence in church – I say, do so. Evaluate how much time you spend volunteering or giving yourself over to church activities and functions. Evaluate the morals and values of the place you are attending. But don’t write church off altogether.

It’s important. It’s needed in our lives. And it’s life giving.

We need an army in this battle of life. If we abandon the church, we are abandoning the army that God has placed here to help support us and back us up.

God’s people may be far from perfect. They may hurt and wound us at times. But they are all we have. Hold on to them.

Sometimes I Forget To Pray

I want to be as ‘real’ and ‘authentic’ as I possibly can while I walk this earth. I want others to feel love, encouragement, and warmth in my presence. I want them to enjoy laughing with me, and feel safe crying.

I strive for these things. I believe they are the character traits that my Lord has. Character traits that He’d want me to walk out.

But let’s face it; I am so imperfect. I screw up, and feel like slapping myself on the head over the ease into which I slipped into an area, that is not an area that helps me be the kind of person I want to be.

I know the habits that should be a part of my life. I know the people that I should surround myself with. I know how I should behave.  Yet, sometimes, sometimes, I just neglect the very things that would help me be a better, more faithful, “me.”

Sometimes, I forget to pray. I try to handle a situation myself first before I remember to ask God to intervene.

Sometimes, I don’t read the Bible. I’d rather watch the news, get on the computer, or fiddle with my Iphone, than read the great wisdom, peace, and direction that God has sitting there at my fingertips.

Sometimes, I sleep in and I don’t go to church. I may have been up too late, or I just don’t feel like going. So I don’t.

Sometimes, I prefer to listen to my ‘pop’ music, rather than my ‘praise’ music. It’s usually more danceable.

I am human. Just as you are. None of these things are horrible sins. In fact, I think God expects me to forget to pray, read His Word, or go to church at times. I think He KNOWS that the music, books, and movies of this world will entice me.

And sometimes, sometimes, it’s simply ok to just enjoy this life that He’s given us. It’s ok to enjoy hanging out with good friends until late at night. It’s ok to struggle in our own skin to try and solve an issue – because then we are reminded how much we need to rely on God! It’s ok to sleep in sometimes and not go to church. (Even God needed rest when He walked on this earth). Rest is important. As long as that ‘sleeping in’ doesn’t become a habit more important than being a part of a local church body where we can be encouraged, ministered to, and fellowship with other believers.

It’s ok. Sometimes.

But if I want to be as ‘real’ and ‘authentic’ as I possibly can? If I want to love, be loved, encourage, be encouraged, and have others in my life to laugh and cry with…. I need to do those things that I “sometimes” forget.

For they are food and water to the heart and soul of a Christian. I can’t grow without them. I can’t BE the kind of person I want to be in my own strength, in my own will, and on my own terms. Well, maybe, sometimes I can – but not indefinitely. I need God speaking into my life through His Bible, His church, His music, and His whispers in prayer time, for those character traits to permanently take root in my life.

I have to be intentional.

I have to prioritize.

So, sometimes? Sometimes I might forget to pray, and it’s ok.  As long as that “sometimes,” never turns into “all the time.” And that is a slippery slope to watch out for.

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

“May the odds be ever in your favor.”   That is a quote from the movie, “The Hunger Games.”  It’s a quote that says so much and can be applied to our life as a Christian. Once you have Jesus in your heart, the odds ARE in your favor.

It doesn’t always feel that way though. It doesn’t feel like the odds are in our favor when we are hit with challenge after challenge in a short time frame. It doesn’t feel like the odds are in our favor, when we always seem to be struggling with our finances, our friendships (or lack thereof), or our health.

But they are.

It occurred to me, that every time I sit in church, I’m stacking the odds in my favor.  Every time I open my Bible, participate in a Bible Study, listen to Christian music, or PRAY…. The odds are in my favor. For, Satan doesn’t like it when I do those things. Especially when he’s been on the attack in my life. And believe me, he IS on the attack in our lives!

So I can claim victory. Each time I kneel on my knees in prayer, or seek God out – even if it’s in a Christian self-help book – I can claim victory over Satan. For he doesn’t want me to do those things. And if he wins any mileage in my life, it will be to get me to stop doing those things.

The odds ARE in our favor. But we have to acknowledge them. We have to let the power that God has given us through other Godly people, church, prayer, His Word, and music; we have to allow room for access to those things in our lives.

They are our fuel. They are our joy. They are our peace, healing, direction, and strength.

Let us seek them out. Let us depend on them, enjoy them, use them, and be thankful for them. They are our weapons against the evil one who DOES seek to destroy everything that has any meaning to us in our lives. Especially our purpose, faith, and calling.

The odds are already stacked in our favor if we believe in the Lord and call Him our Savior. But let’s start thriving instead of merely getting by with those odds. Let’s wield the weapons that have been given us and be strengthened daily by them.

Go to church. Read God’s Word. Listen to that Christian radio station. Join that Bible Study. And pray. PRAY all the time. And not only know that the odds are in your favor – but truly feel it.