Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Sunday, February 4, 2018
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Monday, August 22, 2016
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Going to Church Alone is for You, But Don't Bring the Church Home with You
If your church attendance isn't rocking the boat at home, then do go. If you aren't one for bringing the pastor and all religion related stuff home with you, then by all means visit. However, if the self-righteousness, pride, and ugliness keeps showing up in your home after attending church sessions, you have to know that you might have something to do with it.
Unbelievers don't like Christians--that is a fact. They tolerate believers especially outspoken ones. They know that the Christian's goal is to recruit. Many unsaved folks know what the Bible says and they also have their personal issues with the Bible and the believers as well. Yet, what the saved, sanctified and Holy Ghost egoist does is blab too much about what he or she received at the church, rather than be silent and let his or her light shine on the whole household.
Attending church is always a good thing when people are doing it for the right reasons, but it can turn into a bad thing when believers are using church visiting as a weapon against one's family.
"I'm going to church this Sunday--I am going to pray fire comes down on everyone who is messing with me at home!...Lord, you know I'm tired of them folks not wanting to go to church with me...they need to be here and listen!"
So the fired up believer heads back home ready to change some minds and hearts while losing sight that the visit was for he or she and not for the family. Now sometimes things do change in the atmosphere at home as a result of something being said or done, but typically the change is temporal. Then the family drama arises again and again while no one in the household progresses.
When one attends church alone, he or she is doing it for self. Through those services, if done as God wills, in time the visitor or member will be inspired to do something life-changing even if family and friends don't want to visit or join one's church.
Nicholl McGuire
Unbelievers don't like Christians--that is a fact. They tolerate believers especially outspoken ones. They know that the Christian's goal is to recruit. Many unsaved folks know what the Bible says and they also have their personal issues with the Bible and the believers as well. Yet, what the saved, sanctified and Holy Ghost egoist does is blab too much about what he or she received at the church, rather than be silent and let his or her light shine on the whole household.
Attending church is always a good thing when people are doing it for the right reasons, but it can turn into a bad thing when believers are using church visiting as a weapon against one's family.
"I'm going to church this Sunday--I am going to pray fire comes down on everyone who is messing with me at home!...Lord, you know I'm tired of them folks not wanting to go to church with me...they need to be here and listen!" So the fired up believer heads back home ready to change some minds and hearts while losing sight that the visit was for he or she and not for the family. Now sometimes things do change in the atmosphere at home as a result of something being said or done, but typically the change is temporal. Then the family drama arises again and again while no one in the household progresses.
When one attends church alone, he or she is doing it for self. Through those services, if done as God wills, in time the visitor or member will be inspired to do something life-changing even if family and friends don't want to visit or join one's church.
Nicholl McGuire
Monday, May 2, 2016
Monday, February 8, 2016
Monday, February 1, 2016
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Too Many Years in Church will Tire You Out, Create Distance with You and God
Spend some time thinking about those who have been in the church for years who aren't genuinely nice or compassionate people. Do you have a few faces in mind? The burned out Christians, often critical and more concerned about what is or isn't in the Bible rather than what God is showing them, are tired of doing what's right so they become good guys or gals who turn bad.
Years of church attendance and not doing much else but catering to those who are like-minded will dull senses when it comes to dealing with those outside of the church. In time, you become lukewarm or ineffective. A church-going Christian who is honest with his or herself knows that God is calling the individual to do some things differently in his or her life, but the leader, member or some other person in or out of the church will refuse. He or she will often make excuses not to do what his or her Maker is telling him or her. For instance, a dedicated member who should be spending more time with family will hide behind the excuse that he or she needs to be available to help the church body. An usher who could benefit from counseling rather than blame one's wife or husband for a failing relationship instead continues to weekly touch the collection plates while offering a fake grin at visitors and members.
"I am good...I don't need to change. I have been a Christian for over 30 years...What more do I need to do?"
For some who have decades of knowledge, they have very little wisdom. If someone or something doesn't have a license, a cross, and worth a lot of money, they aren't listening to any spiritual messages provoking them to change. They forget that Jesus didn't have a license and that carrying a cross wasn't a good thing. Further, the Son of God didn't have a place to lay his head. So too is the case for many Jesus followers. Men and women in Jesus' day hated him and to date unbelievers still hate those who believe in Him.
Now attending church is not a bad thing, but at some point you have to look away from the minister and get your eyes out of the Bible. Instead, look at what the Holy Ghost is moving you to do. A lot of men and women who claim to be believers in Christ have spent so much time being critical of like-minded believers that they are not winning any souls to Christ. They are so involved in the church affairs that they don't even see people as people anymore just numbers walking in and out the door.
When God calls you to sit down and set yourself apart from the others, know that He is preparing you to do things that religious people and doctrine will not support or understand. Don't get tired now, it's only the beginning! Draw near to God/Jesus, distance yourself from religion and start walking in your true calling!
Nicholl McGuire is the author of Know Your Enemy: The Christian's Critic and other books.
Years of church attendance and not doing much else but catering to those who are like-minded will dull senses when it comes to dealing with those outside of the church. In time, you become lukewarm or ineffective. A church-going Christian who is honest with his or herself knows that God is calling the individual to do some things differently in his or her life, but the leader, member or some other person in or out of the church will refuse. He or she will often make excuses not to do what his or her Maker is telling him or her. For instance, a dedicated member who should be spending more time with family will hide behind the excuse that he or she needs to be available to help the church body. An usher who could benefit from counseling rather than blame one's wife or husband for a failing relationship instead continues to weekly touch the collection plates while offering a fake grin at visitors and members.
"I am good...I don't need to change. I have been a Christian for over 30 years...What more do I need to do?"
For some who have decades of knowledge, they have very little wisdom. If someone or something doesn't have a license, a cross, and worth a lot of money, they aren't listening to any spiritual messages provoking them to change. They forget that Jesus didn't have a license and that carrying a cross wasn't a good thing. Further, the Son of God didn't have a place to lay his head. So too is the case for many Jesus followers. Men and women in Jesus' day hated him and to date unbelievers still hate those who believe in Him.
Now attending church is not a bad thing, but at some point you have to look away from the minister and get your eyes out of the Bible. Instead, look at what the Holy Ghost is moving you to do. A lot of men and women who claim to be believers in Christ have spent so much time being critical of like-minded believers that they are not winning any souls to Christ. They are so involved in the church affairs that they don't even see people as people anymore just numbers walking in and out the door.
When God calls you to sit down and set yourself apart from the others, know that He is preparing you to do things that religious people and doctrine will not support or understand. Don't get tired now, it's only the beginning! Draw near to God/Jesus, distance yourself from religion and start walking in your true calling!
Nicholl McGuire is the author of Know Your Enemy: The Christian's Critic and other books.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Ignorance is Bliss Even in Church
Have you ever spent so much time in church, among Christians, and reading your Bible that you feel a bit out of touch with your surroundings, personal relationship with a partner, and workplace responsibilities? This sort of thing happens when you deeply study often and are so engrossed in spiritual things that you disconnect from reality. You find yourself spiritualizing everything. There is a sign here and a message from God there and moments where all you want to be is with God and no one else. This is what mature believers describe as being so spiritually minded that you are no earthly good.
Ignorance of the world and the sinners in it may produce happy feelings for awhile, but what also occurs is a slow disassociation with reality. So when the time comes to minister to someone and listen intently to the Holy Ghost, you can't. You have spent far too much time running away from people, places and things rather than doing what Jesus did which was meeting man and woman right where they are.
So enjoy the peace among brethren for awhile, but sooner or later God is going to test you and the calling will come to leave your comfort zone. It is through those challenging trials you will need to put your knowledge into practice, not with spiritual kin, but with those lost, confused and those still in darkness. Pray that God will provide the wisdom, courage, and motivation to reach out to those who need a Savior!
Nicholl McGuire is the author of Know Your Enemy: The Christian's Critic and other books.
Ignorance of the world and the sinners in it may produce happy feelings for awhile, but what also occurs is a slow disassociation with reality. So when the time comes to minister to someone and listen intently to the Holy Ghost, you can't. You have spent far too much time running away from people, places and things rather than doing what Jesus did which was meeting man and woman right where they are.
So enjoy the peace among brethren for awhile, but sooner or later God is going to test you and the calling will come to leave your comfort zone. It is through those challenging trials you will need to put your knowledge into practice, not with spiritual kin, but with those lost, confused and those still in darkness. Pray that God will provide the wisdom, courage, and motivation to reach out to those who need a Savior!
Nicholl McGuire is the author of Know Your Enemy: The Christian's Critic and other books.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)