Church: Sunday is Coming

It's Thursday evening and the thought of Sunday makes me tense.  I can't keep making excuses for missing a lot of church services.  I have a good friend to whom I am accountable.   I know that she is beginning to wonder about my commitment to the church we both attend.  Before I joined this church, I prayed a lot.  I wanted to be completely certain that I was doing the right thing.   I truly believed I was doing the right thing.  Even now, I believe that I was acting in faith.  I was trying to do what I believed God wanted me to do.
Some time later, I wondered if I misheard God.  I felt like God told me that I was not sent there for myself, but sent for the people.
It would be some time before I began to understand what this meant.  I began to forge friendships with new people.  I had an exchange of ideas with other church goers.  After some time I was an assistant connect group leader.  I felt like I was a good influence. 
The main place I believe I was useful to God was through prayer.  I began to pray for a friend and the ministry she is involved in.   I found such a joy through prayer.   Prayer is rewarding in many ways; but at times the results of prayer are not known in this life.  There were many answers to prayer as well during this time.
Where I differ from the 'average' churchgoer is that I have been a student of the Bible for years.  A shallow sermon makes little impact on my life.  For a time I thought that it was okay that I was not being challenged at my church.   I thought that I could listen to pod casts to forage for what I was not being fed at my own church.   For time I also thought that it was enough that others seemed to listen to what I had to say.  However, those closer to me, kept telling me that I had something to say, and that it was my time.  But opportunities were few.
Still, I remained.
I have written all the above to show that going to church is not enough.  It is about a relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.   I wasn't trying to live my life without a relationship with God.  But going to church is not what God requires of you.  God is concerned with every day of your life, not just Sunday.  Hebrews 10:25 is often quoted by church leaders to keep people going to church.  It says, "do not forget the assembling of believers as is the manner of some."  However, in the early church, the believers went to synagogue, but mostly met in each others homes.  There reason for gathering together was to study and listen to the apostle's doctrine.  They did not gather for entertainment.  They met to hear the meat of the word of God.  At most churches today, the congregation is lucky to get milk.   It is impossible to grow spiritually with only milk.
Please note I said most churches.  There are some wonderful churches out there.  Places where the pastors are shepherds.  I am not anti-church.

To be continued ....

Forgetting:  The rules and regulations of the religious.  Leaving behind the things that try to keep me down.

Remembering:  I live to please God.  I attempt to do all that He asks of me.  This may mean saying no to good so that I can do the best.

Day 10: Expectations of myself

Forgetting:  The rigid, hard-liner ideas that I must do this or that.

Remembering:  Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.   It is important to remember this is a marathon and not a sprint.   In a conversation with someone recently, the following thought was expressed.  It is totally possible that while I am kicking myself from thither to yon, God is in Heaven rejoicing over the progress He sees in my life.   It is important to learn to look at myself through His eyes.

Update 11/11/17:
The above is true.  God looks at me through the blood of Christ.  And He knows my weaknesses, but loves me anyhow.

Day 4: Spirituality

Forgetting:  a poverty spirit

Remembering:  my God and Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  He uses gold to pave streets.   He creates universes.  His worlds are songs composed of light and music.  Despite all He has he chooses to love the people He created.  He promised that He would meet all my needs according to his riches in glory.

Read:  Psalms   David talks about the majesty of God.  While I don't understand it,  I do know that God cares about my every need.

Update 11/11/17:
While I believe that this idea of a purpose driven life is akin to heresy, I do believe that God has work for me to do.  My "work" is to do the will of the Father.  I am to do good works daily.  Those good works could be many things, such as:  a smile at a disheartened co-worker, crying with someone in pain, listening patiently instead of thinking of all I could be doing, being patient in a line at a store, cooking a meal for my family.  These are the will of the Father, and a whole lot more.