CAN I BE SPIRITUAL W/O Engaging in CHURCH FELLOWSHIP

Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. (Matt. 16:18)

 

 

Pictured above is and was my first exposure to "church" as it were growing up as a little kid.  The name on the building isn't as important as the impression and foundation that had been laid in me as a curious sponge of a boy.   It was here that I spent most if not all of my Sunday.  It was here I experienced the strange thing of "speaking in tongues."  It was here that I was reminded that "kids were to seen, not heard."  It was here I saw my grandmother & aunt serve as ushers.  It was here I wondered, " do they have to breathe heavy as they are closing their message?"    It was here I wondered " I will I ever understand what they are speaking/preaching/teaching about?"  It was here that I remember zoning out between Sunday school & morning worship....because it seemed to be BORING!  It was here that I that I remember hearing juicy gossip about the deacons, the mothers, and anyone else that came in.   It was also here that I learned to detest (almost to the point of hate) this institution but someone deposited a seed of the love of JESUS CHRIST in me although I didn't even know what that was.

 

Why tell you all this.....?  Because had I not been brought up in this dysfunctional body I'm certain I wouldn't be where I am today.   See the verse above was stated by JESUS CHRIST, and it was the first mentioning of the word CHURCH.   It was the Ekklesia (church) is where Christ wanted the broken of this world to come to learn and know about Him and in turn become a koinia (fellowship) where together we'd be the CHURCH ALIVE.   The CHURCH ALIVE in the sense that because of His Spirit in us we'd BE THE BRIDE, THE CHURCH HE's coming back for. 

Often because of the very things I experienced as a child up above we as a culture have opted out of church.  Their gossiping outside the walls of the church, who wants to be a part of that?   I had a young lady that came to the oil change that was a PK ( Pastor's Kid) that was done with the hypocrisy and couldn't understand the preached word, I can think of other things one may want to do with their time.    But not just going to one, but even becoming one.   Let me explain how....If the seed (JESUS CHRIST) that was planted in me never got watered & challenged by people of FAITH it would've simply shriveled up or choked out and died.   This is where some people who grew up being made to go to church are.....they've given up on going, and by giving up on going, they aren't becoming the church either.   See Christ's idea of us developing into this thing called the church meant it was to be done around other like-minded believers.   Others that would challenge us in our areas of lack.  Others that would challenge us to see what the WORD of GOD says about how we are to engage foreigners.  Others that would challenge us what does the word of GOD say about loving our neighbors and what does that look like.   Others that would love us when we didn't deserve to be loved because they too were once there.  Others that would challenge us in our marriages seeking happiness over the prescribed holiness.   Others......Others.....Others.....see one doesn't become what CHRIST intended without warming pews, seats, or rubbing shoulders with other broken individuals.

 

So to answer the question....is NO!  In order to be & grow  in your spiritually that isn't done in the context of books, or videos.   That's done in the context of being in the community (koinia) of others that desire to grow in the Spirit of Christ so that together they get to enjoy blessing the world with the FRUITS of His Spirit.  LGLP (see you tomorrow for shaping of our spiritual life) 

FRANTIC LIVES: SAVED FROM and FOR

²⁹ But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides. ³⁰ That is how the Lord rescued Israel from the hand of the Egyptians that day. And the Israelites saw the bodies of the Egyptians washed up on the seashore. ³¹ When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians, they were filled with awe before him. They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses. Ex. 14:29-31

 

Then God gave the people all these instructions:

² “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

³ “You must not have any other god but me  Ex. 20:1-3

 

Can you imagine what it would be like to be born into slavery?  Not ever knowing what it means to live free?  Your parents, parents were slaves, and all you ever knew was being told what to do, when to do it, how to do it, when to eat, when to sleep.....and seeing friends, and family members treated harshly?   Some of which were killed by their masters for the most trivial of things.   Watching your mother or sisters sexually assaulted and being powerless to do anything, because you have watched what happens when someone rose up in opposition. 

 

The Israelites, God's chosen people, had chosen against GOD and found themselves under the heavy hand of Pharaoh serving many different gods, and after a turn of events Moses appears on the scene offering them something that they had only heard of, some dreamt of....freedom.  I don't know about you, but freedom would be scarier than being in captive, which is the mindset of some inmates that have been institutionalized over half of their lives.   They don't know what it means to pay bills, be responsible for their day, to exist in a society where someone isn't watching your every move and breathing down your neck....but GOD instructed Moses to lead his people out of captivity into FREEDOM, the wilderness and then into the promise land.

 

I don't know what prison you have been in...but is it possible that you have to, developed an institutional mindset about being FREE from:  DRUGS, ALCOHOL, PORN, CUTTING, LYING, STEALING, PHYSICAL/VERBAL/MENTAL/EMOTIONAL/SEXUAL ABUSE, ETC....whatever it is GOD offers each of us FREEDOM because HIS SON JESUS CHRIST paid that debt, and wants you  in a right relationship with the FATHER.  But GOD didn't whisk the Israelites across the RED SEA...they had to WALK, and upon them taking those steps of faith...HE KNEW THEY HAD NO IDEA about what it meant to be FREE, so He blessed Moses with the Commandments, and the first of them was HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME!

See what GOD wanted them to remember was that HE was the ONE who saved them from another year, another decade, another generation of slavery.   The purpose in freeing them, and bringing them into the WILDERNESS was JUST SO that before bringing them into the PROMISE LAND was so that they'd develop a WORSHIPFUL LOVE RELATIONSHIP with the very ONE that delivered them.   The same applies to each of us....HE OFFERS FREEDOM in JESUS CHRIST if we'd take a few steps of FAITH in HIS direction.   Some of us have been so accustomed to being enslaved to ___________________________ (also known as other gods) that we have hesitated at the opportunity to be free.

 

So each day that we are graced to see.....There is an open door that GOD offers to us all, and if you really desire to be free....STEP ONE after taking that walk is making sure that GOD is FIRST!  LGLP

PREQUEL: HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. ² For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. ³ They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴ They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. ⁵ They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!  2Tim. 3:1-5

 

 

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what word (the first one) that comes to mind when you look at this one?  This is a screenshot from the movie "Gravity" featuring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney and while I have not yet seen the movie, I can tell you I'd like to....and the word that comes to mind for is fear, or panic, or a canned phrase..."Houston we have a problem...!" The actual quote from Captain James Lovell aboard the Apollo 13 was "Houston we've had a problem..." which is different than the present tense phrasing.  The actual quote suggests that little things have been going wrong for a while, and now it's reached it's critical mass.

 

The Apostle Paul had mentored/disciple a young pastor Timothy and in his second letter to him he felt compelled to inform him of a problem that was up ahead.  There would be people that essentially were posers....impostors (he said they'd act religious).   We are currently living in the times, and have been for decades, even generations of our cultural times worsening.  Just go down the list of thing Paul referenced and you may not have to look further than your own home, your own family or across the county.....but they are real, present, and palpable so what are we to do?   One of THE MOST frustrating things as follower of Christ is when I see other followers of Christ MAD, ANGRY at the WORLD for acting like the WORLD.  We have the tendency to EXPECT people who clearly don't know CHRIST or His principles to govern themselves like we are supposed to.  Yes, I said like we are supposed to because we are too busy ridiculing, brow beating, Bible thumping the lost instead of actually loving them as we are actually commanded to.

 

So both phrasings work....."We've had a problem and We have a problem..." So what are we to do?  We got people in love with themselves and their money.   They laugh at God and make fun at those that believe in such.  We have (and also ourselves are)  disobedient/ungrateful children (young and grown).   We consider nothing sacred (Sabbath....let's just start there).  We/They can be unloving and unforgiving to the point of terminating relationships (so glad Christ didn't and doesn't terminate our relationship with Him).  We/They slander others (check your twitter feeds, and Facebook shares and rants...grow up!  By the way the grow up was to the said believers.....Christ wouldn't post that...so don't think He gets any glory from yours.)  We/They have no self control......(Christmas....over spent did ya?  Had to much to drink on New Years?  You fill in the excess blank......) and the list goes on and on.......so what is one to do that is a believer?  SO GLAD YOU ASKED:

 

Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. ¹² Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.  1Thess. 4:11-12

 

Over the next few days I want to walk through what our response as a group of followers of Christ should be regarding the current state of affairs.....with our first being that our Ambition/Goal should be to live a quiet life by: 

 

 1) MINDING OUR OWN LIFE (BUSINESS)!

 

Now before you think I am remotely encouraging or suggesting you clam up, take refuge in ignoring those outside of your property address.....I am SO NOT!  What I am though saying is spend less time (to NO TIME) criticizing OBAMACARE (Affordable Health Care if I'm honoring), Your unsaved ______________________ (uh they are a child of GOD too, even if they don't know it yet...that's where you come in.), the Gov't  (don't like ours.....move) ....etc. etc.....but rather make sure as for you and your house.........YOU ARE SERVING  (maybe you  didn't hear me YOU ACTUALLY ARE SERVING THE LORD, not yourselves)  THE LORD. 

 

Start with you....is JESUS really LORD of your life?  How do you know that He is.....simple:  Do you do WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS DO?  Are you a TITHER?  DO YOU SEEK/ATTEMPT TO ACCOMPLISH THE GREAT COMMANDMENT & GREAT COMMISSION DAILY?  These are just a few.....but probably biggest because TRUST is key to the success in any of them.   If you don't trust Him with your money or your life, then He's really not your LORD.  So before you attempt to criticize all of the things you are FREE TO......check yourself first, then check your home.....between the two there should be a enough grace to deal with, oops....LOVE those outside of your home.   LGLP2014

REACH: ARE YOU?

On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.   Act. 16:13-14

 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. ¹⁷ She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”

¹⁸ This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. 16-18


The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. ²⁸ But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
²⁹ The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
³¹ They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” ³² And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. ³³ Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. ³⁴ He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.  27-34

Here are three instances where Paul and Silas (recorded by their accompanist Luke) reached out to others all for the GLORY of God.   Each time they did...something amazing happened.  

 Lydia...a successful entrepreneur, was a worshipper of God, but apparently hadn't received Jesus, and upon hearing about Him, immediately received Him and shared Him with her family to which they too were saved.   POINT:  HOW many SUNDAY's will it take for your to respond? She responded in minutes.......you know when oatmeal sits out too long it hardens, and isn't really good.  That oatmeal could be a example of either your heart, or your brain.   GOD has all prompted us to give: beit of our monies (resources), our time, or our talents to be used to advance His Kingdom....have you become hard headed/hearted?

Demon Possessed Girl - whether your possession is in the vein of music, movies, or some form of media....do you even desire healing from that.  They didn't follower her, but rather she followed them.  POINT:  Maybe it was to antagonize them.....maybe.....but if you are wallowing in your own sin are you even following, tagging along with people who are Spiritually Mature that could be a blessing to you?

The JADED JAILER - He had seen it all.   His job was to house broken men, that needed punishment for their offences.  As the saying goes......" We don't belong in here.....we didn't even do anything...." and truth be told, that was Paul & Silas story, but they didn't protest against their imprisonment, nope...they prayed and sang praises.    POINT:  When you are wrongly accused, beat up on, maligned....what's your response?  Does your prayers lead you to praising GOD right where you are?  This is END of YEAR Reviews for many of you....and will you play the victim or VICTOR.  Will you look for opportunities to be a blessing RIGHT where you are?  Because of Paul & Silas faith....it turned the heart of the JADED into the JOYFUL.  

Simply put are you REACHING others?  He didn't give you this day to REACH another rung on the LADDER for your glory.  He gave you this day, with the expectation you'd REACH a life with His love, that would transform their moment, their day, their week......that points them to Him.   LGLP247

 

REACH: OPPOSITION TO WELL INTENTIONS

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. ⁷ Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia,but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. ⁸ So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.

⁹ That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” ¹⁰ So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.  Acts 16:6-10

In the game of chess there are certain moves that can be made by certain pieces.  Strategy is a key element in the game of chess of knowing when to make particular moves, so the ultimate goal of preserving your Kingdom is essential to winning.  GOD is a master at the GAME of LIFE, after all HE creator of all LIFE as we know it.  He knows who needs to cross paths with......and when.  And like a great CHESS player He's always thinking several moves ahead.....hence HIS omnipotence.

Paul after being converted had a heart to serve and teach the GOSPEL.   There were people he knew in places that needed the GOSPEL.  He shared this with his cohort Silas and they set out to make GOD famous in places he surely wasn't, but there was a problem.   The Holy Spirit prevented him from traveling to Asia at that time.    Wait a minute is there anytime better than the present?  Apparently so......cause they were not allowed to "Go There," and for many of us we need to pause here.   There are people all around you that need JESUS.   You feel inspired some days, some Sundays, etc. to BRING IT to them, but they won't/don't hear you.     We don't know why Paul/Silas were being prevented but what we do know it was FOR THEIR GOOD, and GOD's ultimate cause.

We have been planted at 1701 North 2nd Street for 4 years.   It's a beautiful body of diverse, in every way, believers housed in really old building.   If we aren't careful we will miss the blessing of being planted there, because GOD has a purpose for us being there.  Many churches have come and gone, and yet there is a ripe community all around us that need to SEE and HEAR the GOSPEL.  While moving maybe on many of our hearts........it won't be WE HAVE fulfilled GOD's purposes in that area that we've been planted.   Some of you maybe at jobs that you have grown to hate ( I say grown to, because there was a day you called it a blessing) and have been seeking another job.   My question to you is....have you really REACHED the people that God has planted you around.  It might be one person, it might be the whole team.....but seriously.....Has He been glorified fully through you?

After all of Paul's efforts, it wasn't until GOD revealed to Paul where he was to go, that he got the direction he needed.  Stop trying to fulfill God's mission through your plans.  Slow down, and let Him reveal it to you, THEN be bold enough to follow where He leads.   LGLP247

REACH: THERE'S HOPE FOR US

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers.   So he went to the high priest. ² He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.
³ As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
⁵ “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.
And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! ⁶ Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”  Acts 9:1-6  NLT


Have you ever killed somebody? Sure you have......stick with me, and prayerfully you see that you too, are a murderer....and there's hope for you too!     See this passage opens up saying that Saul was uttering threats with EVERY BREATH and eager to kill the Lord's followers.   So even while evil was in the breath and heart of this man, who actually thought he was justified in the WHY he was doing what he was doing, the LORD had a use for him.  Surely Jesus had every justifiable right to blink and eye and this righteous terrorist would cease to breath, even exist.   Much like you and I, he could've blinked an eye when we said what we said about Democrats, Republicans, Tea Party folk, or maybe not them.    What about what you had to say about the President, or those hurting young ladies at the abortion clinic.   What about what you had to say or think about your Ex-boyfriend, girlfriend, husband.   Ok maybe not them....but what about the feelings you have about your boss, your co-workers, your neighbors...or that homeless guy...or young lady/man dressed inappropriately that had the never to walk into the Lord's House. 

See we are more like Saul than we want to believe.  I can hear it now....Ray, you've gone too far!  God aint for.......................(fill in the blank).  If I remember right my KKK brothers and sisters were followers of Jesus Christ, that too thought they were justified in hanging, beating, burning, dragging, and murdering some of  my people......and as God would have it....they weren't of the ones directly in the line of my existence, so here I AM DEAL WITH IT!   But ok maybe that doesn't resonate with you.....but what about this summer THEY DON'T BELONG OUT HERE...LET THEM STAY WHERE THEY ARE AT........if I was in a coma and awaken to these words, I'd swear a time machine had to have been invented.   From what I understand about JESUS, these were not His heart regarding the Samaritans or Gentiles. 

So see.....you too are a murderer if you've never shed physical blood, you've assassinated a few people's characters.  Even if it was by accident, you know believing something about someone, because a ?trusted? friend told you.....and you never took the time yourself to give that person, that creation of  GOD the time of day for you to know them yourself.  

So how does my JESUS deal with the ELEPHANTS that despise the DONKEYS, and the left that can't seem to get along with the right, or those hurling insults to those at Planned Parenthood,  or those carrying prejudices.....He says, " Why are you persecuting me?"  Remember whatever you do to the least of these.......you are doing it to Him.   So that being said if you are reading this.....and maybe you're a little peeved at me....that's ok....YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE ME, but if you expect to worship HIM IN ETERNITY, you GOTTA LOVE ME!  So with that being said.....if GOD reached out to SAUL (Saul wasn't looking for this encounter) HE can reach out to you.....and I pray you are humble enough to repent, and make a complete transformation to WIN more people, than you have divided them......leave the division of up to Him on that GREAT DAY!   FOCUS ON LOVING HIM, and OTHERS!  LGLP

IAS : Balancing Healthy Desires & Goals w/Contentment

How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. ¹¹ Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. ¹² I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. ¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Phil. 4:10-13



I am still to this day a gamer, although now I'm a closet gamer.   By that I mean, I don't play as often due to many other responsibilities, but I still like to play every now and then.   One thing I realize though, may games don't drive contentment....actually none of them do.   Some of them you desire to get the highest score.   Many if not all of them you desire to defeat it, until they come with a another one.  Did you know there's the possibility of achieving a perfect score in Pac-Man?  Who knew....now somebody will probably plug up the old gaming system, because we are not content with someone else holding that record.  Being second, is never really good enough......or is it?

Paul while sitting in prison realized life, ministry wasn't about being the top dog, but rather enjoying being second to Christ.   He writes to the Philippian church a thank you letter for them thinking of him.  He remembers that their generosity was greater than any church, while they weren't the riches...they were the most generous, and despite his present circumstances he shares with them the secret to contentment.  We struggle with contentment.   We look at our cars, and desire a newer one....not because anything is wrong with the one we got...but just because.   Cell phone co. know just how discontent and competitive we are....ask owners of the Galaxy II, or III, or I-phone 4, 5, 5c,........they know we want the next new thing.    Certain shows help breed discontent...you look at your kitchen, your yard, your ......and after a few hours of house hunters....well you know.

But Paul wanted to communicate to them, desiring things isn't altogether bad.  So how do we Christians, who live in a consumer based society keep our desires in check, so that we don't find ourselves blending consumerism into our Christianity:

1) Make sure you desires are under control....Yeah the Bible does say (Psalms 37:4)" God will give you the desires of your heart..." but you have to make your priority delighting in Him (that comes first I that scripture), meaning if you truly are delighted in him, your desires will probably be few, and never get in the way of your relationship with Him.  

2) Make sure your desires are legitimate....So you need a new ____________________ because why?  Because you want it.  Because you've worked hard for it....don't justify it as purchase.  If my car doesn't work, and can't be fixed, that means I need a dependable & affordable car.  Not a new one. 

3) Make sure you don't feel you need it, to make you happy or complete you.....    Whenever you need an external solution to fix an internal problem, that should make you pause.  I've heard people say after a hard day I NEED A GLASS OF WINE or a CIGARETTE, and to that I say JESUS aint enough?   I've also heard people say if I could just find the right man/woman...everything we be great....and again I say JESUS aint enough?   You've heard it or said it.....If I could find a better job, a bigger/smaller church, a ___________________ only to find themselves in discontent again.  



Paul discovered that " I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength." In other words I can persevere in  prison, I can endure this job, etc (that He blessed me with), I can do without this momentary, emotion driven, selfish want....because He, Jesus Christ is enough!

So how do we get that balance, unlike Pac-Man it's not about being first, or defeating everyone it's about.......seeking first the KINGDOM OF GOD, and His righteousness....Delighting yourself in Him....and whether or not you get those desires, won't matter as much, because you'll count that stuff as dung, compared to having Christ, and being second.  LGLP