Hebrews 10:25 Continued

Please don't freak out on me here.

I know in my previous post some are going to say, "Duane said I don't have to go to church."

That's not what I'm saying.

If we say we are a Christian BECAUSE we go to church, that is wrong.

Taking it a step further, SITTING in church does not make you a Christian.

How so?

Back up one verse in chapter 10 of Hebrews, 

"and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,"

Stimulate one another to good deeds.

Stimulate?  http://bible.us/Rev2.13.NLT

Build up? http://bible.us/1Thess5.11.NLT

Warn? http://bible.us/Heb3.13.NLT

To urge? http://bible.us/Jude1.3.NLT

Keep reading - http://bible.us/Jude1.4.NLT

See, we are supposed TO DO SOMETHING, not just sit there.

Back to Hebrews 10. This is why this is so important - 

"Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. " (Hebrews 10:26 NLT)

I think Tony Nolan said on Twitter one day, "Not on my watch!"

The very person you sit beside in church is hearing the same thing you are. If they continue in their sins, they have NO EXCUSE in God's eyes!!!

Does that bother you?

I'm tired of church as usual!

I want people saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost!

Christ came to give me life ABUNDANTLY! He didn't pour it on the pew cushions so I could sit in it.

Weren't we saved to a "lively" hope?

Stir up that Gift that is in you.

 - -

So, Where Does It Say in the Bible...

....so where does it say in the Bible that you have to go to church?

Don't neglect the meeting http://bible.us/Heb10.25.NLT

That's what i thought you would say.

God told me to go back a few verses and read. Look at verse 11 http://bible.us/Heb10.11.NLT

The "same old same old" gets the same old results. 

So, if we go to church because we think we "have to" (legalism), but keep doing the same old thing we always do, how can we possibly think that something different is going to happen?

Yes, there is a "gift of miracles" http://bible.us/1Cor12.10.NLT , but it is not operating. It's not God's fault that we don't see miracles. It would be a real miracle indeed if...

God did NOT call me to sit in a pew at the appointed times only, and that be the sustenance and gist of my service to God. The Bible says GO! http://bible.us/Mark16.15.NLT

GO! 

Hear the Word, DO the Word http://bible.us/Jas1.22.NLT 

or you are just kidding yourself.

I just so desperately want to see people get saved!

It's time for something different!

 - -

Post Flood Blues and Reflections

Hmm, today was not so good.

Aside from the post-flood blues,
(and I'm not talking about Noah either; I had 5+ feet of moving water in my back yard and I do NOT live on lake or riverfront property)
I'm wondering if it's time to step out.

So many months ago, God called me a "missionary to Greeneville". Since then, I've got little to show for it.

My call is not as a preacher or a teacher, at least not in the church, or at least not yet. You know, a missionary - Go into all the world... http://bible.us/Mark16.15.NLT

"Church people" are not in my scope of responsibility. I've got to get into the community, somehow...

So while I was mowing grass today in my swamp of a backyard, I got an idea. All the "church people" should be in "church" Sunday morning, right? So all of the non-church people will be in their homes, right?

Would that not be the best time to go into the community and start visiting? I mean all the church people will be gone so my target visitees will be uncluttered.

Ya, I know; everybody says you're supposed to be in church, and that includes me. Right?

So where does it say in the Bible that you have to go to church?

Don't neglect the meeting http://bible.us/Heb10.25.NLT

That's what i thought you would say.

to be continued...

 - -

Day 10: Bong-Nyo Baek

• ...After a little time, Jesus started speaking in a harsh voice, Jesus stated that the churches and pastors are worshiping Him in vain.  They follow tradition and works of men.  Many of the services are short and void in message.  The length in worship and praise time has become unacceptable.  They are more concerned with when it will be over.  The preaching time has been shortened.  Jesus was expressing His distress.  Generally, services are about an hour in length; however, many services have become less than one hour.  They are in a hurry to finish.  Jesus would like to manifest in the preachers' bodies, but the pastors preach in the flesh and not in the spirit.  They are more concerned about time management than preaching in the Spirit.  With less worship and service time, many preachers are utilizing the free time for personal use, such as dining, taking trips with the congregation, and wasting time on other trivial matters.  Some pastors are distracted and deluded by attractive sisters, and give great attention to their beauty.   Moreover, some pastors do no treat the congregation with equal respect.  The wealthier members are given more time and respect than those without money.  These types of pastors are not spending enough time in prayer for the glory of God, but they are praying trivially, which is frustrating and dismaying to our Lord.  The messages are not led by the Holy Spirit.  The messages are provided by the strength of the Pastors' knowledge and their flesh.  Messages not from the Spirit will result in short, vain preaching.  Preachers elect not to be led by the Holy Spirit, but by the will of the congregation.  Jesus desires to powerfully anoint and utilize pastors for God's glory.  However, the preachers have, by their own will, given up seeking the Lord's anointing.  Now their carnal mind rules over their spirit.  Many preachers cannot feel God's heart and desires.  God is deeply saddened.  When expanding or building a church, some preachers do it for the sake of their own glory and pride.  In their hearts, the building is a monument to themselves.  These types of pastors spend very little time in prayer and are preoccupied with the materialism of the world. 
•  
• As the Lord told me about these things, I saw the expression of grief on His face.  Although many preachers can boast about their spectacular buildings, Heaven considers it trivial.  Heaven's way is higher than Earth's; what one perceives as important on Earth may be incidental in Heaven...
•