Faith

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I like going to church. I don't go very regularly, though I tell myself I should go more. It's nice to be among friends and fellow believers, it's nice to hear soul-stirring testimonies and prayer, and to be present for a moving and meaningful sermon. But I don't subscribe to the popular notion that if you are a true, Bible believing Christian, you have to be present at church.

Jesus is just as much at home in my home as He is in a church. I don't leave Him at church when I leave church. He comes home with me. He lives with me. He has dinner with me. He showers with me. He goes to work with me. He is with me in my car as I drive. I carry His word around with me--I don't always (sometimes I do) need to have it interpreted by a preacher. I can read it myself. I can talk to God myself. This is one thing I have never understood about the Catholic church (and I am not criticizing the Catholic church!). Why do they require confession to a priest? Why don't they just confess right to God? Why must there be a third party involved? Really--I'm asking. Why? If anyone could oblige me with an answer, I'd appreciate it.

You get the picture. Church has its place, and is a much needed place in our world. The church itself belongs to God. It is His house, and I like to visit with Him there. But what I love most is that He is with me everywhere else I have to go.

I get frustrated when I go to a church where the pastor (and I know they do this as a warning, not to be spiteful) points his finger and says, "If you do this thing or that thing, you are going to Hell!" I'm sorry--I just don't like that. This pastor is telling me that I am going to Hell for sin, and I am, if I don't repent, but he himself is extremely overweight, with numerous health issues related to being overweight, and isn't overeating a sin too?

If we don't meet Jesus, we are all going to Hell, no matter what sin we commit. If we refuse to let Him in, that's our fate. Even after we've met him, most of us will continue to sin. The only difference is that now we are fully aware of those sins, because they will be pointed out by Him. We are human--we will sin. You can't escape this fact no matter how perfect you try to be. You'll only make yourself crazy, and how will you serve Him then? You don't have to do anything else, only accept Him. That's it. Thank you, Jesus!

Stop stumbling around trying to get it all right. You can't. I can't. We aren't able to. That's why Jesus made a way for us. All we have to do is let Him in and He'll take it from there.

We will never be completely sin-free until we go home, but we can be completely guilt-free right now.

Church has it's place. Go often, or as often as you want to. But the church won't save you. And the One who will save you can be found wherever you are, no matter where that is.

Praise God and thank Him for the gift of His church, but remember that always, church is wherever you happen to be, if you know Jesus is with you.

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