What Kind Of Church Do You Want To Go To?

The message this morning was simple and very direct to the point. The sermon in church today centered around how there are 2 kinds of churches:

1. A church that only asks for the forgiveness of God, but does not really seek a relationship with God. Stemming from Isaiah 4:1 (mentioned below) -
   
   
   1 In that day seven women
   will take hold of one man
   and say, "We will eat our own food
   and provide our own clothes;
   only let us be called by your name.
   Take away our disgrace!"
   
   This church does not really love the Lord, this church is of a people that just wants the name "Christian" for God to take away disgrace. A church that doesn't really care about the Lord, of following the Lord's commands or wanting the Lord's provision. This is not a true relationship with God.
   
   The sad truth is that many churches these days and many personalities just want a church that preaches what they want to hear. Nothing of striving for perfection or being holy like the Lord but just that God is there to forgive our sins. Although the latter part be true, we should also strive to do what God wants us to do.
   
   
2. The 2nd church wants to glorify God and make a meaningful relationship.

The speaker really connected with me because sometimes I fall into the trap as well. We all want to be forgiven for our sins like the people who seeks the first church. But God's forgiveness isn't the end of our relationship with God.

A friend of mine once said what's to stop me from shooting anybody after I become a Christian? God will forgive me anyway. Now I had a difficult time arguing that fact at first, but I did manage to say that if forgiveness is the only thing God requires of us then we are quite pitiful.

As it is, we are already quite blessed that God is willing to forgive us and is just waiting for us to ask for forgiveness, but that forgiveness doesn't give us the right to abuse the Lord. It more than anything else, should bind us with God.

The path of Christianity is to have intimacy with God in such a way that we aim to please God and love God. I know it's not easy, sometimes I treat God like the ATM, just asking for one thing after another and then begging for forgiveness when I make mistakes.

When we have a relationship with the Lord, we should let Him be the Lord of our lives. That's the only way for the relationship to work. We should love the Lord and obey Him. Not just make him a laundry person to cleanse us when we make mistakes.

The Ant Vs. The Grasshopper As Applied To Christian Life

The Ant Vs. The Grasshopper

The preacher last Sunday shared about the ant versus the grasshopper. Apparently the ant has a pay now, play later attitude. They work all summer to gather food in order to be able to enjoy it through the winter.

While grasshoppers on the other hand, do this the other way around. They play all spring and summer, then come winter... well... they die.

We as Christians are like that I guess. We should be like the ant where we pay now in order to enjoy the joys of heaven later on. We work now for the glories of heaven, help as many people as we can find Jesus and possibly join us in heaven.

I do hope I can do justice to that.

The Meaning Of Christmas

Everyone's getting ready to celebrate Christmas. Decorations are up. Christmas carols fill the air. Shoppers are all abuzz trying to find that perfect gift for their loved ones.

But really I do hope we don't forget the real meaning of Christmas. When Jesus Christ was sent to us from above. Born in a manger, even the angels sang of His birth.

It's amazing to think the God loves us so much that He was willing to take human form and be as lowly as low can get. Imagine being born in a manger nonetheless.

Let us always be grateful for Christmas.

(image from Catholicshopper.com)

Count Your Blessings

Everyday we face different problems. Sometimes we get pleasant surprises, but more often than not we grumble about life and how life is unfair to us particularly. What makes a Christian different? It's when we count our blessings. When we realize how blessed we are even in the face of adversity, we are different from the world. When we realize we have so much to be thankful for, that is when we are set apart.

I make it a point every night to thank God for every little thing. That way when I go to sleep I'm grateful instead of miserable. When I remember all the small blessings, it never fails to make me feel better. It makes me feel that God is watching over me. That even in all my troubles, God is there watching and taking care of me and my family.