Questioning my Beliefs?

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Permalink Reply by Sony on April 14, 2008 at 7:53pm

Dear Jack,
I know that I am supposed to keep my eyes on God and not on man. I need to find a church where I can truly worship. I know that I will, I am just really discouraged at this point, but God always brings me back because I miss him so much when I am not in fellowship with him. I will have to work on that. Thank you so much for your prayers and your response. It really helps a lot just to know there is someone I can talk to who understands, and will love me in christ without any judgment. God Bless you!
Sony

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Permalink Reply by Carla on April 14, 2008 at 12:47pm

Hi Sony,
I agree with everything Jack has already said. Let us just stay focused on Jesus and His teachings...always going back to the Word. I even feel that i don't even want to respond with my own words....so I have given you the words of Jesus:


Matthew 7:15-29

15 "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep, but are really wolves that will tear you apart.

16 You can detect them by the way they act, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit. You don't pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles.

17 A healthy tree produces good fruit, and an unhealthy tree produces bad fruit.

18 A good tree can't produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can't produce good fruit.

19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.

20 Yes, the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.

21 "Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as `Lord,' but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven.

22 On judgment day many will tell me, `Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.'

23 But I will reply, `I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.*'5

24 "Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.

25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse, because it is built on rock.

26 But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.

27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will fall with a mighty crash."

28 After Jesus finished speaking, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,

29 for he taught as one who had real authority--quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

God Bless you richly sister as you stand strong with Jesus..moment by moment!~In Him, carla

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Permalink Reply by Sony on April 14, 2008 at 8:01pm

Dear Carla, thank you so much for your response, it really speaks to me on a lot of levels. You have reassured me of the urgency to stay in fellowship with God and other christians because I can be confused by the enemy if I do not. And thank you for the beautiful song. God Bless you.
In his love,
Sony

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Permalink Reply by Carla on April 14, 2008 at 8:19pm

Hi Sony,
Another great book you might really like is called "The End of Religion--Encountering the subversive spirituality of Jesus". The author is Bruxy Cavey....The pastor at my church! You can get it online at chapters--indigo. I'd even mail you a copy if you wanted! ~carla

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Permalink Reply by Sony on April 14, 2008 at 8:48pm

Yes, Carla. I would love to read it. I am not coming up with anything on the site though. I tried searching by title and author, but no luck.
Thanks,
Sony

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Permalink Reply by Carla on April 14, 2008 at 9:21pm

Hi Sony..I went to chapter.indigo and copied and pasted the info here for you...including 2 reviews that were there!...If you still dont have any luck i would be happy to mail you a copy. It is a worthwhile read!

The End Of Religion: Encountering The Subversive Spirituality Of Jesus
Author: Bruxy Cavey|See more titles by Bruxy Cavey


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Richard Maranta 1 comment 5 people found this helpful Insightful and Challenging

October 4, 2007 - 12:13 pm

Mr. Cavey's book is an articulate and well-written critique of the Christian Religion. By re-visting the techings of Jesus, Bruxy demonstrates how Jesus deconstructs religious paradigms as a pathway to God and replaces it with a relational ethic that trascends rules and rituals. In a time where religion dominates headlines and popular discourse, The End of Religion comes on the scene like Monty Python's "holy hand grenade" and sets it off in a new direction.

add a comment Was this helpful? yes no yes no report this Comments on this review:
Lisa Bradburn This is a 'must read' for any person exploring their faith

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Permalink Reply by AAG Netguy on April 14, 2008 at 12:52pm

Sony,

I agree with Jack, this is a very common problem, particularly in the U.S. where the institutionalized church has often become a numbers game and a machine. Unfortunately, we have added so many man-made layers on the beautiful simplicity of how the Bible describes the church. Be careful of confusing what we call "church" in the West with the God's original design and intention for the church. Don't get down on the church, but you are right to be disillusioned with the way it is practiced here.

If you dare, I recommend you pick up a copy of the book "Pagan Christianity" by Frank Viola and George Barna. You can learn more about it at www.paganchristianity.org It documents how far we have strayed from God's original design.

Rule of Thumb: When you see anything that doesn't line up with the Bible, doubt the practice... don't doubt the Bible.

One of the reasons we started AllAboutGOD.net was to help new believers that have never experienced the traditional church to get excited about what the church should be according to the Bible... and to help those who have be disillusioned with the "traditional" church to find a place to heal and grow.

You are in a difficult position, Sony, but you are asking the right questions. My prayers are with you as you asked as you make the difficult but needful decisions ahead to restore your spirit.

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Permalink Reply by Sony on April 14, 2008 at 8:13pm

Dear Greg,
First I would like to thank you for this site and the time you give to it. It is a blessing in my life as I think it is in a lot of other lives. And, yes I feel like the church has gotten so far away from what God intended it to be! I am seeking to discover just exactly what the purpose is. I just don't think it is about going to church on Sunday morning all dressed up and worrying about how good the music is, which seems to be a big issue in a lot of churches nowadays, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. I called Border books and reserved the book you recommended and actually found some more I want to read this summer. Do you have any knowledge of "Are christians free indeed or enslave by religion" by Shean Smith? This one sounds good also but I don't know anything about the author. Thank you for your prayers and I am so glad that I have this site to come to. God Bless you!
Sony

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Permalink Reply by Ron Payne on April 14, 2008 at 2:26pm

Hi Sony,
Reading the advice of those who have replied to your call, I believe they are warning you against the system that many churches have adopted today. This of course is also what you are complaining about.
My problem though is: "How does your husband feel about the situation?" Is he aware of what is happening and is he aware of your feelings? Has your husband experienced or felt a call to the ministry as well? The other question I have: "Is your father in law the Pastor of the Church or is he a lay preacher, simply preaching on occasions. I ask these questions because they play a great part in your life at the moment and will definitely make it difficult for you to make a personal decision on your own, in regard to going elsewhere.
Therefore it is imperative that you discuss the problem - I have a feeling that you already have -
with your husband. Suggest that the two of you attend another church as an experiment to find out how they are managing in worship and Praise. Or ask him if he would mind if you went
walk-a-bout for awhile to investigate the different churches in the area in order to find a church that would satisfy both your needs. Take - as you already do - The whole problem to God. Place it at His feet. The last thing God wants is for your home to break up over "religion"
Look up the Website that Greg advised and let your husband absorb whatever you download from it, this may encourage him towards agreeing with you. Should he agree with you, then both of you will have to speak to his father. It may be a good idea to wait until the father has a complaint of his own against the Church and then bounce the idea off him.
May I say Sony, you are in good company here and I know that each one who replied to your call, will be praying for you. The Lord Bless you. Your Brother and Friend in Christ - Ron

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Permalink Reply by Sony on April 14, 2008 at 8:30pm

Dear Ron,
Yes, my husband is aware of how I feel. I should have probably been more specific though. My father-in-law recently retired and is now doing interim preaching. All of this I mention started a few years back when my father-in-law was pastoring. I started attending church with my husband and there were a lot of "church politics" and judgment that I did not agree with and I wanted to look for another church and asked my husband if we could do that. I told him I was having trouble worshiping there and I thought it would help if I could go to church somewhere where I did not know so much about the business of the church. I did not want to know the gossip or why someone got mad and left the church or why someone got kicked out of the choir, I just wanted to worship. My husband would not leave the church because he was afraid it would hurt his fathers feelings so I stayed with him because I thought it was the right thing to do for our family, we have children also. But it has had a negative effect on my relationship with God, I have become somewhat bitter toward "church". I am not bitter towards God but I need the fellowship and I need to find another church so please continue to pray for me. Thank you so much for your response and for praying for me. God Bless you!
Sony

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Permalink Reply by journeyman on April 15, 2008 at 8:28am

Dear Sony;
I too have struggled. But, even the apostoles struggled. Jesus calls us towards our purpose. Prayer is the answer for us. Listening to what God tells us afterwards is equally important. The thing is the "flesh" fights with what the Holy Spirit tells us is to be. So, if we do hear the Holy spirit speak to us we must listen. We must step out of our comfortable "human natural" suits and put on the armor of God. We are his Children. Pray for God's Grace and favor in what you do everyday. Share your wonderful Love for Jesus with everyone.
Here is a good book by Joyce Meyer, "If not for the Grace of God".
Sony keep smiling. Let everyone know how much you Love Jesus. Share the wonder of his Love.
May God Bless you
journeymanhd913

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Permalink Reply by Sony on April 15, 2008 at 2:55pm

Dear Journeyman,
Yes, I know that the holy spirit speaks to me and when I am in fellowship with God I do not have any trouble discerning that, but I have forsaken my fellowship with God to a certain extent and I need to get that back. I am being spoken to quite a bit these days but I am having trouble discerning the origin. So please pray that God will light my path and give me wisdom when it comes to these issues. Thank you so much for your response and your prayers! God Bless you!
Sony

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