ISNT PARTICIPATION IN CHURCH OPTIONAL ???? PONDER OVER THAT QUESTION AS YOU READ THE REST OF THIS BIBLE STUDY AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF THE ANSWER AND HOW YOU WOULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION WHEN YOU ARE ASKED IT BY A NEW CHRISTIAN OR BY A SINNER. THE MOMENT YOU ARE A NEW CHRISTIAN AND IT ALSO CREEPS INTO THE OLDER CHRISTIANS FROM TIME TO TIME .... satan WILL ATTACK YOU BY GIVING YOU EXCUSES TO USE AS TO WHY YOU ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN JESUS KINGDOM.....he WILL GIVE YOU SO-CALLED EXCUSES SO YOU WILL SLACK IN YOUR DUTY IN GODS KINGDOM (FURTHERING---SPREADING-- HIS GOSPEL THROUGH YOUR PARTICIPATION----ACTIONS---). *** LUKE 4:16 *** SO HE CAME TO NAZARETH, WHERE HE HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP. AND AS HIS CUSTOM WAS, HE WENT INTO THE SYNAGOGUE ON THE SABBATH DAY, AND STOOD UP TO READ. ALTHOUGH JESUS, BEING THE SON OF GOD, HE ATTENDED SERVICES EVERY WEEK. THIS EXAMPLE ALONE MAKES OUR EXCUSES FOR NOT ATTENDING SERVICES SOUND WEAK AND SELF-SERVING. THE WHOLE GOAL OF A CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST JESUS. THE ONLY WAY WE WILL BE LIKE HIM IS TO HAVE FAITH IN AND OF WHO AND WHAT HE IS AND FOLLOW AFTER HIS EXAMPLE IN ALL THAT HE DID AND STILL IS DOING HERE ON EARTH AND WHAT HE SAID HE IS DOING NOW IN HEAVEN. SEE IT IS ACTION ... JESUS PARTICIPATED..... ARE YOU???? *** ROMANS 12:4 - 8 *** FOR AS WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS IN ONE BODY; BUT ALL THE MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, (5) SO WE, BEING MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER, (6) HAVING THEN GIFTS DIFFERING ACCORDING TO THE GRACE THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US, LET US USE THEM; IF PROPHECY, LET US PROPHESY IN PROPORTION TO OUR FAITH; (7) OR MINISTRY, LET US USE IT IN OUR MINISTERING; HE WHO TEACHES, IN TEACHING; (8) HE WHO EXHORTS, IN EXHORTATION; HE WHO LEADS, WITH DILIGENCE; HE WHO SHOWS MERCY, WITH CHEERFULNESS. WE, AS CHRISTIANS--- CHILDREN OF ALMIGHTY GOD--- REGARDLESS OF YOUR DENOMINATION--- SHOULD LIVE AND WORK TOGETHER UNDER THE COMMAND AND AUTHORITY OF JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS PARTICIPATING. JUST IMAGINE ALL THE KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD RECEIVE EACH GIFT: 1. PROPHETS ARE OFTEN BOLD AND ARTICULATE. 2. SERVERS (THOSE IN MINISTRY) ARE FAITHFUL AND LOYAL 3. TEACHERS ARE CLEAR THINKERS 4. EXHORTERS ARE ENCOURAGERS AND THEY KNOW HOW TO MOTIVATE OTHERS. 5. GIVERS ARE GENEROUS AND TRUSTING. 6. LEADERS ARE GOOD ORGANIZERS AND MANAGERS. 7. THOSE WHO SHOW KINDNESS ARE CARING PEOPLE WHO ARE HAPPY TO GIVE THEIR TIME TO OTHERS. SEE IT WOULD BE TOO DIFFICULT FOR ONE PERSON TO EMBODY ALL THESE GIFTS. FOR EXAMPLE: 1.AN ASSERTIVE PROPHET WOULD NOT USUALLY MAKE A GOOD COUNSELOR, 2. AND A GENEROUS GIVER MIGHT FAIL AS A LEADER. THE LIST COULD GO ON AND ON FOR THERE ARE MANY OTHER GIFTS THAT GOD USES FOR HIS GLORY. THEREFORE THERE IS NO EXCUSE. THO SOME MANY CHRISTIANS CAN COME UP WITH MANY EXCUSES. ....LIKE I JUST DONT SEEM TO BE GIFTED IN ANYTHING TO PARTICIPATE ... OR ... I JUST DONT HAVE THE RESOURCES OR TIME TO PARTICIPATE .... OR I HAVE DONE MY TIME BY PARTICIPATING IN THAT AREA AT CHURCH AND NOW IT IS SOMEONE ELSES TIME TO DO THIS (IF GOD GIFTED YOU ONE TIME IN A CERTAIN AREA, ISNT THAT GIFT FOR A LIFE TIME ?? OR DID YOU GET WEARY IN THAT GIFT?? YOU NEED TO QUESTION YOURSELF AS TO WHY DID GOD TAKE THAT PARTICULAR GIFT AWAY FROM YOU....BE CAREFUL WITH THIS ATTITUDE FOR IT IS DANGEROUS ) ... OR THE EXCUSE MAY BE THAT YOU ARE JUST TOO SHY TO ASK ANYONE WHERE PARTICIPATION IS NEEDED. IF YOU ARE UNCLEAR AS TO WHAT YOUR GIFT IS THEN I URGE YOU TO PRAY AND ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT IS AND BE WILLING TO HEAR AND ACCEPT THE GIFT WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART BEING THANKFUL. REMEMBER NOT EVERYONE GETS THE SAME GIFT BECAUSE GOD CREATED US EACH ONE DIFFERENTLY. SO EACH ONE HAS A DIFFERENT PURPOSE FOR THE GIFT GOD BLESSES THEM WITH. GOD PICKS OUT EACH GIFT THAT HE GIVES HIS CHILDREN VERY CAREFULLY. GOD LOVES US AND HE JUST WANTS WHAT IS BEST FOR US. THEREFORE THE GIFTS THAT HE GIVES US ARE LIFE GIFTS . EVERY CHILD OF GOD HAS BEEN GIVEN A GIFT AND IT IS UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL TO EXERCISE THAT GIFT BECAUSE GOD WILL NOT FORCE YOU TO USE IT OR SHARE IT THEREFORE IT IS ULTIMATELY UP TO YOU. LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING ..... WHEN, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, OUR ALMIGHTY GOD, OUR SAVIOR, OUR CREATOR, OUR REDEEMER, OUR HIDING PLACE (REFUGE) , OUR PROVIDER, OUR HEALER, OUR GREAT I AM, OUR MESSIAH, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WHEN HE PICKS OUT A SPECIAL GIFT JUST FOR US AND FREELY GIVES IT TO YOU TO USE FOR HIS GLORY.... DO YOU ACCEPT THE GIFT THAT GOD PICKED OUT WITH ALOT OF CAREFUL AND LOVING THOUGHT JUST FOR YOU , OR DO YOU SNARL YOUR NOSE AND SEE THAT THERE IS WAY TOO MUCH WORK AND AGGRAVATION TO THIS GIFT THAT GOD GRACIOUSLY GAVE YOU AND YOU TELL GOD TO TAKE IT BACK?? DO YOU USE THE GIFT FOR A WHILE THEN WANT TO GIVE IT BACK??? DO YOU SAY OK I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS YOU CAN HAVE IT BACK???? DO YOU SAY OK I HAVE SPENT MY TIME WITH THIS AND NOW IT IS TIME FOR SOMEONE ELSE?? BE CAREFUL FOR WHAT YOU THINK AND SAY BECAUSE GOD WILL TAKE BACK THE GIFT THAT HE SO GRACIOUSLY GAVE YOU OUT OF CAREFUL THOUGHT AND LOVE ... OUCH!! THAT HURTS DOESNT IT..... REMEMBER OUR ROLE AS A CHRISTIAN IS NOT MERELY FOR OURSELVES TO BE COMFORTABLE .... IT IS TO BE FAITHFUL TO OUR GOD AND CONTINUOUSLY SEEKING WAYS TO SERVE OTHERS.... SEEKING WAYS TO PARTICIPATE IN SHARING GODS LOVE WITH ALL OUR HEART AND TO BE THANKFUL AND FAITHFUL WITH THE GIFTS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US. REMEMBER THAT ONLY TOGETHER WITH OTHER BELIEVERS IN CHRIST CAN YOU HELP TO BUILD CHRISTS CHURCH. SO LET US RETURN TO THE QUESTION.... ISNT PARTICIPATION IN CHURCH OPTIONAL?? NOW HOW WILL YOU ANSWER THIS ??? NEW KING JAMES VERSION STUDY BIBLE--- LIFE APPLICATIONS STUDY BIBLE
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 12:27:42 +0000
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