Ignore the Reasons….

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

My parents did everything right, I grew up in church, was saved as a child along the way, but grew up in religion. You went to church on Sunday because that was what Christians do. I thought my ticket to Heaven was found in church attendance and how good a person I was. I ran from God for 15 years and then he drew me back to a Baptist church were I discovered grace, and a true understanding of John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. The time at that church was special, I truly enjoyed going to church, and eternal friendships were made. The division that destroyed that church was horrible, and many including myself still harbor pain from those years. Anyone that was there during the good days is still seeking what they found originally; I have had that exact conversation countless times. Sadly as I take my faith everywhere, (I am bold to a fault), I hear too many stories of why people leave their church. It breaks my heart to see the destruction of the American church from the inside, yet I can see how it has happened personally.

Church is where you go to worship together, to hear messages from God through preachers and teachers, where you go for one on one encouragement with other believers, where you get help to do this thing called life together. What did Jesus say to Peter above, “Satan can’t defeat my church!” God had opened Peters understanding to who Jesus was, even telling Peter he was going to lead the church. But, you must look at the following passages and see how Satan even wormed his was into Peter’s thoughts and Jesus had to scold Peter in the harshest way. 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Satan has been dividing the church since the beginning of time. Satan has planted all kinds of thoughts in peoples heads to keep them from going to church, to divide the church, for divided armies he thinks will fail; but Jesus said he won’t win!

I don’t have the answer for the falling away of the American church, all I can do is pray and proclaim the truth. I don’t know what it will take for you to be happy in church, but I know you will never know until you spend more time seeking God that just on Sunday. I do know the American church needs revival, an inner working of God on a biblical scale, and a revival begins in the hearts of each believer. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Ignore the reasons to not go to church today….you will be glad you did.