This past week I was talking to an old friend I haven't seen in years. I was kinda angry at him, he took off on his wife and kids (from Michigan) to go be with a woman he met online in Arkansas. I just couldn't bear to look him in the eye.
When speaking with him this week, I was hoping to hear some good news from him, but he proceeded to tell me he no longer believes in God. His reasoning seemed simple, as I have struggled with my own faith. He has been through a few struggles and said he couldn't believe in such a God anymore.
I myself have been through struggles and have been angry at God, but I would never consider leaving God because of what I've been through. I know the truth. God has plans to prosper me, not to harm me.
But the sad thing is, he told me that once he stopped believing, he got the things he wanted. He got a good paying job and his girlfriend, who buys him the things he wants. He says his life is so much better and he no longer holds any anger in his life.
I was shocked. It seemed so selfish of him. The world had to revolve around him if he was going to believe in God and I can see how the enemy has tempted him with possessions to get him to turn away from his Lord and Savior. I know this because I have been tempted to turn away from God.
It's no different than how Job was tested in his trials to curse God and Job refused. I admit to questioning God about the painful things I've been through. But then I read Job and how he put his hand over his mouth, humbled before the power of almighty God!
This is the church today. Lukewarm. Worship has become about US. We leave churches because of the style of worship, as if worship should be about our particular music style and not about the object of our worship.
Church has become the building we attend on Sunday mornings; the most we care to give is an hour and if the service goes over we get angry. Our bibles remain in the backseat of our cars collecting dust until next Sunday. We don't live out the rest of our lives as we're called to live. We don't give, love or show others the heart of Christ. Life is about us, about achieving this fake American dream which never makes one happy.
And if we feel we lack in our lives, we'll turn our backs on God in an instant. All it took was a few worldly possessions for my friend to turn on God, as if that's the standard of life. Once he got what he really "wanted", he'll spend the rest of his life chasing something to fill that hole in his heart and I pray he realizes he turned his back on the ONLY one who will fill that hole.
We need a revival. We seek lives of comfort and when things get rough, when we don't get everything we want handed to us on a silver spoon, we question God?? Where is the Holy Spirit that has been sealed in our very being?
The church isn't a building we attend once a week. We ARE the church. We are Christ here on earth. When you stand before your God on that day, will He look you in the eyes and say, "well done good and faithful servant!"???
When speaking with him this week, I was hoping to hear some good news from him, but he proceeded to tell me he no longer believes in God. His reasoning seemed simple, as I have struggled with my own faith. He has been through a few struggles and said he couldn't believe in such a God anymore.
I myself have been through struggles and have been angry at God, but I would never consider leaving God because of what I've been through. I know the truth. God has plans to prosper me, not to harm me.
But the sad thing is, he told me that once he stopped believing, he got the things he wanted. He got a good paying job and his girlfriend, who buys him the things he wants. He says his life is so much better and he no longer holds any anger in his life.
I was shocked. It seemed so selfish of him. The world had to revolve around him if he was going to believe in God and I can see how the enemy has tempted him with possessions to get him to turn away from his Lord and Savior. I know this because I have been tempted to turn away from God.
It's no different than how Job was tested in his trials to curse God and Job refused. I admit to questioning God about the painful things I've been through. But then I read Job and how he put his hand over his mouth, humbled before the power of almighty God!
This is the church today. Lukewarm. Worship has become about US. We leave churches because of the style of worship, as if worship should be about our particular music style and not about the object of our worship.
Church has become the building we attend on Sunday mornings; the most we care to give is an hour and if the service goes over we get angry. Our bibles remain in the backseat of our cars collecting dust until next Sunday. We don't live out the rest of our lives as we're called to live. We don't give, love or show others the heart of Christ. Life is about us, about achieving this fake American dream which never makes one happy.
And if we feel we lack in our lives, we'll turn our backs on God in an instant. All it took was a few worldly possessions for my friend to turn on God, as if that's the standard of life. Once he got what he really "wanted", he'll spend the rest of his life chasing something to fill that hole in his heart and I pray he realizes he turned his back on the ONLY one who will fill that hole.
We need a revival. We seek lives of comfort and when things get rough, when we don't get everything we want handed to us on a silver spoon, we question God?? Where is the Holy Spirit that has been sealed in our very being?
The church isn't a building we attend once a week. We ARE the church. We are Christ here on earth. When you stand before your God on that day, will He look you in the eyes and say, "well done good and faithful servant!"???