The truth of it..God is truth. But man?

[KashiaJN142627]

I have spent last year or so reading bible, listening to online sermons ( there are many edifying ones! and teaching ones and I am grateful) and walking out into open spaces, praying, talking to Jesus learning to forgive learning that yes
He is the Way, The Truth, and the Life. I have had many deeply peaceful moments, feeling the presence of God...and I have felt my soul being restored
realizing He never left me, was always there, He is a loving and merciful God.

And then....I begin to find a church, looking visiting because I have this longing to be around others, that I may grow, that we may grow even closer to Him.

And I know God is never the author of confusion or fear or devision, but my experiences in churches have caused me to long for a river, a meadow, my room, where I can worship in peace and not be distracted with all the things I am experiencing around others. Or the judgement s I feel from others, even being told I can not take Holy Communion, and I have to do this and do that and I am looked at by others as though....well, enough said here. My feelings are hurt, my faith is deepened.

But as a new Christian....I just keep finding the Lord in His Word- and not in all the other places, in fact it distracts from my relationship with Him.

But it is not suppose to, right? aren't we supposed to be in a loving group of believers, where we help each other- if one is weak here or there, look into the Bible, lovingly correct, pray together, and help one another?

Thank you for any insight as I am distressed over not being considered worthy enough to
partake of communion in this church- but I do want the truth of it, the situation, and God's will. as perceived by other Christians.

James 1:27: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

 

[LilLamb219]

In Holy Communion, there is not only the vertical aspect, but the horizontal aspect where you are in agreement with the other members going to the altar with you. If you go to a church where they believe in the Real Presence and you don't believe in that, then it is loving of that pastor to not have you partake. Besides not believing in what scripture teaches concerning the Lord's Supper (if that is the case) it would also be a false witness with everyone believing you are in agreement and you are not.

 

[1watchman]

Good point, Lillamb. We love all the saints of God, but not all the saints are going on the same way (sad to say), so we cannot walk with all (very sad) ---note Amos 3:3. One might find an assembly that sees everything the way we do, or else we need to conform to the assembly we choose to attend ---hopefully a very scriptural assembly that bows to the Word of God. Certainly we should all seek to help a new person coming in among us.

 

[timf]

aren't we supposed to be in a loving group of believers,

You may find that the promise of the Christian life is seldom realized. One of the biggest reasons for this is that most people practice Christianity through the instrumentality of organizational systems instead of relational connections between people. This makes Christianity rather mechanical and impersonal.

There was a book published called "Glenda's Story". She was a woman that was going to kill herself and on her way home that night she found a tract and became saved. She went to her neighborhood church thinking she was the only person who had not heard about Christ. After a few weeks, she began to think she was the only one who had.

I wouldn't place too much hope in finding a group or denomination of Christians that have "got it right". Instead I would focus on finding an older wiser Christian woman who clearly shows the light and love of Jesus in her life and ask her to help you know Jesus as well as she does.

I think at the present time with so many people repudiating even Christian heritage and so many Christians following after the world and the flesh, that your best hope is in cultivating relationships with those few people you may find that still seek to be like Jesus.

Christian Pioneer - What is the right church

 

[KashiaJN142627]

TIMF

Thank you for shining your light...

and a link too.

 

[asiyreh]

Try to see the posititves Kashia. You're a child of God. You hate the World, this is natural. You smell pretentiousness 10 miles away and you don't like it. It's a natural thing. You won't want to be surrounded by people especially in a church setting because this is the worst kind of pretentiousness. You want to be with Christ alone. This is natural, this is good, a very good indicator.

Now snap yourself out of it!

Pick yourself up, and get into that Church, there's people in there and Christ has a message for you to deliever to them.



Go...

 

[Alive_Again]

Sounds like a Catholic thing. They're hung up on communion and it is not for every believer by a long shot, let alone every Catholic.

The Lord's supper is what it is by the Spirit of God, not by some enablement of a minister. God makes it a spiritual meal by virtue of faithfulness to His Word.

You might consider going to a church where they don't fence you out. I found out that God is alive and well outside of the denomination I grew up in. I went to a storefront church of all places and enjoyed the move of the Spirit of God. I found out that God was the same. (The "move" was actually better.) I took the Lord's supper in various places, homes, etc. and God was present.

I wouldn't presume to instruct anyone where to fellowship, but it is important and God would not have you bound. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Prayerfully consider where you fellowship and be open to God blessing you, possibly somewhere else. I took communion at home on my wedding night with my wife and it was beautiful. Yes, the Lord was there too.

 

[tnhilliard]

Everyone has offered so many good answers, I don't know if what I have to say can help.

But;
2 Corinthians 6:14

King James Version (KJV)

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

I think there is a place for everyone and maybe yours is not there yet. I would visit other churchs and experience worship with others and feel the differnce. (do not concentrate on the denomination.) It doesn's sound very fruitful some of the ways this church has made you feel.
Colossians 2:8

King James Version (KJV)

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.


But on the other hand.... maybe you are the one to shed the "LIGHT" on there ways and show them the way. They may be stuck in a trend and not aware of their doings. I would pray and ask God and ask him to put you in the right place and guide you in your right path. Only God knows what is best for you.

I will keep you in my prayers.

 

[tturt]

Good for you for searching out the Scriptures and pursuing learning about God! Yes, He is loving and merciful.

I agree with "I would pray and ask God and ask him to put you in the right place and guide you in your right path. Only God knows what is best for you."

Also, I take communion at home. I'm able to reflect more on it in that setting. Since Jesus blessed both the elements, I found these - Jewish blessing for the bread: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
Jewish blessing for the wine: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, creator of the fruit of the vine.

I'm not saying He said these words but when I read the Scripture about Him blessing the bread and wine it helps me.

 

[Alive_Again]

God gave the church "ministry gifts", which include the apostle (that's right), the prophet, teacher, evangelist, and the pastor. He gave the church "anointings" for these offices to operate in. In Spirit filled churches, these anointings are alive and effective. Ever have God speak a present day word into your life (a word of prophesy)? When a teacher is anointed to teach, it is much more drawing and nourishing. A pastor moving in the anointing is given hearing and sight to see things like enemies in your life, when and how to feed the sheep, etc. We need all of the anointings in order for the body to be all it can be (includes you too my friend). The body is not anywhere near as effective when it is separated, and their is a time when we do seemingly walk alone, but its strength lies in its unity. If we only had a few "parts of the body", you'd be an invalid as far as what it's been given to do together. We must draw together. We must also go to where God wants us to go and many times we're stuck in the groove of where we've been and we think that is all God has for us. Be open for a change that will bring liberty. Just pray about it.

I'm not saying that God doesn't move in non-Spirit filled churches, but the church moved from just believing in the death and resurrection, to the feast of Pentecost. That is where the anointing power is present. Church should be alive and moving (not necessarily emotional as some would point to). It should be full of love and liberty.

We all probably need healing from the "religious" experiences we have had in church. We need a present day reality (not just recent or one time) of Jesus in our lives. We need the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are supernatural and just like the enemy who counterfeits these with spiritism, divination, etc., God, by His Holy Spirit is moving very much like in the New Testament.

Dare to believe that there is an experience beyond what church may have been for you. Communion is for ALL believers. It is the Body of Christ and Jesus makes it what it is because of His Word. He said to do it and when you do, He makes it what He said it would be. It is to be highly esteemed.

I look forward to church and it's not dry or overly laid back or traditional. It's alive and meaningful. Especially the worship. God has ordained for us an experience that we hold together beyond what we experience alone with Him. As good as that may be, the corporate blessing is just like it says in the Psalms...

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Psalms 133:1-3