The Puzzle in Church -Under Construction, by Karen Rowe April/2014

0
396

Jesus is “The Church” TODAY, We are “The Body”, Under Construction and in my view … 

 

Under construction … We are being prepared … just like this website, so are we … we are not made Perfect YET … We are made Perfect in Christ Alone -as we are being Prepared to live with God in HIS holiness …

 

Many people describe the word “Church” as the building, but in my particular faith, for me, The Church is a group of people who gather together in Jesus’ Name to praise and worship God together; as also believers of  this same faith in HIS Name pray, encourage and serve God together through the help of God alone.

 

Regardless of the religion:  Church is not the ” ‘Sunday’, ‘Saturday’, ‘Wednesday’ or ‘Holiday’ go to meeting church building.”  Rather, Church buildings are filled with people who make up the church by their faith.

 

What or Whom we place our faith in matters -and many choices in this world are placed before us … The fact is we need God, whether we admit to it or not … One day or another we all come to the end of what we can do on our own!  We all will discover we need God  & God’s Family Prays!

 

Most people believe in God … I don’t believe it is possible not to believe, because of Whom God Is!  Yet, many people deny, reject and hate God …And, some turn to False gods … In India alone, I believe people worship over 33 million gods … I don’t know about you, but I need God, so I am going to seek the One True and Living God to know the Truth for my self … Regardless of what the world tells me to believe!

 

Think about this … I can believe a chair is Ice Cream, but regardless of how much I believe or want to believe, that chair will not taste like Ice Cream.  Believing does NOT make something real … !  Rather the realness in Truth / Facts / Experiences of what something is / or whom Someone is makes the Truth Believable!

 

As for me, my faith stands firm in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord.  Jesus is whom I follow in my purpose to glorify God!  My desire to please God is by my most certain faith in the assurance in Christ alone; and this faith in Jesus Christ makes me to be a child of God in the faith of Christ -This is how I define Christ in me as a Christian.

So for me, The Christian Church is believers of the same faith in Jesus Christ who are seeking to meet ,or growing to know Jesus!

 

 

IN my personal walk with Jesus,

Questions that have always run through my mind:

Do you do church, have church, go to church -or aren’t we “In the Church” when we believe in Jesus?  Isn’t everything all about God?  YET, Somehow, people have made church all about man, and what we choose to believe … ???

 

 

 

Is there really a choice in believing in God? 

Rather, I ask you to consider this:  The choice is really seeking the Truth about Whom God Is, so that you can know the Truth that COMES from God -a Truth God makes by Faith believable …

 

 

 

Visitors,regular attenders, and then, we also hear the word members in the churches. Yet, I have always “scratched my head” at separations in the buildings / denominations.  It seemed like “no one could get along / or agree” as we pass one empty church building after building -all of which are built nearly side by side?  Town block after block churches of the same denominations /beliefs, as well as different religions / beliefs can be found just about everywhere you can go.

 

 

Now, I do understand different personalities and hey, I believe God smiles when He sees beautiful connections whom make up “church families” like God makes families by his design. You love your family; as I love mine.  Our families live under one roof and this is good. We choose neighborhoods based on design and personalities of those around us; and this is good that we all get along!  However, even in a family, we disagree -but we hold on!  Even in a neighborhood we get angry at another -but we hold on!  Is church any different?

 

WE NEED EACH OTHER -AND WE WILL DISAGREE, GET ANGRY AND WANT TO WALK AWAY, QUIT -OR EVEN RUN AWAY, BUT IT IS GOOD TO HOLD ON TO THE ROCK OF THE FAITH WE KNOW -ONCE WE KNOW “BY TRUTH” WE ARE IN THE FAMILY OF GOD!

 

THE BIBLE SAYS, “Obey those who rule over you, … for they watch out for your souls …Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you …Pray for us (for we are confident that we have good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably (Hebrews 3:17-19).” 

 

 

 

As far as me, I believe we a member in God’s Family when we 1st believe and place our faith in Jesus Christ REGARDLESS of the church home we choose.  

There are many faiths out there, but there is only ONE faith God the Father reveals to us in the Truth for us about His Son! Not that we are told by man ‘what ‘to believe, but rather we found the Truth!!!

 

I have come to understand that church members have their designated service positions in that group of the family of believers in that particular denomination’s believing family.  Yet, as far as you are concerned, has membership in God’s family gotten confused in the world? 

…We will believe when we believe; all that matters to God is our faith – and Whom we choose to place our believing faith in.  God cares about us – It matters to God if are we seeking to know the Truth.  It matters to God if we follow people or follow His Son. It matters to God if we seek to know the Truth about His Character; and His testimony about His Son.  It is a benefit to our soul to be growing in our faith in God’s Way by His Life. It is a benefit to us to know the Truth from God!

 

 

Denominations separate themselves by their beliefs; and define themselves by the way they worship -from the type of service a particular group of people like in a similar way -and there is a church family with common interests and goals -some with faith; others ambition???

 

There is no envy or selfish ambition in God’s family by His design, Creation, Preparation and Way.  In God’s family we can walk by His Wisdom as a Citizen of God’s Kingdom NOW on earth as it is in Heaven -if we are willing to seek God’s will for us and allow God to transform our thoughts to become agreeable with His will.

 

I find it profitable and beautiful to walk in step with Jesus each and every day!  We CAN BE and, are “IN CHURCH” everyday if we will remember “A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure,” which to me means In JESUS and gathered together in HIS Name … remaining open to fellowship with all believers of those who God puts in our path all along our way … each and every day! 

 

From me to you … Come join the family of God

 

Church is like joining a friend and sharing our work in the same puzzle …to me, “THE CHURCH” knows and follows Jesus … in a fun and unique way!

We encourage each other all along the way!

Jesus is “The Church” I serve in. 

I remember the Church is founded on Unconditional Love …

I remember I must Pray and remember to Forgive others when they trespass against me.

We each have a purpose in THE CHURCH! 

Even you – Just in case you doubt!

Doubt may be keeping you from using your gift of faith.  Doubt may be keeping you from sharing the gift of your faith.  Doubt may be shutting the door for you to believe, but if you seek Jesus ,you will find God, who will reveal your faith to you!

Church becomes powerful in Christ, as we share in our ministry gifts.

In liu of hiding our piece, the puzzle begins to evolve from a just a piece or two … and even then, from pile of pieces to become put together  more completely by sharing our “puzzle pieces” as God provides and HE shows us the Way.

 

 

Whether “in the walls” or outside of the church building, I learn by God’s grace.  I share and learn together with all believers …as we each personally worship God, which enables us serve Him by His Grace, God’s gifts to us through following His Son -the power of the Holy Spirit.

Although, you won’t find me traditionally in your church walls each and every week, I love to gather together with others who adore Christ and follow Jesus as God’s Son and Word to us; and I am there with you in Spirit! 

I love walking in step with THE Church, although I know we all have our own jobs to do assigned to us by God, as long as we are doing the will of the Father; we can trust God is working out HIS plan through us all!  Today, I have a better understanding of the importance of church. 

When we miss church family gatherings now, it is not from a lack of a desire to be in church, but rather we find church everywhere we go … My life is living in The Church here and there and everywhere I go …

I am blessed to be “one” of the “two or three” that gather together in Jesus’ Name!  God’s family makes up the church and we become a member of God’s family ONE WAY through believing on Jesus for God so loves us … He sent us His Son!

 

His Name is Jesus and God’s Word has come to us and the Word has spoken:

John 14:3 New International Version (NIV)

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

 

I hope this was a blessing to you!

 

Love in Christ,

Karen Rowe

Hope in Today Ministries

The Train Whistle, Sounding the call of God’s Love

Previous articleStates Where The Most Children Go Hungry
Next articlePastor Mark Tross Announces Candidacy For House Of Rep. Seat
Karen Rowe
Meet Karen: Hi, I am blessed, by God's good grace and because I know Jesus, I am blessed. I choose to be blessed, because I have a choice set before me and I refuse to look down. I trust God and I know and believe in the love God has for us. I have overcome difficulties; and I am blessed by the grace of God alone. If I have written about it, then I have felt the pain of it in some way, and to some degree. Did you know that Jesus has felt your pain? This is why I write. By God's grace I can identify; and tell you honestly, yes there is hope in anything and everything that you are facing today! Jesus is our Hope! He is the Truth, the Way and the Life. I am married a wonderful man, Robert Rowe; I love my husband and he loves me; and we have been married for 28 years. Together, we have been blessed with a wonderful daughter, named Amanda who is college now; and a wonderful son, named Daniel who is growing up well and soon to graduate elementary school. We work together and by God's grace we run our own business called PSI. We have a pastor over our ministry and over our business and also we depend on him for advise in our family. We have 2 dogs, 4 horses, 2 cats and love to spend time outdoors by the water and by campfires ... that is it seems when we can find time away from life's busy schedule. I love to write because it helps me learn more about God. And, I am driven by a passion from a love that God has put in my heart to share from my experiences and struggles, as I gain understanding in God’s Word to know how effective and powerful God is over our every situation! I share with you so you can know that you are not alone in your struggles. The same God who helps me and my family, is your help and shield as well! Life is not always easy, but it is possible –I like to share the difference that following Jesus makes in my life. And, I love to share God's patience and mercy and love that is with me! I am not perfect, but am experiencing God sanctify me through and through with every mistake I make; and yes, overcome in Christ! Life is not just about the successes; life on this earth is also about the troubles we overcome to discover what God has hidden in our faith to find! Troubles are more a challenge to grow in our faith ... It is not easy, but in the end the grace of God we discover is worth experiencing God in the midst. By Grace, I have discovered Jesus is Peace and He is my Joy and Wisdom from Heaven. God is our Provider and Healer and Creator, who is our help and shield over all things. By grace, I have experienced a nearness to God through my faith in His Son! We are well forgiven by God; and well blessed when we know and believe the love that God has for us. To say, "all is well with my soul" is a powerful knowledge to understand and experience. I sense God's desire for you to know His love for you and how deep His love for you is that He has SO loved you; God gave you His Son. God loves you right now just as you are! There is so much to learn! I believe that as we learn from God, we are God’s gift to each other. It is all God’s story –and for His glory; and God has SO loved us. I love to paint the vision that God has given me about a Father’s love –that God wants you to dream again and visualize His love for you! In God’s eyes, there’s more to life than we see; and in a world that sometimes misrepresents and misunderstands God and love; God wants you to have the courage to dream His dream and see His vision of a Father’s love for you! Many years ago, I prayed to God, “How can I tell a million people what I know about Your Son?” God showed me I had a gift of a ministry about God's Love; and He called it Hope in Today! I write to please God and I write to encourage you; and I write to spend quiet time with God. All because of this love that God has first shown me! I need Jesus –and my life is about my relationship with God. And, every blessing begins with Him! Love in Christ, Karen Rowe, Director Hope in Today Ministries, Inc. The Train Whistle, Sounding the Call of God’s Love, by Karen Rowe For more information: Contact me by email: karen@hopeintoday.com or karen@thetrainwhistle.com to request your gift today. www.hopeintoday.com www.thetrainwhistle.com

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.