How Do I Go About Finding A Good Church?

Unfortunately, the only exposure many of us have had to a church is seeing someone on TV (who also happened to be a little strange). Others might make a plunge and go to a church because someone invited them. However, we can still have one or more of the following reactions:

• "What they had to say had nothing to do with the real world."
• "They used weird talk, lots of words I never heard before."
• "They didn't really use the Bible, and I didn't learn anything new."
• "They seemed more interested in my money than anything else."
• "The music was pretty bad."
• "They asked the new folks to stand up and introduce themselves."
• "Frankly, the people I met there seemed a little odd. They also seemed to have their own personal opinion of everything."

The obvious result: few new people return for more.

Actually, church should be:

• Practical and relevant to today's world.
• Use normal language.
• Follow the Bible, using it as their only source of God's truth, and their final authority.
• Let the visitors know that they are not expected to give any money.
• Have good music.
• Allow people to visit the church without putting them "under a spotlight" or have them do something they would not normally do in public.
• Teach the truth, not existentialism.

Too Much To Give Up

Some people have heard the Good News about forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus Christ, but because of some relationship, or certain practices they think they must employ in business, or some personal ambition or habit, they say that they cannot put their faith in Christ because there is "too much to give up."

It's a good thing to recognize that faith in Christ will radically affect your lifestyle. Even if some aspect of your life is totally incompatible with faith in Christ, what temporary pleasure or benefit can possibly be worth forfeiting an eternity of bliss? What could possibly be worth the prospect of an eternity in the place of "weeping and gnashing of teeth"?

Even if it means breaking a close personal relationship or walking away from every earthly possession, as did Francis of Assisi or Sundar Singh of India, following Christ is worht it. "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain." (Revelation 5:12) That means, He is worth it.

In Paul's letter to the Philippians, Paul gives his testimony of the things he walked away from in order to follow Christ, and why he thought it was worth it. The whole letter is short enough to read aloud in 10 minutes. In his testimony in chapter 3, he employs the accounting terms of "counting as a loss" the things he left behind in view of the "surpassing value" or "profit" of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ personally and intimately. This is the favorite New Testament book of many believers. Jesus asked the question, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36) Work out your own "profit and loss" balance, then run to put your trust in Jesus Christ. He's worth it.

The Power Of Prayer

Ask, and it shall be given you; Seek, and ye shall find, Knock, and it shall be opened unto you ~ Matthew 7:7

Prayer. Why pray? Does anyone listen?

When the world caves in around us, prayer can lift us from the depths of despair. So many times we hear that “God doesn’t listen” but is this really true? Remember, that God has His plans for each and every one of us. What we think should be the answer to our prayers is not always in God’s plan. As Christians we need to train ourselves to look where we least expect it for our answer.

Maybe we didn’t get the million dollars we prayed for, but did we really get an answer?

Did a troublesome teenager finally realize that the life he or she was leading would lead to his or her self destruction?

Did the tumor that was robbing you of health begin to shrink and disappear?

God DOES answer our prayers, we just need to learn to recognize that He knows what we need and that the answer that was in His plan for us may not be what we planned.

Trust in the Lord.

Know that He does listen. Pray with a clean heart and a healthy spirit. Pray often, pray hard. Your closest friend is listening. His love for you will never let you down if you put your faith in Him and trust that He knows what is right for us