“What is the purpose of life?” or “Why am I here?” God is our loving Heavenly Father and we are His children. He loves us and wants us to be successful in this life and to return to live in His presence.
We are in the world but we are not of the world! Our God always makes a way where there is no way! In other words you have to know God is setting you up for intense breakthrough, promotion and POSSESSION… praise God!
God's plan is called the plan of salvation, the plan of redemption, the plan of happiness.
Before you began your life on Earth, you lived with your Heavenly Father as one of His spirit children. Although it was a joyful existence, God knew that you could not continue to progress unless you left Him for a time.
He allowed you to come to Earth, where you would gain a physical body and would have experiences that would help you to learn and grow, fulfilling the purpose of the plan of salvation.
Knowing that we would commit sin in mortality, our loving Heavenly Father provided a Savior, Jesus Christ, who by His sacrifice would make it possible for all people who would comply with His gospel teachings to be forgiven through repentance and return to live with Him. Having a divine nature as a child of God, we can with the assistance and power of the Holy Spirit, progress to become one day even as He is.
Why Would Heavenly Father Stop His Blessings!
Of course, we do pray and ask God to give us “Blessings” but in our churches, we don’t give this any weight.
When ever we go to Church, do we fall to our knees? Do we fast and pray? Do we remove our shoes while's praying, atleast in Church? [Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. ' (Acts 7:33)] Do we continue to serve God with humble hearts and wait on the Holy Spirit to lead us at the right time?
Of course not.
Instead, we create sectors, various groups, or we make life miserable for others. We hold meetings and talk to ourselves 99% of the time and give God 1% with formal prayers which again include us talking and God listening. No time is spent listening to God. He never says anything anyway. Does He?
And do we continue to serve with humble hearts? These days struggling churches look more like a sinking ship with everyone trying to scramble off and swim to a different ship. Most church growth ladies and gentlemen, come to Church not to honour God but for his/hers personal gains.
We don’t see a church with success and go home and pray. If we thought prayer or God mattered, we’d do it. We’d study Him instead of just geting lost. Our actions speak louder than our words which give hollow emphasis to prayer. We haven’t prayed all night -ever, but we spend thousands to attend the Church conference/parties etc. It’s big business these days.
King Solomon worried about a great many things, and he tried a great many things. He settled on what he felt was the most important things. (He WAS the wisest man in history) Many priests I know or met, wish desperately they could focus solely on the following:
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. -Ecc 12:13
When did this suddenly become not enough? When did our focus start becoming my life or my success? When did the Church’s focus become programming with excellence, strategic planning, building programs, writing vision statements, setting goals, making 10 year plans, music styles, marketing campaigns, public relations, political issues, and more and more and more…
Do we even know how we’re doing in the “fearing God and keeping His commandments” categories? Have we made a ten year plan for that? Do we think for one second that God will NOT bless us even if all we did was fear Him, keep His commands, and teach others to do the same??
Are we that dull? That faithless?
Nothing grows a church like a changed life, and no vision statement ever written can compete with the one that is lived out in the lives of God’s people. Besides, no one wants to join a church where there is no joy, and true joy does not come from our success and accolades. Real, lasting joy is the result of a sinner saved by grace who experiences the presence of God through the Holy Spirit.
Even Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents. No word on whether Heaven cares about the particular words used in the vision statement.
So the Secret of Success for Church Growth, in my opinion, is rather simple.
Preach the Word Live the Faith The rest is becoming a sinful exercise if we aren’t very, very careful.
Thank you to all of those who post and contribute to this site ...I agree with most of what you said ...May God have mercy on us and bring us back into his holy church ...The people must repent and change its path back to the founding fathers, Jesus Christ and God's commands into the church systems, schools etc. We're not quite done with yet. Don't ever lose hope, we're guaranteed we will prevail. God is beyond truth, what is beyond truth? HE can make ANYTHING happen. Also pray. Give praise, give thanks, ask for forgiveness, make your pleads in line with His will. ..GOD BLESS ALL of US,,,,,,, !!!
You are saved by grace and not by works. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Dear Readers,
Christian greetings. If you read the above passage carefully you get clear picture of today's churches. It says that people who attend the church do not get real joy. But you will see lot of activities and programs are carried on. And where there is no joy there you will not find happiness. And where these two things are missing then people leave the church in search of real joy and also happiness. I would add one more thing which is very important. That is the truth. The church where there is no joy no peace, no happiness and no truth that church is dead. Why the church is dead? Because the people who attend are dead. Why people are dead? Because they are not saved. Bible clearly says that all are sinners (Romans 3:23) and all sinners are dead (Ephesians 2:1) Physically though we are alive but spiritually we are dead. So people who attend the church are dead so also because of that the church is also dead. Do you get my point? Now tell me one thing how God can be there among dead people? God is alive and He likes to live among live people and not dead. God likes to live in our hearts.That's why He says in Revelation 3 and verse 20. " Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and sup with him and he with Me." God is standing at the door of our hearts. He wants to come in. This is a mystery. One has to give serious thought and accept reality.
Now our hearts are dirty because we all are sinners. First get our hearts cleansed from all unrighteousness. Who can do that? Yes, there is Jesus Christ. He has died for our sins. Each one of us individually must commit our lives to Jesus and ask Him to do that job. He does it willingly. (1 John 1:9) Once He does it by forgiving our sins, our hearts become clean. Now one can invite Jesus to come into your heart. He comes and He makes you alive. Spiritually you were dead but now because of Jesus you have become alive. Not only that you become child of God. God also gives you His peace (John 14 27) Ultimately one gets joy, peace and new life. All in one. Won't you give (commit) your life to Jesus and allow Him to come into your heart? If yes, then say this prayer when you are alone.
" Lord Jesus I believe that I am a sinner. I also believe that you died for my sins. Lord Jesus please forgive my sins and cleanse my heart with your precious blood and make me righteous. Lord Jesus thank you for forgiving my sins and also for making me righteous. Loving Jesus I commit my life to you. Give me your Spirit which you have promised in your word. Lord Jesus thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit to dwell in me. I promise to read your word everyday and also I promise that I will obey your word. Heavenly Father I praise and worship you in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. "
Since Jesus came in your heart, you have become alive and now you have eternal life. (Ephesians 2:1) As per this word you were dead but now you are alive. God has given you new life. ( II Corinthians 5:17) Old is gone. Behold old is gone ad new has come. You will really enjoy this new life. You will be filled with everlasting peace,joy, happiness. Just go on praising God and also our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear Readers,
Christian greetings. Bible says. " All have sinned and fall short of glory of God. "(Romans 3:23) Being children of Adam and Eve our first parents, we have also become sinners. And being sinners we cannot come before holy God. So then is there anyway we can approach God? Yes there is a way which God himself has provided for us. It is given in the gospel of John chapter 3 and verse 16 says. " For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." God loves us and because of that love He could not leave us but sent His son to die for each sinner. Many catholics think that they are born to catholics parents and have taken baptism they are also catholics. But bible does not say that. Bible says that every sinner has to repent and be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Gost for the forgiveness of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38) As such every sinner, he may belong to any religion has to repent that is first step. Here to repent does not mean to feel sorry but more than that. Every person since his or her birth lives according to his or her own way. Every decision of life is taken by one's own way. God is nowhere in their life. And this is but natural. Everybody does that and nobody can deny it. Every sinner is away from the presence of God. And for that while repenting, one has to decide that henceforth he or she will not live according to their decision but according to God's way. Did you get my point? And that is called repenting in real sense. While repenting one has to make a decision saying that from today onwards I will not live as per my decision but God's. Once we repent in this way, then we have to take baptism by immersion as Jesus was baptized and not by child baptism. Child does not know what is sin neither can repent. So child baptism is unscriptural. Once one repents and takes baptism he or she is given gift of the Holy Spirit by God himself. Now that person is a Christion in real sense. Are you with me? It is bit difficult to understand and requires serious effort to know. If one is really interested to know God's way of receiving Salvation then God will definately help in one's efforts. Bible says " Seek the Lord while he may be found;call on him while he is near. "(Isaiah 55:6) Again in Jeremiah chapter 33 and verse 3 which says. " Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. " God loves everyone and he is ready to help everyone. Only he wants that people should come to him so that he can give them eternal life. He wants that each one of us should come back to him and obey his as his obedient children.
Now it is upto to each sinner whether to accept his invitation and approach him by repenting and taking water baptism as per his word or to follow his or her tradition and get perished. In Luke chapter 13 and in verse 3 Jesus says. " I tell you, But unless you repent, you too will perish. " So my dear brothers and sisters, please read and ask God and he will definately help you. Do it and be blessed. Hallelujah.
Dear Belinda,
Christian greetings. What you say is correct. Nothing is done on purpose, but not every one .Some do it on purpose to either gain something or to take revange. Nevertheless God wants all men to repent, because of His love for us.Is it too much for God to expect from us when He has given His only Son, so that we may have life? Not at all. You also say that there is forgiveness for this for which I do agree too. But god wants all me to repent. What about that? God also says that without shedding of blood there is no remission that is forgiveness. Do you agree with me? My dear sister, what God wants is that all men(including women) should repent and come back to God for forgiveness. He does forgives and makes them once again His children.Romans chapter 3 and verse 23 says. " All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. " What does it mean by saying come short of the glory of God? That itself says that man has gone away from God. For that reason man has to come back to God in repentance.Why repentance? Because all men are sinners. Please read Mathew 4 and vers 17 where Jesus says. " Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near." Again in Acts chapter 2 and verse 38 Peter says. " Repent and be baptized,everyone of you,in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Repentance is absolutely neccessary in order to receive forgiveness. Do you get my point? If one doesn't come back to God in repentance and ask forgiveness, he is heading for disaster.
People are happy go lucky. They are eating and drinking thinking that they are living a jolly good life. God's call is for such people. God loved them so much that He did not spare His own Son but for the sake of that love He sacrificed Jesus on the cross so that all men would find a way to heaven through him and him alone. For that preaching is going on radio and television day and night so that people who are unaware of the consequences might hear and come back to God. Unless we tell them they would not know and may perish.For Jesus said in Luke chapter 13 and verse 3 " I tell you,no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. " That's why I say that God wants all men to come to repentance.
If you are convinced, please commit your life to Jesus and say this prayer when you are alone.I am asking you to do all that the scripture says in Acts chapter 2 and verse 38 Please pray " Lord Jesus I believe that I am a sinner. I also believe that you died for my sins. Lord Jesus please forgive my sins and cleanse my heart with your precious blood and make me worthy to come before you.Lord Jesus thanks for forgiving my sins and also thanks for cleansing my heart. Lord Jesus accept me as your child and give me the gift of the Holy Spirit. Today I want to commit my life to you. Thank you for giving me your Spirit. Lord Jesus I promise to read your word everyday and also promise to obey your teachings. Come in my heart and make my heart your dwelling place. Lord Jesus fill my heart with your peace and bless my family. Heavenly Father I praise and worship you in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. "
If you have said above prayer, just believe that Jesus has come in your heart.He will fill your heart with peace,joy and happiness. Read Galatians chapter 5 and verse 22.All those fruit of the Spirit will be yours. Do not forget to read New Testament as promised.Start from John's gospel. Read one or two chapters everyday. And after that spend some time in meditating on that reading and then commit each day to God with small prayer.You will see great change in your life.You will be totally a new person as the scripture says in II Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17. " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;old things have passed away; behold all things have become new. "
One more important thing,try to find a group of people who meet regularly for bible study and prayers. Join them for your spiritual growth. You have to grow in the Lord. Rest leave it to God. Trust Him for everything.Now you have direct access to God. You can pray directly to God.When you pray just believe that He is before you. For Jesus says. " Wherever two or three have gathered in my name, I am in their midst. " (Mathew 18:20) Jesus is in your heart. So keep in constant touch with him through prayer.Hallelujah. Do it and be blessed.Bye. God bless you.
