Do you love the world or God? You can't do both!
James 4:3-5
"…3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many[a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’"
Monday, January 5, 2015
Obey Only Christ
I was recently chastised by an anonymous family member for not "reconciling" with other family members. Sadly these people claim to be believers but play fast and loose with sin as though it were a physical or mental ailment rather than the offense to God that it is.
When relationships take priority over obedience to God's principles, we have human idols in our hearts. I desire a relationship with family, but that can only be possible if we walk the same path. My family is the family of Christ who are kindred Spirits with the Spirit of God that lives in me.
Bio family can be the biggest hindrance to a close walk with the Lord. If they do not want Christ, or say they do, but demonstrate that they don't, then they will pressure us to do things against our Lord. They will judge our righteous actions as evil and gossip against us when they know little about us.
The hardest people for us to reach with the gospel or the principles of Christ, are those who are bio family. They expect total acceptance no matter how much they profane the name of Christ.
It doesn't matter what they do to us, God has our back, however, it is agonizing to watch them destroy their lives through bitterness and hate while rejecting what Christ did for them on the cross.
Amos 3:1-10
"1 Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?
6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?
7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.
10 For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces"
Only two things can happen when we keep company with those who have no desire to obey the Lord: the first things that can happen is the continual contact with non-believers or superficial believers is a compromise to principles of God. It always seems to be that evil overtakes good when good compromises.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
The second thing that happens when we keep company with those who don't love the Lord, is that there tends to be continual drama and conflict. The unsaved or the superficial Christian attempts to dissuade us from the holy walk we desire. They place pressure on us to accept the unacceptable.
The more we stand our ground, determined to obey God, the angrier the rebellious heart becomes. There are times when the Lord is working on someone's heart and He is telling us to hang in there. There are other times when the Lord tells us to move on because the heart of a person is hardening more in their resistance.
It has been my resolve to ignore the voice of the world that wants us to play their games of manipulation, hoping someone will like you and therefore like the Lord. Sadly far too many people are playing this game in the church, truth has been watered down to such a degree that those hearing think they are being encouraged in sin.
The time is short, the Lord is coming soon, we must speak the truth boldly without reservation.
Remember that Christ in you can tell you what you need to do, do not let the world, or disobedient Christians intimidate you though accusations, to do things the world's way. Seek God in all things, He will tell you what to do, then stay strong to obey Him.
When relationships take priority over obedience to God's principles, we have human idols in our hearts. I desire a relationship with family, but that can only be possible if we walk the same path. My family is the family of Christ who are kindred Spirits with the Spirit of God that lives in me.
Bio family can be the biggest hindrance to a close walk with the Lord. If they do not want Christ, or say they do, but demonstrate that they don't, then they will pressure us to do things against our Lord. They will judge our righteous actions as evil and gossip against us when they know little about us.
The hardest people for us to reach with the gospel or the principles of Christ, are those who are bio family. They expect total acceptance no matter how much they profane the name of Christ.
It doesn't matter what they do to us, God has our back, however, it is agonizing to watch them destroy their lives through bitterness and hate while rejecting what Christ did for them on the cross.
Amos 3:1-10
"1 Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?
6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?
7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?
9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.
10 For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces"
Only two things can happen when we keep company with those who have no desire to obey the Lord: the first things that can happen is the continual contact with non-believers or superficial believers is a compromise to principles of God. It always seems to be that evil overtakes good when good compromises.
1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."
The second thing that happens when we keep company with those who don't love the Lord, is that there tends to be continual drama and conflict. The unsaved or the superficial Christian attempts to dissuade us from the holy walk we desire. They place pressure on us to accept the unacceptable.
The more we stand our ground, determined to obey God, the angrier the rebellious heart becomes. There are times when the Lord is working on someone's heart and He is telling us to hang in there. There are other times when the Lord tells us to move on because the heart of a person is hardening more in their resistance.
It has been my resolve to ignore the voice of the world that wants us to play their games of manipulation, hoping someone will like you and therefore like the Lord. Sadly far too many people are playing this game in the church, truth has been watered down to such a degree that those hearing think they are being encouraged in sin.
The time is short, the Lord is coming soon, we must speak the truth boldly without reservation.
Remember that Christ in you can tell you what you need to do, do not let the world, or disobedient Christians intimidate you though accusations, to do things the world's way. Seek God in all things, He will tell you what to do, then stay strong to obey Him.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
America has Lost its' Moral Compass
Jeremiah 31:31
"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:"
"We don't have to worry about Israel, but I am concerned about America."
Jan Markell
"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:"
"We don't have to worry about Israel, but I am concerned about America."
Jan Markell
Forgetting What Is Behind Pressing On Toward the Goal
Praise the Lord He has not left us without guidance and companionship. He provides other believers to come alongside encouraging us as they too, go through the same things in the same way.
When we have been reviled for speaking the truth, it would be good to meditate on these verses. In God's mercy He has provided much strength for us through His Word. He has told us what to expect when we care deeply about the principles of God and the working of the Holy Spirit.
We can expect to be maligned and denegraded continually, just when we think the nay-sayers have all left, in come the trolls, one by one attempting to undermine what God is doing. Remember they did it to Christ and they will do it to us.
Our deliverance is coming soon, the reunion of the saints that desired Christ to rule in their lives will be our constant companions in heaven where all will be judged and made right. I don't know about you, but I look forward to this day with great joy and anticipation.
Matthew 10:16-39
"16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;
18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.
20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
23 “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!
26 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it"
Join with me in rejoicing at what is to come for the Bride of Christ!!!! It will be so glorious, all that is going on now will pale in comparison, forgetting all that was behind enjoying all that is ahead.
When we have been reviled for speaking the truth, it would be good to meditate on these verses. In God's mercy He has provided much strength for us through His Word. He has told us what to expect when we care deeply about the principles of God and the working of the Holy Spirit.
We can expect to be maligned and denegraded continually, just when we think the nay-sayers have all left, in come the trolls, one by one attempting to undermine what God is doing. Remember they did it to Christ and they will do it to us.
Our deliverance is coming soon, the reunion of the saints that desired Christ to rule in their lives will be our constant companions in heaven where all will be judged and made right. I don't know about you, but I look forward to this day with great joy and anticipation.
Matthew 10:16-39
"16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
17 But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues;
18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.
20 For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.
23 “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!
26 “Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
27 What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops.
28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.
33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
35 For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
39 He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it"
Join with me in rejoicing at what is to come for the Bride of Christ!!!! It will be so glorious, all that is going on now will pale in comparison, forgetting all that was behind enjoying all that is ahead.
Revelation 19:6-9
"6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he *said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he *said to me, “These are true words of God.”
"6 Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he *said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he *said to me, “These are true words of God.”
Pray for those who have not yet trusted Christ, mourn for those who will not listen.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Manipulative Anger Exposed!
Manipulative anger is a common method of making someone feel guilty for two reasons, one is to get their victim to think they were wrong, after all, someone got angry so someone must have made them angry, and two,to silence their victim for future discussion.
If we feel guilty for speaking our mind, we might stop speaking truth that they don't want to hear. These tactics work, just look at our culture, most people are frightened little rabbits, shaking in fear, to voice an opposing opinion or truth. Even avoiding at all costs any discussion about Christ or the Bible.
God's people are bold as lions, they are accused of many things to foster silence in them, but if we are led by the Holy Spirit of God, we are not intimidated by these fleshly manipulative outbursts of anger, they merely show us what is inside the perp.
The guilty person will blow up in anger or run away to hide when corrected.
Proverbs 28:1
"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion."
Matthew 10:22
"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."
The person who was unaware of their sin but have a sense of righteousness, will be ashamed, desiring to be cleansed through confession of that sin and restoration with those they have offended, especially God.
Ephesians 5:20-28
"20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself"
A guilty person will avoid all contact with the things of God, embarrassed to speak of Him or engage in conversation about Him.
Jeremiah 8:12
"Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD."
A humble contrite person will love discussing the things of the Lord.
Proverbs 29:23
"A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit."
Psalm 51:17
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
Proverbs 8:11
"For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it."
James 1:5
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
Which one do we want to be? The humble who loves God more than life itself, or the one who thinks they have all the answers and resists instruction and correction?
If we feel guilty for speaking our mind, we might stop speaking truth that they don't want to hear. These tactics work, just look at our culture, most people are frightened little rabbits, shaking in fear, to voice an opposing opinion or truth. Even avoiding at all costs any discussion about Christ or the Bible.
God's people are bold as lions, they are accused of many things to foster silence in them, but if we are led by the Holy Spirit of God, we are not intimidated by these fleshly manipulative outbursts of anger, they merely show us what is inside the perp.
The guilty person will blow up in anger or run away to hide when corrected.
Proverbs 28:1
"The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion."
Matthew 10:22
"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."
The person who was unaware of their sin but have a sense of righteousness, will be ashamed, desiring to be cleansed through confession of that sin and restoration with those they have offended, especially God.
Ephesians 5:20-28
"20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself"
A guilty person will avoid all contact with the things of God, embarrassed to speak of Him or engage in conversation about Him.
Jeremiah 8:12
"Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD."
A humble contrite person will love discussing the things of the Lord.
Proverbs 29:23
"A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit."
Psalm 51:17
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."
Proverbs 8:11
"For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it."
James 1:5
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
Which one do we want to be? The humble who loves God more than life itself, or the one who thinks they have all the answers and resists instruction and correction?
Whose Pulpit?
Question all that your church leaders say, God told us to do that. Even when Paul spoke, the Bereans went to the scriptures to see if what he was saying was true, they didn't just take his word for it.
Acts 17:10-11
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."
If you have a leader who will be happy to receive a challenge based on the Word, then you have a jewel. If you have a leader who refuses to discuss a challenge and says things like "my pulpit", then you have an arrogant man who should not be teaching and preaching until he learns humility.
Acts 17:10-11
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."
If you have a leader who will be happy to receive a challenge based on the Word, then you have a jewel. If you have a leader who refuses to discuss a challenge and says things like "my pulpit", then you have an arrogant man who should not be teaching and preaching until he learns humility.
You Don't Have To Join, You Are Already A Member!
Today I was listening to a young political pundit who became exasperated at his and other's attempts at changing the political climate of a particular university. It struck me that what he was saying, may be the answer to a question I have had from time to time, about individuals remaining in churches with the goal of changing the hearts in them.
Not only do I see it as an exercise in futility, but I also see it as this man saw the attempts to change politics on a college campuses, as he put it, "a fool’s errand."
Those who desire to seek God for all things, need to leave the organized churches that are refusing to obey God's Word and fellowship with likeminded others who have also left.
If someone accuses you of "sheep stealing", then you know their bent is fame and mammon. Since everyone who is born again of the Holy Spirit and is a member of the body of Christ, it makes no difference whether they leave or stay in any gathering, that they are seeking God is all that matters.
If someone feels led to remove themselves from a particular gathering, to join another gathering, then those they are staying should send them off with a blessing and a prayer. The fact that in most situations, those who have left because leadership would not obey the Word, are gossiped about, shunned and rejected, tells us that something other than Christ was their focus. Not to mention the immense pride involved in being offended that someone did not endorse the activities in that particular gathering. Often when believers leave over bad doctrine or no doctrine at all, those who stay are glad to see them go, but withhold the prayer and blessing.
When leadership will not obey the Word, then it is our responsibility to bring it to their attention. When they will not listen and you have followed all the steps mandated in the word to get them to see their error, and they will not repent, then it is time to leave.
Those who approach the brothers that are leaving, to intimidate, demean and manipulate them into guilt about their decision, are showing who they are in their spiritual walk, which is superficial, prideful and deceptive.
When I see that no one is listening, then it is time to shake the dust from your feet and move toward those who are obeying Christ. No one does this perfectly, and everyone is at a different spiritual level of growth, but everyone should be seeking Christ.
All of this falderal about church "membership", shows us that the purpose is to have something to chain people to, hold over their heads and prevent leaving, more manipulation to keep the money rolling in and bragging rights to entice others to join.
Formal church membership is akin to the rights of passage that Masons, Catholics and other fraternal organizations use to keep their members living in fear of leaving.
Church membership is a device of the world and not Biblically based.
There are many scriptures to support what has been said here, perhaps some of you can post them for me. At the very least, do your own study of these things and you will find that scriptures have been twisted to justify them, for the purpose of keeping people in bondage to human rules and traditions that Christ never mandated.
Some food for thought!
Not only do I see it as an exercise in futility, but I also see it as this man saw the attempts to change politics on a college campuses, as he put it, "a fool’s errand."
Those who desire to seek God for all things, need to leave the organized churches that are refusing to obey God's Word and fellowship with likeminded others who have also left.
If someone accuses you of "sheep stealing", then you know their bent is fame and mammon. Since everyone who is born again of the Holy Spirit and is a member of the body of Christ, it makes no difference whether they leave or stay in any gathering, that they are seeking God is all that matters.
If someone feels led to remove themselves from a particular gathering, to join another gathering, then those they are staying should send them off with a blessing and a prayer. The fact that in most situations, those who have left because leadership would not obey the Word, are gossiped about, shunned and rejected, tells us that something other than Christ was their focus. Not to mention the immense pride involved in being offended that someone did not endorse the activities in that particular gathering. Often when believers leave over bad doctrine or no doctrine at all, those who stay are glad to see them go, but withhold the prayer and blessing.
When leadership will not obey the Word, then it is our responsibility to bring it to their attention. When they will not listen and you have followed all the steps mandated in the word to get them to see their error, and they will not repent, then it is time to leave.
Those who approach the brothers that are leaving, to intimidate, demean and manipulate them into guilt about their decision, are showing who they are in their spiritual walk, which is superficial, prideful and deceptive.
When I see that no one is listening, then it is time to shake the dust from your feet and move toward those who are obeying Christ. No one does this perfectly, and everyone is at a different spiritual level of growth, but everyone should be seeking Christ.
All of this falderal about church "membership", shows us that the purpose is to have something to chain people to, hold over their heads and prevent leaving, more manipulation to keep the money rolling in and bragging rights to entice others to join.
Formal church membership is akin to the rights of passage that Masons, Catholics and other fraternal organizations use to keep their members living in fear of leaving.
Church membership is a device of the world and not Biblically based.
There are many scriptures to support what has been said here, perhaps some of you can post them for me. At the very least, do your own study of these things and you will find that scriptures have been twisted to justify them, for the purpose of keeping people in bondage to human rules and traditions that Christ never mandated.
Some food for thought!
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