Category: Addictions

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Why do we Need to go to Church?

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My  book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” is available at the bookstore. Just click on the “Bookstore” tab at the top of this page to check it out.

This book reaches out to those who may be suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, hopelessness, or the many other usual suspects.

The book sells for $19.99 in the stores, but on this site it is only $15.99, and the shipping has been cut in half as well. A total savings of over $6.00.

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I am sharing another excerpt from the book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World.” This chapter discusses the question, “Why do we need to go to church?” I use quotes from Rick Warren, the author of “The Purpose Driven Life.” He shares many thoughts on why we need to go to church.

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Go to Church; Avoid the Christmas Rush

 

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:25

 

Why do we need to go to church? The purpose of going to church is about much more than just being a good Christian. Church attendance and involvement help you grow as a Christian.

Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” is a wonderful book that hit the world with a tremendous splash in 2002 and made the top of the best-selling lists for weeks on end. I highly recommend it because it will bless (and sometimes challenge) you a great deal.

I will be quoting him several times in this chapter to give you a feel for what it means to go to church. What he says has opened my eyes even more to the need for fellowship with others in your church home.

The first quote that almost made me laugh was, “The person that says, ‘I don’t need the church,’ is either arrogant or ignorant.”1 He lays it out as if it is not even up for discussion. I can’t agree more.

I was on the other side of the fence in my earlier Christian life. I went to church on a sporadic basis. During the football season, if my favorite team was playing during church time, I didn’t go to church. Football was a priority (read that “idol”!). As the years went by, I eventually didn’t go to church at all. I found “other things” that were more important. I still felt I was a good Christian because I was doing good things with my students and helping others when I could. I was doing good deeds for the people around me, and that seemed good enough.

What I didn’t realize was that I was also drifting away from God at a pace that was leading me to eternal death. I came back to reality when I hit rock bottom on March 31st, 2001, when I had my close encounter with God. It took words from God to wake me up, and realized that I needed to be with other Christians to remain strong.

I have said before that not all people who go to church are Christians. If you are looking for the perfect church made up only of Christians, I have some ocean-front property inArizonafor you. There is not a perfect church; in fact, there are no perfect Christians. Christians are not perfect; just forgiven. (Great bumper sticker!)  So don’t look around your church and judge the people going there.

Our mission (whether we accept it or not) is to grow ourselves and to help others grow. We are commanded to help one another to grow as Christians since we all belong to one body. If one part of the body is weak, other members rally to help it heal. This is true in the human body. If we break an arm, the other arm takes over some functions during the healing process. The church body needs to function in the same way, pitching in when another member is struggling.

 

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 4: 16

 

Rick Warren goes on further about our command to help other Christians in the church. He says, “We are commanded to love each other, pray for each other, encourage each other, admonish each other, greet each other, serve each other, teach each other, accept each other, honor each other, bear each other’s burdens, forgive each other, submit to each other, be devoted to each other, and many other mutual tasks.”2 These are important reasons we need to go to church. We will not get this kind of interaction and care watching football on Sunday.

Another bumper sticker says, “How about you come over to My house before the game on Sunday—God.” We can fit both in, but the body of Christ needs to be first.

Rick Warren also says, “Worship helps you focus on God; fellowship helps you face life’s problems; discipleship helps fortify your faith; ministry helps you find your talents; evangelism helps fulfill your mission. There is nothing else like the church.”3

There are people who are simply churchgoers, and there are people who are members of the church—I should say members of the body of Christ. Those who use their talents to help others are the members God desires. I was a churchgoer for many years until I realized that I needed more than just what I got by sitting in a pew on Sunday. There is commitment that takes more than just going to church. It is being a member of the body.

Being with others at church can also bring you much closer to God and His love. Stormie Omartian says in her book, The Prayer That Changes Everything, “The times I most sense God’s love for me is when I worship in a group of people gathering together for that purpose. An extremely powerful dynamic happens when people worship together. I’m not talking about just getting together to sing nice songs about God. I’m talking about worshiping God for who He is with all we have in us. There is nothing more healing, restoring, or life-changing. Once you sense God’s love through those times of corporate praise and worship, you won’t want to ever live without it.4

I have to agree with her statement. There have been so many times when I am in a group praying or worshiping that I can feel the warmth and love of God in the room. It’s something I hope all of you have felt, and if you haven’t, get with some of your closest Christians friends and have a love fest prayer session where you do nothing but praise God. Then you will understand.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16

 

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:46–47

 

Further Adventures

Start going to a Bible study if you haven’t already done so. I am always blessed when I am part of a Bible study. I not only make new friends, I also acquire prayer partners. And I get to be part of an in-depth Bible study of the topic under discussion.

I especially love the prayer time at the end. At one time, it was very difficult for me to pray out loud in a group, but from sharing in these small group settings, I found the assurance that no one in the room cared about how my prayers sounded. They are always more interested in what I say, listening carefully so they can follow through and pray for me.

 

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny how powerful a prayer grows when it’s shared with several people?

Remember: Never, ever, give up!

 

 

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Many Come to Church on Easter. Where are They Other Sundays?

Thanks to those of you who have been signing up for the RSS feed t0 www.dougbolton.com. It has helped us move up the Google Search Rankings, which is important for growth. If you haven’t already signed up, please do it today. Just click on the icon right after the title.

_________________________________________________________

The year 2011 was a good year for me in selling my book. I sold over 300. In 2012 I will be digging in and trying to top that, plus hopefullyhave another book published. Stay tuned for updates on my first book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” and all future books.

________________________________________________________________

The book “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” reaches out to those who may be suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, or hopelessness.

The book is on sale right now in the sites bookstore. It is normally $19.99 in the bookstores, but on this site it is only $15.99. The shipping has been cut in half as well. A total savings of over $6.00. Just click on the “Bookstore,” tab at the top of this page.

______________________________________________________

Today’s excerpt is about how people only seems to go to chruch on special occasions like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. Where are they the rest of the year?

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Chapter 28

 

Without Jesus, You Don’t Have a Prayer

 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

 

When I went to church yesterday, it was exciting to see so many people. We had 2,565 people there. It was Easter Sunday. We normally have about 1,000 on an average Sunday. My question is: Where are the people the rest of the year? They are only there at Easter because they have accepted the ways of this world and have become churchgoers and not church members. That is what they do: Go to church at Easter.

They have Easter egg hunts at home. They have big family gatherings, but they do not know the meaning behind Easter. They want the Easter bunny to fill their baskets to bring joy to their faces, caring nothing about having Jesus in their hearts.

            As we go through life, some think they can survive on their own without Jesus. They conform to the world around them and think that life is going to be kind to them, because they are “good” people, and surely (I know—don’t call me Shirley!) they will be blessed in their “afterlife.” But when they have finished the race, and face the judgment, God will say, “I do not know you because you rejected My Son.”

We must learn that without Jesus, we do not have a prayer of being with Him in heaven. We have to go the extra mile and let Him into our lives. Then the time of judgment will be different. When we finish the race, God will say, “Come in, My good and faithful servant.”

When it was time for Jesus to be crucified for our sins, He went through many hardships. Others before Him (like Joseph) and after Him (like Paul) also faced hardships. The similarities show that whenever we go through trials, some good can come of it, if we stay close to God and keep the faith.

Joseph went to find his brothers because his father asked him to go to Shechem to look for them. They were out tending the sheep. He didn’t find them there, and asked where his brothers had gone. He was told his brothers had gone on toDothan. He could have stopped when he got to Shechem. He had gone as far as his father had told him to, but he went the “extra mile” (actually about twenty) to find his brothers inDothan. When he found them, what did they do? They threw him into a deep hole called a cistern, tore off his robe and then sold him into slavery. The robe was a richly ornamented one that his father had given Joseph. His brothers hated Joseph, so they betrayed their own brother.

Paul spent many years being persecuted, facing torture and spending time in prison, but he never wavered. He continued to preach all over the world of his time, telling people about salvation. He was a loyal servant of God. He kept on serving the Lord. Even though he had many hardships, he finished the race.

Jesus could have saved Himself when He was put on the cross. But He allowed the soldiers to pound the nails into his hands and feet, crushing the bones and letting the crimson blood flow to the ground. He could have sent for a thousand angels when He was hanging on the cross and have them destroy the people. Instead He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” He said He was thirsty, when He could have opened up the skies and let rainwater fall into His mouth. Instead the soldiers gave him bitter-tasting vinegar wine. He could have set Himself free at anytime, but instead He said, “It is finished!”

The soldiers took Jesus’ robe off just like the brothers did to Joseph. It also was a specially made robe with no seams in it. It was woven in one piece from the top. The soldiers threw dice to see who would win the robe. It must have been Jesus’ finest possession. It was a great “collector’s” item for the soldiers.

Jesus walked all over the country teaching about salvation. In the end He was persecuted, beaten, marched through a mock trial and put to death. He went through many of the things Paul went through.

Yes, Jesus could have saved Himself that day. He could have done many things to stop what was happening to Him, but He went on to walk the extra mile. He went on to finish the race. He went on to the cross to pay the supreme sacrifice for our sins.

Have you walked the extra mile? Is Jesus your Lord? Will you finish the race with Him and live an eternal life of joy? He paid the price for the ticket to get you in. He wanted to die for you because He wants you to be in heaven with Him.

 

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart

that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9

 

Further Adventures

Study the book of Romans. Read it to see how wonderful life can be when we follow God. Also find some books that tell about the life of Jesus. Here are two I recommend, both by Philip Yancey: The Jesus I Never Knew and What’s So Amazing About Grace? Yancey digs deeply into the life of Jesus and shows us much more about Jesus than we could ever understand on our own.

 

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny how someone can say, “I believe in God,” on Sunday, but on Monday follow Satan (who, by the way, also “believes” in God)?

 

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Why do it Now? There’s Always Tomorrow. Maybe Not!

Thanks to those of you who have been signing up for the RSS feed t0 www.dougbolton.com. It has helped us move up the Google Search Rankings, which is important for growth. If you haven’t already signed up, please do it today. Just click on the icon right after the title.

_________________________________________________________

The year 2011 was a good year for me in selling my book. I sold over 300. In 2012 I will be digging in and trying to top that, plus hopefullyhave another book published. Stay tuned for updates on my first book, “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” and all future books.

________________________________________________________________

The book “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World,” reaches out to those who may be suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, addictions, self-doubt, or hopelessness.

The book is on sale right now in the sites bookstore. It is normally $19.99 in the bookstores, but on this site it is only $15.99. The shipping has been cut in half as well. A total savings of over $6.00. Just click on the “Bookstore,” tab at the top of this page.

________________________________________________________

Chapter 27

 

Don’t Wait for Six Strong Men to Finally Take You to Church

 

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.

For I command you today to love the Lord your God, and to keep his commands.

Deuteronomy 30:15–16

 

“I’ll do it tomorrow.” “There’s always time.” “Why should I hurry?” Pretty common responses. I have witnessed—too many times—young people falling before their time, and they never took the time to let the Lord into their hearts.

The Bible says we have our appointed time to die, and then will come the judgment. It doesn’t say when our appointed time is. It could be tomorrow or even tonight after you fall asleep.

A tragic example for me was some students of mine who died before they were 15. All of them thought they were going to live for many years to come. They were cut short in their prime, and never thought of the consequences of waiting. I pray that each of those young adults had a close encounter with God and received the Lord before their last breath.

As parents, it is our obligation to nurture our children with the love of the Lord. Children raised in a Christian home have a much better chance of joining the Lord at their “appointed time” than those raised in a home where conversations about God and His salvation aren’t important.

None of us wants to take a chance with our children! We need to introduce them to the ways of the Lord and trust Him that they will respond positively to the message of salvation.

How about you? You also have an appointed time. Don’t keep waiting. Some have waited too long and never got around to giving their lives to God.

I’ve seen the bumper sticker that says, “Real men love Jesus.” If we men think we are too macho to be a Christian, we need to think about what Jesus went through for us. Have you been spit upon? Have you been flogged with whips that have nails on the end? Have you had a crown of thorns put on your head? Have you had nails driven through your hands and feet? Have you agreed to die for someone else?

I expect you said no to all of the above questions. Jesus can say yes, and He did it just for you. If He was man enough to do that for you, don’t you think you can be man enough to at least give your heart to Him?

Traditionally at a funeral, six people carry the coffin into the church. I hope that isn’t the first time you go to church. I hope that on that day for you, God, your friends and your family will be able to acknowledge you as one of His good and faithful servants.

 

The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.

Psalm 116:6

 

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that

leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road

 that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 7:13–14

 

Further Adventures

Visit the sick and dying to help them through their fear. It will give them peace, and it will also draw you closer to God. Whenever I’ve done this, it has been very difficult. But each time the person I visited was happy I had stopped to see them. It gave them a good feeling and brightened their day, even though it was near the end of their journey.

Something to Ponder

Isn’t it funny how people read the Bible more as they get older? They must be cramming for their finals!