Monday, November 17, 2008

Needing Prayer

I know some people believe that Christians should always smile and say everything is great, but honestly that is not how life works, at least not mine. I believe what is important is the fact that even when life gets hard or things get rough God is still good, and that no matter what emotion we are feeling whether we are happy, sad, frustrated, even angry we need to take it to God honestly, after all it's not like He doesn't know how we are feeling. And I must confess today I'm feeling frustrated, I am so tired of looking for a good church. I am actually beginning to wonder if one exists in the whole state of Wisconsin. I know some of my friends reading this are thinking "Nick there is no perfect church", and honestly I'm not looking for perfect, but I would like biblical. Now obviously I don't know everything and am probably wrong on some of the things I think are biblical or unbiblical. Yet sometimes I hear preachers take such tremendous liberties with the text it makes me wonder if we are reading the same bible. I'll be the first to admit I have questions, and I don't understand everything in the bible but honestly I am so tired of man made doctrines, and the pathetic hoopla we pawn off as demonstrations of the Holy Spirit. Why can't the bible mean exactly what it says, that if sick people call for the elders the prayer of faith will make them better(God through the prayer of faith; I know. I know)or why doesn't baptism in the Holy Spirit give us boldness to share our faith or power from on high like it did in acts, instead of making us run around like animals or roll on the floor laughing. I want to be a part of a Word and Power church, I want to see God move in power as He did in the days of the New Testament but I also want to believe the Bible for what it says and not for what I want it to say. I'm not looking for something new, I want to find the old paths, the ones Jesus and his apostles walked. I'll gladly trade all our man made programs and fancy preaching for some biblical demonstrations of God's love and Holy Spirit power. I want to gather with a group of believers who want to study Gods word to be workmen unashamed, who want take what GOD teaches us and live by it. I want to be in a church where the Holy Spirit is more than a good feeling in worship, but where He convicts us of sin, teaches us about Jesus, and continues to conform us into the image of Jesus. Yes I want to see miracles, I want to see healing and deliverance's, But most of all I want to see changed lives! I want to be part of a family where we love each other in spite of all are shortcomings, yet also challenge and encourage one another (spur one another on) I want to be a part of a church that is changing its world, because lets be honest Jesus original disciples changed their world so why shouldn't His disciples today? Okay I'll admit it I want to be a part of a church that looks a lot like the book of Acts, and I am not going to just settle and make excuses for being less than that! Where are God's Elijah's, Paul's, Smith Wigglesworth's, Charles Wesley's, Jonathan Edward's, George Whitefield's, Leonard Ravenhill's? God please send us Godly leaders Men after your own heart, God please make me into a man after your own heart, someone whom you are not ashamed to be called my God.

3 comments:

Erika W. said...

Don't lose hope. God has a place for you and your family to worship Him. We will continue to pray for you as you are on this difficult journey to find where you belong for a time. We'll pray that God will reveal himself to you and that he will show you where he wants you to go.

In the meantime though, if you need a place for encouragement, it would be a bit of a drive (40 minutes from you probably), but you would really, really like the Pastor at Full Gospel Assembly Church in Bonduel. (Not an A.G.) He is so real and speaks the Bible as truth, not as doctrine. Him and his wife are phenomenal people, I'm still a bit bummed that their church was not the church for us. Google the church name and their site will come up.

Erika W. said...

Okay, so a Google search wasn't totally conclusive- here is their website:

http://fullgospelassemblychurchwi.web.officelive.com/default.aspx

Anonymous said...

sometimes I think the church answers are easy...I do understand though and God will answer you...sometimes though it isn't the answer we think he should have given!

SLK