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Shelbyville, Tennessee ~ Thursday, May 15, 2008
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What a Week !
Posted Friday, April 11, 2008, at 7:07 PM<< Previous | Read comments | Respond | Email link | Next >>
My Bad !
My wife had to work so my girls and me had home church that morning.
While trying to figure out about a vehicle my Dad calls me out of the blue and ask me did I need a car Duh!
I figure he would go buy a get me there car [which would have been fine]
But, oh no he goes and pays for a 97 Dodge Stratus and a nice one at that.
I give it to my wife and I take her T-Bird [I have a thing for T-Birds]
I got mad at something [ can't remember what] so I skip church Sunday night.
My wife calls Thursday evening , the car won't start.
We have it towed home.
My water lines stop up and cause a mess in the shower and yard which we clean up the neighbor just had his done, cost him plenty.
Take a gamble and go borrow a pipe rod from a friend of mine and fix that.
Check all the basics on the car and discover it was the ignition switch fixed it car is good as new.
In all this turmoil my house payment was due and like most people in today's economy I was short after paying the other expenses.
I get a statement today saying that my house payment was due for May.
Thinking a mistake I called and asked "what about April"
They said "April was paid" "by who?"
They would not tell me.
Thanks to my dad for the car ,we weren't even on good speaking terms.
My friend for the pipe rod,saved me 200 dollars
The locksmith for the fine job and quick service.
To whoever or whoever that paid my house,whether I know them or not.
Most of all thank God for sending me through the trials and tribulations just to pull me out.
Started out with a mountain in front of me and God took it away.
Like my papa always said "God sure does move in mysterious ways" and he does at that!
Be Blessed !
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OK so let me understand this you missed 2 services of church on Sunday then all these "Good" things happen to you.
Should this tell you something?
I am not excusing myself from missing church.
I still have a issue with a temper sometime and that is no excuse.
I don't go to church to be blessed.
I don't believe in the prospeirity messages or if you are a follower Of Christ that everything will be hunky dory.
A lot of evil non followers of Christ have money and some don't.
Both have good and bad things to happen to them.
My riches will be in Heaven and I will suffer no more when I get there.
I go to be with the church for the church is a body of believers not the building to seek his presence with other followers.
I am just having some issues that I am working out with certain church related situations.
Maybe this is God's way of calling me out to go on my own, I don't know.
My goal is to start a home church or home bible study that would lead to teaching or preaching.
Only God knows.
You can be blessed in church or be a blessing-but that isn't confined to church.
It can happen anywhere God is.
It can be a place He leads us to or a place He goes to find us and keep us company for a while as we sort things out a bit.
Sometimes we need a bit of distance to see things clearly or some silence to hear God's voice.
There's no shame in that and nothing wrong with trying to avoid an irritant that would just be distracting and maybe damage your testimony.
If the enemy is trying to get you to go A.W.O.L. or if you're pulling a Jonah,God will make that VERY clear.
I don't know where your troubles came from but the Lord saw fit to use those setbacks to remind you of how much you are loved.
I hope you don't object tooo much to prosperity and blessings.
The "blab it and grab it" crowd hasn't cornered the market on getting a bit of treasure in the here and now.
They may brag about their bling and their miracle cures,etc. but a person can prosper more from just knowing he has family and friends who are there for him.
You don't need an angel named Clarence to tell you that you have a wonderful life.
God shows you that every day.
Keep giving and taking God's love and whether your wallet is full or empty,you'll have riches Solomon would envy.
Michael, I enjoy your column.I'm sorry you had a rough week. Any day you wake up is a good day. Now, the day we don't wake up will be a glorious day. Thanks again for your uplifting column.
Thanks and bless you Brother Jesse !
Love in Christ Jesus !
As I was growing up my Mom and 2 older sisters and I would go to chruch. My father would sometimes stay home and would be working the garden or fields.I was a daddy's girl and when I got about 9 or 10 I asked my father why I had to go to chruch on the Sunday's he stayed home. I wanted to stay home with him. He told me that even if he wasn't at chruch every Sunday that he was still in God's home. He pointed out to me that if you believe in God and have him in your heart that were ever you are you were with God. He said that when he worked his field's or garden that he felt very near to god. That he did not have to go to chruch to be with God.That has always stayed with me and I believe in that. But so many people think that if you do not belong to a chruch and go every Sunday that you do not have God in your heart and life. I believe that is so wrong.
I agree also rebelrose, a lot of bad churches have made people wary of good churches out there.
God is in my heart, my mind and soul.
He lives in my house just the same as any church sometimes more so.
rebelrose, I SO agree with your statement above. My dad was sort of the same way. He loved to be out in the dirt or the field or under the tractor or bush hog fixing stuff on his only day off. He hated that momma came home talking about what happened like who got to sing or play the piano and who didn't and got mad. He thought that was so wrong. He never went cause he said it didn't cost ya to get in, but you have to pay 'em something to let you out! ah, the memories.........
Michael
May the Lord keep blessing you
Don't feel bad about missing church.I am presently in a strict church.I have missed a couple of services for reasons, I knew wouldn't be a good reason according to their standards.After I got over the guilt.I sat on the back porch and just started talking To the Lord.It was really nice.Just me and Jesus, It was quite and peaceful I talked To him about things I would not have, If I had been in church.I wasn't being told when to stand,sing, pray I,could stay focused on the Lord It was very refreshing.
We need a bit of both.
Unfortunately,we forget to do things unless we have a set time and place to do them.
We tend to our smoke detectors the days the time changes,we say "I love you" on Valentine's Day,we honor our country and those who defend it on certain days and we think about God and fellowship with others on a designated day of rest.
If we don't accomplish those things on their day,we might not fit them in any other time,either.
It's wonderful to have one-on-one time with the Lord but He can fit us in His schedule Tuesday or Saturday as easily as Sunday.
(We can get together with our spiritual family anytime,too-not just when the church doors are open.)
God never enacted a "Sunshine Law" stating that His work and His people had to stick to one time and place.
He has no problem with our doing His business off-the-clock.
But,it's sad when we let human hassles interfere with our chance to nurture and renew one another.
How many days that are intended for celebration are met with dread and avoidance because our reunions wind up full of spite or utterly boring?
I think that's why oppressed churches do better.
There's the whole "forbidden fruit" issue plus they retain the intimacy and excitement that makes the get-together a blessing and not a chore.
Its members are all committed to one another and to a common purpose because they've had to realize what's worth giving your life for and what isn't.
Somehow,getting ready to die for something helps you become ready to live for it.
Maybe,we need to try different churches from time to time just as we try different restaurants or belong to more than one civic club.
Maybe,a different place with different people can help us meet (or answer) a spiritual need.
Breaking up a routine to keep things fresh isn't a bad thing and it might stop churches' feeling as if they had to meet every need of every person every minute to keep its "customers."
(If you want to win as many souls or help as many unfortunates as the church across the way-fine.
But you don't have to put in a badminton court just because they've added a heated pool.)
Yes,we can learn about God on our own.
We can speak with Him by ourselves.
We can hear preachers on t.v.,radio and tapes.
We can even chat about God and give each other grief online.
But,we can't be a source or recipient of immediate human comfort without being with one another in flesh as well as spirit.
When we form an interest,one of our first delights is finding people who share that interest and maybe even getting together to bond over what we have in common.
Our church is our "clubhouse".
It hosts a weekly "family reunion".
It is our holy workplace and the headquarters for our outreach into the community.
If we don't find what we need in our church homes,we can change them,change ourselves or go out seeking a better fit.
But,boycotting church,playing hooky whenever possible or being drug off to church with all the glee of going to one's execution are signs that we don't find fulfillment where we're looking now.
Church offers us communion-not just of bread and wine but soul to soul.
We join with God and with His other children.
If we feel more with Him and less alone outside a church,maybe we need to ask God to lead us to where He wants us to be.
Michael
In one of your post above you mentioned something that I believe is severely understated today. You said that the "church" is the body of believers. I wish you would expand on that sometime in the near future.
The Church is not a building of stones and sticks. It is not a Methodist, Baptist, Church of Christ, Pentecostal, Lutheran, etc., etc., etc. either.
The denominations of churches reminds me of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians when he said....
11For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
I can almost hear Paul now asking sarcastically..... You of the Baptist; you of the Methodist; you of the Pentecostal? How many ways do you wish to divide Christ? Was the Methodist crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of the Pentecostal?
I wonder if the word denomination might have been a better translation for the word contention in verse 11?
I really see the Great Carpenter at work here. Michael may not finish a lot of what he starts but he sure is good at hitting that first lick that starts the nail. After that sometimes the nail may get bent, go in crooked, or due do some severe mislicks go ricocheting out of the plank, but it always makes for a lively discussion. In this particular discussion, quantumcat sure drove it straight and true. If we are being refreshed by the living waters outside of church there is probably should be a calling to share that experience with others. That kind of joy shouldn't be selfishly horded when we know there are churches seriously lacking in that area. On the other hand there are always times of drought in our lives when there are a lot of churches that are blessed to be able to provide the living water we so desperately need. Forsaking the assembly at church occasionally shouldn't generate any guilt, but failing to share our joy and our tribulations deprives ourselves and others.
parkerbrothers I can tell you have a little finish Carpenter in you because you set this nail nicely and put a little putty in the hole. I will never think of denominations again without thinking of Paul's admonition to the Corinthians. 'Nuff said.
countrymom...I hate to say this BUT it always seemed that the women at our chruch always looked to see who wore what on sundays..I do not know how many times I would hear my mom and all the other women that were together say ..." didn't she wear that hat last sunday or...I really don't think those shoes go with that dress...I rememeber when I was baptize at the age of 12 my Dad came and was so proud..Well Preacher King got to me ( there was 4 that day) and He went to lay me back in the water and and did what he had to do as he was pulling me up he lost the hold of me and back into the water again I went.Well I have always been the kind of person to say just what was on my mind. When Preacher King pulled me back up for the second time I turned around and looked out over the chruch dripping with water and I was looking for my Dad and Mom. Then I said Daddy I got a real good Blessing from God cause he pulled me back down for a second dipping. Everyone laughed but my Mom..I am not saying that my Mom was not a very Christian Lady..But when I was growing up it seemed like a fashion show to me. ( words from my Dad).My Dad was colored blind and he would always put a blue sock with a brown sock. I also can remember sitting in chruch one Sunday when my Dad went and mom looked down at my Dad's feet and I can still hear my mom say...Oh George you have put 2 different color socks on. People are going to think you can not dress. Daddy said Mama God don't care what color socks I have on and if he don't care then no one else should care...My mother is a very Christian Lady but still to this day she has to wear the very best to chruch..I can not say it was the way she was brought up cause she came from a family of 13 and my Grandpa was a farmer..Grandma made all the girls dresses from the Cloth feed sacks..I just believe that you go to chruch for God and not to show off all your pretty things...
There isn't anything wrong with going to church. Most people go to church though, in order to impress others, somehow I do not think that is the reason to go to church. I was brought up in the Church of Christ and there were so many hypocrites that go to church that are quick to condemn you for the things you do when in fact they are doing the same things. Why do people even bother going to church when they have nothing but a "door knob" religion (they pick it up when they enter and leave it at the door when they leave) but yet they are always the first to criticize and condemn others for their mistakes?
With all the different denominations out there, who all supposedly, teach from the same Bible, how does one really know which church is teaching the correct message? How can so many churches believe such different things, if we are all reading the same Bible? Yet each church believes they are the correct ones, some even believe they are the only ones who will get into heaven. Is it a sin for a minster to preach things that are false to his congregation?
Would they be considered False prophets?
I have been really confused in my religious beliefs for quite some time and I certainly am not trying to entice an argument, these are just honest questions I have about churches.
I have ask my minster these same type questions and all I get is "We just know" to me that is a cop-out answer. Minsters, Preachers, Priest or whatever they wish to call themselves are just human, there is no divine intervention, if there was, God would be giving them all the same messages, the same answers, the same word of God, don't you think?
rebelrose,I LOVE that baptism story!
I've seen "fashion shows",too, while some just want to offer God their best.
I have to think it must be easier to concentrate on God now than when one had to wear crinolines,slippery shoes,girdles,celluloid collars,etc.
I bet God never turned anyone away because they had five 'o clock shadow,a pimple coming up,a ladder in their hose or hadn't slept overnight in curlers.
Feed sacks had some beautiful fabrics.
(The world pays top dollar for them now.)
It was just the enemy who tried to make them seem second rate.
(Maybe the ecology crowd will bring the trend of such reusable packaging back?)
If God ever said anything to anyone about mismatched socks,I bet it went something like this:
"Get white socks and black socks.
Pick one color and knot them in pairs.
Leave the others loose.
Remember,if you only have two colors and they're all loose,grabbing three socks will give you one matched pair and one sock to stick in your pocket."
P.S.
I found this if any of y'all want to try a potato sack dress.
It's not politically correct with pearls,unethical gems and metal or fur anymore but it might do if one is out with Posh or Angelina.
http://www.quiltersmuse.com/images/feedsack_dress....
My son has a tattoo on his arm. He was going to a chruch last summer and the Preacher came to him at chruch and told him he was going to go to HELL because he has a tattoo. He never went back to that chruch again...This past christmas I found a t-shirt that say's God loves me and my tattoo..He wears it with pride cause he knows that God loves him...
I guess that preacher wouldn't have bothered witnessing to a victim of the Holocaust.
Now,if your son had his tat removed with a laser,would God take him after all?
That's one thing you can say for a certain kind of preacher.
It's easy to tell when the Lord is dictating the sermon and when He...isn't.
hmmmm.....HERE IS A THOUGHT....
GET OFF YOUR LAZY ASS, STOP WRITING HATE FILLED BLOGS AND GET A JOB AND QUIT DEPENDING ON DADDY TO BUY YOU A CAR AND SOME STRANDER THAT HAD NO IDEA THAT YOUR MORTGAGE NEEDED PAYING (LIAR) WHICH MEANS YOU WERE PROBABLY OUT WHINING ABOUT THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE, PEOPLE JUST DON'T KNOW THAT....THAT IS MY POINT, IF YOU WEREN'T SO BUSY SPREADING THE HATE, THEN MAYBE YOU COULD ACTUALLY GO TO WORK AND PROVIDE FOR YOURSELF!
I do work for a living and if you got a problem with me I aint hard to find.
A Holy Ghost filled person knows when a fellow brother or sister is in need.
Disturbia, are you this angry all the time or is there something about a blog without anger that disturbs you?
NO I am not always this angry, I am sick and tired of Michael using GOD to preach his hate and his bigotry and thumping on his bible to spread it. Michael does ONE nice blog and he is redeemed, I think not, the antichrist will do many good deeds as well.
I am filled with the holy spirit and sorry but no calls from God telling me that anybody needs anything, they usually ask or hint around about it, until someone picks up on it and bails them out of the mess they created on their own.
ANd believe me Mr. Bell, If I had wanted to find you, I would have already been looking for you, but I have no need to hang out or talk to a narrow minded, hate-filled false christian prophet. I don't need my mind muddied with your tainted waters.
I do provide for me and my family if it is any of your buisness.
So you don't get sick and tired don't take the medicine that I prescribe unless maybe you toes are getting stepped on.
Nobody said you had to read these blogs fyi. some people do like them and agree with them .
Those are the ones I write for and if I change somebody along the way great.
This one was a pesonal Testimony.
I did not say it was a stranger I said whether I knew them or not.
I never asked for it,but I have walked up and done something for somebody without them asking.
Without knowing it it was what they neeeded because I was Holy Ghost inspired.
[ the same way as the writers of the bible were]
If THE PREACHERS TEACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED AND RESURECTED THEY ARE TEACHING THE TRUTH.
WHEN THEY AD THE EXTRAS THEY ARE WRONG.
The bible is flawless man is not.
The bible is flawless man is not.
-- Posted by michaelbell on Mon, Apr 14, 2008, at 6:28 PM
YOU COULDN'T BE MORE WRONG IF YOU TRIED TO BE....SHALL I POST ALL THE FLAWS, CAUSE GOD KNOWS YOU WON'T LOOK FOR THEM
Post whatever I still live my life by it
By the way I would rather you not use foul language on my blog anymore.
Please respond accordingly .
eh...
I will type out in plain English DON'T CUSS !!!!!!
Oh, ok... but can she still say SUCKS?
it all depends on the way she uses it
I don't know Michael's donkey personally but,as a rule,asses are not lazy.
They do have a well-deserved reputation for not overworking.
Maybe the Bell's burro was perceived as lazy because they were relying on a replacement car instead of hitching up their jack or jennet.
In Bible times,asses were symbols of wealth and power.
Later on,riding an ass was a sign of poverty or humility.
It seems fitting that an animal deemed wise and stupid,a symbol of luxury and simplicity became the mount associated with the Holy Family.
The Messiah,as well as the colt He rode,played contradictory roles with Jesus being a poor man and the Son of God.
Since Michael works,I don't guess he has much time to sit on his ass.
That would give the donkey fewer trips into town but more opportunities to kick back and be indolent.
Michael
Christ crucified and resurrected are the truth and the only way as you have always said.
Some things and some people are better just left alone.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.
It is too late once they reach that point.
Parkerbrothers
AMEN!! You will know them by the fruit they bear.They can't hide what's in their heart.
Alas,some will work so hard to muffle the whispers of demons that they'll silence the prophet's shouts at the same time.
Fortunately,God's voice will still reach those souls.
They will know He brings them the truth and rejoice in it as surely as others will know the truth and reject it because they know it is valid.
God's message is more powerful than any limits His messengers or His audience might have.