“Mom... do I have to go to church?”

I remember when I asked that question, sometimes several times, before each service. I didn't want to go to church. I could come up with every excuse as to why I didn't need to go. I even volunteered to do some chores that I hated (in an attempt to get out of going). But thank God I had a Mom that knew it was important that I go.

Church is boring and a waist of time!

That's what I thought as I was growing up. It wasn't until my high school years that I actually went to church - on my own. Now you may be thinking it was because I wanted to get to know God. Wrong! I wanted to get to know Rena Mae and she seemed to like church... This was something I didn't understand.

As far back as I can remember I believed there was a God. That was not the issue. I didn't understand what the preacher was talking about -so how could I “apply it to my life,” as he put it? I tried to be a good person, but sometimes I did stupid things and later regretted it.

1 Corinthians 1:18-19 explains why I did not understand what the preacher was talking about. Since I wasn't born again I couldn't understand spiritual things -with my natural mind.

1 Corinthians 1:18-19 18 I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.”

I had, like most people some brilliant ideas as to what I believed, before I was born again. No one could convince me I was wrong or deceived. That's the problem with deception - it can be deceiving.

“God is somewhere out there, but don't you force me

or push that religion down my throat!”

I remember saying that statement way to often. Until something went wrong... then I prayed... especially if what I did came with consequences. I just didn't let anyone know I prayed, after all that would show I was weak. Right?

I'm not sure if I was the only one like this, but why is it we suddenly get the idea to pray and ask for God's help when we are in trouble? Now it seems to me it would be a lot smarter to pray before the trouble and avoid it...

I have spoke on this before but I believe it bears repeating.

I have heard too many people say things like:

• “I have learned so much about God through my car accident.”

• “Since I got cancer I have gotten closer to God and He has really shown me some wonderful truths about Himself.”

• “Now that I have had this experience, even though it was horrible and I would never want anyone to go through what I did, I finally know what my purpose is in life. I believe God is calling me to minister and share my experiences.”

So what these people are saying is God had to smash their car, inject cancer into them or completely turn their lives upside down -in order to bless them! As ridiculous, as that sounds, too many people believe it to be true.

1 Timothy 6:13a

13 And I command you before God, who gives life to all...

Proverbs 8:35

35 For whoever finds me finds life and wins approval from the Lord.

John 10:10

10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.

It's clear who is responsible

for the tragic situations in our lives.

In case you missed it - it is not God!  The truth is God did come to them when they called out. He did speak truth into their lives. He did show them or give them a purpose... But it was because they finally were in a desperate position and finally called out to their Father - a truly loving God! Not a God that smashes cars or injects diseases into our bodies.

What if we would slow down our lives and take the time to call out to God -before the enemy attacks?

So... “Mom... do I have to go to church?” We don't have to nobody can force us. I don't know about you, but I not only want to. I now know it is critical that I do. Not just for myself, but for everyone I meet here in this life.

If I had not went to church, and really wanted to learn all I could about God, I know I would not be alive today. The enemy or the Thief that I mentioned before tried to take my life through depression. Thank God I had a wife that believed the Word and knew how to pray.

I can be a believer and not go to Church!

Yes, I agree. But when you do go through a situation in your life... you will go through it alone.

When we purposely avoid church I believe it is only a matter of time before the thief attacks. When a wolf attacks a sheep it doesn't run after the flock. It waits for one to get off by itself then simply waits for the perfect opportunity to attack.

We need each other to watch out for and avoid the attacks of our common enemy. Also we are instructed in Hebrews 10:23-25 to go to church.

23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of His coming back again is drawing near.

I have heard people say I can grow in the Lord at home. True you can study on your own, but you will miss the spiritual gifts from the Pastor and others at church. Rena Mae & I have Pastors. AFCM is our spiritual leaders and we choose to be under their authority. To remain accountable to people more mature in the Lord is safe, so we don't get in deception and teach wrong doctrine, but also to receive the spiritual gifts...

Spiritual gifts are transferred by meeting with Ministers of the Word. Real anointed ministers... not those acting. The test is the leader teaching to stay away from church or encouraging to go according to the Word?

Romans 1:8-12
8 Let me say first of all that your faith in God is becoming known throughout the world. How I thank God through Jesus Christ for each one of you. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by telling others the Good News about his Son.
10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.

Our Mission statement at Northern Light Ministries is Eph. 4:12-13. Our purpose in Ministry is to transfer gifts to the body of Christ. 

Ephesians 4:11-16
11 He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, 13 until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

I believe we are at the edge of life as we have never known. We have seen the start of the world's financial economy meltdown. You may say it is over we are on the up turn... are we?

• Even if we are -is your financial plan going to meet all your needs in the years to come?
• What if you are diagnosed with cancer or another disease?
• What if you lost your job?

Do you what God's plan is to avoid these situations?

Do you know the plan of God for your life?

Do you know all the promises that God has for you personally in His Word?

If you answered no to any of these questions... then maybe it's time to make going to church a commitment - even if Mom doesn't force you.

Getting to know God's will for my life has been the most exciting part of anything I have ever did in my life. Yes, getting married to Rena Mae was right up there, but growing in the Lord together has made our marriage stronger and a journey that we could only imagine!

In 1 Corinthians 1:18-19 we read earlier, we see something that I have experienced personally. Something that I wouldn't have experienced if I had not purposely went after all that God had for me by going to church, reading suggested books and DVDs -of teachers of the Word.

We read 1 Corinthians 1:18-19 18 I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.”

When I finally allowed God to “destroy my wisdom and brilliant ideas,” I could finally understand and actually experience the very power of God! If you still find church boring and uneventful then I would suggest you have not experienced the power of God.

So there you have it, the Army is not the only place that “you can be all that you can be!” We do have an enemy. He is real. I encourage you to find out how to avoid his tactics and live victoriously from the Word of God and by going to church with people just like you. People who don't have all the answers, but we know a God that does!

Submission by

Pastor Dale