Lord Feed My Soul
Lord feed my soul
For it has been empty
many years
Lord feed my soul
For it hungers
for You
Lord feed my soul
I hear your Word
and it strengthens me
I read your Word
and it brings me peace
Lord feed my soul
For like an infant I cannot
feed myself
I crave your Word
like a bear craves honey
I share your Word
For all need to hear
Good News
Lord feed my soul
Until someday I feast with You
Friday, March 30, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
What is Prayer?
Prayer is our way of communicating with God, much as a child with his father, we can talk with our Father. I am pretty new when it comes to prayer....other than "fox hole" prayers i.e. "God if you'll just do this for me I swear I'll do that." We negotiate with God as if we have something to offer that would otherwise be withheld, that God could not attain otherwise. It is silly on its face, to anyone who has a remote idea as to who God is, or even the concept of a god (an all powerful being) so even an unbeliever should realize the futility in negotiating with God. So I have learned it is not negotiating.
Nor is it demanding. How do you demand something from God? He who has angels worshipping Him. He who has created all things. He who foreknows all things. He knows your demand before you even think it. Yet we are still sometimes foolish enough to demand God do this or that. So it is not demanding.
Is it asking? Yes of course it is. As I said earlier, much as a child to his father, ask anything of God. He will answer, and much like your father here on earth, often the answer will be no. Why ask if the answer will be no? Well it might be yes. Or it might be later. He will answer, in His time, but He will. Ask for big things, ask for small things He will listen to them all. Most importantly His answer will always be perfect and justified. He will give you what you need and what fits into His plan, nothing more and nothing less. Think of a young child that had just seen an old western, a wild west shoot out, he's really into it, after the movie he goes to his dad and asks for a gun. What kind of father would say yes. An imperfect one of course. Now maybe he would buy his son a squirt gun, or a bb gun when a little older and wiser, and surely he would counsel the child it its responsible use. But to just grant a demand from a child who is in no way ready for what he asks is irresponsible, and I know I have a responsible and just God.
Is it worshiping? Of course. God is awesome and worthy of our praise. He is the perfect and everlasting God. Everything we do should be to the glory of God, from drinking orange juice (see John Piper) to praying. Everything you and I have, from the clothes on our backs to the money in our pockets to the food on our plates belongs to God, worship Him that shares it with you. I recently started saying grace at dinner with my family, I realize I should be saying it at every meal, I will be praying about this.
This brings me to being thankful. Is it giving thanks? Amen it is! Now you may ask well isn't that worshipping? I think it is different. We worship God for who He is in all things, we thank God for all things He does. He is at work in your life, most times I think we never notice, and often less times do we thank Him for it.
Since I became a believer I have had a number of prayers answered, my job location, my Baptism, my daughter's surgery, all powerfully answered. I thank Him for those things, not nearly enough, and I try to do it as often as I pray, I may only say "thank you for all that you have given me" or I may name them out loud, but He knows whats in my heart.
Don't just recite the Lord's prayer, live it every time you pray!
The Lords Prayer :Matthew 6:10-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Amen!
Read everyline one at a time, think what it means.Think what God is telling you, if you do you may think I have missed something, you may be right.
As part of your prayers ask to turn away from and be protected from your sins and from being enticed to sin. Indeed a tough subject for another day but no doubt important and surely everytime we pray we should be asking Him to protect us and to help turn from sin when it tempts us. For it will tempt us and our spirit is not strong enough to turn from it, but if we ask Him for the the Holy Spirit to guide us, especially in times of temptation, He will give us the strength we need to "deliver us from evil" And times when the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins that we have committed we should pray that Jesus will forgive those sins and keep us from them.
Lastly I would suggest you ask Father God to send the Holy Spirit to guide your life, in Jesus name, for his spilled blood that by grace you may be saved, that I am saved. Amen!
Nor is it demanding. How do you demand something from God? He who has angels worshipping Him. He who has created all things. He who foreknows all things. He knows your demand before you even think it. Yet we are still sometimes foolish enough to demand God do this or that. So it is not demanding.
Is it asking? Yes of course it is. As I said earlier, much as a child to his father, ask anything of God. He will answer, and much like your father here on earth, often the answer will be no. Why ask if the answer will be no? Well it might be yes. Or it might be later. He will answer, in His time, but He will. Ask for big things, ask for small things He will listen to them all. Most importantly His answer will always be perfect and justified. He will give you what you need and what fits into His plan, nothing more and nothing less. Think of a young child that had just seen an old western, a wild west shoot out, he's really into it, after the movie he goes to his dad and asks for a gun. What kind of father would say yes. An imperfect one of course. Now maybe he would buy his son a squirt gun, or a bb gun when a little older and wiser, and surely he would counsel the child it its responsible use. But to just grant a demand from a child who is in no way ready for what he asks is irresponsible, and I know I have a responsible and just God.
Is it worshiping? Of course. God is awesome and worthy of our praise. He is the perfect and everlasting God. Everything we do should be to the glory of God, from drinking orange juice (see John Piper) to praying. Everything you and I have, from the clothes on our backs to the money in our pockets to the food on our plates belongs to God, worship Him that shares it with you. I recently started saying grace at dinner with my family, I realize I should be saying it at every meal, I will be praying about this.
This brings me to being thankful. Is it giving thanks? Amen it is! Now you may ask well isn't that worshipping? I think it is different. We worship God for who He is in all things, we thank God for all things He does. He is at work in your life, most times I think we never notice, and often less times do we thank Him for it.
Since I became a believer I have had a number of prayers answered, my job location, my Baptism, my daughter's surgery, all powerfully answered. I thank Him for those things, not nearly enough, and I try to do it as often as I pray, I may only say "thank you for all that you have given me" or I may name them out loud, but He knows whats in my heart.
Don't just recite the Lord's prayer, live it every time you pray!
The Lords Prayer :Matthew 6:10-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." Amen!
Read everyline one at a time, think what it means.Think what God is telling you, if you do you may think I have missed something, you may be right.
As part of your prayers ask to turn away from and be protected from your sins and from being enticed to sin. Indeed a tough subject for another day but no doubt important and surely everytime we pray we should be asking Him to protect us and to help turn from sin when it tempts us. For it will tempt us and our spirit is not strong enough to turn from it, but if we ask Him for the the Holy Spirit to guide us, especially in times of temptation, He will give us the strength we need to "deliver us from evil" And times when the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins that we have committed we should pray that Jesus will forgive those sins and keep us from them.
Lastly I would suggest you ask Father God to send the Holy Spirit to guide your life, in Jesus name, for his spilled blood that by grace you may be saved, that I am saved. Amen!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Debra, my wife's, testimony
If you asked
me to describe myself I would have told you I was a Christian.
Growing up
when I was young we didn’t go to church but my parents got my sister and me a
Children’s Bible. I was 8 years
old. I used to enjoy looking at the
pictures while my Father would read to the Bible to us. I would say I believe in God and Jesus.
One summer
when I was a teenager my Mom sent my Sister and I to Vacation Bible School. I
can still remember one of the counselors teaching us about Jesus and a passage
about how even the demons know of him and shudder. I began to understand the
difference between knowing of God and Knowing God.
I have spent
the better part of my life until recently tormented-never sure of what would
happen to me when I died. I would worry
about the end time predictions. I would think of having an underground house
with stockpiles of food and water and when the Pope died how many more Popes
where left before the end of the world came.
Psalm 38 verses 4-8 describes how I often
felt.
My
Guilt overwhelms me-It is a burden too heavy to bear. My words fester and stink
because of my foolish sins. I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I
walk around filled with grief. A raging fever burns within me and my health is
broken. I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished
heart.
On mother’s
day after almost three years of not making it to church for one reason or
another I asked my son if he wanted to go to church. My daughter was still
sleeping and my husband was working. We went together. I am not confident I
would have gone if I didn’t have someone to go with. Even my 8 year old son. He went down to Sunday school .After service
I went down to get him. He wanted to stay and enjoy fellowship. I remember feeling
emotionally overwhelmed and crying when people came over to talk with me and
feeling foolish for crying. I was embarrassed to tell my husband I had gotten
so upset. Everyone was so nice and
welcoming. They asked if we were new to Medfield.
A few months
after we started all together to church as a family, Pastor Jonathon was
offering a church membership class at the parsonage. Dennis and I signed up to attend. I really
needed and treasured our times together. It was a teaching and learning
experience. All of my questions Pastor
had the answers in the Bible and the time to listen. Dennis was talking to Pastor about baptism
and knew he was ready and I knew I was not. I still had my old fears. Pastor
asked me if I had asked Jesus to come into my life. We prayed together and I
asked Jesus to please come into my life and heart and I wanted to follow Him.
The next day the Holy Spirit came into my heart and my soul... I have never
felt anything so beyond words and wonderful in all my life. I suddenly got it. My
entire burden had been lifted off of my heart. I understood everything clearly.
Everything that Jesus had come to do for me and for all of us. Jesus came to
die for our sins that we may have eternal life it is nothing we can earn .It is
a free gift for us to accept by the grace of God.
Psalm 34
verse 4-10 describes how I now am.
I prayed to the Lord and He answered me. He
freed me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with
joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed,
and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the
Lord is a Guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that
the Lord is good. Oh the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord,
you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even the
strong young lions sometimes go hungry. But those who trust in the Lord will
lack no good thing.
Asking Jesus
to come into my life was the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Amen
Friday, March 9, 2012
Testimony on Baptism Day
A Psalm of David
Psalm 22 1:10
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
Psalm 22 1:10
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
Before my
walk with Jesus I was a “good” person. I
got up in the morning and went to work, kept to myself, and worked hard. I would
come home and watch TV, get on Facebook,
have a few drinks and go to bed. The next day I would do it all over again. I
was very self-righteous, better than most people, overcame some addictions, I
would judge people and wonder why they were not more like me. Even my wife,
instead of accepting and loving her, I
would try to get her to conform to my needs while not caring for her needs.
So when we went looking for a church to attend
as new residents of Medfield, I had an ulterior motive. I would be able to sleep
in on Sundays while the family went to church.
God had other plans, as did my son Karl, who motivated me to attend by
telling me “God is more awesome than you”! Well who can turn that down, so that
first Sunday Karl and I went to church. We started attending as a family regularly,
and before you know it I was going to Bible study. That first Bible study I
realized I was NOT a Christian, and probably not even a good person. I started listening to some podcasts of
sermons recommended by Pastor and reading my Bible and slowly it all came
together for me.
One day on my
route as a letter carrier I sat in my car and said a prayer, not sure of what to
say, I simply asked Jesus to come into my life and guide me. And He has!
I went back
to Bible study with a thirst for His word and a desire to learn and worship Him!
Since I know that Jesus died for my sins I try to glorify His name in all that I
do, now days that would have left me empty and worn-out remind me that HE has something better for me. Daily
He continues to show me His glory and so
I walk with Him knowing someday I will
be before Him.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Testimony Part II
So where was I? oh yeah first night of Men's bible study. We start with the book of Acts, never read it had no clue about it, I think by this point I had read a little bit of Genesis and some of Mathew. Well the book of Acts is about the early church and the first preaching of the Gospel and other things that I am still learning as we are still in the book of Acts in bible study to this day, chapter 16-17 at this point.
Well after the first night of Bible study I realized I certainly was not a Christian. I had not accepted Jesus as my savior, I was not really sure what that even meant. I did feel lacking of something. I suddenly felt inadequate. I had a void that I felt needed to be filled, it had always been there I just really felt the weight of it after that night. I was still not sure what to do or what to make of it but I knew I wanted to keep investigating.
As a letter carrier I am very fortunate that I have plenty of time to listen to music or whatever on my headphones as I walk along delivering my route. My pastor had recommended an "app" that I could listen to on my phone, "Mars Hill Church" with Pastor Mark Driscoll. I had never heard a sermon like this. The hour long sermons Pastor Driscoll gave were, well, intense, powerful and fully connecting to me. I remember walking down the street delivering my mail on the verge of sobbing, and on the next block I was laughing out loud. It was coming together for me. Religion as Driscoll put it is a "steaming pile" but Jesus, Jesus was the perfected Adam. Jesus, God become man, was sent by the Father for me. To do what I could not ever hope to do.
It was on Judith St. when it kind of hit me, or tapped me on the shoulder, Adam was the original sinner and man has sinned ever since, and God sent his Son to take my sin for me that I may gain eternal life. When I got back to my car I sat and tried to think of the words I was supposed to say, I didn't have a bible with me, but I said something like, "ok Jesus I am yours, I want you to take me and do with me and my life as you will. Guide me and help me grow and learn Your word."
I wasn't sure if I had said it right, but I knew He would know.
The next Bible study I told Pastor how I realized I had not been a Christian, he asked if he thought I was now, I could barely say it but I did say yes. I think he was almost as happy as I was. I truly have not looked back since. It really has been that whole paradigm shift that I have heard of but never believed. I have become those things I had mocked, and I don't really care if people want to mock me. I have more than I could have hoped, and my life has changed in so many ways, some I have already discussed and others I will post in future blogs. The most important of which I find, other than my relationship with Jesus, is the relationship with my wife.
I will close this by saying if you have read this and have questions ask your Pastor, or find one to ask, for if you have read this with an open heart and mind I believe the Holy Spirit is calling on you to explore and come to Him. I pray that you will.
Well after the first night of Bible study I realized I certainly was not a Christian. I had not accepted Jesus as my savior, I was not really sure what that even meant. I did feel lacking of something. I suddenly felt inadequate. I had a void that I felt needed to be filled, it had always been there I just really felt the weight of it after that night. I was still not sure what to do or what to make of it but I knew I wanted to keep investigating.
As a letter carrier I am very fortunate that I have plenty of time to listen to music or whatever on my headphones as I walk along delivering my route. My pastor had recommended an "app" that I could listen to on my phone, "Mars Hill Church" with Pastor Mark Driscoll. I had never heard a sermon like this. The hour long sermons Pastor Driscoll gave were, well, intense, powerful and fully connecting to me. I remember walking down the street delivering my mail on the verge of sobbing, and on the next block I was laughing out loud. It was coming together for me. Religion as Driscoll put it is a "steaming pile" but Jesus, Jesus was the perfected Adam. Jesus, God become man, was sent by the Father for me. To do what I could not ever hope to do.
It was on Judith St. when it kind of hit me, or tapped me on the shoulder, Adam was the original sinner and man has sinned ever since, and God sent his Son to take my sin for me that I may gain eternal life. When I got back to my car I sat and tried to think of the words I was supposed to say, I didn't have a bible with me, but I said something like, "ok Jesus I am yours, I want you to take me and do with me and my life as you will. Guide me and help me grow and learn Your word."
I wasn't sure if I had said it right, but I knew He would know.
The next Bible study I told Pastor how I realized I had not been a Christian, he asked if he thought I was now, I could barely say it but I did say yes. I think he was almost as happy as I was. I truly have not looked back since. It really has been that whole paradigm shift that I have heard of but never believed. I have become those things I had mocked, and I don't really care if people want to mock me. I have more than I could have hoped, and my life has changed in so many ways, some I have already discussed and others I will post in future blogs. The most important of which I find, other than my relationship with Jesus, is the relationship with my wife.
I will close this by saying if you have read this and have questions ask your Pastor, or find one to ask, for if you have read this with an open heart and mind I believe the Holy Spirit is calling on you to explore and come to Him. I pray that you will.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Testimony
A big part of being a Christian in community is testimony. The who, what, when, where and how of being saved...some might say "you missed the "why?"" well I don't think anyone who has been saved knows just why Jesus saved them, we only know we asked to be saved and by His grace He said yes. It is also part of membership, which as I mentioned the last blog my wife and I will be doing soon, the deacons will be asking us about it. And in general I think it's good to be able to relate your "story" when you speak to someone who is not a Christian who maybe interested.
I hope my testimony is a pretty good one, but most importantly it is the truth, without embellisment or hyperbole. The coolest part is that God chose to save my wife and I at the same time through our son, we didn't know it at the time but looking back we now recognize that is exactly what happened.
We moved to our town about three years ago buying our first home, a small suburb in a fairly affulent town, very family oriented, and it instantly felt like home. We were keen on getting involved in our community, I coached a season of Tee Ball for our son, our daughter seemed to fit right in and make friends fast, and my wife was volunteering at the schools. We really wanted to find a church, for community, for the kids, and in my case (to be honest) someplace to send my family so I could sleep in and watch football in peace.
Sure I would go from time to time to make it look good, but mostly I was looking forward to the alone time on Sunday. I was pretty much an agnostic, I was a good person, better than I ever had been in fact. I quit smoking, quit drugs, was pretty honest about most things, I was polite and a pretty hard worker. I almost felt like a defacto Christian, I just didnt read the Bible or go to church or have a savior. If I was going to Hell well that was Gods fault not mine, and I could deal with it.
So after asking around alittle my wife decided to give the Baptist church a try, it was Mother's Day. I was working delivering flowers as a side job, easy cash. She wanted to go but was not sure, finally our 9 year old son said he would go with her, our teenage daughter was in bed sleeping still.
Apparently the service was pretty powerful, the pastor's wife had recently had a miscarriage which he shared with the congregation on that day, yeah no doubt powerful. The congregation is a mix of wonderful people from all walks of life, all suprisily welcoming and not in a creepy way. Later that day my wife shared it with me and I'm sure I was like "yeah whatever"
The only concern she had was how few people were in church, maybe 20 people. Otherwise she really enjoyed it, "yes! football here I come!" I thought. Well the following weekend my wife was working and I was off. I took my son to his baseball game and on the way home he asked if we were going to church. I was, unfortunately, discouraging. After all he was still in his baseball uniform, I was tired, I had other things to do, like take a nap. Then he dropped the bomb on me.
"But Gods more awesome than you." he said.
Just like that, out of the blue, "really?" I said.
"Yeah" he said.
So we went. It was ok, alot of songs I did not know. A sermon I would shortly forget. But at the end I felt good, we went down to the fellowship after and I had people who knew my son from the previous week coming up to me and talking like they knew me, it was pretty cool. So we kept going as a family including my teenage daughter, it was ok and I was learning. The sermons got more interesting, seemed to make sense, almost like watching an historical show about "biblical" times. So when men's bible study was announced starting on Wednesday night, with womens bible study as well, seperately, we decided to go.
So now I have to start reading the Bible, and I did. It was ok but a little hard to understand, so I figure its good to be with someone to explain it. The first night at Bible study.....well thats to be continued....
I hope my testimony is a pretty good one, but most importantly it is the truth, without embellisment or hyperbole. The coolest part is that God chose to save my wife and I at the same time through our son, we didn't know it at the time but looking back we now recognize that is exactly what happened.
We moved to our town about three years ago buying our first home, a small suburb in a fairly affulent town, very family oriented, and it instantly felt like home. We were keen on getting involved in our community, I coached a season of Tee Ball for our son, our daughter seemed to fit right in and make friends fast, and my wife was volunteering at the schools. We really wanted to find a church, for community, for the kids, and in my case (to be honest) someplace to send my family so I could sleep in and watch football in peace.
Sure I would go from time to time to make it look good, but mostly I was looking forward to the alone time on Sunday. I was pretty much an agnostic, I was a good person, better than I ever had been in fact. I quit smoking, quit drugs, was pretty honest about most things, I was polite and a pretty hard worker. I almost felt like a defacto Christian, I just didnt read the Bible or go to church or have a savior. If I was going to Hell well that was Gods fault not mine, and I could deal with it.
So after asking around alittle my wife decided to give the Baptist church a try, it was Mother's Day. I was working delivering flowers as a side job, easy cash. She wanted to go but was not sure, finally our 9 year old son said he would go with her, our teenage daughter was in bed sleeping still.
Apparently the service was pretty powerful, the pastor's wife had recently had a miscarriage which he shared with the congregation on that day, yeah no doubt powerful. The congregation is a mix of wonderful people from all walks of life, all suprisily welcoming and not in a creepy way. Later that day my wife shared it with me and I'm sure I was like "yeah whatever"
The only concern she had was how few people were in church, maybe 20 people. Otherwise she really enjoyed it, "yes! football here I come!" I thought. Well the following weekend my wife was working and I was off. I took my son to his baseball game and on the way home he asked if we were going to church. I was, unfortunately, discouraging. After all he was still in his baseball uniform, I was tired, I had other things to do, like take a nap. Then he dropped the bomb on me.
"But Gods more awesome than you." he said.
Just like that, out of the blue, "really?" I said.
"Yeah" he said.
So we went. It was ok, alot of songs I did not know. A sermon I would shortly forget. But at the end I felt good, we went down to the fellowship after and I had people who knew my son from the previous week coming up to me and talking like they knew me, it was pretty cool. So we kept going as a family including my teenage daughter, it was ok and I was learning. The sermons got more interesting, seemed to make sense, almost like watching an historical show about "biblical" times. So when men's bible study was announced starting on Wednesday night, with womens bible study as well, seperately, we decided to go.
So now I have to start reading the Bible, and I did. It was ok but a little hard to understand, so I figure its good to be with someone to explain it. The first night at Bible study.....well thats to be continued....
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Membership
"Membership has its privileges." We've all heard this advertising slogan enticing us to join what would appear to be a select group. So recently when I told my mother that my wife and I were taking membership classes for our church, and would soon go before the deacons to be questioned and hopefully approved for membership, she asked a logical question. "What do you get from being member?"
I wasn't sure what to say. I wasn't told I would get anything. No one made any promises, no one really talks much about membership. Sitting in the church pews you certainly cannot tell a member from a non-member. In fact I assume we could attend church for the rest of our lives without ever becoming members.
When I thought about it for a while I began to assume that by becoming a member more would be expected of me. I assume that I would now be scrutinized perhaps a little more and now be subject to church discipline. I assume I would be expected or perhaps required to donate of my time and talents to church related activities.
And looking back to the last few sentences perhaps I should change the word "assume" to the words "I hope". Since becoming saved I have actually yearned to do more, to learn more, to serve more at my church. This from someone who had no desire to ever attend church, and at times eve mocked believers. But now I search out membership of just such a church and pray that I will be accepted. So I guess instead of "membership has it's privileges" it should be "the privileges causes one to desire membership." For the privileges I have received in Jesus I could never earn, I could barely ever hope for what He has given me. Because of this I desire membership and hope all the things "I assume" are part of membership are true, so that I may serve and glorify Him.
I wasn't sure what to say. I wasn't told I would get anything. No one made any promises, no one really talks much about membership. Sitting in the church pews you certainly cannot tell a member from a non-member. In fact I assume we could attend church for the rest of our lives without ever becoming members.
When I thought about it for a while I began to assume that by becoming a member more would be expected of me. I assume that I would now be scrutinized perhaps a little more and now be subject to church discipline. I assume I would be expected or perhaps required to donate of my time and talents to church related activities.
And looking back to the last few sentences perhaps I should change the word "assume" to the words "I hope". Since becoming saved I have actually yearned to do more, to learn more, to serve more at my church. This from someone who had no desire to ever attend church, and at times eve mocked believers. But now I search out membership of just such a church and pray that I will be accepted. So I guess instead of "membership has it's privileges" it should be "the privileges causes one to desire membership." For the privileges I have received in Jesus I could never earn, I could barely ever hope for what He has given me. Because of this I desire membership and hope all the things "I assume" are part of membership are true, so that I may serve and glorify Him.
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