"...on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). A church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained
that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. "I've gone for 30
years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000
sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them.
So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by
giving sermons at all."
This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column,
much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone
wrote this clincher:
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time, my wife has cooked some
32,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for
a single one of those meals. But I do know this...they all nourished me
and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given
me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not
gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"
Have a wonderful Sunday, everybody! Mr and Mrs Z
16 comments:
Excellent! Thank you!
Have a lovely Sunday...
:)
"Man cannot live on bread alone."
BTW, I just love stone churches. Once, Mr. AOW and I did a driving tour of several of them.
"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time, my wife has cooked some
32,000 meals...wow..nice post !.HAPPY SUNDAY TO YA BOTH!..hugs!
Always On Watch, sometimes I find a picture I love and get some verse for it I think fits, or I find verse and find a picture, but this time, it was all about the picture because I just loved it. I found the verse for it, then someone sent me the little story a few days later...
I'd seen it before but figured it fit today's Sunday Faith Blog!
Susannah..you, too! And thanks.
Woman....IMAGINE? That's a LOT of cooking! Hugs back!
Pretty church, nice message, but "Gates of Hades" over "Gates of Hell?" What's wrong with using the ENGLISH word??? Just one of the thousands of acts of vandalism committed against the English Bible by the modern versions "translators" (mutilators, muggers), which were put together under the influence of liberalism and anti-supernaturalism. Sorry, it bugs the hell out of me as it were that these wolves in sheeps' clothing have gotten away with this.
Z-Just finished my second Sunday Faith Blog...
Not a sweet as yours but- inspired by a comment by SR-
Have a great Sunday..
C-CS
What a nice reminder of every day truths. I love the pic also - so beautiful!
Faith, it bugs the hades out of me, too. :-)
I'm all for using HELL, too. Didn't cross my mind that I should change the wording of that...I don't even remember which version I got it from ..
Thanks, CS...good post there but I'm looking for a bit of clarification..sometimes, I can be quite obtuse. (trust me on that!)
Hey Mags!Glad you enjoyed it..the blog today did start with the picture! so beautiful!
Oh Z, that's a beautiful rebuttal to the original letter. The followup would be what happens if the churchgoer stop being nourished and fed on a regular basis? Will he dry up and die? Will he fill that void in his life with junk food?
Deborah F. Hamilton
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
Sometimes a meal does not always taste good to us, but it still offers nourishment.
Just like the preaching and teaching of the word of God, sometimes it may not always taste good either, especially during those times when it personally convicts us.
However, it will offer nourishment, life, and peace, if one humbly receives and accepts it with a contrite heart.
I don’t attend church, but to say that I am somehow less religious, or less spiritual is not the case. I see God everywhere, and consider that that belief feeds my soul.
No Debbie I do not dry up and die. I do believe that those who attend church are good people who observe Christianity’s teachings and it enriches them.
I too, observe those teachings. I too, pray and feel enriched.
I too, need to seek strength and hope, just like you all, and I do. I understand that we are mere mortals, and in the grand scheme of things, I think, rather insignificant.
No man is an island and for me if not for my spiritual being, I believe I would not be whole, or capable of the great love I feel, or the ability to forgive, and I hope, be forgiven.
So, perhaps this issue is not so simple. I hold my beliefs very close to me, and seldom talk of it because this is something that belongs to each of us, ours alone to seek and come to in our own time and in our own way.
I respect all who attend church, and to those of you who come here, it’s obvious to me, you are good people who, like me, do the best you can, and have faith that God will see you through.
Pris
Z..lovely picture, and a great message!
Thanks, and God bless you and Mr. Z.
Z,
Good message. An interesting sidelight for me, is that though church attendance is vital, especially since there is a command from our Lord Himself against neglecting it (Heb.10:25). Yet, we also need to spend time with Him & in His Word daily since only one or 2, at best 3 meals a week just won't keep us strong! There have been times in my life when I realized that I was just spititually weak, & I just couldn't put my finger on the reason why. Then it hit me...I had been neglecting my own personal time with the Lord in His Word & prayer. Public worship is vital & even essential, yet so is the personal time we all need in between. You're a blessing Z, & i appreciate your blog as well!
Thanks, David...important reminder there! Church can be frustrating at times (people, volunteer work, etc.!) but, though I'd attended with my family until I was about 20 every single Sunday (trust me!), I didn't go for YEARS and I'm surprised at what it's given me.
Consistent, corporate Bible study has given more, but I'd have to say the combination is enriching and faith-building.
Does everyone need a church? Heck, no...but I couldn't do without that or the study. I get lazy and doubtful and can't be trusted left to my own resources, I have to admit!!! :-)
Very good.
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