Have recently been thinking that I have some what of a jaded attitude.  Was
just thinking last night of the years I have loved going to church and felt
I was there for the right reason for the most part.  Oh there were those
times, that all of us have, of course.  but now I find it's difficult to
attend.  I've been attending a church for the last almost year and a half on
a regular basis, and am not managing to fit in anywhere.  Though I love the
sermon, and the music, and worship of the Lord, I seem to be just warming a
bench.  I can do that much easier at home and have a cumffy chair in
addition.    Experiences with churches in the last couple of years have
caused me to search my heart to see if there is any unforgiveness for church
leadership who really inflicted pain on me.    Having re-visited those
experiences, asking the Lord to show me any unforgiveness, I feel that area
is settled as far as I can settle it.  But in a properly functioning church,
should there not be a place of service for every member of the body of
Christ?    And what about the verses in Hebrews 10:24-25.  New Living puts
it this way.

Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.

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 like that outburst of good deeds.

We won't have that perfect church until heaven, but the church today is
severely hampered, and misses out because members of the body aren't in
their places erving, sharing their God-given gifts, ministering and being
ministered to..  I'm not just talking about the up front people that we
might see every Sunday like the pastor or the worship teams.  But so that I
don't get on a soap box, wonder what others of you think?

I'm sure glad that we can assemble here on the net.  The physical assembly
is still, however, important.



Vicki