I just celebrated my 14th spiritual birthday,14 years of a saving relationship with God.This is the God I worship:Scriptures are from the Holy Bible New International Version
He is the God who created heaven and earth (Nehemiah 9:6)
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
He desires mercy not sacrifice and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.(Hosea 6:6)
He doesn't change (James 1:17)
He is true to his promises (Psalm 33:4)
He is just (Col 3:25)
...and vast number of great,awesome,magnificent attributes.
So I better not worship Him in vain lest I waste my life following rules of men.
Isaiah 29:13
“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is based on merely human rules they have been taught."
In the past months leading up to my 14th year,God have shown me areas that I have to grow in so I can be of better use to Him.It is a privilege to be shown favor by God even in the guise of hardship because of discipline.Because often times I can be disobedient.I can never be perfect in my lifetime,I'm always sinning-am I hopeless?Yes,on my own, but God will take care of me.I will lose if I live my life the way I want it....Going back ,if I hadn't been a Christian,I wouldn't be writing this.I would have been long dead or suffering from mental illness.
my convictions:
there is no lone Christianity--I belong to my church because God led me there,my spiritual family.There are many christian churches -yes because God wants to spread His word.We are put in a spiritual family to help us grow in our knowledge of God,to love others like Christ loved us-1 John 3:16.etc.How can a lone so-called christian do that?
LGBT--I attended Guy Hammond's class when he came to Manila.He talked about same-sex attraction.He discussed biblical truths about homosexuality and shared his testimony.
I couldn't remember if I learned about this insight from Guy but it is about 2 kinds of homosexuals-1 Timothy 1:10 ...for those practicing homosexuality and the ones who do not.
I would not say that I would completely understand all areas of it-response to attraction,behavior,conduct etc. because I am limited.Even my stand on it is questioned both by non-believers and believers.Should I give up and quit church because of the many apprehensions?This is a matter of opinion (my opinion about the areas) (Rom 14:1) so I just have to humble up and explain my self and clear out any misunderstandings.
People will understand what God wants after hearing the word;believing the message;repents;accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior and gets baptized as a pledge of good conscience and participating with Christ's death-burial and resurrection.But those who will not accept it, it is their choice.God gave us free will.But He definitely wants everyone to be with Him.
Giving/tithes-We enjoy our relationship with God when we give and we know He gives us many many things.We only give Him what comes from His hands.Everything comes from God.I give because God's church needs it and it is my way of worship.I believe in my church and we put it to good use to advance the Kingdom of God.I know this full well especially for our church in Lucena. I don't just depart with my money.
