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[LHammy]

Hey brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, its LaVaughn. Well I am at my church in their choir practice, and it feels a little dead. They went through about three songs to come up with aa chorus to try and prepare for a concert. Well the youth pastor is talking about cultivating the presence of the Lord. Well this is an assemblies of God church so i expected something like this. The thing is it feels so empty and dead. Its like all for show. No one realizing that singing songs does not move God or cause anyone to get any more spiritual and reaching for perfection. I read Rays teaching on worship and I agree whole heartedly. I use to think that by me doing singing or praying an shouting would cause God to show up. Then imagine the shock when that great saviour of mine taught me that God is everywhere and inside me and I in Him, as we all are. So there is no need to show up an not neglecting the fact that there is some really weird teachings, well it is Babylon we are talking about but it is just so amazing and saddening at the same time. I will have a get together with my closest friends, yes I prayed about this, to let them know why they wont see me in church anymore. But I know fully well that I will lose some friends but I gained so much more. However I will always love them but I love Jesus more. Im grateful for all of you who welcomed me so warmly. I have learned so much in these last few years and each day it gets better even in my annoying and embarrassing sin of pornography, each day I pray for strength. "Amazing I am sharing so much with people I never met before its all good and its all God because I know I have the prayers of my brothers and sisters. This is just a little update of LHammy's progress. God Bless you all   

[Linny]

LHammy,
Glad to hear you are coming out of Babylon.

God protected us from telling our friends anything by taking us out of the churches they were and putting us in churches where we made few if any friends, 5 years before He called us out. I feel so blessed because I still have my friends, have my influence, and can speak to them individually as God leads me to in the future when they are ready. Only a few people in my life even know we have been out of church for over a year as they are the ones God had led us to share it with and they are fine with it and even interested in our new beliefs. Anyone who DOES ask us about church get our standard answer, "We are home churching right now and loving it!" If anyone ASKED us for more info, we will be ready to give an answer as the Word says we are to do.
Just wanted to share another perspective that has had a positive outcome...

Blessings, Lin

[cjwood]

hello LaVaughn,
i am sorry for the pain you are feeling in your heart, as you have come to realize the deadness in your church (and all churches). God is showing you with new eyes the true state of the church and it is a hard thing to see, especially when you are involved with the church's extra activities such as the choir. indeed you may lose some of your friends when you leave the church, but as you say, you have gained so much more. i pray that you will not be pressured to stay in the church, but if you do, you know in your heart and mind that God has called you out and your obedience is to His calling. we might not be with you in person but we are all with you in spirit, and our choir all sing the same tune, that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all, and that the true God is our Abba Father and HE IS LOVE.

stand strong in the faith which God has gifted you with, and keep your eyes on Him.

claudia

[jassy]

Your post makes me realise why I still love my little church so much. They never get organised enough to hold prayer groups or womans groups, never mind choir practise. We are too small and there is too much going on in everybodys life, including the pastors. So we greatly resemble a support group set to music and scripture.

Here in SA soft porn started creeping in on telly years ago in the late hours. When I still watched the tv, one night I finished watching a show and went to make some tea and came back to moaning and groaning and saw my first porn movie. I sat in stunned silence for a few minutes and then burst out laughing. What a silly exercise performed by silly men and woman. There is no love, no commitment, and most  of all no point. If  you struggling with it my friend, then try laughing at it, and then pray for those silly men and women buck naked in a studio trying to earn money in a fruitless exercise. Its hard to remain titillated if you are praying for them and / or giggling.

[rockrdude]

LaVaughn,

I am so glad God is calling you out of that mess the world calls the 'church'. God wants us to "come out of her, My people". The more you are away from all of that false religion, and the more God reveals to you just how much He loves you, the less things like pornography will have a hold on you.

You'll see! 

[Dave in Tenn]

Visiting my mother and sisters, I went this morning for the first time (that I recall) since believing the good news that actually IS good news.  "Dead" describes it.  I did enjoy one song--'standing on the promises of God'.  I wish the people there actually knew what the promises of God were concerning resurrection, judgement, and the purpose of it all.  May share more later on the 'visit'.

LaVaughn, I am not much further along than you are, but I will concur with rockrdude to let you know that your deep and lasting deliverance from these old fleshy pulls is coming, and sooner rather than much later, though He will continue to humble you until He finishes.  We are HIS workmanship.  We're not sea-monkeys--it's not "add water, get life" instant gratification of our desires, but the patient work of God to produce exactly what He wants.

Follow on.