Tag: find

Markethive

How to Find a Church You Can Serve

This is one of the most important decisions in your life.

Written by Gary Fleetwood on 05/03/2019

Series: Weekly Devotional

Tags: Church, Church And Community, Service

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24-25

Finding the right church where God wants you to grow and serve is a very important decision. You must also understand that not every church is for everyone. Churches are very different in what they believe, in their worship style, and in their spiritual personality, so finding the right church for you is not always that easy!  You want to be very careful and very deliberate in making that decision.  It can impact your life forever.

So how can you find the right church?

First, You have to ask the right questions. For example, “Does this church actually teach the Bible?” Going to a church that does not have a heart for God or His Word would be the wrong place to attend.  There are many churches that are just meeting and going through a weekly ritual without having any spiritual impact. The last thing that you want to do is to be in a church that does not teach the Bible.

What should you look for in the lives those who are attending a church?

You have to discern if the believers are really growing in their faith and commitment to Christ.  Why would a Christian want to go to a church where no one was growing spiritually? One of the primary goals of the Christian life is to become as much like Christ as possible, and a strong church that is anchored in the Bible will help you develop that Christlikeness in your life.

It is important to understand that it is not just what a church can offer you, but also just as much about what you can offer a church. Think of it this way: you want the church to help you grow spiritually so that you can help the church to grow spiritually.  You want to “stir up one another to love and good works.” Just remember that every believer has God-given spiritual gifts that God wants to use in the local church, so once you determine what your spiritual gifts, natural skills, and talents are, then you want to use them in your church.  Jesus said, “The greatest among you shall be your servant.”  (Matthew 23:11).  Being able to use your God-given gifts and skills is one of the primary ways that God helps you to grow spiritually.

What else is important to know?

Never get in a hurry when trying to find a church. Think of it this way — God has a church that He wants you to attend. Seek His guidance to find that church.  He wants you to be a blessing and a servant to all who are there. It does not have to be a big church or a small church. It just needs to be that one church where God wants you to attend.  Be patient when looking.  Then, once you find the church where God wants you to attend, be fully committed to that church.  Every church has spiritual imperfections, so do not demand too much too early from the church you choose.  Just go and learn what it means to be a devoted follower of Christ, and then begin to invest your life in that local church.  Just be a servant to everyone around you, and you will quickly find how much God will use you for His glory.

Pray this week:

Lord, I thank you for already having a church for me where I can both grow and serve spiritually.  My deepest prayer is that you will lead me and help me to find that church.

Would you be willing to find some other genuine Christians near your home, and ask them to help give you some meaningful guidance on some good, Bible teaching churches near where you live?  It is best to grow where you are already planted.

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Why a Child of God Should Not Worry

Worrying is a choice we make

Written by Gary Schneider on 07/08/2018
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Obedience, Worry
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2
For some of us, worrying is part of our everyday life. However, God’s Word is very clear about us worrying, In Isaiah 43:2, it says: 

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”

Did you know that worry is optional?
Yes, worrying is a choice we make. Here are three ways we can deal with worry in our lives: 

We can worry
We can ignore the stress, or
We can relax and trust God
 In Psalm 116:7, David reminded himself of God’s promises: “I said to myself, Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” Like David, some days we need to say this to ourselves (out-loud) many times over. 

You can’t worry and trust God at the same time.  It’s impossible.
That’s not just good spiritual wisdom from the Lord; it applies to your health as well.  The Bible says in Proverbs 14:30 that a heart at peace is a healthy heart.  “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”

It’s not just what you eat that destroys your health—it’s what eats you.  You can have the best health plan around- eat fresh, healthy food in proper portions- but if you’re resentful against someone in your life or worry about the future, your health will suffer.

We deal with all sorts of worry in our lives.  Most of them are in these 5 areas:

We’ll be left alone
We won’t know what to do in the future
We won’t have what we need in the future
We’ll be hurt by something or someone in the future
We won’t have the strength to survive in the future
But there’s good news:  You don’t have to worry.  Worry is optional misery.  We have many things that impact our health that we cannot control, but we can control the amount we worry!

God has more than 7,000 promises in the Bible that are remedies to the 5 things mentioned above.  Here are a few of them that I encourage you to memorize so that you can speak these (out loud) to yourself, just as David did:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 8:38-39)

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  (Matthew 11:28-29)

If you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, you know the One who created your future.  His promises about your future give life. Ultimately, we have no need to worry.  The One who holds our future will walk with us through it.

Pray this week:
Lord, I lift up all my worries up to you.  Please grant me your peace and wisdom so that I can be obedient in your Word. Amen. 

In what area of your life are you struggling to trust God, causing unneeded worry? What promise from God will you claim to help you trust Him more and worry less?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member