Living, the True Church

1 Corinthians 3,"...You are still controlled by your own sinful desires. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your own desires? You are acting like people who don't belong to the Lord. When one of you says, 'I am a follower of Paul' (or I go to ______ church), and another says, 'I prefer Apollos' (or I prefer _____ church), aren't you acting like those who are not Christians? ...Through us God caused you to believe. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow. The ones who do the planting or watering aren't important, but God is important because He is the one who makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose.... Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple... So don't take pride in following a particular leader (denomination)...you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God."

When I was a young girl, I was taught that people who did not go to the church that we attended, were not really Christians. So I would watch all of these people, who were actually good Christian people, and I thought that they were wrong, because they did not go into the same building as we did on Sunday morning. The teachers that taught our class on Sunday would provide a huge stumbling block for me on my spiritual walk with God. Instead of teaching me to look at the fruit that others delivered, I was to look at the name on the building where they chose to worship. It was always about the style of worship in a building, not the One we were worshiping. We are to go out into the world and plant the seed of Christ. Then the next Christ follower is to come along and water that seed. Then we need to get out of His way, so that He can make the seed grow. How often do we place such a shade over the seed, that the Son cannot be seen. Then the seed never fully develops.

It does not matter what worship style others prefer. It does not matter if one thing is emphasized or another, as long as the foundation that is taught is Christ. If the foundation is Christ, then He can correct all of the other mistakes that we people make. For there is not a "church" out there that gets it all correct, for it is put together by men and men are not perfect. There is only one who is perfect and if He is the one that is emphasized, then He will make the seed grow. Are our branches reaching so far that His light is blocked? It is not about denomination. We need to get out of His way, gab the hand of the one walking beside you, and let the Maker grow His children. If you are having a hard time in knowing, "who has it right?" Look at the fruit that they are producing. Who are you surrounding yourself with every day? That is the "church" you are attending. Look and see if you are growing in the light of Christ. Look and see if others are growing around you. If you feel you are having a hard time seeing the Son, then maybe you should see about finding a different group of people to worship with. It does not matter what the name on the building is, the church is the people. Who are around you and what kind of seed are they planting? God is the one that helps the good seed to grow.

You must get into His word, so that you will not be misled or mislead others. You must know what He says, so that you can have a strong foundation built by Christ. If you are allowing someone else, one day a week, to tell you all that you need to know, you are relying on a person who is fallen. You must build a personal relationship with Christ every day, for He is the only one who will never fail you. Then you go out with other Christ followers and build the church. "Beginning in Jerusalem with a small group of disciples, the message traveled across the Roman Empire. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, this courageous band preached, taught, healed, and demonstrated love in synagogues, schools, homes, marketplaces, and courtrooms, on one streets, hills, ships, and desert roads- wherever God sent them, lives and history were changed." Do you have God in a box? He travels! He has called us to worship Him and show His love to others, everywhere we go.