Thought Provoking Thursday: Church

Ok I'd like to start off by saying the Thursday's Thoughts are all just my opinions... So this is just how I see things and how things are acting out from my view... Ok now that that is out of the way, let us begin...


So in regards to Church these days, it kinda makes me mad... there is so much hurt and pain in the Church because some people think that they are better than others... but aren't we all sinners in God's eyes?

"for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God" -Romans 3:23

So doesn't this mean that no one should be judge by others for any reason! For there is only ONE who Judges and ONE Judgement Day! This is one thing that really bothers me about the Church today.

They are what we will call "fake Christians" because they judge people on things that aren't righteous or immoral... but alot of them are ones who put on a mask and do things that are similar or worse... the "fake Christians" can turn alot of people off from church because they make it seem like following Christ is like following a ton of rules, by judging and being hypocritical, and if you slip you wont go to Heaven... but in reality EVERYONE has failed and EVERYONE will fail again! BUT, Christ has and will forgive you from your sins, and is more fixed on wanting a RELATIONSHIP with us than for us to follow the rules...

don't get me wrong! we must follow the rules but if we slip on one... we may ask for forgiveness and God's love for us is so immense!




Another thing that bothers me is during worship... when people are like "I don't like that song" or "The music is too loud for me to worship." TIME OUT!
Those statements right there, just made worship about the person and not about GOD!

Worshiping Christ doesn't just have to be on Sunday mornings at church or Wednesday Nights at church... Worship can occur at anytime, anywhere, and in any form...

Any form? you may ask.

What I mean by that is that Worshiping God, the ONE who sacrificed so much for us, the ONE who loves us, gives freely to us, provides for us, and watches over us, doesn't just have to be singing... you can worship God through art, reading/praying Scripture, writing about how Glorious He is! There are so many ways to truly WORSHIP God that you can make your own unique way of Worship.
The definition of Worship in verb tense is "To honor and love as a deity." or, "To regard with ardent or adoring esteem or devotion."

Nowhere in that definition does it say, "to sing my favorite worship song at the right volume with the right amount of guitar and drums." NO! Worship IS NOT about us! IT IS ALL ABOUT GOD! This is something that I think that we as a Church need to fix... how we Worship God, and make it completely about Him and get it all out of our heads that it is about us.

WORSHIP = GOD

not us...




The last thing that I will talk about today in regards to Church is how we often misuse the word Church...

In today's world we say Church and most everyone will say something similar to "a religious place where Christians go on Sundays." is that really what a true Church is?

in Ephesians 4:15-16 it says "Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of the body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love."

That scripture makes me stop and say wow! So it says that the body is the Church... and the body are those who are following after Christ and striving to be more like Him... so that means that Church is not a building but rather a body of believers who are wanting and urning to be more and more like Christ!! That right there is enough to get you thinking...

In Hebrews 10:25 it says "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."

This also gets me thinking as well... this verse is about fellowship and talks about how important it is to be around the Church, the body of believers. We are told to not neglect, cherish, our meetings together. This would be like meeting at a House of Worship, church, and learning and joining in fellowship... and this verse also goes back to the first thing that bothers me the fake people. We are to encourage one another! Who couldn't use a little encouragement every once in awhile? right? everyone could! so next time you see someone... encourage them! :) it makes God happy to see things like this occur! :)

so lets look at this in a condensed version:

• Fake Christians
• Selfish worship
• Church

These are just three things that I feel strongly about... if you would like to hear more you can either leave me a comment and I will add another with more things... or you can email me and that is found on my contact me page...

thank you very much for taking time to read this! I really hope this made you think about what is going on in today's Church...

until next time! ByeBye and God Bless!!!

-Carter Bob

College!

So I found out today I am going to be Staying in HODSON this fall! :D it was my first Choice! I'm so happy I got into Hodson because I have heard the community is amazing! with a great group of guys in there! :) i have a feeling God is going to work this fall through the winter, spring, and through the summer! i just have this itchy feeling that it is going to happen! :D GOD is going to be moving :) lets see it :D

Tomorrow is Thursday! That means it is the first Thought Provoking Thursday! :) I am excited! :D i really hope it gets you guys thinking! :) ok well im off to bed! good night and God Bless!!!

Carter Bob

The Church

Thursdays around my blog are going to change... I am going to start calling them "Thought Provoking Thursday's"

This is where I take a look at something in a Biblical sense or in a Religious view... This coming Thought Provoking Thursday will be about the Church and my views about it... not NMC in general but the Church as a Whole... I'm getting pretty excited about this idea... it might fail but I hope it gets some people thinking at least! :) well until later ByeBye and God Bless!!!!

Carter Bob

Fair... and so much more!

So my views of the fair are... well... i am not a big fan... but it was fun when you get a group of guys that love to laugh and just have fun! :) God is great in the ways that he just shows up in good and bad! :) HE IS AWESOME! :D now is my time to live it out! life is going to be different... and im not going to be stagnent anymore... forever and ever! God will be magnified! that is my new motto in life... Christ be Magnified... and i will ask myself... "is Christ being magnified now?" so friends, family, and people if you see me... keep me accountable to this!

I am a young man, Striving after Christ's Heart, wanting to live for a KING who is/will do GREATER things!

I am a young man, who would give everything for people to come to know Christ... and i mean my life as well!

I am a young man, wanting more of God, the Word, His Love, and my heart shattered for HIS will!

I am a young man, that has a purpose in life, a calling from God... to help others along in their troubles, their goods and bads, and thier walks with Christ. I am HIS worker and HE is my employer!

I am a young man, who will not be gripped by fear, and will step out and obey HIS EVERY command/Calling.

I am a young man, who will never take anything for granted... because things come and things go and we never know how long they last!

I am a young man, who wants to be more like Jesus!

I am Carter Ammerman, and I am a Radical Warrior For Christ!

Mere Glimpses at Mowing

So I mow at Nappanee Missionary Church and I was mowing yesterday, and there was this strip of grass I was mowing and i spotted something... it was a baby robin. it didn't move... it didn't budge... it just sat there. it appeared if it had no fear... so I left for a moment to see if it would leave. I came back and it was still there... but this time when I came, it ran away...

it was interesting... I was just thinking about it, how one moment it could be fearless and then the next moment it was so afraid it had to turn and run.

but it is understandable... the baby bird was smaller than the palm of my hand and the mower is the size of a small car... haha I'd be afraid as well. Well I suppose I should go finish the mowing out there. Till next time. ByeBye and God Bless!!

-Carter Bob

Attitude and Perspective

"Attitudes are self-created. You are free to choose to be victimized by circumstances or people, or you can choose to look at life with an open mind and be victorious. No one else can choose your attitude for you. Your perspective and choice of attitude gives you the power to be in control. That is the essence of true freedom."

-Ireane Dunlap


I was randomly looking at my "blogs" on myspace and I ran across this quote... it started to make me think. I wrote this one down in 2007. That was the year that God really grabbed my life! That was a year that I will not forget... And as I read this quote some things truly resonate:

• Attitudes are self-created... in a sense, on the other had it can be an attitude that someone instills in you... ex. a coach
• NO ONE can choose your attitude. Your attitude is depicted through the way you react.
• Technically you can be in control if you take control of your attitude... but it isn't control over others it is control over yourself.
• True Freedom is not defined by how you choose your attitude, the essence of True Freedom is given by only one Being and that is God.

This quote was taken from a Chicken Soup for the Kids Soul book...

The quote can help some kids with the way that they approach their own attitude and how they approach others attitudes but if examined more... that isn't truly how attitudes should be analyzed and treated.

My views on this whole situation are that...

Attitudes are a reflection of how your heart is feeling. If you heart is in a good mood, meaning if you feel all is well, then your attitude will reflect that and your attitude will be good. But if you are depressed or sad or angry your attitude will be not so good or may down right stink. Attitudes are also contagious... if you have a good attitude and are treating others will that will instill a positive attitude in the others.

So if attitudes are reflective... and they reflect how your heart is feeling... if Jesus Christ is the main focus of your heart and has total control over it... doesn't that mean you will reflect Christ?

Another point of our attitudes being contagious... if your attitude is that of a Christ like one, which would be beyond a great attitude, that is a contagious attitude... so if our attitude reflects Christ and our attitude is contagious... doesn't that mean that we should be spreading Christ without knowing it?

Think about it for awhile...

So our attitude is reflective and it's influential... And if we are living the life of a Radical Christ Follower... That means that God would be glorified in everything we do... whether it is breathing, eating, hanging out with friends, or sharing His love... he will be magnified!

If we let Satan get that little grasp on our attitude... to bring us down just a tiny bit... that means that God isn't being glorified in our everyday walk... so let Christ be magnified... turn the cheek when life gets hard... and turn it all over to Christ! because He will help us out of the storms! Our attitudes reflect our heart... our HEART OF CHRIST! We will stumble and fall... but that is the awesome thing about God... HE FORGIVES!! God is Love! God is all we need! God is our attitude! Let Him be Magnified!

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
-1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV


Like I said these are just my opinions on this situation and quotation... criticize me if you like but that is how i look at things... thanks for taking the time to read this!

God Bless!!

Carter Bob