Jesus did not come
to this earth to
CONDEMN YOU.
He came to
SAVE YOU!
(John 3:17)
I have been praying for you, my friend. Do not allow yourself to be deceived into thinking that God is condemning you. Condemnation comes from satan and he is trying to stop you from receiving the goodness that God has in store for you.
I get the sense that you have thought about going back to church and you may have even gone once or twice. But when you walked through those doors, you were overcome by the feeling of being judged and condemned by others.
WHO NEEDS THAT, RIGHT?
Stick with me, here, okay?
Years ago, I was at that place. For months, I kept feeling like I was being drawn to something...something was missing within me and this pull that I was feeling held the answer. What is it? I kept asking myself. Sound familiar? Are you feeling that, as well?
As I grew spiritually, the Lord showed me what that feeling was: Holy Spirit was wooing me back into relationship with Jesus. My spirit had been crying out to God for months with the urge to go back to church. But, I was afraid to take that big leap. Deep down, I feared that terrible feeling would come: CONDEMNATION and FEAR OF REJECTION. I know how that feels. And so does your adversary, the devil. And he will amp up those feelings of condemnation and fear to keep you from walking through those doors. TRUTH BOMB: the condemnation was not coming from people in the church; it was coming from satan, the master deceiver.
He doesn’t want you to fall in love with Jesus. He doesn’t want you delivered, healed and set free from the darkness that he has brought into your life. He wants you depressed, confused, wounded, broken, addicted, sick or angry at the world. And, then to add insult to injury, he seeks to keep you angry at and separated from other believers.
I urge you, sweet soul, push through those feelings and know that Jesus is FOR you, not against you. I want to encourage you to GO! GO TO CHURCH! Don’t put it off anymore!
I have to tell you, when I finally walked through those doors, I met the LOVE and GRACE of Jesus Christ through his people; THOSE people that were on the other side of those doors. I learned how to receive love and grace and I was taught how to dispense it, as well.
And now, I am the one sitting in that pew...on the other side of that intimidating door you are about to walk through. I am the one who the enemy says is judging you. Can I tell you what I’m REALLY thinking:
WOOOOOHOOOO! THANK YOU JESUS!!!
I may be too shy to tell you that but I am so excited to see you! On the inside, I am doing the Snoopy happy dance! I hope to make a new friend in you.
I wasted too many years away from my first love, Jesus. You see, years ago, I got my feelings hurt in church and I walked away from my faith. It happens, folks. Christians are not perfect people. We are all fragile human beings who sometimes say foolish things. The enemy used a tiny piece of unasked-for advice to come in and cause a big divide between me and God. The advice-giver was just trying to help, but in my spiritual immaturity, the enemy was able to twist his words and cause my feelings to be hurt.
“Be well balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 AMPC
Don’t be like the young me. Don’t waste another minute without Christ and a church family in your life. Tomorrow is not promised to us.
GO BACK TO CHURCH!
Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard all the reasons why people don’t go to church. “They’re hypocrites”. I used that excuse, too. All I can say to that, is that you are attempting to follow man and not JESUS. Jesus was NOT the one that hurt you.
You have listened to and believed the whispers from the enemy. He wants to destroy you and keep you away from the one thing that will bring you eternal life and heaven on earth: a deep and loving relationship with Jesus Christ.
GO TO CHURCH!
“This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing. In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.” Hebrews 10:25 TPT
There is a chair/pew in a church somewhere with your name on it. Not only will you be blessed, but you will be a blessing to someone there. There is a need somewhere that only you can fill. There is a church somewhere that needs your hands and feet. You belong somewhere. You have a church family out there, somewhere, that is praying for you.
GO BACK TO CHURCH! 🤗
Blessings, my friend. I ”speak” this to you in LOVE. I don’t want you to miss out on what God has for you. Allow forgiveness to happen. Allow Jesus to heal your hurt.
You are deeply loved.
Seek His Goodness
