Wow, usually you don't see too many speaking of God because it can lead to many different opinions and some people can't take anything other than what they themselves think. You open yourself up to people fighting over what someone else believes.... but in answering your questions in my opinion..... I have studied many different denominations and religions; I know my bible and feel I have a grip on interpretations. I actually find other people's interpretations interesting. I have been in many churches and to tell you the truth, I have learned the bible, but never really felt God's presence until I stopped searching in a church for him, it says in the bible that GOD is in NO man-made temple, don't you know YOU are the Temple. He is within you! In the Nag Hammadi texts it said in the book of Thomas.. "Once you know yourself then you will be known, and you will understand that you are a child of the living god." it goes on to say if you do not know yourself then you live in poverty and YOU are the poverty. He lives within. The bible says God reads the heart. Whether you believe in him or not, doesn't matter because he reads the heart. He loves all of creation, he gave us free will so because we take some wrong steps, he doesn't condemn us, just like a child who you know is going to take some wrong steps, that doesn't make you hate your child.
Yes, I believe you can take refuge and comfort in him, not because I think he will make everything better for you just because you believe in him but there is a difference between when you search inside yourself and find God there or just plain sit in a church on Sunday listening to some guy talk. We are actually all one in the sense that we all belong to the same energy source.
So do I feel Gods presence everyday? In some ways but sometimes I think I shut the door on God, or life gets too hard and you are busy thinking of what to do, or in my case I have a lot going on because I have 5 kids and 3 step kids, a mother who is 91 that I take care of plus so much more.... so sometimes it seems that this life just doesn't give me anytime to reflect on God because I am busy rushing around doing everything for everyone else. Doesn't mean that God has left me, God is still within me, just means I haven't acknowledged his presence, the same way if someone was in your house but stayed in their room all day, you know they are there but haven't really seen them or thought much about them.
Are you asking this because you feel this? Or are you asking because you want to feel this?
Hi VAW
I read your post some time ago. You certainly have great qualities about you, you are committed to raising children and are doing a great service. I don't know if you have ever gone to church before, and certainly I am not trying to convince at all of going back if you used to go, but I wanted to address something in your post. Your post I got the feeling you may have some poor experiences with church. The question though of that God cannot be found in a church and that we can just worship with your own temples this not biblically accurate and I just wanted to point this out using scripture why it is not. I was not well enough to attend in the past and I know it can be difficult for other reasons for some people. This is about scripture so let's get on. Bear with me it is a little bit long but all scriptural and if you still visit the board perhaps you will see this. I wish you well.
I have seen it being written that in our bodies that we have a Temple which is God’s spirit and therefore we do not need to go to church as God is not present in any church’s and we have our own Temple inside us. It does bother me when I read such things as it is clear misinformation. The correct information is important so people can form proper informed choices for themselves.
It is clearly wrong what is circulating social media on this. In fact Paul a founder of the early Christian church is being used against himself to argue this when people use this argument. Paul was however a strong supporter of the Christian church and a follower of Jesus Christ.
This needs to be cleared up. Some people use it to justify no longer going to church with this inaccurate information.
Yes, we do have our Temples which contains the Spirit of God and our spirit. However, unless you are baptised as a Christian with the Holy Spirit at Baptism you will not be a member of the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23) and are not a Christian born of Spirit.
May be this will help some of you as well.
We are born with our spirit which also contains the Spirit of God. "Thy sendest forth thy spirit, they are created." We are born with our spirit which also contains the Spirit of God (Psalm 104-30). From the Father- " But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him" (Psalm 4).
Jesus stated that, "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” This joins us as a member of the Body of Christ (John 3:5).
(Acts 16: 32-34)
Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, and your household. They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in the house. At the same of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptised without delay.
This is what Paul wrote in the Book of Corinthians (1 Corinthians 6).
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
What Paul has said about Christians Temples being the body of the Holy Ghost is for Baptised Christians who are a member of the Body of Christ, which Jesus is the head of this body. If you are not a baptised Christian who is part of the member the body of Christ’s body then you cannot use this argument to justify you not going to church.
Jesus also asks Christians to take the Sacraments in his memory (Matthew 26: 26-29) and we can usually only do this at church. The Bible also states that we should not give up gathering together to worship as members of the Body of Christ (Hebrews 10:25). "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."
Also, the Holy Spirit is present at Church’s if people worship appropriately and has given people miraculous healings and miracles. I have felt the Holy Ghost present at church when they gave me healing in church. The Holy Spirit is the 3rd attribute of God and so God is still present in Church and God the creator sees everything and wants us to keep the Sabbath as a Holy day as written in the Ten Commandments. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are for believers and used to serve the church as well, like with laying on hands, people can receive healing as well.
I felt like I had to post though to clear this thing this being misused on social media to try and justify not attending church. Peace to you all.
