Going to Church is good but I stopped

[user157]

This is to my dear priests who have been kind to me and never judged me. I really loved going to church and seeing you and all but I have stopped going. I do not feel like forcing myself to go when I do not see the point and I am busy. I do not believe I need to go to church every week to go to heaven. I know my parents would take me if I want to go but I feel condemned in myself for not taking care of other things in my life and some weeks are so busy when I felt I should use my sunday to do some other stuff I want to do. This is why I am not going to church tommorow.When I drive I will go more likely
(I got into a non injurious car accident)
And I feel possibly people in church feel like I am extremist for going every week or they think I am crazy trying to change the world, so I am not going.
I do not like having feelings of low self esteem when I see others talking alot and I can not, so I do not want to go. As the weeks go by you will possibly see me hardly ever attend because life is hard. I am no superhuman. And these forces are too strong for me
Thankyou for listening
 

[minatasgeel]

I am a little lost.....so you will STOP going to church every sunday and skip sundays?!

[peter_saad]

user157, how old are  you?

[Bimbo123]

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of God AND His righteousness
AND ALL these things shall be ADDED to you.

It's a package deal... Go to church, SEEK God FIRST, and you will find the time and effort and everything else needed to get on with your life.

Buddy, whoever in the world told you that life wouldn't be hard? It's never not...

[user157]

I try to go when I can but sometimes life is very hard and I can not be a slave, always doing important things

[minatasgeel]

I try to go when I can but sometimes life is very hard and I can not be a slave, always doing important things

The best year i had (till this day atleast) was junior yr of high school where really did nothing in school (yet still got As in all classes). The reason: i was spending every free minute in church. I live next to Saint Mark's Jersey City, NJ. I am close to the church.....let me rephrase that: I am VERY CLOSE to the church to the point that when it snows, it's faster to walk to church-5 min walk. Lent that year was the best: we had a group led by 2 servants, one teaching alhan and the other rites. We would have late liturgies wednesdays and fridays, followed by rites and tuesdays and thursdays we would have alhan. Of course being in church Saturday and Sunday is a must, no question about it. I have learned alhan and rites in those 55 days more than I have learned in the past 5 yrs (being in college). Just being in church while being hungry, thirsty, tired and yet not feel that in liturgy (we finish late liturgies at 7 pm so most older people fasted from midnight) was just the best. I truly experienced that when the body is weak, the spirit is strong.

GOD, and being in his Church, must be the priority. If you have time to waste writing on this forum than you have time to do other things. If you don't have that time, than stop writing posts and go be in church.Now I am not asking you to leave the forum because i don't like you or because you are invaluable... I just want to make it clear that being on this forum is secondary to begin with God and Church....IN FACT, it is secondary to many other things you may have in your life. you can never be toooo busy for God or Church. It is simply your choice t what to do with your time.

[user157]

I was going to name this topic originally to "I want to say something but you will use it to embarass me" and it seems this is what has happened

The same reason I have stopped going to church is why I stopped fasting so much. I believe Jesus died so we can enjoy the things of life moderately and He came to make our lives easier not harder. Fasting is only important if you want to receive something from God, not for no reason so you never get to be free to live. I know fasting is not a ceremonial law but St Paul said we are free from the burden of commandments. He who observes a day observes it to the LORD and he who does not, to the LORD he does not observe it. I don't want to go to church as a son of fear and it is not correct to go to a place which does not seem on fire enough to change the world and my life. I am waiting for a sermon which finally tells me yes this is the place which is the light of the world giving light to the darkness of a despairing world which does not know how to serve God. It must be a church in which daily those are entering who are being saved. It needs to be a place I can witness to others to join it. I probably had more to say but I do not know now


Sorry for my rambling, please forgive me

[minatasgeel]

I was going to name this topic originally to "I want to say something but you will use it to embarass me" and it seems this is what has happened

embarrass you?! I don't even know you.....
 

The same reason I have stopped going to church is why I stopped fasting so much. I believe Jesus died so we can enjoy the things of life moderately and He came to make our lives easier not harder.

which life are we talking about. this temporal life that we have on earth that can end at ANY MOMENT or eternal life that Christ will grant us?........

Fasting is only important if you want to receive something from God, not for no reason so you never get to be free to live.

wow. who told you that?! who deceived you and told you that God is into that relationship(need-based relationship)? so we are our own selves when life is good but when it's bad we go to God....but than leave Him when it's all cozy?! in what manner is this fair to God (atleast in our human understanding)?

I know fasting is not a ceremonial law but St Paul said we are free from the burden of commandments.

wrong. Christ did not come to destroy the commandments put to PERFECT THEM.....to bring them to higher standards since He is sacrificing Himself for our salvation. don't you think that that's the least we can offer Him for doing that?

He who observes a day observes it to the LORD and he who does not, to the LORD he does not observe it.

I am waiting for a sermon which finally tells me yes this is the place which is the light of the world giving light to the darkness of a despairing world which does not know how to serve God.

The Bible is not good enough when it says " YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD"?? you as a Christian is a reflation from the true Light. But you cannot get to that true light without the Church which leads to Him.

It must be a church in which daily those are entering who are being saved. It needs to be a place I can witness to others to join it.

Why are you so attached to other people? will they save you? will you go to heaven because others are being saved and taking you with them?! wait....are you bring people to Christ and thinking that you will be saved because of that?
Sorry to tell you, that's not how it works. We will gain our salvation based on the struggle we may have. doing good will keep us to the way of heaven but it will not guarantee it because anyone can do good. even thieves do good to cover sins. SINS are what we will be judged on, not good deeds because  as Christians, is expected of us. When a professors has homework for me to do, I do it. I don't get extra credit for that hw because it is simply part of the grade; part of what I am required to do in class and succeed at it to pass the class.

[user157]

wow. who told you that?! who deceived you and told you that God is into that relationship(need-based relationship)? so we are our own selves when life is good but when it's bad we go to God....but than leave Him when it's all cozy?! in what manner is this fair to God (atleast in our human understanding)?"

I don't mean if we want something worldly. I mean if we want to stop a sin or if we want God to help us understand something. If we want God to bring back a sinner to Hi bosom etc
 
Jesus said if you put new wine in old bottles they will brake. Do you really think God wants you to fast nearly every day of the year and meat was not made for human beings?

Jesus says when you fast to annoint your head with oil, he wants us to appear to be always happy. He does not want us to give the impression that we do not enjoy our life

I know Jesus did not die to destroy the moral law but all that does not help a human being

Isaiah speaks like this "Is it a fast to bow down your head like a bulrush and to afflict your souls? "

You said being good will get us to heaven. Pope Shenouda III says a man can resist the Holy Spirit all his life but before he dies he starts to accept him and repent he will be saved and so he has not blasphemed the Holy Spirit. But people can die any time you say and if you know to do good you must do it. So all the people who are going to heaven will be those who are extremely religious who obey all the laws and hardly any room is left for those who slumber and delay in repenting
So really only the righteous will be saved. Those who have strived and I guess I agree

I am convinced I should go to church and hope to benefit but I am weak

BTW peter saad I am 27 and also forgot to mention I am allergic to fish

[minatasgeel]

I believe you are taking many verses and lessons out of context

I don't mean if we want something worldly. I mean if we want to stop a sin or if we want God to help us understand something. If we want God to bring back a sinner to Hi bosom etc

but who said we are not sinners....we are always sinners. It doesn't matter how many times we confess, we repent.....we still sin. I think it was Abba Makarious disciple who saw Abba Makkerious spirit ascending heaven and the devil telling him (on the way up) "are you now saved Makarious?" Abba Makarious didn't answer until he got to heaven and said "Now I am saved".....even after death, our spirits may sin.

 

Jesus said if you put new wine in old bottles they will brake. Do you really think God wants you to fast nearly every day of the year and meat was not made for human beings?

meat was NOT made for human beings to eat. they were created under man's authority but not for food. only when man disobeyed God killed animals (sacrificed living things) to use their skin to cover man's nakedness. please read genesis.

Jesus says when you fast to annoint your head with oil, he wants us to appear to be always happy.

WHAT?! verse says that? the verse is:
Matthew 6:16-18
16 "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

self explanatory....

He does not want us to give the impression that we do not enjoy our life

but we can only enjoy our life with HIM in the picture. the things that we do are not supposed to give us joy....they simply bring us to Him and from Him, the source of all joy, happiness, comfort, love...etc, we partake. It is as it was posted before:
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

I know Jesus did not die to destroy the moral law but all that does not help a human being

please elaborate on this statement.

You said being good will get us to heaven.

I didn't say that directly.

So really only the righteous will be saved. Those who have strived and I guess I agree.

so if you agree, than what are we still arguing about??

I am convinced I should go to church and hope to benefit but I am weak

I am sorry, but i just don't get it.....

[mabsoota]

you seem to have many questions.
so it is best to go to church and hear the reading of the Bible and the preaching as this can answer your questions.
you need to be patient though. maybe the questions you have this week will be answered next week, so you have to attend often.
may God bless u.

[minatasgeel]

you need to be patient though. maybe the questions you have this week will be answered next week, so you have to attend often.

you are just too smart for us here on the forum....and I am not being sarcastic.

[geomike]

User, we are all weak. The church is a hospital and we all go to be treated for our weaknesses and through it we become stronger.

[Copticandproud]

even after death, our spirits may sin.

Mina, I am not challenging you by any mean, but may you please clarify?

[minatasgeel]

even after death, our spirits may sin.

Mina, I am not challenging you by any mean, but may you please clarify?

i was talking concerning the story i posted about Abba Makarious.....he was still being tempted by the devil on his way to heaven.