Church is so much more than we make it!  Church is so much more than we allow it to be!  Church needs to be more than just a weekly activity that we check off of our to-do list!  When I read in my Bible about the early church, I find that there was very little distinction between the church and regular everyday living.  The two blended together into one to become a magnificent way of life!  This is what church needs to be and this is what we need for the church to be.

Church is not a place you go!  Church is a people you love to be with and grow with!  None of us are perfect and we have all made and will make our share of mistakes, but somehow life is just better when we get to live it together.  The early church fellowshipped everyday in all kinds of different ways!  Acts 2:42 says “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers.”  They learned about life together, they ate their meals together, they worked together and they served together.  THEY DID LIFE TOGETHER!

Doing life together is about exploring and applying your faith in a community with others.  We need to get to know each other.  We need to share our dreams.  We need to talk about and recall our precious memories.  We need to study the Word and talk about how it applies in our everyday living.  We need to pray with and for one another.  We need to celebrate our successes and work to overcome our losses.  We need to help whoever, wherever and whenever needed.

God created us to do life with Him and one of the best ways to share our life with Him is to share our life with others!  Here are three suggestions for getting the most out of church and giving the most to church:  1.)  Look for opportunities to share your life with others!  2.)  Remember that time spent with friends is never wasted – it is invested! 3.)  Make church more than just a place to go once a week!

Billy Grahm said:  “Grace is not sought, nor bought, nor wrought.  It is a free gift of Almighty God to needy mankind!”  God loves us so much that He out of that great love has made the choice to forgive us and not hold our sin against us.  This forgivness is not somethig that we have to go looking for – it has already been given!  This is not something that we can buy, because it’s value is priceless!  This is not something that we have to earn by living according to a list of rules and regulations!  God gives us His love because He is love!  God offers us Himself!  God desires to have relationship with me – what an amazing thing!  When I actually take the time to stop and think about it – it always blows me away!

Take some time today think about God’s amazing gift of grace!  Make sure that you express your thankfulness by responding to His grace in the right kind of ways!  God loves you, cares for you and wants you to get to know Him in ways that you could never dream or imagine!  Enjoy the gift!

Leo Tolstoy says:  “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”  I don’t know about you, but I don’t seem to have enough of either one!  I want to be patient, but I grow impatient in waiting to become patient.  And I know that we all have the same amount of time, but I never ever seem to have enough of it.

Patience is taking whatever life throws your way and not allowing it to wreck you.  Patience is bearing any burden, overcoming any trial, withstanding any pressure and standing steadfast despite any opposition!  I think the thing that makes patience so hard, is that just when we deal with one tough thing and make it through – another is on the way.  Patience is realizing that no matter how many curve balls life throws your way – each one is an another opportunity for you to get on base and possibly even hit a home run!

Time is a measurement of what you have right now at this moment in front of you.  Yesterday is gone and there is nothing that you can do with it, but learn from it.  Tomorrow is not here and there is no guarantee that it will be!  What you have is right now, this moment in time, don’t waste it by being stuck in yesterday or worried about tomorrow.  Enjoy the gift of right now that God has given to you!

Interesting isn’t it!  When I forget about the mistakes of yesterday and stop worrying about tomorrow and take the time to enjoy what God has placed right here in front of us – time is not big deal and we are patient without even thinking about it!