Where has Grace and Love gone...

[Jack Shephard]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

I don't know where I'd be if God did not answer prayers for me. Walking with Jesus is a very personal experience for me. Nobody has a monopoly on our Savior, I learned.

I was born again in a UPC Church that was very loving...or maybe it was the new and the love of Christ that I felt. It all fell apart when the church spilt over ...tithing and pastoring. Then the pastor committed adultery and that put everybody in a turmoil.

So I try to keep my eyes off people ... and what they say...what they do so that I am not side-tracked. It would be easy for me to be embittered by some of my UPC experiences, but I know that not all UPC members hurt people or put a microscope on other people's lives. Those who do are meddling in other people's lives. The bible speaks something about that subject.

I would only be hurting myself if I allowed what other people say to embed their words into my heart.

Above all...I must make it to heaven regardless of what anybody throws my way.

Well said. What I am talking about is more that there can be no community or culture established when there is no grace and love. I say that because it is nearly impossible at the very least improbable that someone will want to stay in a place they aren't loved and feel they can grow. Having a relationship with God is the most important thing, but when someone wants and needs to be loved and they go to church where love is supposed to be and there isn't love there is only judgement....who would wanna stay around that?