Do you see any distinction between the church and the Kingdom of God? My church is meant to represent me, but this is done by people with human failings. Some people have had bad experiences at church and have walked away from me as a result. This compounds and amplifies a loss that could be limited. If your circumstances and experiences force you to distinguish between me and the people who represent me then make that distinction and move on from them without moving on from me. Even the best of my followers has human flaws, so you will face this dilemma at some time. Don’t let bad representatives keep you out of the Kingdom of God.

Do you schedule and plan your day to make the most effective use of your time? Does your day always go the way you expected? How do you plan and prepare for a day when you don’t know how it will turn out? I said not to worry about tomorrow, that sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Yet I know what you will face tomorrow even if you don’t. I may ask you to do things today that you don’t understand. Do them anyhow. Tomorrow you may see why these steps were necessary as advance preparation. You can’t obey today’s instructions tomorrow. Follow me and trust me to turn your sequence of todays into a life of destiny. 

Have you ever heard someone say, where was God when I needed him? Who hasn’t? Who hasn’t said it themselves? Although this is phrased in the form of a question, do you see that in most cases it is really intended as an accusation? If the expectation is that God will be with you always and you are not aware of his presence, then it is a fair question, but you will only get an answer if you pursue it as a question rather than an accusation. If you are willing to revisit the experience from this perspective, I will comfort and reassure you by showing you how I was with you in your darkest hour. 

I taught clearly about dying to yourself that you may live, to lay down your life and pick up your cross and follow me. These may not be anyone’s favorite Bible verses, but they present a strong and unified theme that you cannot ignore. You meet some individuals that take them seriously. Paul died daily, always bearing about my death in his own body. Do you think this ends with individuals? My body is composed of many members, and some things that apply to individuals can be scaled up to groups of believers, such as churches. Are you prepared to see churches die to themselves that they may live?