12/6/11 Practical Atheist Mark Sherratt Am I really living the life? Ever practical atheist says I believe in God but does not live like God expects him to live. It is easier to talk the talk than to live the life. Is there any bit of hypocrisy in your life that can be shed so you become closer to God. Jesus died on the cross so that we could give our lives not halfheartedly but completely. The practical atheist says I believe in God but I do not believe in the church. Jesus is absolutely in love with the church, warts and all. Too many people see church as a place. We see the church as a place where our needs are met instead of being the place where we meet the needs of others - i.e. Be the church and meet the needs of others. 1 Cor 12:12-27 God has called the body to be alive and active. The church is the people not the stones Eph3:20 Don't criticise, participate. Make the difference! Acts 2:43 - you see the church starting to grow, with a full on commitment to practising what Jesus had taught. Focus on being church. Acts 4:34-35 every need in the church was met by the church. There is so much need out there, so much we could be doing. Be church! Be generous with your time and resources. You have been saved to do good works. Church also provides us a place to belong. He did not design us to be alone and to work on our own but to work as a team, live life together. Rom 12:5. The challenge for us is to be open and live life with others. Church its a place to grow Jas 1:22; Matt18:20; 28:19-20 The church continues to survive despite the onslaught of detractors over the centuries. Acts 4:13
