Sunday Morning...

What do you think when you think of God?  Do you think of an old man with a long white beard that sits on a throne with lightening bolts in his hands scorning everybody that does not follow his rules?  Not quite the image in my head, in fact, I don't really put physical characteristics to God.  I associate feelings more so with God:  comfort, peace, unconditional love, compassion.  The feelings that come from a relationship with God or unlike any earthly relationship you will ever find.  Faith has always come easy to me, never questioning, always believing without a doubt.  It baffles me that someone can walk outside and see what God has provided for us, the love he has put in our hearts, and not believe God is good... ALLTHE TIME!

  

photo source: http://elprayerblog.tumblr.com/page/23

So do you have to go to church come Sunday morning to have a relationship with God?  I know some people feel like they need to go to church or else they will get in trouble with the man upstairs.  Then others like it so much they go every time the doors are open.  I think I fall somewhere in between.  I enjoy church.  I like to go to church.  I like to sing hymns and hear a good sermon! I go because I want to, not because I am following a "rule".

As an adult I have gone to a variety of churches, going where I feel most comfortable, regardless of the denomination.  I always operate on the principle God doesn't care what church you go to, as long as you are going!  People worship God in different ways, that is why they are so many churches.  I recently moved to Pelham and across the street from my house every day I saw people working tirelessly to build a church; it was a campus of the Church of the Highlands.  The main church is located off I-459 and their congregation is huge!  I think 3/5 people in Birmingham go to Church of the Highlands.  I would see the parking lot full every Sunday.  I thought I have got to see what all this fuss is about.  This pastor must be doing something right...that many people wouldn't be going to his church!  So I decided to go a couple of weeks ago. 

For those of you who haven't been, it is a very contemporary service with a full band that plays contemporary Christian music.  Now I must say it was nice to see people fired up about worshiping God;  however, this girl still likes those old hymns.  I still like to sing "Amazing Grace", "Victory in Jesus", and "It is Well with my Soul"!  Then the pastor comes on via satellite from the main church and I got why people relate to this church.  He's a great speaker. His message that Sunday was how the Bible teaches you to overcome anger.  I am pretty quite girl, but trust me I do have some pent up anger, particularly recently, and was pointing some fingers, that needed to be pointed at myself!  I needed to hear that message that day!

So what is my consensus on Church of the Highlands? Great pastor, great message, but could do without the rock band.  Call me old fashion, but I still like an organ!  Hey...just my opinion. :)  However, would I go back?  Definitely!  Here is the link to the sermon I saw a couple of weeks ago.  If you get angry easily or have judgment in you heart, it really is a good message!

http://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/anger

Thought I would end with this video.  It has been floating around facebook.  Interesting...discusses the difference between Christianity and religion. 

Thought with the big football weekend coming up I would end with a certain football player's favorite verse.  If you don't know who I am talking about you must have been under a rock for the past several months!

John 3:16   For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.