An Answered Prayer

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.        Proverbs 29:18
I remember as a young man, probably had heard a sermon using this scripture and telling us we needed a vision of God's church. At the time I was in a denomination that believed they were the true church and that all Christians would someday become a part of them.  I prayed for a vision, I remember wanting a vision like so many others seemed to have. I would read the scriptures they gave about the church and I just didn't see it. Now in my senior years, I realized God did answer that prayer but not in the manner I thought. What God showed me over a period of time was different, and not what I had been taught.  I remember thinking God why don't I see it like all of these others. I found there are many bodies of believers. What God revealed to me over time and many experiences is his body is not just one denomination, and in particular that denomination. Even today they claim that never was an official teaching of their denomination. They were imperfect just like the rest of us. They split at least twice that I remember. I am not trying to make light of a church split, it is hurtful to all involved. I see that same mentality in other denominations. We have the whole truth, the way our denomination presents it. I remember the first church I attended away from that denomination, at first I felt guilty going some place else. I had good reason for attending where I went and I believe  to this day that God directed me there to help my understanding of his universal church. It took me about 4 years to feel comfortable and not feel like I was some how going against God because I wasn't going to that particular denomination. Most of those churches were small, and I believed churches that were large had some how watered down the gospel. That I have found is not necessarily true. The church I now attend is about the third largest church I have attended in my life and I receive a good word from the pulpit every Sunday and a good word in Sunday School. Sunday school in not read word for word from some Sunday School literature. It is studied out week by week with out the help of an organized denominational booklet. And it is good.  If you believe that Christ died for your sins on Calvary's cross and rose again. If you have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are part of God's body the church universal. It transcends denominational barriers, ethnic barriers, economic barriers etc. It is about relationship. A very personal relationship. I wanted to see it like they saw it, but that is not what God showed me. For some period of time, I would pray and ask God why I don't see it, now I understand. God did answer those prayers but not in the way I thought it would happen. I am thankful for answered prayer. Those were prayers that took a long time to answer. I had to read the word for myself, I had to have my understanding opened, I even had to have some life experiences to understand more fully what God was saying to me. I had to live it for myself, read it for myself, understand it for myself. It was personal. Daily I try to understand and feed myself from God's word, and ask how does this apply to me, personally. He that keepeth the law, happy is he. Read Psalm 1. I think of recent blogs where I pondered the scriptures there is neither Jew nor Greek, free nor slave, all are to be part of God plan. We divide ourselves in so many ways, God wants us to be one in him. He is the same God to Black and White, Baptist and non-denominational, Church of God , Church of Christ. I could fill up this blog with just so many names and it is not necessary. Do you believe in Jesus for the pardon of your sins. Do you accept his word, the Bible, as your guide for life? God crosses the man made barriers we make. God wants us to be one in him. God bless, LVZ.