We Will Not Be Shaken

 

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who brought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. ~2 Peter 2:1

Here in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church, we were denied the ability to disaffiliate from the main body until 2024.  But a lawsuit brought succeeded in allowing that choice to be moved back to the present.  The date set for the vote of local congregations is now July 2, 2023.

For over a month now, my husband, Danny, and I have been attending Shiloh UMC (pictured above) in lieu of our former place of worship, Kennesaw UMC.  We've been nothing but impressed by the vibrant conservative congregation that gathers there each Sunday.  Yes, it is a relatively small church when compared to the weekly gathering at Kennesaw, but the Holy Spirit is palpable.  They joyfully sing the old tried and true hymns, interspersed with some contemporary Christian songs, and aren't swayed in the least by the current cultural opinions whirling around them.

Because that is exactly what they are:  Opinions.

We are currently between pastors, not a comfortable place to be as I'm ready to transfer my membership to Shiloh as soon as possible.  That will have to be put on hold for the time being.  However, we were blessed this past Sunday to host the now-retired former pastor, Bill F., to lead the service.  He is a close friend of Kennesaw's former pastor, Wallace W., and I was genuinely excited to hear him preach, thinking, "If he's half the preacher that Wallace is, he is more than worth my time in the pew.

Pastor Bill does not disappoint!  In fact, makes the best case for why Christ and His teachings should be upheld and followed completely, no matter how the cultural winds are blowing at the moment.  If we stay true to God and His Word, we cannot be shaken or persuaded to listen to the false prophets of our day and age.  The truths found in both the Old and New Testaments should always be our go-to, not just in times when the world's views would have us believe otherwise, but also should be soundly woven into the very fabric of our day-to-day lives.

This was the very breath of fresh air for which my soul is longing.  So I breathe deeply, refreshed, inspired and renewed in my spirit, to face any challenges the future may hold.

The bottom line?  If we listen intently to God's Word, and internalize it, we can never be shaken.

Amen!

A bit of history:  Shiloh was originally founded in Kennesaw in 1832, making it one of the oldest churches in the region.  It survived the Civil War, being used by Sherman as a hospital.  It burned down once, but was rebuilt on the original site.  When I'm there, I feel not as though I've gone back in time, but that history has entered the present, enriching my spiritual life with the memories of all the saints who have worshipped here.