Raised in Church

I learned a lot of things being raised in church my whole life. A lot of those things were good. But there were many things I learned from pastors and teachers that I later discovered just weren't in the Scriptures at all. Some things were the result of someone misunderstanding Scripture, some things were the result of lifting verses out of their intended context, and some things just flat out had no Scriptural basis at all.

Sometimes it frustrates me, but mostly it just challenges me to examine everything and subject it to the Spirit, which God gave to each of us as believers to "guide us into all truth."

Has this happened to you? What are some of those things that you have discovered?

Know that you are in good company...

"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom. Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble." (Matt. 5:10-12)



I just read this passage this morning. I've read it before, though not in this version, and it was encouraging to me. I've been struggling with speaking things on my heart at the risk of disrupting relationships and "disturbing the peace." Can anyone else identify with this?