Is God angry if you don't go to church because of a work schedule?

[pdudgeon]

.

 

[mesue]

the kind that brings in the money

Billing?

 

[pdudgeon]

,

 

[mesue]

bingo. and yes there were RN.s that worked with us. we had all holidays off, all weekends off, all benefits, regular hours. the RN's were of course paid more than i was, so they could take the cruise vacations, and drive the new cars.

not every RN works on Sunday.

That would be nice if all the RN's in the world worked in billing. The truth is those are "appointed" positions that not all RN's qualify for. There are very few billing positions for RNs. The reality is; the facility that bills for the patient care that the nurse preforms bills for the work done on Sunday as well as the rest of the week.
FWIW, I never minded working on Sunday. God used me in mighty ways to minister to my patients on quiet Sunday afternoons before I went home. I don't think He minded me ministering to His people when they couldn't be at a church.

 

[pdudgeon]

Firstly my most humble appologies to the members of this forum. I clicked on the thread title not realizing that I was not in my usual forum, but a guest in yours.

I understand fully that i should only be posting either questions or friendship posts in here, but i simply did not realize where i was.

I am going to go back and either edit or delete my previous posts in order to come into compliance with CF's posting policy.

again, i beg your forgiveness and understanding.

 

[mesue]

Firstly my most humble appologies to the members of this forum. I clicked on the thread title not realizing that I was not in my usual forum, but a guest in yours.

I understand fully that i should only be posting either questions or friendship posts in here, but i simply did not realize where i was.

I am going to go back and either edit or delete my previous posts in order to come into compliance with CF's posting policy.

again, i beg your forgiveness and understanding.

not a problem

 

[ZiSunka]

Firstly my most humble appologies to the members of this forum. I clicked on the thread title not realizing that I was not in my usual forum, but a guest in yours.

I understand fully that i should only be posting either questions or friendship posts in here, but i simply did not realize where i was.

I am going to go back and either edit or delete my previous posts in order to come into compliance with CF's posting policy.

again, i beg your forgiveness and understanding.

No problem, it happens.

 

[inHisgripkim]

Church is more important than work.

Putting work over church and the congregating of the saints is putting an idle up before God.

Money didnt die for anyones sins, Jesus Christ did. He loved his church enough to give up his life for it, we need to love it enough to give up a little bit of extra money for it.

In ancient times BC, there was no such thing as a church. Worshippers of Jehova worshipped Him in the wilderness without a church. The important thing is to worship the Lord. Our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, so the body of Christ is in us. We should be worshipping Him all day long. We should be Praising Him all day long. The important thing is to worship.

I cant't make it to Sunday services because I work. We are to seek the Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul. Because I thirst for the Word, I have found a viable option. I attend Bible Study on Wednesday night to keep learning and seeking the "Word." Learning and seeking is of utmost importance to me.

What is important is to worship the Lord and give praise to Him. Remember, our body is His temple, so praise and worship can occur within us anywhere at anytime. However, the best and ultimate worship is to do so in every breath and heartbeat.

I worship you Lord right now and I praise you right now.
Clinging to You Lord,
Kim

Church is the assembly of God. It is for worship and praise and for the strengthening of our faith through fellowshipping. Assembly is not the only way to give praise and worship.

 

[DJB]

I consider going to church like going to a gas station. After "driving" around all week trying to live a blameless life in a disgusting world, you need to stop and get your tank filled up. Some people also say that you should keep the Sabbath day holy. Now, I have very close friends that work on Sunday's, and they live spirit-filled lives. I wouldn't say that God is going to be mad at you, but if at all possible I'd try to not work on Sunday's. For your own good...

 

[Tappanga]

Wow. Several posts in this thread made me mad right off the bat.

As with all my posts, this is my opinion. Others may disagree, but that's their opinion as well.

1) God isn't angry if you don't attend church. However, God is hurt when you don't work on your relationship with him. Spend extra time (when you can) reading and talking with God.

2) To counteract your guilt (I'm assuming) over missing church, you could always host a bible study with a few friends in your home (or in a friend's home). I've done that for a while off and on. We started with Purpose Driven Life, just to get a Godly idea and to be comfortable with each other, then started with handouts on this site - http://www.lovethelord.com/studies.html -.

3) I don't believe you are wrong for working on Sundays if your job requires it. I know others who wouldn't agree, but come on, we're Baptists and we all go out to eat after church on Sunday. Do we really think everyone who fries our "Baptist Birds" on Sundays are agnostic? Plus a wise pastor once pointed out to me that everyone who was called by God in the bible was WORKING when they were called (For example, Matt 4:18-20. Notice it was AS they were casting a net. They were working.). I'm not sure if he was right, but he knows the bible better than I do, and its inspired me to volunteer more.

But more important than what any of US say, ask God if He is angry with you. He is the only one that matters anyway.

 

[Tappanga]

One last thing (and this may have been mention in this thread already)...

Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"

He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Jesus "worked" on the Sabbath.

 

[inHisgripkim]

Wow. Several posts in this thread made me mad right off the bat.

As with all my posts, this is my opinion. Others may disagree, but that's their opinion as well.

1) God isn't angry if you don't attend church. However, God is hurt when you don't work on your relationship with him. Spend extra time (when you can) reading and talking with God.

2) To counteract your guilt (I'm assuming) over missing church, you could always host a bible study with a few friends in your home (or in a friend's home). I've done that for a while off and on. We started with Purpose Driven Life, just to get a Godly idea and to be comfortable with each other, then started with handouts on this site - http://www.lovethelord.com/studies.html -.

3) I don't believe you are wrong for working on Sundays if your job requires it. I know others who wouldn't agree, but come on, we're Baptists and we all go out to eat after church on Sunday. Do we really think everyone who fries our "Baptist Birds" on Sundays are agnostic? Plus a wise pastor once pointed out to me that everyone who was called by God in the bible was WORKING when they were called (For example, Matt 4:18-20. Notice it was AS they were casting a net. They were working.). I'm not sure if he was right, but he knows the bible better than I do, and its inspired me to volunteer more.

But more important than what any of US say, ask God if He is angry with you. He is the only one that matters anyway.

God Bless You. You are wise soul.
Gentleness and love to you,
Kim

 

[Tappanga]

God Bless You. You are wise soul.
Gentleness and love to you,
Kim

Thank you. Gentleness and love to you as well.

 

[JPPT1974]

Sometimes it can't be helped
You know how it is with businesses
They put big bucks over people
Sad but true though!

 

[meowmie]

I would not say God is angry, but perhaps there is a good church that offers services at a time you could attend? It's important, I think, for your spiritual growth to attend regularly.

I have thought of attending another church but it would mean my husband and I having to attend different churches. PLUS, my church is very special to me...I am growing there and I get "fueled" for the week.

I have done enough "church hopping" before I found this church and really don't want to go anywhere else.

Besides, my husband is disabled and the only way he can get to church is if I take him at 9:15. The van brings him home. Leave for work at 10:15... an awful lot of running for a 58 year old with Lupus and 2 forms of thyroid disease and sleep apnea...I just can't do it all and then work all day. Not an excuse...just a simple fact.

I was able to go today, my first time in a month!!!

 

[meowmie]

The Bible says to not forsake the assembling of ourselves. It doesn't specify what day.


We all are not fortunate enough to work Monday through Friday 9-5. Some people have to work on Sundays. One would be calling a lot of nurses "idol worshippers" because the hospital chooses to stay open on Sunday mornings. For some, saved God fearing people, having every Sunday off is not an option. We're also called to support our families. We are also called to be good employees.
meowmie, there are churches that have Sunday service both in the morning and in the evening. There are also services on Wednesday evenings as well.
praying God leads you to a church where you can serve.

I don't get off work Wednesdays til after church starts...believe me, I have thought of that. No other services offered unfortunately.

 

[meowmie]

If a person is in Christ God can never be angry with them unless He can be angry with Christ. Because of the work of Christ on behalf of His people we are pleasing to God. Does He chastize us to correct us? Yes, but never as a punisment or out of anger but lovingly teaches us to forsake sin and look to Christ. For the believer, God spent His wrath and anger at our sin on Christ at the cross. He completely satisfied all that justice and righteousness demands because of our sin. He no longer deals with us as sinners but as saints.
When we experience the chastening rod from God we ought never to think of it as being used in anger but in love and mercy.

To answer your question concerning working when others are meeting for worship; It depends on why you are working whether it is wrong or not. If you are doing it because you have too to keep your job then we must make a living and it is Ok. I changed positions in my company and took much less pay to be able to attend regularly but I do not condemn those who stay in their postion which requires them to be there on weekends. Gather with the Lord's people when you can as often as you can and leave it to God to change you heart as to whether you ought to change jobs or to change your circumstances so you can attend.

I have worked retail for over 21 years and am nearing 60. I also have numerous health problems. It would be VERY difficult for me to find another job.

Thought of that one too...LOL.

 

[meowmie]

i agree with this. i did not think i would be able to attend church because of my new job, but i talked to my manager and its been cleared up. so, whenever she can give me a day off or let me come in at 2 i go to church. i, too, see it as being important for our spiritual growth because there are so many important factors involved with going to church.

I was able to "work out" something so I could come in late and did so for quite a while. Then, the first of May, we had a financial problem and have lost HALF our monthly income. So, I was forced to work the whole Sunday, in fact, whatever they can give me (I am part time and they are helping me out by giving me full time hours). I need every hour I can get or we will lose our house....

 

[meowmie]

Since our authority is not the church what’s the problem? As followers of Jesus our authority is the Living God and His Son.



First, Sunday is not the Sabbath, no Scripture changes the Sabbath God defined in the OT to Sunday.

Second, the concept that work is not “holy” or “spiritual” as opposed to attending an event at a church is dualism which is a cousin to Gnosticism. Remember what Paul said in Colossians 3:17 “whatever you do in word or deed do in the Name of Jesus”. Your comment about the NT and their corporate gathering vs. work is moot since there is not reference to such an issue in the NT. Jesus does say that we are under the authority of those “above us” which includes our bosses where we work.

Did you ever stop to think that God may be using her there on a Sunday to tell/show others that she works with about the Creator God and His Son?

I know that God has used me MANY times in my lowly retail job to witness to others. I sometimes think that is why I am still there. I can't tell you how many times someone comes into my life that I have been able to witness the love of Christ to.

I AM probably doing more for the Kingdom of God at work than I would be doing sitting in a pew. That is one thing that is getting me through this financial/spiritual crisis!

 

[meowmie]

Brother, idolatry is a serious charge. People often quote St. Matthew 7:1 ("Judge not."). But the next verse is, in my opinion, even more important,

For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. (St. Matthew 7:2)
​

Being but 22 years of age, it would be hypocritical of me to join these older sisters in criticizing you for being young and arrogant, so I certainly do not. But I would like to remind you, as you brother in Christ, that the time may come when you will be forced to choose between a Sunday job, and not putting food on your own table. Financial hardship can afflict all of us, which is why we trust in Christ and not in our finances. Now, I wish that this day would never come to you, but if it does, then God will judge you for choosing food over a Sunday church service. Not that it's wrong to make such a choice (I'm sure that James or Paul would do the same thing), but you are judged by the same measure with which you judge others. Therefore, for your own benefit, do not judge.

As believers we have freedom in Christ. Now I very respectfully disagree with our beloved brother Andyman, in that I think Sunday is the proper Sabbath. But nevertheless, we are free in Christ to choose a job over a traditional church service. So then, does that mean we should neglect meeting with the body of Christ? Certainly not! I think that such a person should not forsake Bible study and other small group activities. It says,

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)
​

And what does the law of sin and death say? It says,

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. (Exodus 20:8-10)
​

As the Apostle says by the Holy Spirit, the Law is not sin. But because Christ Jesus is our Sabbath, there is no longer any legalistic requirement to "go to church," simply for its own sake.

And the point is that forcing a person to choose church over his or her job is legalism. Saying "God will provide" will do nothing if you don't go to work and make money. Yes, sometimes God works in mysterious ways. But the majority of the time he works in very obvious ways. He provides us with employment and money, so that we can afford our living expenses. And if we forsake this, it is very unlikely that God will supply us with manna from heaven. It says,

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:15-17)
​

Saying "have faith, God will provide," will probably not work if we demand that God do a miraculous sign for us. God often works in very mundane ways, and a person must see him through Christ Jesus in order to understand that God is still sovereign.

VERY well spoken...thank you.