Monday August 27, 2012

Grab a 2012 calendar and work out how many       Sondays you have missed at church.

Which ones were legitimate?  Which one’s weren’t?

 

Read Hebrews 12:25-29. John 4:23-24

 

“But I don’t need the church to worship God because all of my life is worship.”

 

This pernicious and adulterous comment came from the lips of a church member who had been missing every other Sonday at church for several years - sometimes for work, sometimes for family reasons, sometimes for mates and sport and sometimes for rest.  The comment flowed out of the erroneous teaching sweeping the through the church at that time that because all of life is worship (which is totally and utterly true) then we don’t need to worry too much about going to church on Sonday (which is utterly false and damnable).

 

No one is being legalistic here. Going to church can’t and won’t save you. But if meeting with God and God’s children (see Hebrews 10) is not on your high priority list then something is wrong within your heart. I tried desperately to explain this to the obstinate women above, but to no avail.

 

Put bluntly, if work or family or friends or sport are regularly placed before the Lord and His time, then something is desperately wrong in your heart. Most people I have met who miss Sondays regularly are half-hearted and luke-warm in their commitment to Christ anyway. Missing every second or third Sonday is simply an extension of their apathy! It has nothing to do with freedom in Christ or their avoidance of legalism (which are often quoted as an excuse).

 

The man or woman who continues to put other things ahead of Christ and His family is simply placing their own Christian values and beliefs below other things and other people’s beliefs and convictions. What he or she is tacitly saying is that my belief in Christ and my values in God are not as important as your (ie the family’s, the bosses’, the sport team’s and so on) beliefs and values and he or she is allowing his/her Christian value system to be trampled on by the world.

 

People in the world will never take Christ seriously if we can’t take Him seriously.  The Church of God exists, among other things, to worship God and to lift up His majestic name. Don’t miss any opportunity to do just that with your brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

 

 

Prayer:

Spend a few moments in adoration. Confession and Thanks giving before praying these and other prayer points. Write down your points.

 

Adoration:

 

Confession:

 

Thanks:

 

Supplication:

¨ Pray that your Committee of Management will be wise and decisive in its stewardship of funds. Pray that all their decisions will be gospel based and focused. Pray that each and every single person  in your congregation would be tithing and giving sacrificially.

¨ Pray that your Session would be focused on the Word and willing to apply the Word to themselves before looking at anyone else. Pray that each person in your congregation would make their work a joy by submitting to their authority and direction.