"There must be more than this.
Oh, Breath of God, come breathe within.
We live in a very selfish, lazy generation. Everything is catered to us. We don't have to grow our own fruits and veggies. We pick them up at the grocery store. We don't raise our own livestock for milk and meat. That's what the milkman and butcher are for. We don't have to travel to speak with friends. That's what our iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks are for. We don't even have to go to the library to study. That's what the Internet is for. We take all that we have so much for granted that we start bringing this mentality into church with us. We think that going to church is showing up with a bunch of other people to listen to some cool music, have the pastor talk at us for a little while, and then go home and watch the game. Our culture has corrupted the very essence of why we go we church.
We fill our lives with such worthless things and activities that there is no preparation of our hearts for meeting with the body of Christ to worship our God and serve one another. We spend countless hours watching TV and movies, browsing the Internet, and doing hobbies that we many times neglect doing things that edify our souls and the souls of others. You see, as we do the things God wants us to do, as we spend time with Him learning more about Him, we are preparing to edify the body of Christ (whether it be at church or not). When we spend more of our time with God and doing more godly things we are more likely to open up to the rest of the church to edify them. It's is these things that we use to build each other up, encourage one another, and help those who are struggling. (I want to clarify that spending time watching TV and movies, browsing the Internet, and having hobbies isn't a sin, but rather spending too much time with them and neglecting greater things is.)
Christian, my challenge to you is to not only prepare your mind for church but also your heart. Start saying "No!" during the week to the things of this world that drag you down and influence you against Christ. Begin serving your family, friends, and church selflessly every day as though you were serving God (because all in all, you are serving God). Read God's Word to strengthen your walk. Practice the things that God commands us to do. Implement the mentalities He teaches us to have through His Word. Let God and His work through you be more satisfying than the things of this world. Let your life become a daily sacrifice of yourself as worship to God. It is then and only then that we will have a reciprocated view of church. It is then and only then that we will begin to see that it's not about us but about God and all His glory. It is then and only then that we will view church as a time of worshipping God and edifying His people.
If your life lacks worshipping God.. If you lack joy.. If you lack pleasure in God.. Maybe it's because you have been too focused on yourself and what God can do for you rather than what He has already done for you. It is now time to see what you can do for Him, not as payment back to Him but rather as service from gratitude.
Life is a battle.. Life is a brutal war against sin and the flesh. If you are flirting with your enemy, that is, your flesh, then how can you expect to fight victoriously against your flesh? How can you expect to be satisfied in God when you are serving your foe. I encourage you to prepare yourself for war against sin. I encourage you to prepare yourself for any service that God might call you to do. In doing so you will be prepared to meet together with the body of Christ to serve one another, edify one another, encourage one another, and lift up one another as we ought.
If your heart is not prepared to serve God or His people, ask Him to change it. Ask Him to give you His strength to overcome sin and temptation. Ask Him to give you His compassion for His people. Ask Him to have your heart treasure Him above everything that is worthless in this life. God doesn't leave you alone to work everything out in your own power. He gave you a Helper, the Holy Spirit, to help you walk in this life for the glory of His name and the edification of His people. He gave you all the necessary tools for preparing yourself to serve Him and His people. These tools are found in the Bible.
Worship your God today in selfless sacrifice, laying down yourself as an offering to Him. You won't regret it. In fact, you will find it most satisfying.
Consuming Fire, fan into flame
A passion for Your name
Spirit of God, fall in this place
Lord, have Your way
Lord, have Your way in us
Blessings,
Nick
