Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Part-Timers, Half-Steppers, Comer's and Goer's


I was going to throw in "Once-In-Awhiler's and "Never Arriver's", but it would have been too long a title. lol!

They come and they go. The people we sometimes call "church goin' folk".

Some are hardly there. Some aren't really there when they are there. Some come in late. Some leave early. Some stay a season, but we never really had them.

All would be first to say "Lord! Lord!" on cue and at the drop of a hat.

Jesus is never fooled.

Matt.7:21 - "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven."

The impact of that verse is not so much that there would be some who will not enter heaven, but rather why they won't.

The failure to do the will of God.

What exactly is that anyway?

Well, there's a few and they're all clearly delineated in His Word.

Love God. Love your neighbor. Love yourself. Walk in the Spirit and not the flesh. Take up your Cross daily, etc. 

We tend to get our shorts all bunched up over trying to "do" them all. Well, sure they are activities that require physical motion and mental response, but the motivation is often wrong.

This is why Jesus said what He said above.

Some think merely doing these things will suffice. They think that BY doing them they will have great favor with God.

Wrong.

It's because you have great favor with God that you will do these things. We do because we are. Not to become.

Don't forget. Jesus thought you were "to die for".

Often the "Lord! Lord!" people have gotten it backwards. That's why their entire heart, soul, mind and strength isn't into it.

That's why they are...half-steppers. It's all merely religious to them. They have mistaken schmoozing with grace.

See...this church thing gets a lot of folks riled up. Let's face it though, Paul has indeed told us that we need to do it (Heb. 10:25).

Of course he didn't say we needed to erect cathedrals and multi-million dollar wonderamas.

He just said that we should assemble together as believers and warn and encourage each other as we look toward the Day of Jesus' return.

I choose to do that in a building. It can be done anywhere. Under a tree. In a home. A coffee shop. With music. Without music. Standing. Sitting. Hands raised. Hands lowered. 

The Church is not contained by physicality.

One thing has to be. Truth.

When the people of God open their mouth and say "Lord! Lord!", it had better mean something.

If not it's no different than a Rotary Club meeting.

So...what's "church" to you? A place to express your love and worship to God among your fellow believers?

Or a drop-in (drop-out) social club? 

Friends...these are times to draw near to each other as believers and look to the sky together. Things are happening at such a rapid pace these days that many just might get caught unaware if we let what we do slide into a casual gathering.

Wherever your sanctuary is...get there as often as you are not hindered.

Be a sponge. Soak it in. Squeeze it out. Soak up some more.

We...together...must be...

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><
www.reallifect.com

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