But I went to Church

Luke 13: ²² And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. ²³ Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”

And He said to them, ²⁴ “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. ²⁵ When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from,’ ²⁶ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ ²⁷ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’²⁸ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. ²⁹ They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.³⁰ And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

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Returning back to church was a serious mind-shift. A taste of the “good life” made me want more. When I went, I could feel a bit of a conflict. I enjoyed the sin I was doing and figured I could balance the sin by attending church. I mean, everybody’s a sinner, right?

• There were times when I sought to be at “church” instead of seeking GOD.
• There were times when I did “churchy” stuff instead of seeking GOD.
• There were times when I listened to sermons instead of seeking GOD.

JESUS says the most frightening words in the Bible to me. HE says there are plenty of people who claim to be with HIM yet HE will say “Depart from ME, for I do not know you.” The argument will be, “But we ate the bread and drank the juice of communion and listened to countless sermons.”

JESUS then insisted that people from all over would enter HIS kingdom, but those who sought to be first would not.

• GOD says to me “Seek MY kingdom even when it is not popular.”
• GOD says to me “Stop playing “church” and truly seek MY face.”
• GOD says to me “People are far more important to me than jobs, houses, cars, vacations and worldly pleasure.”

The world says “obtain a lot, eat a lot and pleasure yourself a lot.” Then the world lies and says It’s alright to join the crowd. BUT GOD says, “Seek MY kingdom first.” Each day, I should look for the person GOD has sent to me. If no one is there then I should ask “Who do YOU want me to go to?”

Living for GOD is a very “narrow” decision. It is not gimmicky, nor is it manipulative. GOD wants me to truly give and that doesn’t always mean giving to support salaries. HE wants me to pray and not always for buildings. GOD wants me to seek those who reject HIM. This is a very narrow path. I am grateful for GOD.

• Are you going to church as a habit or to seek GOD?
• When you attend church is it to seek the “brand” or to seek the lost?
• Is GOD asking you to step up to do something entirely different for HIM, yet you are refusing HIS calling?

Tumbling Down

Mark 13: Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”

² And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

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Proud of my accomplishment I reminisced over how hard I worked to build the department to where it was. When I returned I asked if they were still doing things the way I had set them up. “No” was the answer. A new person had come in and changed everything.

• There were times when I was proud of my accomplishments.
• There were times when I felt what I built should have lasted forever.
• There were times when I tried to build a miniature kingdom.

Marveling at human accomplishments, the disciples pointed out how wondrous the temple was. JESUS replied with a harsh statement. “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

• JESUS says to me “No matter what you build on earth, it will be torn down.”
• JESUS says to me “MY kingdom will never be torn down.”
• JESUS says to me “Build MY kingdom and you will store up treasure in heaven.”

Building something is not the problem. JESUS wants my mind focused on heaven as well when I build something on earth. My tendency is to stop only at earth and get pats on the back from humans. GOD wants me to ask HIM if HE I pleased with my plans and accomplishments. HE wants to be asked first and included all the way.

• Are you trying to accomplish something?
• Do you have something large in mind but do not know how to accomplish it?
• Can you stop trying to be in the spotlight and ask GOD how does HE want things to go?

Strange Teaching

Matthew 16: ⁵ When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. ⁶ “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

⁷ They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

⁸ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹ Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹⁰ Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹¹ How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

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“Maybe people should use a pink envelope” I thought to myself as I dreamt of ways to distinguish the collection for the parking lot. It would require teaching as the collection was already complicated. But this was necessary!

• There were times I thought of rules for participating in church.
• There were times I dreamt of ways to “easily” follow the rules.
• There were times I believed that more rules meant more order.

When I look back on my church tenure I notice a soulless march towards rules and regulations. I mean, I “had” to be in church and I “had” to give and I “had” to sing and I “had” to pray.  There could be no deviations from the schedule, structure, dress or tone in order to fit in. BUT GOD wants me to act different.

• GOD wants me to follow HIS teachings, not the soulless teachings of man.
• GOD wants me to test every word that is being said to hear if GOD is in the words rather than man.
• GOD wants me to teach from HIS word, not from sinful, efficient ideas.

Having needs as a church is not the sin, but sometimes I can focus a little too much on the church building or group and not enough on GOD and HIS flock. I find myself name dropping the church name rather than JESUS’ name. GOD wants me to be part of the church of JESUS which could include every local gathering if they believe.

• Are you proud of your church?
• Do you name drop your church name more than JESUS’ name?
• Can you stop coming up with more church rules and teach GOD’s words of love?

A Place of Worship

1 Chronicles 2: ⁵ “The temple I am going to build will be great, because our God is greater than all other gods. ⁶ But who is able to build a temple for him, since the heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain him? Who then am I to build a temple for him, except as a place to burn sacrifices before him?

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Three forty five in the morning, I finally closed my eyes.  I heard noisy clumps of feet in the kitchen then I heard a knock on my door. My mother was telling me to get up for church. “I don’t feel like going right now” I responded. “If you can stay out all night, you can get up for church” was her response.

“Why do I have to go to church anyway?” I grumbled.

• There have been times where I tried to leave GOD in the church building so I could do what I wanted to do.
• There have been times where I didn’t want to go to the building where GOD lived because I couldn’t do what I wanted to do.
• There have been times where I would leave the building where I thought GOD lived only to get back to doing what I wanted to do.

There was one flaw with my thinking. GOD is everywhere! I mean I had not only squeezed GOD into the tiny building we called a church, but there were even rooms where HE couldn’t possibly be in. I mean GOD couldn’t be in the bathrooms, only in the sanctuary and classrooms was my flawed thinking.

• GOD is everywhere and church buildings are a gathering place for flawed people.
• GOD is all seeing so every place I think HE is not, HE is.
• GOD is all knowing so HE is even in my thoughts and desires even when they are not following HIS ways.

GOD cannot be contained or left at a building. When I go to “church” I am not going to see GOD, rather I am going to see a group of sinners rescued by GOD. I am there to hear how GOD transforms lives and tell people how HE has done the same in my life.

During the week I can meet with others to pray and talk. This is also “church.” And when I’m by myself I can bow my knees and praise GOD as an act of worship. GOD cannot be contained.

• Do you think the “church” building is more sacred than your house?
• Do you believe there is a place on earth more sacred than another?
• Can you stop trying to contain GOD within certain things and see HIM everywhere?
• Do you believe HE owns everything?
• Won’t you stop crying for more and seek open eyes to HIM? 

My controversial “building” view

1 Kings 6: ¹¹ The word of the Lord came to Solomon: ¹² “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise I gave to David your father.¹³ And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon my people Israel.”

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I recently visited the church of my youth.  The pastor was still the pastor and the building was still the same. By the way, I am a million and a half years old. What I remember is there were two envelopes in pockets in the pew, one for tithing and one for the “building fund.”

I traveled to many churches and many have had this “building fund” or “building expansion project”. Then one day, as I was sitting on a bus in another country, I saw people dressed in white robes sitting in a field. I asked the guide “who are they?” “They are a building-less church who meets out in a field to worship GOD” he responded.  Ever since then I wonder what a building fund is.

• GOD wants us to make sure we gather together to pray for one another.
• GOD wants us to make public declarations of our allegiance to HIM.
• GOD wants us to make it easier for those who cannot do for themselves.

There are many other reasons to gather together and we need buildings to avoid being interrupted from the elements. I agree with having a building, but when the building is the only focus I have a problem with it.

• GOD says “Follow my decrees”, which doesn’t need a building rather it needs my temple.
• GOD says “Observe MY laws”, which doesn’t need a building rather it requires my mind.
• GOD says “Keep all MY commandments and obey them”, which doesn’t need a building rather it needs my determination to follow HIM.

GOD wants me. HE said “What building can contain ME?” HE does however want me to gather regularly with groups of people to pray, rejoice and help others. HE also wants me to receive help when I run out of faith and feel low. My fight is no longer with buildings. My job is to connect with those HE sends to me.

• Are you alone?
• Do you think can walk life by yourself?
• Should you gather together with others for prayer and confession?
• Won’t you focus on GOD rather than on buildings?