Our walk with Christ is more important than most make it. Most people go to church and think they are in good standing with God because of it. They pray and worship the Lord during church service and act like they are a saint from God. However, there heart is far from God. To appear good but in the inside be stained by your sins, is evil. 2What good does it profit a man to save face with others on Saturday or Sunday but be in bad standing with God in judgement? To go to church is to commune with God. 5Church is the body of Christ and we are His members. By joining in on the service, we are connecting our body and soul with Jesus. It isn’t just a worship we do on Sunday but during the week also. The presence of God is what moves us. Church isn’t a building, it is our time with God, in fellowship with others in the faith. We are to make communion with God at home and wherever we go. If this isn’t our walk, during the week, know that the wrath of God is upon us. To know God’s will and to not follow it, is be on the wrong side of God’s mercy and grace. More knowledge also comes more responsibility. If you are living a life of sin, then repent. Pray as David did, when he prayed, 1“God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us. That thy way may be known.” Pray with a sincerity of heart. Don’t just say the words but pray with the intent to change. Death can come at any moment, make every day count.
Don’t be a phony but a warrior for Christ. When all your friends are going out drinking and invite you to tag along, just say no. Tell them who you stand for and that is Christ the Lord. Explain that our body is the 4“temple of the Holy Ghost” and we ought to make it holy. When friends are swearing up and down, stop them in their tracks and tell them that it is offensive to not only you but God. When others are passing by homeless, who need food, stop and care for their needs. If there be any sin that is stopping you to live for Christ then give it up at the cross, today. 6No longer keep it a secret but confess it and break the news to anyone that is affected. Ask for forgiveness from God and others. Let your heart be open to God. Let Him know that you care. Come unto our Father in heaven and honor His great Name. If you desire to go to church than also live for Him. Seek a life filled with the Spirit of God and not the pleasures of this world. In the Spirit, your soul will be moved to praise God each day. You will be more grateful for what the Lord has done for your life. His blessings will poor down upon you, His child. You can know that you are a son or daughter of God because the 3“Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” If you are His, then praise the Lord. 1“Let all the people praise” God. 1“God shall bless us” when we are on His side.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, spark a revival in all the hearts of those that go to church. Set their hearts upon You, not only on a specific day for worship but also during the week. Help them take Your teachings more seriously. Help them know that living for You is a serious act. Help them to no longer play with fire during the week but live in Your light. Lord, I see to many hypocrites that say they believe in You but follow after their own heart. My heart breaks to know that they are living a lie. Move within them, even this very hour. Cause them to repent and forsake a life of sin. I pray that more people desire to worship You more than just one day a week. I pray that You become a priority in all our lives. How often do we put things above You. I know longer wish to give my worship to anyone or anything but You. Take my idols. Take anything from my heart that offends You. Cleanse my heart and wash me from the inside out. You are worth living for. I praise You. I rejoice just to know You. I love You. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Psalm 67:1-7 (KJV)
1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
2Mark 8:34-38 (KJV)
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
3Romans 8:13-17 (KJV)
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
41 Corinthians 6:15-20 (KJV)
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
51 Corinthians 12:12-28 (KJV)
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
6James 5:15,16 (KJV)
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.