This started out as a single thought in my head and has grown, so much on this idea has grown because I look at the US and I am ashamed and afraid.
Ashamed at the testimony of most of us Christians, and afraid that we have lost our way too far to get back to God.
I am not pointing this at any one or any group but at the USA. The people of, the men of, the Leaders of, and most importantly, the professing Christians of.
Mat_6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
In the Lord's prayer also called the model prayer where the disciple asked to be taught how to pray, Christ said give us this day our daily bread. Daily bread.
Act_2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Act_5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
We in America have taken one of God's days and have turned it into once weekly. Once Weekly we get together, praising and singing, Once weekly we worship the Lord. I am as guilty as any here, I have let work come before God to my shame, I have put money first too.
My heart breaks for this nation, we have pastors preaching one service a week and are happy with it. We have church members going to one service a week and calling it sufficient. I did a search of the 20 baptist churches in the area from dittmer to fenton one has a sunday night service, a separate one had a ewednesday night service.
Mat_6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, but we do not look for the grace for that day, we do not search for the daily bread to give us the strength to fight the evil, we do not gather the army of God daily to go out into battle. Yes you have TV radio internet to use for such inspiration and grace, but how many in our own homes will actually do that? We won't. Porn is still the most watched and searched.
I did a google search and businesses that had nothing to do with God never close (walmart, convenience stores, fast food), but the church buildings? Closed. They can get food, healthcare 24/7 but the Spirit?The literal church building here is what I am talking about, the place people might go searching for the Lord is closed by and large, except for one hour a week. The Light on a Hill is flashing like a kmart blue light special, for a moment a week and then gone.
The World when searching for God must look for a cell phone number, or an email address, to find someone to help them find God. They can drive to the house of worship, they can walk there, but we are never There!
You say, but they have google search too, they have friends, they can find it if they are looking for it hard enough. It should not be that hard to find, we should be making it easy for them to come to the Lord, even if they do not respond, we should have more open hours than closed.
If the church was truly run as a business, souls were an actual commodity, then on the basis of what most churches do, we would be in the red going bankrupt. Profit and loss statements would be completely in the red as most have no profit to show at all.
Too often we go to Jeremiah and Noah, who had no converts when we talk of our service and our ministry that is unfruitful.
Why do we not use Jonah and Nineveh? Or Peter and Pentecost? Great response because the Spirit showed up. we do not use those for that would mean we are not doing our job if we used the ones that actually had an answer, the ones that actually worked as our examples. The ones where the Spirit of God showed up in the people, in the preacher, in the Church and effected a change in the Nation and the hearts of the people.
I remember a day when we had men's prayer breakfast on saturday every other week, we had visitation every thursday night ( and people showed up), Wednesday night prayer service was around the altar for 20 - 30 minutes as a group. When the church got together to play together, to work together, to pray together, just like a family. When the church stood shoulder to shoulder to win their areas, when a church stood for SOMETHING instead of falling asleep at the wheel and letting the world drive.
Pastors who let their church be one service a week have failed, yet they have not sacrificed their pay have they?
The people who have allowed this have failed, yet they will not own up and try to fix it.
We have superbowl parties on superbowl day instead of church, nascar parties instead of church, we have bingo on Friday nights instead of church, we have dances and cotillions instead of church. we have small group get together's instead of church. We have let anything and everything stop us from assembling together. WE have done this. We have rationalized it to the point that we have no conscience for it anymore.
The heart of this people have become hard, from the pulpit to the laity. There is no one to blame except those in the mirror. There is no one to blame except every single one of us.
Isa 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Isa_6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
Act_28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
the people of this nation have gotten lazy and fat, complacent. There is no heart for God in the common person, no heart for God in the pastors (the shepherds of the flock). The Shepherds in the bible did a 24/7 job, they were daily hourly with their flock, the sheep were around the shepherd constantly needing guidance, needing familiarity, needing to know where to go to get food and water.
Christ is the Good Shepherd, but where are the earthly shepherds, the ones who claim to be His representative, herding their flocks, feeding them, protecting them from the lion seeking whom it may devour?
Where are the Shepherds who will stand Sunday afternoon through Saturday night to protect their flock instead of just one hour a week?
Where are the people of God who will attend the services, make the Church of God once again, of God?
Pro 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
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