Question.... When we go to the “Lawd’s House”, whether it be Saturday,Sunday,or Friday, are we going to GET something or, are we going to GIVE something?(And by “give”, I don’t mean monetarily. Although… that will become a part of the discussion in a later post) And there is a very important distinction that I shall attempt to unfold. So…Why does it say,”Let us not give up MEETING together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us ENCOURAGE one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching”? Hebrews 10:23 Zondervan NIV Study Bible Some would argue that they don’t need a building in order to worship. They feel that they can worship as well or better than those that trek to the building. THE CALL TO ASSEMBLY There is an interesting passage at Deuteronomy 14:23…”Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the first born of your herds and flocks IN the presence of the Lord your God at the PLACE he will choose as a DWELLING for his name so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.” I was going to focus on the “eat” part but further in the verse it says,”at the place he(God) will choose as a dwelling for his name so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.” The reason that a physical structure exists is so that it can be set aside for the sole(soul) purpose of Worship. And what is the meaning of worship? The meaning translates to “worthship”. None of us are worthy of being praised; None of us has given all that they had to insure that we would have a home to rest in once our toiling in the Land of the Dying was over. The Body can’t be set apart for that. The Home can’t be set apart for that. (And by the way..the word “holy” also means “being set apart”) . You can’t set up your car for that. It has to be ordained by God. And God has ordained that Man would meet in a building whose sole purpose is the Worship of his name. People come together because they have found common ground in their worship experience. Ezra 3:10 says, “when the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites(the sons of Asaph)with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed David the King of Israel. With Praise and Thanksgiving they sang to the Lord”. Again…A special place has to be set aside(deemed as a Holy place) so that the people of God might come to worship. The place where a Family lives won’t do it. The Community Park won’t do it. If we understand that we are going to a place to give honor and glory and reverance to God, our trip might take on a wholly different meaning. But…for the most part, the honor and reverance seems to have given way to Church being a social gathering where everybody is expecting something. AGAIN. As one of my friends would say,”Why”? SIX DAYS ARE TOTALLY OURS For six days God allows us to awaken from our sleep, we are in our right minds(for the most part,that is), we have food we can put on our tables or call to have it delivered, or go out and get, we have money in our accounts and pockets, or are using someone else’s via credit, we get to ride in a car or use public transportation,we have a roof over our heads, we go to a job at least 4 times a week, and still we come to church looking for more. And when we don’t “get” anything from the service, we complain. “Why”? When do we begin giving back to God for all of his Bountiful Blessings towards us? He has blessed us for 6 straight days and yet we come to his house looking for more? Don’t we have sense enough to say,”Much obliged for all that you have done for me? For all that you have been doing? For all that you WILL be doing?” Worship is not about what we can get as much as it is about how much we can give. Why we should assemble ourselves together We should assemble ourselves together in a place set aside solely for the purpose of Worship(Worth-ship) because God IS worthy of our praise and adoration. Lest we forget: For 6 whole days God has been good to us. He has met our every need(and perhaps some of our wants…new car, better job, loving spouse… but the needs have definetly been met). Thank You Jesus! And yet.. And yet, we come on the 7th day as if God has not been good enough. When the Children of Israel went to Church they understood that they were going to MEET the most high. Perhaps we should get back to that attitude. I have heard people AND preachers say that we bring God with us to worship. Are you kidding me? Scripture says,You must distingush between the Holy and the common, between the unclean and clean.” Leviticus 10:10. Here we have for six days lived our lives as we live them and being honest, do you think that God has been with us during all of the “mess” that we have been involved in during the week? Honestly? That evil thought that you had towards… That lustful eye you cast towards…That unforgiving spirit that you had with… And you believe that the Lord walked with you? So…why would you believe that you are going to TAKE him to Church with you? We should be prepared to MEET him there but we ain’t bringing him! I will repeat myself: God is Holy(Morally perfect). And even though the Holy Spirit CAN dwell in us, that is not always the case. And you know it too! And so…we should go to Church EXPECTING that our “Attitude of Gratitude” will be genuine enough to invite God into the presence of our worship. And true, authentic worship is awesome! Another Question… Have you ever been in a service and seen Angel’s feathers dropping all over the place? Have you had the experience of communing with God through the Holy Spirit. It is more than mystical chanting. It is life changing! Somebody has said,”when you have been filled with the Holy Spirit, you will never be the same.” Praise God! We should come to assemble ourselves because we ought to recognize in our own right we are not worthy to be in his presence. But God loves us and wants to fellowship with us. That is why he made preparation long before Adam decided to go against his creators wishes(…”but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world , but was revealed in these last days for your sake.” I Peter 1:19-20) And he wants us to be in his presence. To feel the his love flowing through us like Mighty Water…Ohhh…how I long for that! How I long in the words of Doctor Cleveland to have the Lord “Touch me” YouTube/watch?v=eWePgeG6m2u “ I know I will be clean when you get through” YES LORD! FOCUS OF THE CHURCH HAS CHANGED But…somehow our focus has turned to worldy pursuits within the Church. Pastor: “Sis. Treasurer, how much money did we raise last Sunday? Is that really why we assemble ourselves? Two or three money-gathering opportunities in a service? Really? What happened to dropping your Envelope off during Wednesday Night Worship? Or, placing containers(locked containers,that is! We really are in a deviant society where nothing is considered sacred anymore)at each entrance to the santcuary and you drop it in on your way to meeting God? Why do we have to parade up and down the aisles as if God cannot see(or more importantly read)us? The Preacher said this morning,”God don’t need your money. He has a thousand cattle on a hillside ready to die to have his purposes accomplished.” We are focusing on the wrong thing. The money will come IF our heart is right; Loving one another will come IF… But it all begins when we ENTER the House of Prayer of Worship and Praise EXPECTING not to get but to GIVE to a God who has never failed nor forsaken us.(And for those of you who don’t look like me, will you excuse me while I share a word? Please don’t be offended as I say)… And for us as Black People to turn our backs on the Lord like we have is a slap in his Holy face. Just like the Children of Israel, we have been freed from some terrible taskmasters. All that we are; All that is in our TEMPORARY possession; The titles we have, the cars and houses and businesses that we own are the result not of our goodness or our ed-u-muh-cation or where we were born or the town we grew up in or the people we personally know; but it is BECAUSE OF the Grace and Mercy of a good God.
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 15:29:41 +0000
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