2 Timothy 4:3,4
3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.…Too many churches are only telling the congregation what their "itching ears" want to hear and this saddens my heart to such a deep level!! Churches are being run like business, pleasing the customers and taking in their money.
I have a stack of sticky notes with encouraging quotes that I love. One of my favorites reads, "For God so loved the world that he didn't send a committee". If God is leading your every move, you do not need a committee to approve every small detail. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will know when to speak and when to take action, and sometimes it goes against what you would normally think is a good idea. But, God has a message for His people, and if He moves in you to speak, and you do not, you will have to answer to God. We are not talking about a business here; we are talking about precious souls.
Any time you work in the ministry, you put in many, many hours - of which their "value" goes unpaid monetarily. But, when your heart is in the right place and it is your passion to serve the Lord in this way, it matters not. Because again, church is not a business. Every day you have the opportunity to speak God's word and let God's love be seen in you. When God moves in your heart to speak, do it! It is an amazing feeling to look out into a congregation full of people worshiping God, laying it all before Him, and simply praising God. Many times, I have been moved to tears at the wonderful sight. All those hours of hard work were not in vain. It is a reminder that when we put in the hard work and then let God move, He does!
Church shouldn't simply be a feel-good kind of place. Church is much more. It is not simply a building. We all make up the body of Christ. We are all important and in the end, our judge is God alone. We may hold a high position in church, be a volunteer, or simply attend services, but God sees in us what no one else does. He sees all of it. God calls us to hold each other accountable and to speak to each other with Godly truth, and the truth, my friends, is that this world is full of evil and deceit.
Ephesians 4:25
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.Ephesians 4:25
It is not all joy and peace. The moment of perfect peace in God is yet to come. Remember, we are not of this world! God gives us the tools we need to make it in this world, though. He will not forsake His people.
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Ephesians 6:13
Would you tell them that their naturally sinful ways are okay and they have no need to repent? Where is the conviction in all this?
Would you tell those you care about to simply repeat after your words and that will bring about peace and forgiveness if you knew this was not true? Would you tell them to come back next week and do it again as if this is the only way? No! If you knew better, you wouldn't...not without a horrible sense of guilt. God doesn't want us to teach others to simply repeat. Then, what would they do without you?
Just as we do to our children whom we love, teach them! Teach them how to pray and lead by example! Teach them to be able to fend for themselves, to read the Bible for themselves and seek out answers. Teach them to be prepared. Teach them where to run to when they are in danger. Remind them to have faith and in all circumstances, to be thankful. Remind them that you are not perfect, yet God loves us and accepts us all if we choose to lay it all before Him. Remind them that you are no better than they are. Remind them of our sinful nature and the importance of repentance. Remind them that God can use anyone who is willing to be a vessel.
My friends, I write all this with a lot of loving concern. Do not be blinded and led astray. You are stronger than you think. You are capable of more than you think. Search for God and you will find Him. Read, pray, and search for Him. Search for truth!
Psalm 105:1-7
1Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
2Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
3Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
5Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
6you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
7He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
