Hate God? Hate Church?

Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.Hebrews 10:25

Many people do hate God. Some people who once were on fire for the Lord have turned their backs on God. Maybe they started listening to wrong voices. Guess where wrong voices are from? The enemy. Maybe you are reading this today and you have justified why you are not involved in a growing church or a small group Bible study. Maybe a life experience soured you on things of Christ. Friend, the enemy is out to get your souls. Many a Christian parent languishes over children they raised for the Lord who do not love Him with their whole heart anymore.

Wherever you are at today, the Lord understands and He is waiting to be truly first place in your life for the first time or welcomed back if you turned your back on Him.

If you are not active in a church right now or living for the Lord because of whatever reason go to this link below and listen to their messages. In the meantime search your heart and ask yourself why you are so mad at God and why you think you can do what you want to on Sunday.
http://live.churchofthehighlands.com/

PRAYER: Oh Lord restore to me the joy of my salvation. Help me resist to temptations to do my own things on your day. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click link for a song of praise and worship:
http://youtu.be/JiD0_Krgbo4

No Time For God

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.Matthew 6:24

God allows certain things for a reason. Sometimes there are people who want nothing to do with church, God, or the Bible as they have no time for Him and are disappointed or angry because of a death of someone close.  Perhaps they think they are 'good enough' and Sunday is their only day for recreation and they certainly do not care to be in a stuffy formal church wasting their time. Only the Holy Spirit can bring conviction of this to those wandering away from the Lord. It may be hurtful to parents who see their adult children turn their back on God or maybe not raise their grandchildren for the Lord.

 This world we live in today is a challenge for the believer. Wrong things are being made to seem right and even accepted by some believers. The truth is the truth but Satan has made God's word twisted to some who want to accept a lie as truth. If a believer follows the guidelines in the Bible they are old fashioned to some or a little freaky.

We are not going to answer to our friends. We are not going to answer to someone at the lake. We are not going to answer to someone on the bike trail. We are only going to answer to Jesus. His heart is broken when He knows there are people who have accepted Him that are being distracted by the enemy.

Wherever you are today ask yourself am  I close  to God or running from Him. No one knows the day or hour of Jesus return. Do you desire more of Him? If not maybe it is time to rededicated your life to Christ or ask Him in your heart for the first time.

Make time for Jesus my friend! It is your choice.

 PRAYER: Lead me to the cross Lord and help me as I seek to turn from things distract me from the truth. I run to you Lord. I want to honor you Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.

AND IT CAME TO PASS...

Dr. Creflo Dollar was on TV one day talking about believing and having a faith walk and not doubting about your prayers. We need to have serious faith not just be  "Sunday Christians" who think that is all that is needed is a one hour visit one day a week. Dr. Dollar said to walk in faith and keep saying 'and it came to pass' over and over, or in other words you are believing God for a job, 'and it came to pass'. You are believing God for a breakthrough in the life of a wayward child, 'and it came to pass'. You are believing God in other miracles saying 'and it came to pass'.

Now for this to work in a believers' life you have to have your heart right with God. Being jealous, vindictive, hateful, backbiting, is not going to demonstrate a love walk. And without love in your heart it is hard for God to hear you. Psalm 66:18(KJV) says 'If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear.'

If you do more than just show up on Sunday and grow in Christ and have a fierce love for Him and His word, then you will have the faith to believe the ending of what you are praying for will 'come to pass'. You have to hang on and keep believing even when circumstances do not seem like your prayers are making a difference. That is what Satan, our enemy, wants us to  believe. Do not focus on circumstances. Focus on ChristConfess things out loud such as:

I have a great marriage

I will find a job

My child will be set free

       No weapon formed against me will prosper.

          All things are possible with God.

In other words think positive and get rid of negativity. Speak positive things out of your mouth. In Romans 4:17 it speaks of 'calling those things as not as though they were.'  Believe it and do it! 

PRAYER: Lord God I thank you for hearing my prayers. I know that I need to keep persevering in prayer according to Luke 18:1 and never give up. Sometimes the enemy will try to discourage me by planting wrong thoughts or fear in my mind. I resist the attacks of Satan and know I am a child of God and you have good plans for me and my loved ones. I need to believe and receive , not doubt and do without. In Jesus' name. Amen.  

SERIOUS ABOUT SUNDAY BUT NOT GOD??

Are you 'religious' or do you love Jesus? Do you like to read your Bible and go to conferences and things that help you grow in Christ? Do you feel people who get serious about God are a little freaky? Do you feel Sunday church is enough to get by on and do not even open your Bible the rest of the week? Are you ashamed to pray in public?

Sad to say but many people seem to have a 'Sunday only' form of Christianity. Go to church, check the block, remember the Sabbath Day, then back to their 'real' life on Monday. Jesus wants you to have an abundant and full life with him seven days a week. He does not want you to forget about him Monday through Saturday and just because it is the thing to do, get up grudgingly and out of habit and go to church. Being a Christian is much more than an obligation or duty.

Do you really truly love God with all your heart? Is he first place in your life? Do you search the scriptures to find answers to life's problems or do you go along with the way of me world? He is waiting for you to ask Him into your heart and be totally sold out to Him. It is exciting when you love Jesus that much.

When you ask Christ to be Lord of your life you are transformed and all things should become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is new creature. The old things are gone and behold all things are new."You can ask Jesus into your heart right now. If you need to find a church that is on fire for the Lord, do not be caught in the denominational trap of "that is where I go because that is the way it has always been." Perhaps it is time to move on in life and go somewhere where people are excited about Jesus and not afraid to praise Him.

Romans 12:2 reminds us " Do not be conformed anymore to the pattern of this work but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the will of God is. His good , pleasing and perfect will." Are you transformed for Jesus and get excited when Sunday rolls around or is it just another day?
PRAYER: Father I love you and want to get to know you better. I purpose in my heart to make each day your day and to get up and read your word to help transform me into your likeness. Give me courage if I need to find a new church home to grow in Christ if that is what is needed. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on link for song of worship

http://youtu.be/SZ-fghqc8Oo

SUNDAY: OH NO NOT AGAIN!

Is this how you feel when Sunday rolls around? Do you feel no excitement about going to church  to worship and maybe even just stay home?  "Too many hypocrites" you may say. "I feel funny" is another good excuse. "I would rather do something fun on Sunday after a long work week".  "I worship in God's creation of nature" is another one I heard several years ago.There are many more excuses. Certainly you do not want to go to simply 'punch a religious obligation ticket' if you think that going is your key to heaven. But it sure could not hurt to go and open your heart and mind to the message and maybe find out what you are missing.

First make sure you find a dynamic church actively preaching God's word and one that encourages you to go beyond Sunday and get into a daily quiet time during your week. You want to find a loving church that is full of grace and truth and not judgment and condemnation. Above all one that preaches God's word without apology.

The Bible says in Exodus 20:8 to "Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy". Other places in God's word mention honoring the 'Lord's Day'. Isaiah 58:13-14 tells us " If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight, and the Lord's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way,and not doing as  you please, or speaking idle words, then you find joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob. The mouth of the Lord has spoken."

How do you spend the time you should be honoring the Lord in a house of worship? It is something to think about. If you have no desire for this fellowship and worship time examine your heart and ask yourself if you really have a personal relationship with Him and if He really is Lord of your life. Maybe you are already growing in Christ in a dynamic church but beware of feeling really good like you have 'arrived' as in Luke 18:12 it says "I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get". Read the rest of that chapter but basically don't get all haughty.

Now as a disclaimer we do not want to get so legalistic that we say you can not go to church Saturday night in place of Sunday. You are there, that is what counts. For many this fits their schedules better.

Where are you today? Do you want to worship Jesus? Maybe it has been a few years since you have attended any worship. Make up your mind that you want it to be part of your lifestyle just as getting up and going to work is. But go beyond Sunday and seek more of Jesus. If you have not asked Jesus to be Lord of your life why not do that today. Say " Lord Jesus forgive me for sinning against you and forgive me Lord for not wanting to worship you. Come into my heart today and transform me into your likeness. Give me a passion for you."

Hebrews 10:25 says "Let us not forsake the assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as I see the day drawing near."

Let me end with a scripture I would hope is every one's prayer found in Psalm 122:1 and it says"I was glad when they said to me, Let us Go into the house of the Lord!"

PRAYER: Lord Jesus forgive me for times when I just made excuses about going to church. Forgive me for not wanting more of you in my life. Today Lord I will seek you with my whole heart. Lead me to a spirit filled Bible teaching church where I can worship with others.i. In Jesus name. Amen.

Click on link for a awesome song of praise:
http://youtu.be/6Jo3y_XoHHQ