Monday Morning….It’s not a time of dread, it’s a time of renewal.

It is Monday morning and the weekend is over. So many people from time to time in their lives, get caught up in a rebellious lifestyle that leaves us empty, hurting, and knowing what we should do . . . but not doing it. It would have been so much easier if God would have just not given us “free will” to make our own decisions.

That way everything we did would be in accordance with His will and plan for our lives but the fact is He did give us the ability to make our own choices, and in so doing, has given us the ability to live, at times, in total rebellion to what we know in our hearts, is how He wants us to live.

Many people are very uncomfortable reading this devotional this morning because it is bringing automatic conviction to them since this is where they are in their life today. God loves you. He cares about you. He only wants the best for your life. That is why He is trying to get your attention before it gets any worse.

You see, sin is like quicksand. The longer we are in it, the deeper we get, and the harder it is to get out. Many people were not in church Sunday because the things in their lives have separated them from God to the point that they can’t even be in His presence. They are like Adam after his sin in the garden-you are trying to hide from God.

Life is not easy and I am not here to judge you. I am here to encourage you. God has made a way back to Him for you today. If you are tired, can’t deal with the pressure any longer, and sick of the direction that your life has taken, the Lord is speaking to you this morning . . . “Come Home.” Much like the prodigal son, who was at the very lowest depths of despair, somehow heard the voice that told him to “go home.”

When he arrived, he found his father, not ready to punish him, but love him. Not ready to chastise him, but restore him. Your Father is waiting for you, today, with outstretched arms of love, simply saying to you this day . . . “Come Home.”

I love you and care about you so much. I pray for you today especially those caught up in things that you shouldn’t be. You know it isn’t working your way. You know that your life is a mess. You are tired of running, tired of hurting, and tired of being tired. There is an answer. There is a way.

God is calling you right now, to simply, “Come home to Him.” The problems won’t magically go away and the consequences of your actions won’t magically disappear but by coming home, you become restored into fellowship with the God who loves you. He will give you the courage and strength each day to fight your problems and get victory over them. You will slowly see the joy and the peace and the happiness return to your life.

Trust GOD, today, and “Go Home!!!” Take a moment right now and pray. Ask God to forgive you for your sins. Read 1 John 1:9. THAT VERSE IS FOR YOU TODAY!!! I will be praying for you!!!

Luke 15:18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

Reasons we should go to Church…Let’s put away the excuses…:)

Every Sunday many people go to church while others are sleeping or engaged in other weekend activities. Since our weekends are limited, should we spend part of it in church? Let’s look at some of the popular reasons for not going first.

Excuse: Church is boring.

“It is repetitious, predictable and a meaningless ritual. I would rather sleep in. I work hard all week and I deserve it!”

Answer: Church is repetitious but so is life. The days of our lives are structured around cycles of work, eating, family and recreation times. Any of these activities can become boring if we don’t strive to find something interesting or enjoyable about them. Sunday mornings at church are a time to make new friends and renew old ones; to learn about the Bible and share problems as well as to thank God for another week of life.

The objective in going to church is to seek to build our relationship with God and others. Many people go to church to fulfill an obligation through some ritual and so are reduced to actions without meaning. Church worship is all about an encounter with God and others that changes who we are. Not going to church on a Sunday morning because you deserve a sleep-in does not explain why you miss church on Saturday or Sunday night. The problem is much deeper than the time of the day – it is a matter of selfishness.

Excuse: Why bother going to church when all they want is money!?

Answer: If you choose to get involved in any kind of group, be it the PTA, Boy Scouts or whatever, it will cost you in time and money. It is true that, if you don’t get involved in anything, you will have maximum control of your time and money. However, you will miss friendships and opportunities to be a good influence in the lives of others. Each of us decides where to spend our time and money. Each of us will either invest it in some purpose or waste it on the pleasures of the moment. Jesus said that there is an eternal investment that will not fade, rust or decay when we do good works that show our love for God and others (Matthew 6:19-20).

Ponder this! You do not control your life. You cannot guarantee that you will be alive the next week, day, hour or moment. Human life is a gift from God and He controls the measure of it (Psalm 139:16). Our intelligence, talents and appearance are largely determined by genetics (which is to say by God who made us individually unique). Therefore, who we are, when and where we are born, how long we live, etc., are all gifts from God. Is it unreasonable for God to ask for a portion of it to acknowledge Him and His sovereignty?

Excuse: People who go to church are a bunch of hypocrites!

Answer: Churchgoers pretend to be good for a few hours on Sunday morning but they are like everyone else the rest of the week. A common misunderstanding about church is that it should somehow make us better people. As discussed above, it is not the action of going to church, but the encounter with God and others that changes our lives for the better. Most people who go to church do not understand this and thus do not seek to have life changing experiences through worship and church activities.

Christians are humans who believe that Jesus is God and that He has made us acceptable to Himself by paying the penalty for our sins on the cross (Romans 6:23). Therefore, what makes Christians unique is not the outward appearance but what God has done on the inside by changing the soul and mind (2 Corinthians 5:17). Those who sincerely call upon Jesus to save them from their sins experience a spiritual birth that gradually transforms the mind and behavior conforming us to His will (John 1:12; Romans 12:1-2).

Christians can be seen to be hypocrites more easily than someone who does not profess any beliefs because Christian standards are defined in the Bible, whereas personal standards can be changed to fit circumstances or are unknown to others. The bottom line is that all humans are hypocrites because we all fail to consistently live up to any standards of behavior that are defined. The difference is that Jesus forgives the hypocrisy of believers and has sent His Holy Spirit to guide and transform those who know Him as Savior and confess Him as Lord (Romans 10:9-10).

Excuse: Church is unnecessary since private prayer and Bible study can be done without others.

Answer: The Bible says that believers must not keep apart from other believers (Hebrews 10:24-25). It is true that we are influenced and become like the people we associate with. Also, by getting together, common beliefs are affirmed and ways to overcome problems are shared. There are three spiritual pillars to have a strong Christian life: personal prayer, Bible study and fellow believers. To rely on less than all three is like trying to sit on a one or two-legged stool. Three legs are needed for a firm foundation and proper function.

Excuse: Churches impose a bunch of rules and then make you feel guilty if you don’t measure up.

Answer: One of the biggest reasons for the breakdown of families is the lack of moral standards. Most people who call themselves Christians cannot even say the Ten Commandments much less live by them. Without moral standards, it is easier to do your own thing and not feel guilty about it. Guilt is part of our conscience and is a gift from God to help us do good.

It is true that sometimes people make us feel guilty. During these times it is important to seek God’s view through prayer and reading the Bible. This means it is necessary to be familiar with the Bible enough to discern whether others are making us feel guilty or if God is trying to get our attention. I am convinced that there are many Christians who are doing good works out of guilt rather than because they want to love and serve God.

What Does the Bible Say About Hypocrisy?

If you walked down the street of the a busy city and asked random people about Christians what do you think they would say? I would love to say that those people would have nothing but good things to say, but sadly that is not true. Unfortunately, the word that would be most commonly used probably wouldn’t be loving, nice, compassionate or forgiving. Unfortunately, the word probably most often used to describe a Christian is hypocrite. That’s not to say that I agree with that, but that’s what a lot of people would say. So naturally I thought we should check out what the Bible has to say about hypocrites and hypocrisy.

Sometimes when looking up a certain topic in the Bible you can’t find a place where the Bible specifically talks about it and you have just have to put two and two together. Hypocrisy or hypocrites is not one of those topics. The Bible talks about hypocrites a lot and nobody talks about hypocrites in the Bible more often than Jesus himself.

Jesus obviously frowned upon hypocrisy but what exactly is hypocrisy? There are a few different ways of being a hypocrite and each is shown in the Bible. The first type of hypocrisy can be found in Matthew chapter 6.

In verse 2 Jesus says, “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” Jesus goes on to say, “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their rewards in full.”

This is probably not the most common type of hypocrisy although you may know someone like the people described in these verses. This type of a hypocrite is somebody that actually does something good, but does them for the wrong reasons. It’s not good enough to just pray to God or give to the needy, you must also have a good reason for it. A good Christian will pray because he wants to have a closer relationship with God or give to the needy out of compassion but a hypocrite will do these things for their own glory. A hypocrite will make sure that other Christians see them so they can brag about how good a Christian they are.

Another type of hypocrite can be found in Matthew chapter 7. Verse 5 says, “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

This example of a hypocrite is probably the most common example of a hypocrite. Mainly because this type of hypocrisy isn’t really about being a Christian. This type of hypocrisy can be seen in anybody. Basically what this verse is talking about is that person A is telling person B about a flaw in them when person A is a hypocrite because they also have the same flaw. It basically would be like Lex Luthor walking up to Superman and telling him he should be nicer to people.

Like I said, this type of hypocrisy can be found in anybody, not just Christians, but how should a Christian act? A good Christian would first take a look at themselves and see if they have this flaw before calling somebody else out on it. If they also have that flaw then they should take care of it before they tell anybody else what to do. That is what Jesus is talking about when he says to remove the plank from your own eye.

If you’re not being a hypocrite there is nothing wrong with confronting somebody with a problem they have but just like the hypocrites in the first example, you shouldn’t do this in public. Talk to the person in private.

Both of these are examples of hypocrites and you probably know people like them but when people call Christians hypocrites they are usually referring to the third example. 1 John 2:4 tells us about this type of Christian. “Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

It’s pretty simple. This type of hypocrite is the type of person that claims they are a Christian but then doesn’t act like it. They might attend church on Sundays even though the night before they were out doing sinful things. The Bible is very straightforward, these people are liars. You probably don’t need the Bible to tell you that, it’s pretty clear. In God’s eyes people that claim to be Christians but don’t act like it aren’t “Christian hypocrites”, they’re just non-Christians. They were never Christians to begin with.

Of course God isn’t saying, “if you ever break one single rule then that’s it, you’re a liar.” It just means if you really are a Christian then you will make a genuine attempt to follow all of his commandments. We aren’t perfect. Sometimes we’ll make a mistake and unfortunately when we make that mistake a non-Christian will probably be there to call us a hypocrite because they love pointing them out. But as long as you keep on trying to follow God’s commandments then you aren’t a hypocrite, you’re just human.

I just saw this GREAT article called Sleeping In on Sunday Sedates the Soul. It’s a must read

Who wouldn’t want to sleep in on Sunday morning rather than getting up to go to a church service? Especially after a long and tiring week of work. It makes a lot of sense to sleep in. There would have to be plenty of motivation for someone to get out of bed on the weekend.

What if you happen to be someone who has only experienced boredom in church? In that case, you really wouldn’t feel like getting out of bed to go there. Who wants to have one of your two weekend mornings taken up by something boring? That wouldn’t make any sense at all.

It makes a lot of sense to sleep in on Saturday and Sunday, unless of course you have to work. Two other things that get people out of bed are sporting events and travel. Those are fun things to do. Of course a person is willing to get up early for those things. But here again, there is a high level of motivation to do those things. Most of us are willing to make some sacrifices for those things we are motivated to do. That’s just the way life works.

We have a young man in our church who was at the worship service this morning after having just completed Army Basic Training. It was his first time back with us after 18 weeks of specialized training. I guess it made sense for him to get up at 4:15am every morning during his training. He was motivated, and besides, he was required to do it. He enlisted.

I am reminded of a classic Christian hymn entitled, “Onward Christian Soldiers.” It speaks of the commitment that is needed in order to be effective in “God’s army.” There is a spiritual war going on all around us, and we would be unwise to enter battle without “the armor of God.” (see Ephesians 6:10-20)

But what if I want just enough “religion” to make me feel good, but not so much that it interferes with my busy lifestyle and my favorite hobbies? After all, each of us deserves to have our weekend just to recoup after a hectic week of work, right?

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If man had no soul, this would be a moot point. Sleeping in on Sunday would be no better or worse than going to church. Without a soul and without a Creator, it would be fairly ridiculous to ever attend a church service. I sure wouldn’t do it, and I am guessing you wouldn’t either.

That, however, is not the situation we find ourselves in. There is a God. He did create us. He does desire to have a loving relationship with us. And He does give His children the motivation to love Him and worship Him.

Attending church only makes sense if you are genuinely connecting with your Creator through that experience. If it’s not authentic and life empowering, why do it just to “go through the motions?”

Just because some people have been bored by church does not mean that God and Christianity are boring. It just means that either their soul was bored with God, or the church they attended produced boredom, or both. Who wants to attend church if it is boring to do so?

Here’s the thing. No person in heaven and no angel in heaven is ever bored by worshipping God. Just allow that fact to sink in for a minute. Genuine worship is always inspirational, and uplifting, and motivating. One of our problems here on earth is that we sometimes give up on important things rather easily.

It happens in marriage. It happens in the work place. It happens in sports. And it happens in matters of faith. It is easy to quit. It is easy to tell ourselves that it would be a waste of our time to continue doing that “same old same old.”

But in matters of faith, not all churches are created equal. Not all churches will bless your soul. Some will, and some won’t. Some will facilitate a spiritual filling of God’s living water in your soul, and others don’t have a clue what that would even look like. So which kind of church have you experienced?

Have you attended worship services where it was like “heaven came down” and the people were thrilled and highly motivated to be there? If you have not experienced that personally, I can see why you might be reluctant to attend church. That makes sense.

At the same time, I have never met a strong Christian who has given up on God and given up on attending church. Every strong Christian I have ever known has found a way to make Sunday morning a priority because they were motivated to be there (or on whatever day and time their group met for worship).

I have never known someone who is “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Eph. 6:10) who didn’t also have a super high level of interest in attending worship. Strong Christians are motivated to be there not just to receive strength, but also to encourage and bless others. In fact, that passion to serve others becomes a fire which fuels their desire to want to meet at least once a week with their Christian friends for worship.

How many strong Christians have you known? Are you one? Attending worship services is only one of many things that strong Christians do, but it is an important one to be sure. This is why the New Testament places such a huge emphasis upon it. (see Heb. 10:25, Matt. 18:20; Col. 3:16; Acts 2:42; James 1:22; Matt. 16:18; 1 Peter 2:2; Eph. 4:12; Romans 12:5; Romans 10:17; Matt. 28:19-20; Heb. 3:13; 2 Tim. 4:2; Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 12:12-27)

Apart from faith in Christ, man’s soul is “asleep,” and even “dead.” How can it wake up? By repenting of your sin and placing your faith in Jesus and His cross. Once the soul is awake, it desires “to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord.” (2 Peter 3:18)

Getting saved through faith, but then not gathering at least weekly with other believers, would be similar to enlisting in the military but then attempting to skip Basic Training. It doesn’t work that way for obvious reasons. You are either in, or you are out.

Does it make sense to want to sleep in on Sunday? Sure. Just like it makes sense for an enlisted man or woman to want to sleep in once Basic Training is completed. I asked the young man in our church today what time he got up this morning. He replied, “7:30am.” But yesterday, he and and younger brother were up at 4:15am to go out running together (on a Saturday morning no less!).

Some habits die hard I suppose. And good soldiers have a way of recruiting others to join them, even when the cost is high. It all boils down to motivation, and whether or not you have enlisted.

What about you? Are you a “soldier for self,” or a “soldier for Christ?” You can’t be both, but I suspect you probably already knew that didn’t you?

By Dan Delzell , Special to CP

May 19, 2013|7:33 am

A light Saturday…Church bloopers

Here’s some great bloopers from Church bulletins to lighten up yourSaturday…:)

Stewardship Offertory: “Jesus Paid It All”

The music for today’s service was all composed by George Friedrich Handel in celebration of the 300th anniversary of his birth.

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

The concert held in Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister’s daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her.

22 members were present at the church meeting held at the home of Mrs. Marsha Crutchfield last evening. Mrs. Crutchfield and Mrs. Rankin sang a duet, The Lord Knows Why.

A song fest was hell at the Methodist church Wednesday.

Today’s Sermon: HOW MUCH CAN A MAN DRINK? with hymns from a full choir.

On a church bulletin during the minister’s illness: GOD IS GOOD Dr. Hargreaves is better.

Potluck supper: prayer and medication to follow.

Don’t let worry kill you off – let the church help.

The 1997 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11.

Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to church secretary.

Next Sunday a special collection will be taken to defray the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the carpet will come forward and do so.

The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind. They can be seen in the church basement Saturday.

Thursday night–Potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.

The Lutheran men’s group will meet at 6 p.m. Steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, bread and dessert will be served for a nominal feel.  A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

8 new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What is Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice.

The preacher will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, “Break Forth With Joy.”

Today… Christian Youth Fellowship Sexuality Course, 8 p.m. Please park in the rear parking lot for this activity.

During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when A.B. Doe supplied our pulpit.

The Rev. Adams spoke briefly, much to the delight of his audience.

The church is glad to have with us today as our guest minister the Rev. Shirley Green who has Mrs. Green with him. After the service we request that all remain in the sanctuary for the Hanging of the Greens.

No Sunday Morning excuses

To make it possible for everyone to attend church this Sunday, we are going to have a special “No Excuse Sunday”:

Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, “Sunday is my only day to sleep in.”

There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who feel that our pews are too hard.

Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from watching TV late Saturday night.

We will have steel helmets for those who say, “The roof would cave in if I ever came to church.”

Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot.

Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.

Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can’t go to church and cook dinner, too.

We will distribute “Stamp Out Stewardship” buttons for those that feel the church is always asking for money.

One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature.

Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday.

The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without them.

We will provide hearing aids for those who can’t hear the preacher and cotton wool for those who think he’s too loud!

From Jesus in the morning to Zombies at night

While I was in Seminary, I wrote a Missions paper on the people of Haiti. I was fortunant because a student friend of mine was a student at the seminary as well, and I was able to get a lot of information from him over coffee. One of the interesting facts of life in Haiti is that a very large majority of the people there are what they call Catholics on Sunday morning, but vodoo practioners on the same night. I used to be shocked that this could happen, but as I look around me, I see more and more of this type of behavior among the Christians all over the world.

I titled today’s blog like I did because I saw someone’s Facebook page talking about what a great morning they had at Church worshipping Jesus, but were settling down to watch zombie movies. Now I know a lot of people are going to get a little ticked at me and say I’m overreacting to a little guiltless media pleasure, but please hear me out. One of the easiest ways to take the path of sin is to take the first step in the wrong direction. We may all start off watching something as innocent as vampires, but many, not all, become addicted to that sort of show and then it becomes entwined in their Theology. Now once again, I know there will be a lot of people who don’t believe that this sort of thing could possibly happen to a reasonable person, but take a look around and tell me I’m wrong.

The world is full of snares and traps that Satan uses to lure us into his world of addictive habits. I know I’ve found myself caught up into some of his tricks, and had to reverse direction before it was too late. I urge you, as well as myself, to watch who and what we listen to. Try watching a nice movie with a descent plot that will reinforce what you see and hear on Sunday Morning as you hang out with fellow believers. Try listening to some music that has a Godly message and lifts the sould before you go to work. Now once again, I’m not saying to cut yourself off from the world, I’m just saying to make sure you don’t become like the people I wrote my paper on…Jesus followers in the morning, and the exact opposite at night. Many of them aren’t even aware that they do it becauese they have seen and associated with it so often, they don’t see what’s wrong with it. Don’t fall into that same trap.

I’ve taken the time to post some verses below that will support what the Lord has laid on my heart this morning, I look forward to seeing how they make a difference in your life.

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

John 17:15-18 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Palm Sunday…what does it mean?

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest—Luke 19:37-38—

Something that man, throughout the ages, has loved to experience is the praise and applause of his fellowman. We love to be recognized and rewarded for what we do. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it can be. Sadly, some people will do whatever they have to—right or wrong—in order to receive recognition.

Often times we read of organizations taking a poll on an individual in order to determine his or her approval rating. They’ll ask 100 people to answer questions on behalf of the rest of the population. If only 36% of the people approve of what he’s doing, then obviously, he must be wrong in what he is doing. With all due respect, may I say, “Approval ratings mean next to nothing.” I believe we can learn that truth in the life of Jesus.

Today is Palm Sunday. It is the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey while on His way to Calvary. The people, excited and hoping that He would become their King began to shout, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9). We can say that Jesus’ approval rating was quite high on that day. However, as people came to learn that Jesus would not become their King the way they had hoped, many of them would no longer be shouting words of praise. Instead, in just five days, many of these same people would be shouting words of death, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21). What happened? What did Jesus do to cause such a drastic drop in His approval rating?

Answer: He stayed the course (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus didn’t change. He came into Jerusalem with the specific purpose of going to Calvary. He came to do the Fathers will. He would let nothing stop Him from doing what He knew needed to be done. He would not let the Roman government stop Him. He would not let the religious leaders stop Him. He would not let the applause of the people stop Him. Jesus didn’t care what mankind thought. He only cared about what His Father thought. What about us?

Let us all continue to do our work, whether in the public sector or private sector, to the best of our ability and for the glory of God. Let us not do it for the applause of man, but rather, for the applause of God. It’s been said, “Leaders act on conviction, performers act on applause.” Jesus wasn’t some Hollywood Oscar nominee acting for the applause of man. His applause would come later as He ascended to heaven. The same is true for you and I.

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men”

—Colossians 3:23—

On earth the applause will never last, but in heaven the applause will never stop,

How dead is your church? See if this fits you or your churches description.

A new Pastor in a small Oklahoma town spent the first four days making personal visits to each of the members, inviting them to come to his first services.

The following Sunday the church was all but empty. Accordingly, the Pastor placed a notice in the local newspapers, stating that, because the church was dead, it was everyone’s duty to give it a decent Christian burial. The funeral would be held the following Sunday afternoon, the notice said.

Morbidly curious, a large crowd turned out for the “funeral.” In front of the pulpit, they saw a closed coffin, smothered in flowers. After the Pastor delivered the eulogy, he opened the coffin and invited his congregation to come forward and pay their final respects to their dead church.

Filled with curiosity as to what would represent the corpse of a “dead church,” all the people eagerly lined up to look in the coffin. Each “mourner” peeped into the coffin then quickly turned away with a guilty, sheepish look.

In the coffin, tilted at the correct angle, was a large mirror.

How Does your reflection look?

 

Acts 20:28 (#1 of 10 Bible Verses about the Church, the Body of Christ)
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

Romans 12:3-5
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God- 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Ephesians 1:18-23
18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 5:25-32 (#5 of 10 Bible Verses about the Church, the Body of Christ)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church- 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Colossians 1:17-20
17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Colossians 3:14-16
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

1 Peter 2:9-10
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (#10 of 10 Bible Verses about the Church, the Body of Christ)
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

How have you worshiped the Lord today?

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.—Psalm 100:1-2

Today, in almost every country, millions of people will come together in chapels and in churches, indoors and outdoors, to worship God. Others, not able to join in, will worship God by way of radio or television or Internet. For Christians, Sunday is a day to worship.

Sadly, not everyone feels the need to worship. A Christian college student once said that public worship was a waste of time. “Christians,” she said, “should be out there doing something worthwhile instead of sitting in church.” When someone else was asked why he had not been in church for the past 18 years, he simply said, “There’s nothing there for me.”

So why worship? Psalm 100 gives the answer. Worship is our imperfect way of acknowledging who God is. It is our way of saying thank-you to God for all he has done for us through Jesus Christ. Worship is intended to give God his due.

And when we worship, we “worship the LORD with gladness,” with hearts filled with joy and gratitude. Psalm 100 gives us several reasons: God made us; we belong to him. The Lord is good; his love endures forever. God’s faithfulness continues through all generations.

Make sure you worship this God today and every day!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the freedom to worship you publicly. Bless those who do not have this freedom or who are not able to join with others. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.