This we believe part 1
Galatians 1:6-9
How many this morning wants to experience what is laid up for you in heaven?
If we want to walk in all the fullness that God has for us then it’s important that we understand what the scriptures say.
If we don’t have a basis for our faith then we can be easily turned aside. If you want the full assurance of your salvation, then you need to know that the Bible gives you that assurance.
So I’m beginning a series of messages this week on “This we Believe”.
There is so much political correctness that’s out there that we can get intimidated about what we think or believe because we might offend someone.
Let me assure you of one thing this morning, the Word of God is going to offend some people.
Matthew 13:20-21 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
But Jesus said in Matthew 11:6 …and blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Some might say, “Pastor how can you think that Christians are the only ones that’s right. There’s only one God and everyone worships Him in a little different way.”
Church, we must understand yes there is only one true and living God, but not every religion is worshiping that true and living God.
Islam does not worship Jehovah God, Buddhist do not worship the true and living God, the Mormons do not worship the true and living God, the Jehovah witnesses do not worship the true and living God. I could go on, but I think you understand that not every religion is correct.
So does it really matter what you believe as long as you believe in God? Yes it does.
That’s why I think it’s important that I take the next few weeks and cover what we believe as a local body and as a denomination, so you will have a scriptural foundation to build your faith on.
What you truly believe is what you will live out in your life.
It’s not enough to talk a good spiritual talk, you’ve go to live it out in your life and I’ve found what you truly value is what you will do.
If you truly value and recognize the power of prayer, you would be praying more. And let me stop right here for a moment, it’s critical that everyone that can be here on Friday nights praying.
We can not go to that next level unless we are a church of prayer. I know I preach a lot about it, but it’s so important.
Jesus said, My house shall be called a house of prayer! That is the work of the church, 15 minutes before service is not enough.
But pastor, I don’t have enough time to come to one more service. Then I challenge you to check your priorities closely, our purpose is to work for the kingdom of God, and we must be willing to do what ever it takes to fulfill the will of God for our family, our church and His kingdom.
You’re going to do whatever you truly value in your life.
If you truly valued the Word of God, you would be making an effort to spend time in the Word.
If you truly valued coming to the House of God, which the Word tells us not to forsake, then you would be here every time you possible could.
But Brother Owens, this is a new day, a new time and a new culture.
None of that negates the Word of God. I don’t care what culture you came from, the Word of God is for all times, all races and all cultures.
As Nathan pointed out last week, we were not the original recipients of salvation. But the Word declares “Whosoever will may come”. That now includes you and me.
Every word in this blessed book is there for a reason and none of them are up to use to ignore.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. KJV
Every time you don’t live out the Word of God in your life you add another layer of deception in your life and you will get to a point where what you desire is more important in your life than what God desires and that’s where the enemy has you.
So this morning I want to share with you what we believe concerning our loyalty to God and Commitment to the Church.
Let me read to you what our teachings say… “The life of Christian discipleship calls for the fulfillment of our duties to the body of Christ.
We are to unite regularly with other members of the church of the purpose of magnifying and praising God and hearing His Word.
Sunday is the Christian day of worship. As the Lord’s Day, it commemorates the resurrection of Christ from the dead and should be employed for worship, fellowship, Christian service, teaching, evangelism, and proclamation.”
The writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
One of the most troubling areas for a pastor is trying to get people to come and keep coming to church.
I think some churches try to give their pastor a heart attack, because every time you wait to the last moment to come to church, the pastor’s heart is about ready to fall out his pants leg because it doesn’t look like people are going to show up.
Have you ever thought of what the impact is of your not being here?
First of all it discourages the pastor…the enemy will use that to attack pastors…oh, you must have made them mad this time. They don’t like your preaching, they care more about other things than listening to you. I can’t do what I want to do because I can’t get anyone to commit to doing it.
Second of all it discourages the workers…Every service that we have someone has put an effort into preparing for that service, sometimes hours of preparation.
When people don’t show up, it discourages the singers, they don’t have many to lead in Worship.
They begin to feel like, why bother with preparing if no one cares enough to come anyway.
It discourages the teachers, I’ve seen it here, teachers who have put their precious time into preparing for a lesson and no one show up for them to teach.
Thirdly, it discourages the church…when people don’t come, it starts sending out a spirit of despair over a church. Why won’t anyone stay with us? Why can’t we grow, if no one else is going to come, then I’m going to quit too.
Fourthly, You miss out on what God wanted to speak into your life when you’re not here.
It sets off a whole domino effect when Believers stay away from church.
The enemy does not want you to get plugged into church and that’s why he tries to plant seeds in your mind about church and tries to blow this whole church thing out of proportion.
Now here at our church, you only have just 6 hours out of your week to enjoy the different services here at the church.
Out of 168 hours in a week that’s only 3 percent of your time.
I want you to see how the enemy works…
Now the enemy will try to blow all of that out of proportion and make you feel like you’re in church all the time and you don’t have time to do anything else for yourself.
Is that true? No, you still have 162 hours left.
You’ll spend probably spend 56 hours sleeping.
40 to 50 hours a week working.
And that still leaves you with 56 to 66 hours for personal time. That’s 2 ¾ days for your own time.
But the enemy will make you think that you’re way to churchy!
I wonder why he’s so scared of you coming to the house of God.
First of all coming to church puts you into an atmosphere to receive from God.
The reason coming to church puts you in an atmosphere to receive from God is because Jesus Himself is here.
Look with me at Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Psalms 46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.
The enemy hates it when you go to church with an attitude to receive and that’s why he will try his best to either keep you from coming to the house of God, or being distracted once you get there.
I mean the enemy will use cute little babies who look at you while they’re on the mothers shoulders and you start making funny faces at them, and missing what God is trying to speak into your life.
The enemy doesn’t want you in church because he don’t want you to receive what you need from God.
You hear me this morning church, every time you come through those doors, come with an expectation of receiving from God.
Jesus will meet with us every service if we will come in His name.
You might be weary and worn, tired and torn. Sick in body and wished you could die, but I’m telling you now, get to the house of God with expectancy in your heart because the God who can handle every problem, take care of any situation, and heal any disease or sickness will meet you there.
Don’t you see, you’re not coming to my house, you’re not going to your church. You’re coming to His house and God will take care of those who want to come to His house.
He’ll not be fooled. He knows the ones that just showed up to be showing up and didn’t really care if they met with Him or not.
But He also knows those who came expecting to see Him.
He sees the looks on your face every week, He knows your heart, He knows your burden, and there’s something special about a group of people that come together to meet with Him, that brings out the miraculous.
It causes God to open up the windows of heaven, and pour out the healing balm of Gilead.
He releases hope and faith as His Word gets preached.
And what might have seemed impossible before you came through those doors, now is possible!
Oh let me tell you church, God is waiting for you to show up with a heart of expectation. He’s looking for someone who is hungry for Him.
1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. KJV
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him… KJV
I believe every time we stay at home, God is saying, Oh, I wish they would have came because I had something for them.
If you came with a heart of expectation this morning, God has something for you.
Don’t ever let the enemy talk you into staying away from church so he could work on your mind.
But Pastor, can’t God meet me here at home too? He can, but He told us not to forsake coming to His house. He’s not obligated to do anything for you when you could have come to His house, but didn’t.
Conclusion…
Church, it is absolutely God’s will for you to make coming to His house a priority in your life.
This is your call, this is your ministry to serve the Lord by serving His church. It’s not about what can the church do for you, but it’s how can I serve God by loving His church.
Church is important to God, He instituted it. He birthed it, He empowers it by His Spirit and when you understand that coming here on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday nights and to intercessory prayer (which Jesus said my house shall be called a house of Prayer) is not something to do because we have too, but every time we come together, God is imparting something into your life and you leave here better for it, stronger in the Lord for it and God is releasing His life and power into your life when you come.
I don’t have time to go into all the other things like the joy that it brings to the Father when we come together and corporately Worship Him through songs, hymns and spiritual songs.
This morning, if the enemy has turned your church experience into a drudgery, I invite you to this altar this morning, and let God restore to you the joy of your salvation.
Let Him put that seed of desire in your spirit, so you can say like David…
I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.
