[ STIK ]

Lately, I have been thinking a lot. A lot about my own sin and some things I have also observed. It is no secret that I am not where I need to be spiritually and a lot of that is due to my own laziness and sin. I need to be a better husband and spiritual leader.

Now that I have shared with you my short comings I will share what I have observed.

Also lately, I have noticed more and more people leaving the church, swapping churches, or simply not “needing church” to be a Christian. Everybody has got a reason but the common thread I have noticed is that people are no longer “getting anything out of it.”  I am sorry but this kind of thinking baffles me.  I used to think the same thing for the longest time. I mean, if I am not getting anything out of it then why stay or even go to church, right? Then one day it just hit me.  This search for the perfect church is ridiculous. You are not going to find it. Do you want to know why?  It is because every church is filled with sinners.  This is also why you will find churches filled with hypocrites.  It was Jesus that said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  Saying you don’t go to church because it is filled with hypocrites is like saying I don’t go to the doctor because sick people go there.  Now I must move on to my next point.

The church does not exist to serve you but you exist to serve the church. Think about it. We exist to glorify God by showing his love to others.  In order to do this we are going to have to do something.  Sit under the authority of a God-fearing, scripture-preaching, and humble-living pastor.  There will be times when we don’t feel like doing what God has called us to do but, when that moment comes, ask yourself: What if Jesus didn’t feel like doing his ministry of going to the cross?  Yikes!  Now all of a sudden showing love to others seems pretty easy right?  It will be easy and sometimes it won’t but I implore you to not be so easy to give up on seeking God even in those difficult times.  Sometimes we learn the most in those distant difficult times.  Also, if you are plugged into a church but find yourself “not getting anything out of it” then share that with your christian friends.  Maybe they didn’t know you needed encouragement.  Maybe the community you are a part have been thinking things with you are just fine because you haven’t shared with them your concern.  Hopefully the love and encouragement they show you during this time will be what your spirit needs to get kicked back in gear.  I mean, we are all called to “spur one another on towards love and good deeds.”

Soap box ——> Me ——-> Off

GOD says to me with a kind
of smile, “Hey how would you like
to be God awhile And steer the world?”
“Okay,” says I, “I’ll give it a try.

Where do I sit?
How much do I get?
What time is lunch?
When can I quit?”

“Gimme back that wheel,” says GOD.
“I don’t think you’re quite ready YET.”

Shel Silverstein