I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but what have many churches become? It is like people go there to be entertained and not to worship God. I looked around at the services at many different churches and it is more they are there to entertain people than to worship God and to tell them about “all” the Bible. How many are getting offended these days because the pastor preached something they don’t want to hear, or it doesn’t fit into what society is telling them is okay now?
Many say, “I didn’t get much out of the service today.” They go to church with the purpose and wish of being given something. Why the music must be emotional or they don’t feel the service, the service needs to say what they think it should. What about the people in the service? Who are they there for? What are they there to get out of it? Do they listen and go out of the church unchanged? Did they have a God moment? Did they learn about Jesus? Some think that going to church is all they need to do…but if they are not even getting God out of that experience…why bother going? Does going to church make you a Christian? No! Who are you the rest of the week? Are you missing God at church?
Listen carefully: Entertainment is not worship! That is my opinion! Some churches charge to go to Christian events in their church. Others charge for services like Christmas and Easter services. The church is about God/Jesus/Holy Spirit, and not entertaining people. If you don’t have Jesus in your church, you are not preaching about Jesus and truth…then you are not doing as God wants
Let me say this also. It is good to have good music at church. Music can soothe the soul or energize it. I love good music, especially at church. I love to worship “the Lord” through music time at church. The music can be great and not be concert type where you do more worshipping of the band than of God!!!
A while back I went to an event at church. It was not what it said it would be…all they wanted was money and they wanted people to feel guilty if they didn’t give money to this event. It was held at church by an entertainer/Christian but it was selling people something and not what it claimed to be to get people there. I was very unhappy with this event. Most of their service was trying to get people to give money to their cause. Now, if it would have been a small thing to tell us what their cause was and say that anyone who wanted to give to this cause would be great…but they didn’t go that route. It was a guilt play and most of the event was asking you to give. Then a prior event, at another church, the person who gave the sermon (a well-known pastor in America) stated that God says, “Give “me” 20.00 each of you up to I know some of you can give “me” 1000.00. Come on up and give. NOOOOOO!! At another one (not my church either) this very well know pastor says I need a new plane. I believe God is asking you to give to pay for it. He has several houses, mansions, numerous cars, and millions of dollars, and many in his church are poor and hungry…yet…give to “his cause”. It is people like the above…and there are many, many instances of these things going on all the time. Some say if you don’t give I will be taken off TV, radio, etc. So get off it then. My God knows what they are doing, and my God is big enough to keep people on TV and radio if they are doing His work in the right way. Does anyone pray about how God wants them to further His kingdom here on earth? Do they pray to know whom to give to? Do they ask God for direction in giving? Just because a big-name preacher asks for money………..they believe it is from God. They sure set a bad example for people who truly want to know and do God’s will in their life. If your church is doing God’s will and teaching the truth and not what they want to preach to tickle your ears…give to your church and then to whomever God leads you to help. We are all to be good stewards of what we have. I’m sure this upsets people, but I trust my God to tell me what to do with what He has given me. There are thousands of causes out there people ask for help for, but are they godly? Are they doing gods will? What do you give…who does it help? Even many of the charities out there are nothing more than fake to give to the people working there and not the cause they claim to represent!!! If you give to these charities…how much of each dollar goes to the real cause and reason you gave in the first place? Might want to ask them and ask them to show you exactly how the money is used for.
What are you truly thankful for? When you go to church and it should be to learn of God and to worship Him…is your church worshipping God and not entertainment? Is your worship for God or is it for you, or even to be seen by others? What is the purpose of what you call to worship? All of our worship should be given to God! I sure see people worship sports people, entertainers, and even politicians… more than I see them worship God. If you were to ask God about this what exactly do you think He would say?
Worship is for the benefit of God. While we are encouraged by others, our purpose in gathering is to praise God. Worship is “to the Lord.”
Gathering to worship is serious business, so serious Jesus says, “Those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth” Read that over and over until it sinks in. God demands our hearts be involved and that our worship be sincere. Jesus also teaches that worship of God must be “in truth.”
Do not some people also run the risk of the curse of God by bringing before Him personal worship that is not “of the best of the flock”? In other words…always give God your best and ‘FIRST’! Praise God instead of seeking entertainment to, let’s say, get you into a “mood”. God is our mood. Praise is expected of us for God our Lord! Anything less is an insult! How many people do you see in church that stand there like dead stones facing the altar of God? No emotion, no love, they are just there in body but nothing in spirit?
If your worship is being done to be noticed by man…then you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). We must not believe God’s attitudes have changed. He will be honored before men for He is our great King!
Our worship is to please God and not man. Worship is not to be about me or you. When religious groups begin to design worship services to appeal to men rather than God, then God will not be pleased. God is the only one who deserves all the glory.
So in closing here how many people are worshipping God? Do you do it to glorify Him or man? Is how you are praising God-pleasing to God? “In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the precepts of men” (Matthew 15:9)?
I know some won’t like this lesson…if anyone is feeling convicted because of it then quite possibly it reached your heart. You see conviction of something we do wrong to get us to do right…is a good thing. My part is to tell people, but no one can make you do it but you. I just want to please God over man. You see, I want to hear one day, “Well done…and welcome home!” I never want to hear, “Well! I never knew you”. So even if you don’t like this lesson or want to ignore it for whatever reason…I gave it to please God. God is my goal, my breath, and my life. Without Him, I cease to exist. I always want my worship, my prayers, and my life to honor God for there were years this didn’t mean anything to me. I am so blessed to have met my Savior and I sure want to share Him with anyone who will listen. God bless you!
I add this: I did not go back and read what I put down. It might not even make sense, but I trust that God will use it how He sees fit. Everything is about Him and not us.