Playing Church

Romans 2: 23-24
23You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. 24No wonder the Scriptures say, "The world blasphemes the name of God because of you." NLT

Holy & Righteous God~
Thank you for the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that opens the eyes of my heart! Lord have mercy on us! We are no different today than the legalist Jews of the early church. Forgive us, as a church, for calling ourselves Christians. We claim to trust Your law and brag about our relationship with You, as though we have a privileged position. We recite all the right words at the right times because we know the routine and the ritual.

We’ve become arrogant know-it-alls who’ve minimized Your sacred church to a social club. We encourage our friends to pay their dues and join our religious organization. We bring them in and clean them up so that we’re more comfortable being around them. We celebrate traditions and listen to watered down messages that make us feel good. Hanging out with others who share our smug thinking and elite lifestyle is enjoyable.

We’ve forgotten our foundation. Our mission is long lost. Rather than loving You, we desecrate Your Holy Name by leaving You outside. Instead of reaching out to our neighbors in love, we reject them and criticize their lifestyle. We serve ourselves rather than the poor, lame and weak who don’t measure up to our standards. Have mercy on us O God! Our behavior is deplorable! We’ve dishonored You in front of a whole watching world!

Lord, please turn Your sacred church back to the Truth and let it begin with me! I don’t want to know Your laws. I want to obey them. I want to seek You with all my heart and cheerfully follow You at any cost. Connecting people with church is meaningless. I want to connect them with Jesus. Please dear Lord, bless me with boldness to do what’s right in Your eyes today.

Write Your commands on my heart and do not let me stray from them. Make me, O God, Your guide for the blind and lamp in the darkness. Consecrate me and separate me from the club for Your glorious name sake. May Your kingdom come through me today because You alone are the Way, the Truth of the Life. Amen.

What does your lifestyle say about the church? If you truly believe Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, reach out and touch someone different from you for Him today. Connect them with Jesus and not the church.

Sadly, I grew up in a church club lead by false teachers. I know from experience that many exist today. We worshipped, read the Bible, celebrated the ritual of communion and baptism. We recited all the right words at the right time. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of church fellowship. Unfortunately, I was led to believe that confirmation class (initiation) and church membership were the way to salvation.

But Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." If you are relying on baptism, church attendance, membership, confirmation, communion, or any other symbol for your salvation, I urge you to stop right now, confess the error of your way, and acknowledge Jesus as the Only Way to eternal life. Then, go find a good Bible teaching church where you will learn the Truth. The symbols are important but they don’t reserve your room in heaven.

Acts 4: 10-12
It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is
" 'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."NIV

2 Peter 2:1-2
1But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end. 2Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of them, Christ and his true way will be slandered. NLT