Quiet Time: There Is Only One Church

There Is Only One Church

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
 - John 3:3
 

Okay, okay, after reading yesterday's blog titled "Don't Go to Church" many readers thought, "Sure, Brother Doug, I'd grow in church if the preaching was better", and other comments were something like, "I don't have to go to church in order to grow", and of course there's always the perfectly American excuse of  "Sundays are my only day to relax. I work six days a week."

Hey guys, I hear you. Some preaching is better than others. I like the Charles Stanleys, John MacArthurs, and Chuck Swindols of the radio/television world too. And, as far as, growth is concerned, it is true that you can grow outside of church, and you certainly should; however, it doesn't negate the fact that you are breaking God's explicit direction and design for your maturity in Christ (Hebrews 10:25). Finally, working six days a week is simply no excuse for neglecting that which is necessary, good, and eternal, as our hard working sister, Martha discovered (Luke 10:41-42).

So, before we come up with even better excuses for not being part of a local body of believers, check out this list of what the bible says the church could and should be to us.

The Church is the:

• Only institution Christ promised to build and to bless (Matthew 16:18).
• Gathering place of true worshipers (Philippians 3:3).
• Most precious assembly on earth because Christ purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 5:25; Colossians 1:20; 1 Peter 1:18; Revelation 1:5).
• Earthly expression of the heavenly reality (Matthew 6:10; 18:18).
• Realm of spiritual fellowship (Hebrews 10:22-25; 1 John 1:3, 6-7).
• Proclaimer and protector of divine truth (1 Timothy 3:15; Titus 2:1, 15).
• Chief place for spiritual edification and growth (Acts 20:32; Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Peter 2:1-2; 2 Peter 3:18).
• Launch pad for world evangelization (Mark 16:15; Titus 2:11).
• Environment where strong spiritual leadership develops and matures (2 Timothy 2:2).

By the way, for those of you who don't know me personally, I've been a bi-vocational worship arts minister for over a quarter century now. That means I've always held a full time secular position while ministering in the church. (It's okay, Paul was a tent maker and a missionary Acts 18:3) Many times I get physically exhausted and mentally frustrated; but, then I remember that there is only One Person I desire to please, and He created the one and only place for me to be on Sundays.

That's why there truly is, only one church.

Quiet Time: Beware the Winner

Beware the Winner

When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. – Genesis 14:20

And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand." He gave him a tenth of all. – Genesis 14:20

Abram had his household trained and ready to fight, but God immediately sent Melchizedek, the priest, to remind him Who gave the victory.

Winning can tempt us into believing that we are somehow better than the next man. Since everyone loves a winner, the victor is often celebrated and lifted up by those around him. That’s where the danger lies. 

The bible tells us that a man tested by the praise accorded him (Proverbs 27:21). We see also, that many trust in the strength of their arsenal or their own preparations and personal skill.  (Proverbs 21:31; Psalm 20:7). 

As Christ followers, we must always remember that our Father God is the giver of all things good, and that includes every victory.

Quiet Time: God's Design

God’s Design

"You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks... Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did. 

– Genesis 6:16 & 22

Building according to God’s design may seem unreasonable, even outlandish at times.

For example, Noah’s dad had him slotted to become a farmer from the day he was born, but God had other plans. God used Noah to build something this world had never seen. Noah’s job was simply to be faithful; and, in so doing he would save both himself, as well as, his family from the coming storm.

Being a Christ follower can seem absurd even unfair at times. I mean, believing on someone we’ve never seen and loving someone we’ve never met doesn’t make sense in this “show me” world. However, as one pastor said, “Fair went out in the garden”, and the bible tells us that we "walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). 

Keep on building according to God’s design, even when the weather seems perfectly fine.

Quiet Time: A Walk With God

A Walk With God
 
Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. – Genesis 5:24
 
Imagine being so close to God that instead of everyone seeing you grow old and die, God just showed up one day and took you home to be with him. That’s exactly what happened to Enoch.

As a boy, I would read this passage in awe of Enoch. It seems that by sheer faith Enoch skipped the process of dying all together. We also understand that Enoch was known by those around him as a man with whom God found pleasure. That’s how we know that Enoch had great faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God.

A reasonable question then is, “In what exactly did Enoch believe?”

Enoch believed that anyone who wants to get close to God must believe not only that He exists but also that God actually desires to get involved in the lives of those who are looking for Him (Hebrews 11:5-6).  

I think that Enoch was a man who saw God intimately involved in every aspect of His life. So much so, that he walked with Him from earth right into eternity.

That’s how I want to know God, don’t you? Intimately.