Sundays have become increasingly more difficult for me. What many church attendees are unaware of is the spiritual battle that men and women of God have to endure to deliver life change messages. I've learned over my nearly two decades of pastorring that some of the greatest messages that God has chosen to speak through me have come at a great cost to me personally. Most envy the life of the pastor because they see the "things" but if you could see the scares and open wounds and rotten flesh that out weights any of the trinkets. What has cost the MOST is the genuine desire to see people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and to discover their God-given purpose that will unleash kingdom power. The enemy hates, hinders and hold the church hostage because he knows how powerful the church would be that securely seeks first the kingdom of God. It is my prayer that I will see the fullness of God's vision come to be. There are hundreds and even thousands of people who are looking for God's church. A place to worship, belong, study, serve and share. My struggle is with what God has shared and birth in my spirit and the overwhelming conflict and lack of cooperation from those who are in leadership. One would think that it would be the pleasure, privilege and purpose of people who have been in church, studied and taught His Word to carry out His Will. But sadly and shamefully those who should be there aren't. Paul writes with his heart broken and said by now I thought you would be teacher but I have to take you back to the elementary teaching. Likewise later he again said it is my desire is to feed you meat but you are still on milk. Are we to spend our time fighting or should we simply shake the dust off? Week in and week out there are those who are broken, beaten and battered by life seeking God for answers and the church is engaged in self destructive behavior. Tearing one another down with gossip and critical word. Fighting God's program, mission and vision. Focusing on self gratification, all about me, myself and I. Seeking to fulfill selfish and personal agenda. Holding fast to tradition and an old-time religion that has failed to take in consideration what it is that God wants. Has anybody ASKED God what He desired for His people to be engaged in? Has anybody ASKED God what He want His people to be doing? Is God please with our worship? What does God want the program of the church to look like, what does He want the order of business too be? Is He concerned about the widows and orphans? What about the single mother who's at her wits end? What about that teenager who fights thought of suicide? What about that wife who is being abused daily? What about that grandmother who has taken in her daughter's children and has no idea on raising this generation? What about that young brotha who dropped out of school and can't read and can hardly write? What about that little girl or boy who has to sit and watch momma smoke crack and do favors? What about that student who goes to school and is made fun of because he/she clothe smell because they have no way of washing them and have no school supplies in order to even attempt to stay up with the rest of the class? What about that gifted young person who has no one push and encourage higher education? What about those seniors who have to make the choice to eat, pay bill or buy medication? While we go to our Sunday school classes and small group session and talk about scriptures and never live them out. Then move to our dry singing, dull praying, deceitful giving, dreadful sermons and then to dinner. Oh, less I forget the great trade, where one church drags their members to one church this month and next month they drag their to the other. Then there is the weak Wednesday workout, where we go through the motion for and hour or so with very little if any praying and seeking God. Does God even attend Wednesdays?
What are we too do?
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