O TO CHURCH? DO I HAVE TO GDO I HAVE TO ATTEND PRAYER MEETINGS?
GROWING UP IN A CHRISTIAN CULTURE AS A YOUNGSTER HAD ITS DISADVANTAGES. STILL UNDER MY PARENTS ROOF, I HAD TO OBEY.
LET ME EXPLAIN. IT WAS MY GRADE EIGHT GRADUATION NIGHT AS WELL AS PRAYER MEETING AT THE CHURCH MY FAMILY ATTENDED IN PINE GROVE, ONTARIO. YES, I MISSED THE GRADUATION BUT ATTENDED CHURCH THAT EVENING. TODAY LOOKING BACK MANY YEARS, I HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE MY FAITH JOURNEY AND HOW GOD HAS LED ME THROUGH MY OBEDIENCE,UPS AND DOWNS, DESERT PLACES AND INTO RESFRESHING OASISES.
I AM NOT THE BEST WRITER, BUT GOD GIVES ME THE WORDS TO SPEAK. THE PASTOR SPOKE TODAY ABOUT THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS. JOHN,ONE OF THE DISCIPLES WROTE THIS BOOK. CALLED FROM FISHERMAN STATUS TO DISCIPLESHIP. WHAT A CHANGE THAT BROUGHT THE TWELVE TOGETHER AS JESUS CALLED THEM TO SERVE HIM THEN AND MORE SO IN THE FUTURE AFTER HIS ASSENCION.
THE ESSENCE OF THE STORY IS ABOUT THE CHURCH LOSING THEIR FIRST LOVE.
DID THE EPHESUS CHURCH CONSIDER THEIR PLACE OF MINISTRY JUST A JOB? NOT AT FIRST, BUT IT SEEMS LATER THEY DID. BECAUSE THEY LEFT THEIR FIRST LOVE…THE LOVE OF PUTTING CHRIST FIRST IN ALL THEY DID.
TODAY, AS BELIEVERS, ARE WE CATERGORIZING OUR GOD-GIVEN ENSPIRED GIFTINGS AS JUST A JOB OR MINISTRY THAT COMPLIMENTS ALL THE OTHERS IN OUR CHURCH FAMILY. SOME GIFTINGS ARE IN – CHURCH ENVIORMENTS AND OTHERS ARE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH WALLS.
OVER THE YEARS AS HAVING SERVED IN VARIOUS CHURCH SETTINGS FROM THE WEST COAST TO THE EAST, I HAVE FELT AND KNOW THAT GOD MOVES HEARTS TO SERTVE HIM IN VARIOUS WAYS. DO NOT LET OUR HEARTS GROW COLD TO THIS FACT. LET US NOT FORESAKE THAT FIRST LOVE THAT JESUS GIVES TO ALL WHO SERVE HIM.
YES, I DID MISS THAT GRADUATION AND TWO YEARS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL FOUND WORK. ANOTHER TWO AFTER THAT, GOD LED ME TO BIBLE SCHOOL AND HENSE INTO MANY MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CHURCHES WE ATTENDED AS A FAMILY. FROM THE WEST COAST TO THE EAST COAST,GOD WAS HONORED WITH GEORGE AND I SERVING IN VARIOUS MINISTRY OUTREACHES. A PASTOR’S WIFE AT A CHURCH WE ATTENDED, ENCOURAGED ME TO “ BLOOM WHERE I AM PLANTED.” THAT IS WHAT GOD IS CALLING US AS BELIEVERS TO DO.
AS I TOLD SOMEONE TODAY(APRIL 19,2026) THAT I AM SO THANKFUL FOR MY CHURCH FAMILY I AM WITH AND SERVING IN MINISTRY. GOD CALLS US TO SERVE HIM. NOT TO GLORIFY OURSELVES, BUT HIM. WE CAN BE COMPLIMENTED AND ENCOURAGED BY OTHERS, YET IT IS GOD WHO GETS THE ULTIMATE PRAISE.
TO END THIS READING, I WILL GIVE A QUOTE FROM MAX LUCADO’S BOOK,” GRACE FOR THE MOMENT” WHICH SAYS ,” GOD HONORS WORK,SO HONOR GOD IN YOUR WORK”. VERY FITTING. WHETHER AT CHURCH OR A JOB IN THE SECULAR WORLD OF CHANGING ATTITUDES AND VISES, MAY WE AS BELIEVERS HONOR GOD WHEREVER HE HAS PLANTED US.
