A few weeks ago, my Sunday school teacher asked me if I would be interested in teaching the class one morning. I was thrilled! I miss the 9th and 10th graders I taught in Richmond. I miss really digging into scripture to the level of being able to teach it (its different when reading for personal understanding than when you have to teach it–for me anyways…maybe I should pray about that).
This morning was my time to teach. All week, I had been preparing the lesson and laying it all before God to give me the words and for me to be His vessel to properly communicate to the class about giving God our best. I would like to share a little about it to you mainly because it is something I am very passionate about.
I believe that we are all called to a deep level of commitment in our relationship with Christ. I see people so often living a life of pretending. We go to church on Sunday and put on our "Church Face" and tell people how great our lives have been throughout the week, and all smiles like nothing is wrong. But in our worship, our hearts are in completely different places. We are thinking about everything going on around us instead of focusing our attention on Christ.
Isn't God worthiy of SO MUCH MORE?! Why do we always give Him our leftovers from the week? Why do we go to church on Sunday when the rest of the week we continue living out our sinful lifestyles?? God tells us in Malichai that he would rather have the doors to the temple locked than for us to bring him defiled sacrifices in a contemptable manner.
I was really pushed away from "the church" several years ago because I saw how hypocritical everyone was! I was the same way and at the time, I made the decision that I wasn't going to do that anymore so I left the church and continued on my own lifestyle how I wanted. (dont worry: God brought me back!). I hated hypocrites then and I still do. God loves us and He deserves so much more than we ever give Him.
Sometimes, I feel like I can't give God enough. He has done more for me and blessed me more than I would ever have imagined and He wants to do even more! It just blows my mind. How could I ever thank Him enough? How do I focus my thoughts and actions into being a consistant act of worship?
I like the words of Paul in Ephesians 3:14-21:
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts throught faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which supasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
I challenge you to look at your lives and what you are giving Christ. Are you giving Him your very best, your firstfruits, the best of your time, and all or are you just giving Him your "leftovers" from the day or week?
Worship is a heart matter. If we neglect time with God, don't prepare ourselves to encounter Him, and only give Him the "leftovers" of our time, money, talents, and so forth, we won't engage in worship that pleases Him or be in tune with Him. (taken from my Sunday School book)
~~ Is there anything that I can pray for for you? Private message me and I would be honored. ~~
