Do You Love Church...or God?

I had to miss church the other Sunday. I hate missing church! But my 6 yr old crushed her finger in a door Saturday night, and the pediatrician on call said to bring her in Sunday morning. Thankfully I did, as she had a fracture. But I hate missing church.

I was in a gloomy mood all day Sunday. Spending 4 hours in the ER is bad enough to do that to anyone. But it was the missing church. I love church. I love singing the praise songs, it's a huge time of worship for me. I love the learning opportunity of the sermon. I love fellowship. I love Sunday School. I love church!

So as I was brooding on Sunday, I felt a nudge in my heart. "Do you love church, or do you love Me? Because I'm always available." Um, God? Truth is I don't have to go to church to hear and sing praise music. I can turn on my radio, or even find it on the internet. The sermon I can hear online later this week. I can read my Bible for my own learning opportunties anytime.

The truth is, the reason I am starving for church on Sundays, is most likely because I haven't fed myself enough on God during the week. So Sunday is like a feast to me, an oasis in the desert. Like my guest contributor said last week, I am "forgetting to eat" during the week, and simply filling myself on Sundays.

Don't get me wrong, I think attending church is important! God said to remember the Sabboth and keep it holy. The Bible also says not to give up meeting together, but to encourage one another. Church is important! But if you can't get to church, whether you be home-bound, or hospital bound with a 6 yr old, it's good to know that God is always available.

God is everywhere. Not just at church. So spend some time worshipping Him and learning about Him daily, not just Sunday. With the help of God, I am.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

In the jungle, the quiet jungle, the lion sleeps tonight….
The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Robert John, 1971

Do you believe in the devil? Sometimes we may joke, “The devil made me do it” when we give into temptations. But do you really believe the devil is trying to get you to do wrong things? Or Are you living your live without a thought to the devil at all?

1 Peter 5:8 warns us, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Unfortunately many of us live our lives more like the Wemaway song, assuming that the “the lion sleeps tonight.” But the devil is not a sleeping lion, he is a prowling lion waiting to devour us.

The devil even tempted Jesus! The devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and each time Jesus fought that temptation with the same phrase, "It is written..." Jesus used the Holy Scriptures, our Bible, to refute the devil. He shows us His perfect model to resist temptation: The Word of God, which is sharper than a sword (Heb 4:12), and ready to slay the lion, the devil.

We need to be reading the Bible and memorizing scripture so that we too can resist the devils temptation. Then when we are in the jungles of life, we can fight the lion. And win.

Musical Musings:
1. Do you believe the devil is a lion on the prowl or a sleeping lion?
2. Ask God to help you fight the devil, then get busy yourself memorizing God's word.
3. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7) Stand strong in your resistance of sin, realizing that as you stand strong, the devil will eventually flee.

Karaoke: Dear Lord, Help me recognize and remember the truths of the Bible, so that I may resist the temptations of the devil. Give me faith in You Lord, keeping me alert and praying, so that I may not fall into temptation. And if I do fall, Lord, prompt me with the Holy Spirit so that I may turn and ask your forgiveness. Thank you for your precious son, who showed me how to fight temptation. In Jesus Name, amen.

Rock On: Read about how to protect yourself by wearing the Armor of God in Ephesians 6:11-18.