"Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not". - Ezekiel 33: 30-32
Why do you go to church? Is it to hear a word from the Lord for your life? Or is it to satisfy what you feel is a weekly obligation? Or are you going to make yourself "feel good"? I think that there are too many out there who fall in to the last two categories...they are those who are playing church. You know the ones. They go to church on Sundays but after they leave the doors of the church they go right back to the way they have always lived. The word has had no effect on them because they didn't go to hear the word!
Please understand that I am not here to judge them. I am only writing this as a warning to anyone who is playing church. God did not spare His people Israel from disaster because they refused to heed His word, He will certainly not spare us if we choose to do the same!
The Lord has set up Prophets for us to listen to, they are the men that we call our Pastors. They diligently study God's word so that they can hear from Him and bring that message from the Lord to us. It is entirely up to us to listen and do what the Lord tells us through that message! Obedience is always the best (dare I say Only) option.
We should spend our week preparing our hearts to hear from God each time that we enter into His house on Sunday and Wednesday. As a matter of fact, we should be like the Bereans and search the scriptures daily to see if those things we are being told are true! It's time for the church to be the church. It's time to stop playing games with God. The only ones we are fooling are ourselves. God knows the thought and intents of our hearts!
If you are playing church I am pleading with you, before it's too late, that you get things right with your Loving Creator. He has so much to say to you...if you would just listen! Prepare your heart. Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!- Matthew 2: 2.
If you know someone who is "playing", go to them in the grace of God and speak the truth in love! Be a watchman.
Church is not a place to be entertained or a place to "kill" a few hours on Sunday. It is the house of God where we go to worship the King of kings and receive His instructions on how we are to live our lives for HIS glory!!! Once again...be the church as Christ has called us to be!!!
For His glory and His Kingdom
Larry
Ezekiel 33: 1-7
