Back in the 70’s, Memorex launched a series of commercials where Ella Fitzgerald would sing a note that would shatter a glass while recording that same note on a Memorex tape.
They would then play the tape back and it would likewise shatter the glass, and then they asked, “Is it live, or is it Memorex.”
When Jeroboam took over as King of the 10 northern tribes of Israel after the death of King Solomon, he realized that if something wasn’t done soon about how and where the people worship of God, then their hearts would be drawn back to the Temple and his nemesis, King Rehoboam of the southern tribes of Benjamin and Judah.
To prevent this from happening, Jeroboam instituted a new form of worship setting up alters of worship on both the northern and southern boarders making it more convenient for them to worship saying, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.” (1 Kings 12:28)
This brings up a very interesting question. “Is our obedience to God more out of our love and devotion to Him, or is it more out of convenience?”
We live in a world that is all about making life as convenient as possible. HGTV gives away every year a “smart house.” It’s where just about everything in the house can be controlled by a person’s iPhone or iPad.
Personally, I’m waiting for the apps that will cook my meals and do my work.
But it’s all about convenience. Now, I’m not against convenience, I like a TV remote, but the problem is that this cult of convenience is creeping into our spiritual lives, especially when it comes to church.
- Is the church convenient to get too?
- Are the services at a convenient time?
- Do they have what I need to make my experience more enjoyable?
- Or can I skip going to church and just watch it on my TV or computer screen.
The way Christians look at and live their lives makes me wonder if Jesus left something out when He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
Shouldn’t Jesus also have added, “When it’s convenient to do so!”
Today to we follow and is our worship of God conducted more out of convenience, or is it conducted more out of our love and devotion to and for Jesus Christ?
Dennis Lee is the senior pastor of Living Waters Fellowship located at 211 West 1st South, behind ACE Hardware.
Sunday morning service begins at 10 a.m. either in-person or on-line. All services and teachings, including Sunday 6 p.m. service, are available on our YouTube Channel, “Mesquite NV Living Waters Fellowship.”
This Sunday Morning, we’ll be looking at the book of Zephaniah and its central theme of the “Tough and Tender Love of God.”
To find more about Living Waters Fellowship visit, “mesquitelivingwaters.com”
A Brother in Christ once mentioned far to many Christians are content to make an occasional nod to God at their convenience. Thank you for the reminder to not let that stinking thinking. Invade my Worship.
I agree with your friend, but the problem is with what we look at as Christianity today, and from the pulpit that doesn’t teach the whole of God’s word, even the hard stuff, like the judgment of God, and that God is not only full of love and grace, but He is holy, just, and righteousness.
Thanks my friend and I hope your study is going well. Say hi to Nancy for me. Take care and God bless
I believe part has to do with where our priorities lie. If God is totally and completely our priority, then we’re going to desire to worship God wherever He has us go, regardless of location, time and what our “experience” preferences are. Honoring God will be more desirable to us than participating in activities we might otherwise desire to do instead. Yes there are times when we have to work on Sunday mornings or evenings, and yes we need to work to provide for our families. Ken and I have varying work schedules that may not allow us to be at every single service during the week, but when we are not scheduled to work, our desire more than anything else is to be in the house of the Lord, and that is the choice we purpose in our hearts to make due to our priorities being with God. And yes there are those who have series health issues that have them homebound. However, what if it’s just that we want to sleep in longer, or we have company in town, or this or that activity is taking place that we really don’t want to miss. The bible makes it very clear in Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” There is no way to encourage one another in the Lord if we are never there.
Ditto. That is one of my favorite scriptures in Hebrews and one we should never forget because Church is the most essential and when life shuts down we should never forsake gathering together as the body of Christ. Christ says even more so when the time times near. Our God is bigger and badder then any disease on earth. Let us never forget whom we serve❤️🙏🧎♀️
Amen sister!
Melissa, thank you.
We need to gather together even more so, because the Day is getting closer every day.
Thanks and God bless
Dennis
Thank you Debbie, and is excellent insight. Have a great rest of your day and I hope what is going on at work turns out well for you.
Take care and God bless