Stuck In Church

by Feb 21, 2020Devotional0 comments

Proverbs 2:11 Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you.
      
      Is Jesus the Lord in your heart, or is Jesus just one of the programs in the church building you attend? Are you trusting in Christ’s eternal redemptive gift for your soul, or is your belief in your denomination’s interpretation of what the redemptive gift is? Do you feel like you are stuck in churchiness because your spiritual life has become dry?  
      Maybe you have noticed that deep down in your soul, you have become stuck in a form of religiosity, and even the little spiritual life you think you have left has started to wane? Mark 4:25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 
      Is the strength of your faith in Christ, or is your strength in a spiritual-system you have created through your ego? A lot of people are stuck in church because they have created a fifth gospel so to speak. They have created their very own version of what they want to hear. Many have been cherry-picking bible verses that will allow themselves a carnal life that they can live with impunity. At this point in their faith, they can’t figure out why God isn’t blessing their life choices.
      This self-made gospel will not work long, because the fundamentals of God’s full Gospel have been ignored. These people will end up stuck in church or stuck in the mess of their own making. Hag. 1:9 You expected much, but then it amounted to little. When you brought the harvest to your house, I ruined it. Why? ” This is the declaration of the LORD of Armies. “Because my house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.
      Some get stuck in this nowhere land, because of a traditional belief that was man-made and not inspired by God. This can hinder the rejuvenation of the soul that the Holy Spirit is trying to give life to. It makes it hard for the light of God’s word to make its way through the well-protected zone of personal dogma the heart has become used to. 
      The Samaritans were stuck in their idea of where the right location to worship God should be. John 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus was talking with the Samaritan woman at the well. He went right to the issue and pointed out that the whole idea of worship was not about a location, but rather, it was a matter of the heart. True worship was directed toward God the Father led by the Spirit. John 4:23 But an hour is coming, and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him.
      This belief in the location of worship had evolved in Samaria from an event in their history. It was not an instruction from God. It was brought into their faith because of a political move. Solomon’s two sons had split the nation into two kingdoms. Israel in the north, led by King Jeroboam, and Judah in the south, reigned over by King Rehoboam. 
      Jeroboam did not want his people travelling to Jerusalem in the south to fulfill their religious obligations and be influenced to move there. Therefore, he created a place of worship in Samaria to appease and keep control of the people. 1Kings 12:27 If these people regularly go to offer sacrifices in the LORD’s temple in Jerusalem, the heart of these people will return to their lord, King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and go back to the king of Judah. Here are two groups of people stuck in church per se, because their political history made it so. Their location of worship was not handed down as a law from God but was created out of jealous politics.
      Jesus cuts through the traditions of men and brings us freedom and life of the Spirit in our hearts. Christ helps us break free from the man-made ordinances that keep us stuck in a rote repetitious religion. The salvation plan of God frees us to follow the whole word of God. Our God is looking for a heart who will love and bless the Lord in truth. This true worship will keep us all from getting stuck in the churchiness that sometimes becomes an empty mainline belief.
 
      We need to understand the difference and be spiritually sagacious. Prov. 2:11 Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you. The Spirit of God will give us the understanding needed to stay in right-standing with God through Christ if we ask for it. To get unstuck, we need to detach our hearts from the man-made traditions that do not give our souls life. Feed on the purity of Jesus, so we can choose life and live in truth, and not be stuck in church. Blessings.
Find Other Devotions About:

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sir Norm’s Proverbial Comment

Stop Watering Dead Plants

Finish Strong

Jeremiah 12:5 If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, in which you trusted, they wearied you, then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?         Finish strong, or...

Chances Are

Jeremiah 26:14 Therefore, now change your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the LORD your God; then the LORD will relent and reverse His decision concerning the misfortune which He has pronounced against you.              Chances are you are not going to...

Small Content

Jeremiah 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?            I asked God to help me with a small thing this week and realized what I was asking was of small content and not that pressing compared to the wars going on. I...

No Widespread Revelation

1Samuel 3:1 Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.       The above verse describes a sad time on earth when very little voice, inspiration, or vision from God was...

While We Still Have Breath

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.       The very first breath that was transferred into Adam's nostrils was God's very own infinite life force making Adam...

Too Many Choices

Joshua 24:15 But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house,...

A Deal I Can Live With

Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labour you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”   I was listening to a marriage counsellor describe some...

As Selfish As Everyone Else

Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”               The rude awakening that sometimes hits our hearts and lets us know that we are as...

Smile And Nod

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. I was talking with my mom about some family dynamics that were not going to be easy to deal with. I asked her how she dealt with these types of situations, and she said, "I have...

Based On A True Story

1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.        Whenever there is a movie that is advertised as...

You Can’t Steal My Discipline

Matthew 6:20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.       You cannot steal anyone's discipline who has become accustomed to the stabilizing rules of conduct, faithful results,...

What Are You Buying Into?

Revelation 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold having been refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness might not be made manifest, and eye-salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.    ...

AudioReads

Darkness Bleeds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvnlBYHLQb0 It is easy to flow with the crowd. Make up your own mind on what you see going on in people's lives.

Spiritually Empty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrzTcPZcWQ8   If you find yourself spiritually empty, then fill yourself up with God and all that He has for you.

God In A Box

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFLy9PTBMNI We cannot contain God within any human device or box. However, we can have Him live in our hearts. How great is that?