Daily Devotional – 10/26/16 – “Real worshippers!”

You know, there used to be a time you could go to your respective worship places and simply worship. When the pastor’s role, as shepherd, was both respected and admired. When the members of the church feared and adored God and took their place within the body of the church to heart. When the choir stand was filled with people who loved the Lord and it showed through song. When the ushers cared about guarding the door posts to God’s house. When the deacons put their love for God and His commandments over traditions. When ministers, new to the ministry, were taught how to be preachers and pastors. When people faithfully paid their tithes. When the youth had something to look forward to like shut-ins, vacation bible school, children’s choir, Sunday school and etc. When missionaries actually served. When the mother board actually had praying mothers of the church. When you could sing a Dr. Watts and the Holy Spirit was released. When you had revivals and it was standing room only. When you needed healing or help, you got it from the church. When you needed prayer, you could call the pastor. What happen to those days?

Please understand, even in the “old” church you still had messy missionaries, deceitful deacons, unholy ushers, criticizing choir members, meddling mothers and preachers who prostituted the gospel but then the real, true followers of God would sit their butt down. Oh but now, if you are the highest tithe payer, you can get your way. If you’ve been at the church since the first brick was laid, you think you have the right to say how things go. We’ve even gotten to the point where we put a time limit on the Holy Ghost because we can only be in church a good 90 minutes before you start rolling your eyes. Now, you’ll find any excuse as to why you can’t come to worship. What happened? Too many people are leaving the church hurt and broken instead of heal and blessed. We are losing too many people to suicides and mental illness because we don’t want to talk about things we’ve made off limit. Too many pastors are going home unhappy because they are overworked, underpaid and used, causing their families to be destroyed. What in the hell is going on? What happened to real worship and the real worshippers? Where is the soul stirring prayer that shifted the atmosphere and the ushering in of the Holy Spirit that took the place of whooping and hollering? Where’s the real love for God? And how can we get it back because the bible says, “But the time is coming–indeed it’s here now–when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.” – John 4:23