I Don't Just "Do" Church...I am a "Doer" of the Word!

"But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." [James 1:22]

About a month ago, I posted a status on Facebook that read, "Are you a REAL Christian???...OF AND LIKE CHRIST! Or a Sunday church goer, bible quoter, fried chicken- provider- for Pastor's Day???...Great questions for US (me included) to ponder today!!!"  And although I may have gone about my questioning in a comical manner, the heart and reasoning behind my questioning was real and of a deep concern to me.  You see, a great deal of my adult life, I have either overheard conversations, observed, or chatted with proclaimed Christians, that in my opinion seemed more concerned with "doing" church as a weekly social activity, than being about the business of God's Kingdom and "doing" the Word.  "Keisha" would laugh about the scandalous time she had just had at the club on Friday night, and in the same breath remind "Lisa" that it was Women's Sunday at church and they had to wear all white for the choir.  Or maybe I'd witness "Janet" cussing out another random church goer in the parking lot after church, for blocking her in and being in the way...'cause she had to get back home to grab the potato salad for the after church picnic.  And oh my... don't get me started about the members of the church that are concerned more about pleasing Pastor "Such and Such", and almost worshipping him more than the actual Word that he preached..."Oh, Pastor "Such and Such" sure can preach! Oh, you gotta come to my church and hear Pastor "Such and Such"!" 

I mean where is our focus, People??? Is Church a social outing for you or are you about the business of getting and then "doing" the Word???

Speaking for myself alone, being about the business of God is something that I eat, sleep, and breath.  Sure, I can go to a building on a Sunday, hear the Word preached, and corporately worship the Lord with other believers; but that is just a small portion of what my life as a Christian really is.  Sunday is simply ONE day of SIX others that I am expected to be about the business of God. 

When I awake:  God and his precepts are on my mind...starting the day off with a devotional and reading of His Word...prayers to start my day...

At noonday:  I have Him on my mind..."Am I doing everything I can to be Christ-like today?  Am I being patient with the children, and showing some gentleness?  How can I try to keep my cool and be like Christ, although this dude is beeping at me for no good reason and I'd like to cuss him out?  Am I respecting my husband and giving him enough time (since he is suppose to come before the children)?"...

In the meantime and in between time: I pray some more and sing in the spirit..."Lord, I am exhausted and cranky!  Please strengthen me through Your strength and revive me to persevere with the rest of my day and responsibilities.  Help me, because Joshua is driving me crazy!  Amen!"...

And at bedtime:   The Lord, His love and grace for me throughout that day, and thankfulness is on my mind.  I occasionally read a nighttime devotional and I fall off to sleep, as He watches over me.

This is a continuous cycle, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and back to Sunday.  It is my LIFESTYLE!  Not something just to "do" or "somewhere" just to go on Sundays.  God loves for us to gather together and fellowship in His name, at the church, bible study at "Patrick's" house, what have you; but He is most concerned that the purpose of our gathering is for hearing the Word, doing the Word, spiritually encouraging each other, and giving Him the glory.  NOT as a social club. 

 

^"We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming." [Hebrews 10:25]

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." [James 1:22]

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." [Joshua 1:8]

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night."

I just feel like so many believers spend their time getting all gussied up on Sundays, going to church, singing, clapping, "amening", "feeling" all good; and then walking out the door, leaving the word in the building and moving on with the rest of their week (as normal), UNTIL Sunday rolls right back around.  Can you even recall a smidgen of the sermon's message by Monday morning?  And if you do, are you even trying to put it into practice throughout your week?

 "The farmer sows the word. ¹⁵ Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ¹⁶ Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. ¹⁷ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ¹⁸ Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; ¹⁹ but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²⁰ Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.""  [Mark 4:14-20]

The life of a Christian needs to reflect a lifestyle of being Christ-like and being Christ-minded.  We have to quit viewing Sunday as the Lord's only day and began to worship Him daily in every manner of our lives...during every moment of our days. 

Stop "doing" church on Sundays...

Be a "doer" of His Word and be a reflection of Him everyday of the week!

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates," [Deuteronomy 11:18-20]

...IT'S A LIFESTYLE!!!

Mad Luv~Teri