Re-ignite the Passion!

It is a beautiful day in Galesburg and my bride and I took some time to go for a walk at Lake Storey. While we were walking, I got to thinking about how terrible church attendance has been the last 6 or 7 weeks, and wondering just what goes on in people's minds. I'm really at a loss. Some have not been to church in a month or more. (Some have hardly been at all in the first 10 months of this year!) I don't want to come across as legalistic, judgmental and harsh, but the reality is, people have mistaken God's grace for weakness and they have no commitment to the Lord at all. They look at God as their having a limitless credit card in their back pocket that they can pull out whenever life gets crazy. I'd really love to ask everyone this question: "What does 'serving God' mean to you?" I wonder, do they see it as us serving God, or God serving us. I think for the vast majority, it is the later. I wonder if people really comprehend that Jesus meant it when he said many would stand before him on that day and he would say, "I never knew you." I wonder if they really get it and understand that if they really loved God, NOTHING would keep them away from the time for corporate worship. How many would stay married to a person that came to see them a few times a year or at best, once a month? Not many, that's for sure. Do they understand that writing on Myspace and Facebook that they love God means absolutely nothing if their life does not say that they love Him? Our actions tell the truth of where our passion lies. When we are willing to put weeks planning family activities and work activities but we cannot give the Lord 3-4 hours a week... our actions have told the world clearly of what things are of value in our lives. I've found myself making this statement a lot lately, "Ministry is Inconvenient." So is serving God. You know, because I love my wife, I am willing to inconvenience myself and my schedule for her. I've missed things I really wanted to do for her sake. When you love someone, you prefer them and put them first. It is the same with God. On a beautiful, sunny day, my body longs to be at the park but my love for Jesus compells me to go to the house of worship. Why? Because I want to be with the one I love. The pattern that is evident in the lives of so many speaks loud and clear that their passion is not directed toward God, but toward other things and God gets what is left over after we have given our passion and time toward those other things.

Church attendance says a lot to me. I've watchd our attendance over the past few months and I see that many have fallen into the habit of not attending church unless there is absolutely nothing else to do. Everything else comes first, and then if there is time, and they decide not to sleep in, then they might come. Even leadership has been hit and miss. There are a miriad of excuses offered (some don't even try to make excuses any more) but the reality is that people are not passiante about God. News Flash... "If you are not passionate about Jesus, then you really are not in love with Jesus!"

Am I trying to be harsh? No... I am not. But I am trying to wake people up. You've lost your edge. You've lost the spark. The passion has died. Do something about it now before it is too late!

If you've lost your passion, it is only a matter of time the divoce takes place. Some are so close to divorcing themselves from the Bride of Christ, and they seemingly are blind to their condition. The time for action is NOW! Reignite your passion and love with Jesus Christ NOW, before it is too late!