Prepare for Worship
1 Kings 6:7: "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building."
Just look at the precise, meticulous attention to detail that was given in the preparation of the materials to be gathered together into one place. Solomon’s plans were so well-orchestrated, that all of the materials were to be assembled together without any need of a hammer, axe, or any other iron tool once on the construction site. What an accomplishment!
Now, let’s take that thought, and apply it spiritually to the body of Christ we call the church today. I wonder how many of us individually are so prepared spiritually for the assembling of ourselves together, that once we are together, we are all in one mind and in one accord, without any further need of adjustment before the fitting together of each our place in the Kingdom? Hmmm…makes you think, doesn’t it?
1 Peter 2:5 says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” You see, when the church (the blood-bought, born-again believers in Jesus Christ) assembles together, we are supposed to make up a spiritual house which offers up spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God. In other words, we are supposed to PREPARE to MEET with God BEFOREHAND!
However, today’s church model encourages little if any “prep time” and more “just come as sloppy as you are and we’ll work on you after you get here” kind of mindset. Now, before you turn me off, I realize that you can’t clean a fish before you catch it, and the church is supposed to welcome the lost to the church house, regardless of their condition, so that they can hear the Gospel and be saved and changed by its power.
However, just remember that in context, I’m not focusing on the lost in our conversation today. I’m focusing on how it SUPPOSED to be with those of us who already claim to know Christ as our Savior. Although church is a GREAT place TO make adjustments, “get right with God,” etc., I’m simply trying to get you to think of how much MORE we would get out of church if each of us did our spiritual tune-ups in the privacy of our own homes, praying to The Lord and reading His Word in our private times, BEFORE assembling together for worship.
Perhaps someone else can finally come to church and hear Jesus speaking, instead of becoming distracted by all the clanging of tools it takes to unify all of us!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Just look at the precise, meticulous attention to detail that was given in the preparation of the materials to be gathered together into one place. Solomon’s plans were so well-orchestrated, that all of the materials were to be assembled together without any need of a hammer, axe, or any other iron tool once on the construction site. What an accomplishment!
Now, let’s take that thought, and apply it spiritually to the body of Christ we call the church today. I wonder how many of us individually are so prepared spiritually for the assembling of ourselves together, that once we are together, we are all in one mind and in one accord, without any further need of adjustment before the fitting together of each our place in the Kingdom? Hmmm…makes you think, doesn’t it?
1 Peter 2:5 says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” You see, when the church (the blood-bought, born-again believers in Jesus Christ) assembles together, we are supposed to make up a spiritual house which offers up spiritual sacrifices which are acceptable to God. In other words, we are supposed to PREPARE to MEET with God BEFOREHAND!
However, today’s church model encourages little if any “prep time” and more “just come as sloppy as you are and we’ll work on you after you get here” kind of mindset. Now, before you turn me off, I realize that you can’t clean a fish before you catch it, and the church is supposed to welcome the lost to the church house, regardless of their condition, so that they can hear the Gospel and be saved and changed by its power.
However, just remember that in context, I’m not focusing on the lost in our conversation today. I’m focusing on how it SUPPOSED to be with those of us who already claim to know Christ as our Savior. Although church is a GREAT place TO make adjustments, “get right with God,” etc., I’m simply trying to get you to think of how much MORE we would get out of church if each of us did our spiritual tune-ups in the privacy of our own homes, praying to The Lord and reading His Word in our private times, BEFORE assembling together for worship.
Perhaps someone else can finally come to church and hear Jesus speaking, instead of becoming distracted by all the clanging of tools it takes to unify all of us!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill