To my readers… a warning on this one. It took me weeks to finally write this one as it proved to be a very passionate experience for me but I needed to ensure that it was not me writing but the Lord in control.
Here goes…
One of the things that I truly enjoy on my travels is to visit a local church and join them in worship.
On a recent travel to London, I was excited that I was landing on a Sunday morning which allowed me to leave the airport and go straight to a very popular local church that I had heard about.
As I entered the area, I was excited to see the line I had to join to get into the church… the church was hopping and it was going to be good! As I got closer to the door I realized why there was a line.
Security officers were patting down individuals and checking bags prior to going into the sanctuary area.
Ahhhhh…. Whhhaaaatttttt?
My mind just couldn’t wrap around this. As I went up to the security officers she asked me to open my bag and I questioned why… she noted everyone had to be checked prior to going in. And I said to her but this is a church. Her response… “Oh well”.
I was still shell shocked as I walked in but I shook it off… I was there to worship and praise my God!
I love sitting up front so with a very packed church I walked all the way to the front area and was able to squeeze in on the end. As I settled in, praise and worship started and we all got up to praise, dance and worship the King.
As I was singing, there was a huge screen at the front that was panning the audience, very hard to miss it and so I found myself looking at the screen but also I started realizing something…
People were not wearing what I thought was suitable for church… you can read my views here.
Now, I am all for ‘come as you are’… but when come as you are means that your top falls right below your breasts and it leaves wide open your entire belly area with a belly ring …. guys pants were dropped low that their boxers were showing… girls tops were revealing their bras… girls had on mini skirts…
Oh man… everything within me curdled… I stopped… I found myself just looking around the church. This was not a night club!!! And of course this verse came to mind…
When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’” Luke 19:45-46
“My friends, I wanted to clear house!!!! Clean it all up!”
Now, this was a large church, growing, and by all indications of what I was seeing, they were doing great things in the community to serve the Kingdom….
But, I just couldn’t go any further. And as my spirit rebelled and tears came to my eyes, I felt the spirit telling me to just pray…
So I prayed… and I prayed… and I prayed. I was so convicted and led in my prayer that not only did I pray through 3 worship songs but I can’t tell you what I said… I can’t remember my prayer!
But as I ended my prayer I felt the peace of God resting on me. And then I prayed to not be distracted further but to serve and glorify HIS holy name.
My brothers and sisters, we need to all be praying for our churches, our leaders, and the direction that we are heading in as a community of believers with what we feel is acceptable in the sanctuary of God.
Please don’t get me wrong… Please read my post on what I feel should be worn in Church… and please think on my food for thought below…
Food for thought: When we come into the presence of God, we are expected to prepare not only our hearts and our minds, but we worship a sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresence God… how can we not want to come before him in a manner that is respectable? HE is the Sovereign King… they would never have been able to meet the Queen of England in that outfit… so how much more should they have dressed for THE KING!
Prayer: Precious Father, we are experiencing so many different distractions… and the church is being caught up into so many distractions and many have taken their eyes off the goal. But this is your church Father. Your kingdom. May thy will be done. Strengthen your workers of the harvest Lord so that we may not be distracted by the evil one’s ploys and tactics. Renew us. Refresh us. In Jesus name. Amen
God’s grace, mercy and peace be with you.
Revelations 3:1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”….The way God sees a thing is not the way we see it. To us, a place might look like a church(alive) but to God it is not…and remember in Matthew 7:20 the bible says “Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”…Bless you.
Amen! I absolutely agree. Thanks for reading and your comments. May God’s mercy and peace be with you.