WE NEED TO BE COMMITTED
We’ve all seen them, committed people. Committed to their cause, some willing to die for it. The animal activists would rather die themselves than see another fur coat made. The abortionists will do anything (legal or not) to keep the mills running. Committed hunters are up hours before sun-up the day season opens. And just in case “THE GAME” isn’t enough for football fanatics there is an event called “pre-game”. Then there are the Christians, who might make it to church, if it’s not hunting season, or “the game” isn’t on at the same time, or it’s not time to wash the dog. What kind of example are we setting to the un-saved? Let’s back up, what kind of example are we setting to our children? Let’s back up further, why do we bother to go to church at all? Do we go because it’s Sunday? Do we go because we want to visit with our friends? Do we go because we don’t want the neighbors to see our car in the driveway on a Sunday morning and think we’re not saved? Why do we go? Why does the deer hunter get up at 3:00 AM the day season opens and drive an hour and go sit in the sub freezing weather? He does it because he’s expecting to see that “big buck”. He’s expecting to have it come by close enough to touch. He wants to hear it breathe he wants to smell it. Then he wants to tell every one about it. Even if he doesn’t get to take it home, just to talk about it is enough. Ask any hunter, he’ll tell you stories from way back., and with details. Why does the football fanatic watch all the games? How does he remember all the stats? Why is it his life’s dream to go to the superbowl? Because they are COMMITTED.
Over the years we have been part of a few different “church bodies”. We’ve always been there any time the church doors were open. Not only that we’re usually early, sometimes before the doors are open! We usually sit on the front row if we can, and we’re usually the last to leave. Is it because we’re committed to church? NO! We are committed to Jesus. There is nothing you can do to make an unsaved person excited about going to church, unless they are hungry enough to get saved. So does that mean you aren’t saved if you’re not excited about going to church? Well let’s see. We’ve all heard the correct statement that you don’t have to go to church to be saved. That is very true, but when you get saved you will want to go to church. When you get really saved you’ll do about anything to get there. Like the hunter I expect to see “him”. But my “Him” is Jesus. I go to church to be with other hungry believers. If our praise and worship is true and hungry, He will accept our invitation and come. I want to touch Him, I want to smell Him, I want to hear Him breathe. Can I invite Him by myself? Of course, and He will come. but like the superbowl the hunger of a crowd is contagious. I love it when hungry believers visit our fellowship. Their hunger is contagious.
A few years ago we went to the Brownsville Revival in Florida. We were already saved, we had already seen miracles, we had already seen people saved by the hundreds. But Oh to be amongst hungry believers! We had to get in line at 5:30 in the morning, just to get in church! And we did, and it was 17 degrees! And alot of other people did too! There were people who stayed in line all day . Why? Because they were hungry! Are you hungry? Do you desire to fellowship with hungry believers? Are You committed? I recently heard a good teaching about the “religious spirit”. About the things of God, the religious spirit says, “you have to”. You have to go to church, you have to pray, you have to read your bible, you have to be nice to your neighbor. The spirit of God says, “I get to!” I get to go to church, I get to pray, I get to study the Word, I get to be a good witness. How about you, do you have to, or do you get to? Let’s get committed, there’s freedom in commitment!