Dear Ones,
Hope you have a blessed day. I am going to Exercise class and Craft class and later serving at the soup supper and going to
the Lenten service.
Devotions from Judys heart
How faithful are we at serving the church, or does the church get the left-overs of our time and energy? When we come to know the Lord, we become part of His bride the church rather than just focusing only on our own spiritual life. The church is important, for it is central for God’s plan. Paul says in Eph 3:10, “(The purpose is) that through the church, the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere.”  Paul himself sacrificed so much for the church and said he even rejoiced in his suffering for the sake of His body which is the church. (Col 1:24) He goes on to say he was commissioned by the Lord to serve the church.

The church is under attack today and many are simply apathetic towards it. But we must remember that to love Jesus is to also love His church, and we are to serve the church. No church is perfect, and the worse the condition of the church gets, the more we need to work on its behalf to bring change. The church is a fellowship of believers who come together to obey, to worship, and listen to the Word. Jesus is the center and only way to salvation. We are His disciples who receive the Lord’s supper and communion, want to grow spiritually, and reach out to the poor and lost. The church is far from perfect and needs fixing today, but why not help rather than talk negatively of it? If we want our children to follow Jesus, we need to include them at a very early age in helping the church. Our youth especially need the church, for there are so many worldly pursuits to grab their attention.

I remember reading that as the times get worse, we need to have an ark. As Noah had an ark that kept him safe during the flood, the church is our lifeboat and ark. Of course, life inside the ship is not perfect, but life outside the ark is far worse. Pastor Gary Thomas writes about how the church is an extension of Christ’s body, and when the church suffers, Christ suffers. (I Cor. 12:21-31) The church is built on the backs of faithful and even suffering believers, serving in many ways like teachers, elders, worship leaders, youth ministers, those feeding the hungry, giving in tangible ways, greeters, etc. Let us all find our place to serve and build Christ’s church.

Challenge for today: Don’t complain of what you would like different in the church, but become part of the solution and ask the Lord how you can serve best.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy