We've all heard it said....and may have even said it...."Well, I'm just not getting fed at that church anymore." Okay, I get it. I really do. There are times....rare times....but there are times that God does nudge you to leave a church and go to a new one. Especially if God's Word is not being rightly divided, or anything else that is contrary to God's Word is going on. Then, by all means, pack your bag and run! But, I guarantee you this, there will be a church where you should put your roots down very quickly! God will not move you out of one church just to be a 'floater'. Oh, you know the ones, they never 'settle' down, never join one church or the other, but instead, float around.....whichever church is tickling their ears the way they like for the moment. Let's not forget Hebrews 10:25: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." It is not only a requirement to go to church, but it is more so now, in these troubling days!
What's the point anyway, I can read my Bible at home, and study and spend time with Jesus, have my own church. I can watch preaching on TV. (Oh brother, that's a whole other blog for that one!) I can get online and watch church services, in the comfort of my own recliner. Yep....yes you can....and you should! Here's the thing.....those are all great, just not if they are taking the place of you going to church! Now, I'm not talking about if you have to work, or you are sick.....you know what I mean. Why? I'm glad you asked. We are human. We need human contact and interaction. We draw strength from each other. We see that we are not alone. We can get help from a brother or sister who has gone through what we are going through now. You can never recreate the feel of the movement of the Holy Spirit as He feels the sanctuary during the choir, and preaching and praising. You learn so much through Sunday School classes. The church needs you....but more importantly, you need church! Let's not forget about tithing. That is also a biblical requirement. Malachi 3:8,10 and II Cor. 9:6,7 are just a couple scriptures that teach on tithing. Sorry, but tithing back to yourself because you 'home church' doesn't cut it. You cannot rob God and expect blessings to flow your way.
I'm sure you are saying, okay....what does the title have to do with what you are talking about??? I'm glad you asked! :) I'm not sure about Northerners...but we Southerners certainly know what a Pot Luck is! We love to gather together and eat! Everyone makes something and brings with them...cooking up something scrumptious in a pot...and everyone eats! We all contribute to the meal. We bring one pot of something, and in return, get to pick and choose from many different foods! I'm pretty sure that they do have buffets up North, so they should be self explanatory....but just in case.....Buffets are restaurants where you come in and 'belly up' to the food bar and eat as much as you want of everything that they have! You bring nothing, contribute nothing, and yet you still get to eat your fill.....overfill in most cases!
Here is where I am going with this: More often than not, the reason we are hearing someone say, "Well I'm just not getting fed at that church", is because they are using that church as a buffet and not a pot luck. They come in, empty handed, and take and take and take, never giving anything in return. They haven't prayed like they should all week, barely, if at all, picked up their Bible, they don't hold an office, of if they do, they are half heartedly doing it....and wonder why God isn't blessing them! Well, it must be the church.....it's surely not self proclaimed righteous us...right??
I am not saying that you should stay at one church your whole life.....but, if the church is alive for Christ, you may not ever have to leave. But I am certainly saying that you should not have a list an arm's length long of churches that you have belonged to. We are to bloom where we are planted. We are human, we all fall daily. There are times we are on fire for God, and other times we are like a block of ice. That is not the church's fault. We have got to be more mature on our Christian walk, and see the big picture. We need to constantly self inventory, instead of looking to place blame and start belting out excuses. "Well, I can't enjoy church anymore after Susie came and sat in front of me, I can't see over her hat." "The Smith's cannot control their children and I can't hear the service." "The preacher never calls on me to sing anymore." "The choir is just not the same now that he is directing it." "They don't have a Sunday school class that I fit in." Oh....Satan can give you a million of them....you don't have to look long for an excuse to leave church.....Lucifer hands them out like candy to a child!
It is no little matter on leaving a church for another. It should be bathed in prayer and lots of digging in God's Word seeking out His will. We need to clean up our own closet, before trying to point to others. We must make sure that we are as close to God as we have ever been. Satan can tell you just enough of the truth with his twisted lies to make you believe anything. We must make sure it is God talking to us and not the enemy. And let me just add, God will not tell you to leave a church, and then not immediately have a church that is better suited for you. He won't take you away from Him.....He draws you nearer....if you see yourself further from Him, then it was not God's will, you left of your own will. So, the next time Satan tries to tell you, 'You just aren't being 'fed' here anymore.' Investigate, get in your prayer closet and really seek God's face. Check up and see if you have been using your church as a buffet, always taking but never contributing, or have you been doing your doing your part, filling your pot and bringing it in to further His cause??
