1990, 20.4 percent of the population attended a Christian church on any given weekend. In 2000, that percentage dropped to 18.7 percent and to 17.7 percent by 2004. Rainer explains that while church attendance numbers have stayed about the same from 1990 to 2004, the U.S. population has grown by 18.1 percent—more than 48 million people. “So even though the number of attendees is the same, our churches ARE NOT KEEPING UP WITH POPULATION GROWTH.” Church researcher and author Thom Rainer.
The writer of Hebrews says, “…let us COME NEAR (proserchomai: to approach) TO GOD with an honest and true heart. Let us COME NEAR with a faith that is sure and strong. Our hearts have been sprinkled (rhantizō: to cleanse, to purify). Our minds have been cleansed from a sense of guilt. Our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us HOLD FIRMLY (we do this by being in His presence) to the hope we claim to have. The One who promised is faithful. Let us consider how we can STIR UP ONE ANOTHER (encourage one another to come into the presence of the Lord) to love. Let us help one another to do good works. Let us NOT GIVE UP MEETING TOGETHER. Some are IN THE HABIT OF DOING this. Instead, let us CHEER EACH OTHER UP with WORDS OF HOPE. Let us do it all the more AS YOU SEE THE DAY COMING when Christ will return.” (Hebrews 10:22-25)
“YOU ARE WORTHY, OUR LORD AND GOD! You are worthy TO RECEIVE GLORY AND HONOR AND POWER. You are worthy because YOU CREATED ALL THINGS. They were created and they exist. That is the way you planned it.” (Revelation 4:11) Worship is “TO GIVE HONOR, HOMAGE, REVERENCE, RESPECT, ADORATION, PRAISE, OR GLORY TO A SUPERIOR BEING.” God demands worship because He and He alone is worthy of it. He is the only being that TRULY DESERVES WORSHIP. He requests that we acknowledge His greatness, His power, and His glory. God expects us to worship Him as an expression of reverence and thanksgiving to Him. But God also expects us to be obedient to Him. He wants not only for us to love Him; He wants us to ACT JUSTLY TOWARD EACH OTHER, to SHOW LOVE AND COMPASSION TO OTHERS. In this way, we present ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him. This glorifies God and is our “reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham