Christian Living

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I get up early Sunday Morning and get all dress up.
I grab a donut and drink and head off to church.
I go to Sunday school and said hello to friends.
We visit and talk about our troubles and our day.
The choir and sing the same songs, we always have.
Hymns that tell us what God can do for us.
The members sit in their same old seats so everyone is comfortable
The service is the same order so everyone knows what to expect.
The sermon is given and rarely does anybody change.
We see no miracles, no angels, no outpouring of God’s presences.
We see no great victories in our lives, no difference from the world.
The alter is not filled with lost sinners or the backslidden.
Nor is it filled with the saints’ worship and prayers.
The service lasts the same amount of time
For if the invitation runs long there be Hell to pay.
They past the plate and take up money, we grudgingly give.
And we often leave the same way as we come in
Sadly never having met with God or worshiped Him.

I not quite sure when or how
But somewhere along the way it stop being worship.
The focus shifted from what God wants and meeting Him
To our wants, needs and what makes us comfortable.
But this is not true worship, just it trappings.
He takes no more pleasure in it than burnt bulls or sheep.
I am true sorry Lord, for what I have allowed it to become.
This is not what I want in my life
And I ask Your forgiveness.

My focus needs to be on meeting with You
And spending quality time with You, not just going to Your house.
My focus needs to be on getting closer to You as a friend.
Understanding Your heart and mind better.
Friends take time to listen and to share.
They are grateful for chance to be together.
They listen and value each other’s advice
Even when what they say is not what we do want to hear
Because we know that it is said in love.
They laugh, they talk for hours and lose track of time.
They sing, they clap hands, shout and enjoy each other’s company.
They cry, they weep, and comfort one another when they hurt.
Their heart breaks if they think they have offended the other.
They cry when they know they hurt the other.
They put the others wishes first.
They go out of their way to please the other.
They encourage, strengthen and give gifts to each other.
They remember what the other has done
And are thankful for each act of kindness.
They consider themselves blessed for know them.
They will lay down their life for their friend.
Christ will always be that friend, should do less for Him?

My focus needs to be on discovering Your will for my life.
My comfort keeps You from freely moving
For I expect You to do no miracles, or healings.
I don’t look for You to put the right person next to me
For me to witness to or encourage.
You should be allowed to planning the service
As You would have it to be done.
Even if that means we need to stay because You touch someone’s heart.
You made me, You have a plan for me. I need to find it.
You have dreams of great works and blessing for me,
You like to see implement in my life so that I might know joy.
I need to search them out, and honor Christ by following them.
After all I am Your servant, bought at a costly price.
Yet You have always been a gentle and kind Master.
One I would chose to serve even if I were free.


My focus needs to be on honoring my Father
For the life and love, that He has given me.
I need to spending time just bouncing on His knee,
Listening to bedtime stories,
Giving hugs and kisses,
And returning the love he has given me.
For he choose to adapt me has His own child
And He delights in giving me good gifts.

My focus needs to be on listen to the Holy Spirit.
He is so wise and smarter than I. I need to learn all I can from Him.
So I don’t have to learn the hard way what does not work.
He even tell me how to success and prosper.
The truth will save me pain if I will but listen
And He does not make rules just to spoil my fun.
But because He is older and wiser than I.
If I will follow Him, He will keep me out of harm’s way.

And last My focus needs to be on God
Just he because He is the Great I Am.
He is good, kind, sweet, merciful, and gracious.
He is pure, holy, wise, powerful, faithful and just.
He is my Creator, giver of life and I the clay in His hand.
He is my Savior that died on a cross for my sin
And rose again that I might live a blessed life on earth
And rule with Him one day in Heaven.
And He deserves my praise and my worship.
And He desires my focus to be on Him.
He wants me to look into His eyes and heart
Not just what His hands can do for me,
Not just what I need for that is true worship.
And You deserve that I surrender all of me to Your Will.

Kathy Barnes
Copyright 6-7-09

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