The faces in church


A congregation is made up of so many different kinds of people going through so many different kinds of things.
As a worship leader I see all kinds of faces each week!
Sad, happy, angry, disinterested, disappointed, excited, peaceful, joyful faces!
I see faces... God see hearts!

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong.
(Ecclesiastes 5:1 HCSB)

Some people offer God big and foolish promises, but others
offer Him the sacrifice of praise... they're offering God their worship when they really don't feel
like it, when it's really a struggle to just forget about their problems and worship Him!

Some are heavily convicted and want to confess their sins to God, and that's good! But so often we promise him much more than we will deliver!

Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to make a speech before God.
(Ecclesiastes 5:2a HCSB)

God knows. He just needs to see a truly repentant heart and lips that are asking simply for forgiveness!

God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2b HCSB)

There's a big difference between God and man, and words don't impress God!

Then you got your day dreamers... They're thinking about themselves, their lives!

For in the multitude of dreams and many words there is also vanity. But fear God.
(Ecclesiastes 5:7 NKJV)

They may be dreaming about what's for dinner .... and they may be dreaming about what to NOT to put in the offering plate too!

Whoever loves money will never have enough money; Whoever loves wealth will not be satisfied with it. This is also useless.
(Ecclesiastes 5:10 NCV)

"They just don't have enough to give this week! "
Do you find yourself struggling with how much to give as your offering?
Do you find yourself dreaming of the stock market in church?
Oh, money can be a curse and it can be a blessing can't it?
When you think about it too much- it becomes a curse!

I have seen real misery here on earth: Money saved is a curse to its owners.
(Ecclesiastes 5:13 NCV)

It may appear to buy you happiness... or even friends, but ...

The more wealth people have, the more friends they have to help spend it.
So what do people really gain?
They gain nothing except to look at their riches.
(Ecclesiastes 5:11 NCV)

They may be at church that morning repenting that they gambled it away the night before!

They lose it all in a bad deal and have nothing to give to their children. (Ecclesiastes 5:14 NCV)

But if people could just give their money to help grow Gods church, they'd find out God gives back His blessings in so many ways!
It's not really 'our' money anyways is it?

People come into this world with nothing, and when they die they leave with nothing.
In spite of all their hard work, they leave just as they came. (Ecclesiastes 5:15 NCV)

If this is what they've lived for, to pile up riches and then leave it all behind...well, what a huge disappointment!

This, too, is real misery: They leave just as they came.
So what do they gain from chasing the wind?
All they get are days full of sadness and sorrow, and they end up sick, defeated, and angry.
(Ecclesiastes 5:16, 17 NCV)

Thats not God's intentions for us, to be sick and angry and miserable about our money!

Those blessings that He returns to us can be in the form of just being able to ENJOY what he's blessed us with!

I have seen what is best for people here on earth.
They should eat and drink and enjoy their work, because the life God has given them on earth is short. (Ecclesiastes 5:18 NCV)

Whether we own stocks or sell the stocks, whether we take care of the sick or we are the sick, whether we're famous in our work or working in our homes, whether we're working on Walstreet or repairing the street, we can find joy in whatever our job is!

God gives some people the ability to enjoy the wealth and property he gives them, as well as the ability to accept their state in life and enjoy their work.
(Ecclesiastes 5:19, NCV)

Tell me it's not a blessing to be able to do that!

They do not worry about how short life is, because God keeps them busy with what they love to do. (Ecclesiastes 5:19, 20 NCV)

And what is it you love?
I hope it's spreading the gospel, building God's church, reading His Word, using your gifts, encouraging the yitdown and out, blooming where your planted!

I see these faces in church each week too... and there's just something about their faces....
they're not struggling with God...they're enjoying Him!

Created 4 months ago