Attending church can be hazardous…

What is the most dangerous place in the world? A war zone certainly qualifies. The jungles of Africa can seem very dangerous, especially at night, when wild animals run right through the safari camp. You can hear animal sounds like you have never heard before in your life. That’s a scary place to be. But did you ever think that one of the most dangerous places you can be is right in church? Attending church can be hazardous to your spiritual health if you are coming for the wrong reason.



Why is it hazardous?

Why is it hazardous? Because you are exposed to truth. If you have no intention of putting that truth into practice into your life, your church can actually be one of the worst places to be. It’s a dangerous thing to hear the gospel without any intention of applying it in your life. You may be fooling yourself. Are you in church because other people are? Are you going because it’s popular? Or are you going to church because you have made the decision to follow Christ? Jesus said, ” ‘If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor’ ” (John 12:26John 12:26
English: King James Version (1611) - KJV
26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.  

WP-Bible plugin). When I signed up to follow Jesus, I didn’t sign up to do what other people were doing. I signed up to be His follower no matter what. He will stand by you as you follow Him, and God will honor you.



Doing it His way and not mine

During His earthly ministry Jesus faced the problem of people who would follow Him for the wrong reasons. He was constantly challenging them to count the cost and to make sure that their motives were right. He wants us all to follow Him, but He wants us to do it for the right reasons. To truly come to know God I must come on His terms and not my own. I must do it His way and not mine. It is not for me to pick and choose the commandments in the Bible that personally appeal to me or the attributes that I personally find interesting or appealing. It is for me to live life God’s way or not to follow Him at all.



Choose Christ, choose life abundantly!

If you are primarily interested in what is cool or what is hip or what is socially acceptable, I need to tell you right now that following Jesus Christ probably won’t work into your plans. But if you are interested in what is right and what is the best way to spend your life, and if you are interested in the hope of heaven and a life with meaning, then there are no other options to choose from. Choose Christ, choose life abundantly!