The BUILDING we call CHURCH!

 

At South Memorial we have such a great facility that God has provided for worshipping him. This building is NOT the temple and we should not WORSHIP it as if if is. HOWEVER, it is a place we should honor and respect. It is a place we should treasure because so many people have come to the Lord in the place. That is why our troubles with the flooding has been painful. But, the flooding is just one part of it. We have several maintenance and preventive maintenance tasks that need to be done in order for this place to serve the needs of the church and community now and in the future.

As I have been reading in Nehemiah, I greatly respect this man's heart for the Temple of the Lord and the home for that Temple. He was also saddened by the state of the Temple. Yes, most of the damage was done by foreign invaders but there was also some neglect.

"I immediately confronted the the leaders and demanded, 'Why has the Temple of God been neglected?' Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties. And once more all the people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms. I assigned supervisors for the store rooms: Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah, one of the Levites. And I appointed Hanan son of Zaccur and grandson of Mattaniah as their assistant. These men had an excellent reputation, and it was their job to make honest distributions to their fellow Levites." (Nehemiah 13:11-13, NLT)

Part of the weight I feel as pastor is the care for the Church, the building we worship in. We have such a beautiful gift from God in this building. The care of this resource is a sacred act of worship on its own. I greatly appreciate that God has given faithful servants who provide the means and the willingness to care for this resource. It is just sticks and bricks, but it is used for a purpose that goes beyond the walls and floors. We always need to honor, respect, and care for this valuable resource. Thank you Lord!

Heavenly Father, I praise you for the resource of the bricks and mortar we call CHURCH. I praise you for this wonderful gift. I ask that you help us to honor this gift with tender care and a heart dedicated to make sure it survives throughout the ages. I praise you for the people who call this place home. I praise you that they also have a heart for this space. I know the CHURCH IS THE PEOPLE, but I also recognize this building as a key to the faith and growth of our community of believers. Thank you Lord, may we be worthy of this gift and use it for your glory, AMEN!

____________________________________________

If you haven't repented of your sin, accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross, dying for your sins, or if you have not committed your life to Jesus, TODAY could be that day. give your life to the Lord. 

"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:9-10, ESV)

If you gave your life to Jesus today, text the word "faith" to (765)-896-4302 and we will follow up with material for you and join you in your walk of faith!