God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.  Psalm 89:7

Being a Christian does not exempt any of us from the necessity of self-examination, the necessity of dealing with injuries and unworthy mental attitudes.

I speak particularly of the attitudes and habits of many men and women who gather with us regularly as we come into the house of God to worship and pray.

Actually, as Christian men and women, we do have an appointment to meet with the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Just think of the preparations we would make if we suddenly had an invitation to meet the president of the United States in the White House.

But how many of us are lacking in respect and reverence when we come into the Christian church? Among us there are thoughtless tendencies to tell jokes on the way into church; to sit in the pews and let our minds rove about like sparrows; to daydream about where we have been and where we are going.

There is a great need for us to pray for grace that will improve our mental attitudes when we gather to honor our Savior and God!

~Mornings with Tozer, by A. W. Tozer.

Disturbing Trends - but not surprising news...

I ran across this short article and it is a confirmation of what I think most of us suspect is true.  

But it does not have to be true of us!  Let's battle this trend - and be people of the Word!  Develop the habit of spending time in the Word each day - it may be a struggle at first - all new habits are, but as you begin to enjoy the sweetness of the Word of God, you will find your self encouraged, equipped, corrected, rebuked and mature in Christ! 

Here is the article:

Most churchgoers do not read the Bible on a daily basis, according to a study on Bible engagement released Thursday by a Christian research organization.
The Transformational Discipleship study, conducted by LifeWay Research, surveyed 2,390 U.S. Protestants who said they attend church at least once a month, according to the Christian Post.
According to the results, 19 percent of respondents said they read the Bible outside of church services “every day,“ nearly identical to the 18 percent who answered ”rarely or never.”
Slightly more than a quarter said they read the Bible “a few times a week,” while 14 percent said once a week and 22 percent said at least once a month.
LifeWay Research Director Scott McConnell told the Christian Post he attributes the results to modern American culture.
“Regular Bible engagement is both personal and requires discipline. Neither are popular in Western culture today,” McConnell told the Post. “Too many churchgoers want the benefits of salvation without investing in personally knowing Christ and the abundant life he offers.”

From: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/most-churchgoers-do-not-read-the-bible-on-a-daily-basis-study-says/

God's Exhortation

As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. 1 Peter 1:15

What is the Apostle Peter saying to us in relaying to us God’s exhortation: “Be ye holy as I am holy, and because I am holy”?

First is our own responsibility to bring our spiritual lives into line so that God may settle upon us with the Holy Spirit— with that quality of the Wonderful and the Mysterious and the Divine.

This is not something that can be humanly cultivated. This is something that we will not even be conscious we have. It is this quality of humility invaded by the presence of God which the church of our day lacks.

Oh, that we might yearn for the knowledge and presence of God in our lives from moment to moment, so that without human cultivation and without toilsome seeking, there would come upon us this enduement, this sweet and radiant fragrance that gives meaning to our witness!

I am willing to confess in humility that we need this in our day.

Dear Lord, if we seriously desired to be “holy,” the only way we could do so is through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. By our own efforts, this would not be possible, for the Bible says, “No one is righteous” (see Romans 3:10).

Sent from the Mornings with Tozer, by A. W. Tozer. For devotionals like this one for your iPhone, visit us at43rdElement.com