Why Are You Forsaking The House of God?

Nehemiah 13:11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

Nehemiah asked the question that needs to be asked today. If a Christian doesn't meet regularly with others for fellowship, prayer, and the preaching of God’s Word, his enthusiasm for the Lord’s work will begin to fade.

This leads to apathy in spiritual matters, and before long such a one will begin to blend in with his worldly surroundings to the point that nobody would ever know he’s a new creature in Christ Jesus.

The attitude some church members take toward their church is somewhat, to say the least, a little bit perplexing. They say everybody should attend church and yet never go themselves. They expect the church to be there when they need it and yet never support it. They encourage the effort to seek new members for a church they do not attend. Parents want their children to attend the church even though they never go.

What we really need today is a willingness to turn from our excuses and follow God’s instructions in His Word concerning the church and the believer’s responsibilities to her. If you are not a practical member of a church, than you need to join one! If you are already a member of such a church, then you need to love it and support it with your presence, prayers, and even your "purse."

Your church is the place where you can grow, find comfort and fellowship, and serve the Lord for His honor and glory. Can you say as David did in Psalms 26:8, "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth."

The next time you stay home on Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, or when your church is having a Bible or mission conference, or when your church is having a revival meeting, or whenever else your church doors are opened, remember that there’s no excuse for not attending.

It’s amazing the excuses I’ve heard people give for not going to church. They can make it to everything else but somehow ALWAYS have an excuse for not making it to church. Usually, these are the same people who fault the church for not being "there" for them.

I was raised in a pastor's home. I've heard some real classics! I would like to thank all the wonderful people in the body of Christ who have provided such quality material for us to be able to share.

Here's a few excuses that will either make you mad or make you smile:

The kids wanted to sleep in.

I had a flat tire.

I just felt like the Lord was telling me to stay home and meditate.

I’ve worked all day, I’m too tired. (Don’t pay attention to my facebook which tells the “real” truth.)

I’ve worked all week, I’m too tired.

The kids need to get in bed early.

By the time I got off work, drove through traffic, picked up the kids, I was too tired – you know I need my rest and have to get up early.

I’ve planned another get-a-way (at the last minute)

I don’t feel good.

I can make the church dinners and fun stuff, but going every service – well that’s just too much. Besides, what does Jesus expect out of me anyway?

I work lots of hours, so I’m too tired to worship God.

I don’t have anything to wear.

I watch online.

I’d go if they’d let me sit in the balcony.

I watch the 700 club, that’s good enough.

It’s deer season again.

It’s turkey season again.

It’s bear season again.

It’s squirrel season again.

It’s fishing season again.

It’s duck season again.

I can’t afford to give anything and I don’t want to be embarrassed.

I’ll go to church after I graduate from college.

Service is too long.

The sermon is too long.

I don’t like the music.

It’s too hot.

It’s too cold.

I camp every weekend.

My family never went to church when I was growing up. I’m not used to it.

My spouse doesn’t go.

My backside hurts from all the sitting and my knees hurt from all the kneeling.

Nobody notices when I’m gone anyway.

The game will be on at the same time.

I’m studying.

I’m allergic to crowds.

I have to mow my yard.

I have to wash my car.

It’s my family reunion again. (10th for the year)

I don’t have gas money (however, that didn’t prevent me from going shopping)

My spouse and I work different shifts and Sundays are the only day we see each other.

I was too tired after playing cards with my friends till 2 am last night.

I volunteer to work on Sundays.

I don’t like how things are being run anymore.

God told me not to go.

I went last Sunday.

I think I have a fever again.

I have a cold and I need everyone to stay home with me and help me blow my nose.

I can’t handle crowds so I’m going to the race instead.

I can’t handle crowds so I’m going to the ball game instead.

I don’t get off till 6 pm on Wednesdays.

It’s not Easter yet.

My spirit is trying to lose weight and doesn’t need to be fed.

I was forced to go when I was younger.

We are planning a big yard sale.

My alarm didn’t go off (again)

I have a headache.

I have a hangover.

I lost my car keys.

It's football season.

It’s basketball season.

It’s the play offs.

NASCAR.

It’s the Olympics and you know they only come around every four years.

I bought season tickets this year, don’t expect to see me too much.

I bought a boat.

It was such a nice day we decided to go for a drive and then sit on the porch and watch people drive by.

My kids are in sports.

My DVR broke so I need to stay home and watch Desperate Housewives.

I’m on vacation for two weeks. (We’re not going anywhere really, but I need to get away from church.)

I can have church in my home.

We have a new dog.

My cat had kittens.

It’s snowing.

It’s raining.

It’s a full moon.

I needed some alone time.

I forgot it was Sunday.

If I know I’m going to be late, I just don’t go.

I believe in being balanced.

There was a sale on.

I got too involved in my last church and burned out. So, I don’t want to do that again.

I wasn’t scheduled to do anything at the church so I just stayed home.

I need to clean my house.

We are remodeling again.

This is the only time the contractor said he could be there.

I need to do laundry.

I am offended at someone in the church.

I don’t like shaking hands.

I don’t like being expected to go.

I am depressed again.

You preached at me last Sunday and I’m offended.

Are you the Pentecostal Police?

Family comes first pastor! (Oh…I thought God did. Don’t confuse God and church)

My family is visiting and they don’t like church.

Friends came in and I feel obligated to entertain them.

It’s my birthday, kid’s birthday, spouse’s birthday, mother/dads birthday.

My husband didn’t want me to go so I felt I should be submissive to him (when I want to) and stay home.

My wife didn’t want me to go and I felt I should be sensitive to her needs (and while I won’t admit it publicly – she rules the roost)

We got into a fight on the way to church and decided not to come.

I don’t feel “led”

Jesus understands.

The Lord knows my heart.

I feel closer to God in nature.

I have heard the topic preached before – don’t need to hear it again.

Jesus told me to stay home and spend time with Him.

In February (2010), my hero, Rev. Robert Penny Sr. went home to be with Jesus. He was a patriarch of the faith and a first class example of excellence, faithfulness and loyalty. I was privileged to record some of his final words as he addressed the leaders of our church.

"When I first come to Bethel, God gave a special love in my heart for Pastor. I mean, we were put together. It's not what man...God put us together.

Here's what I want for the children of the church and the leaders of the church to hear and to understand.

First of all, I'd like them to understand how I've not hesitated to tell you one time that I love you. I love you. I love you Brother Josh, I love you Brother Steensma, love you Pastor.

Not one of the young men in the church, all the deacons, everyone I come in contact with...I tell them I love them. Because I received a special love in my heart when me and the pastor first met. And if we can get this love and hold on to it in our church, there has never been a church in the United States or nowhere that will be equal to our church.

You know, sometimes it's tough to tell somebody you love them when they just...take a lick on you, you know? But, you can do that and just keep right on going and the Lord will repay you for what you do. And you guys know this. This is firsthand.

Everyone of the workers, all the greeters, everyone I come in contact with, I love them. And I've not ceased, like Paul said, I have not ceased to tell everyone of you that I love you.

There's no difference in black or white or nothing like that. I have the same love for everyone. And God put that in my heart.

I want the leaders to understand that they have to have this love. And sometimes it's endurance. You have to endure some things in order to receive this love. But when God gives you the love, you can give it. You can give it out.

Now what does the Bible say? He gives gifts. He gives me a gift. That could be a gift He's given to me. But if He can give me a gift, I can give gifts unto you and I can let you have the same thing that I've got.

Our church, everyone that's listening, our church I want you to hear this, we could be the greatest church that's ever been on the face of the earth.

You know, I've done it so much, told it so much to the little ones, Brother Steensma's boy, told me I love you, I love you to buddy.

It don't make no difference what, or who or how or when, if you begin to tell people that, that love will get into your heart and it will begin to spread. And now, when I go to the church, and I'm in the church fifteen minutes there's already been fifteen people that's told me they love me. I in turn tell them I love them. And it's just like wild fire. That thing catches on and keeps right on building momentum.

And if we as a church can do this, God will bless beyond measure.

Now, don't be discouraged when I'm gone because I'll be checking you guys out. I'll be right up there checking you out to see what's gonna happen.

And the next thing is, that ought to not only bring love in the church; the second thing is it ought to bring leadership into the church by different people. It ought to bring faithfulness into the church. We need faithfulness in the church today. There's so many people that lay out. I'll never understand. It makes no difference who's listening to this - I'll never understand why you're going to serve God and you won't be faithful to Him. He's given you, offered you everything in this world and you just won't be faithful to God.

We have to be faithful to God. Even in the years when I had a church and we had snow on the ground and didn't have enough money in the thing to get the ground scraped so the people could park and couldn't come. I prepared to preach on Sunday morning. Whether we had one, five, or nobody but myself I preached. It didn't make any difference to me, because of the love that Jesus put in my heart and the faithfulness - He just wants me to be faithful of what He's give me to do.

And if our people will just be that way. If the young people would be faithful, in a weeks time you wouldn't have room to put them in there. They'd be there every Sunday and that would build the church itself.

Just being faithful. If you don't do nothing in the church - fill you pew. Fill your pew. Don't let somebody do it for you. You do it. Because, I'll not let nobody else take my place. I want to fill my place, when it's called for me to go I want to fill my place. Here I am Lord. Here I am.

I just wish for that to take place. Especially for you leaders. You need to be faithful. Be faithful.

You may not think it's good now, but it will be good.

Let me give you a for instance. A meeting was called at the church without me being there one time when I pastored. And they thought they were going to put me before the board and me not be prepared. But, if you take Jesus with you, if you take that love with you that we've talked about and you've been faithful, God will be there when you need Him.

They asked me to come in and sit down. I sat down and they went to making all these proclamations and all these different things that I was doing that they didn't like. First one thing and then another.

I said, Lord, I said now, they've tried to catch me in a snare. Sittiing right up before them I was thinking this. They've tried to catch me in a snare. You said You'd be faithful to give me the word when it was time to come.

You know what the word was that come to my heart? It's better to obey God than man. And I sat there for two hours and told them guys everytime one of them asked me a question, I said it's better for me to obey God than man. They couldn't say nothing to that. I mean, I give them an answer to everything they asked.

And that answer comes because of what we've talked about already this morning. Having that love, being faithful in the house of God, being faithful to read your Bible.

Had not I had read my Bible, and I knew that this was in the Word of God, the Lord couldn't have give that to me to give them. But, it had been a couple of weeks before then I had read this. And I thought, boy what an awesome passage of Scripture - it's better to obey God than man.

I forget who it was, Peter or Paul, was under pressure, the council had brought them together - what did he say? He said it's better to obey God than man.

God always prepares us no matter where we're at if we're faithful to Him.

If our leaders can do what we've talked about right here this morning, if our leaders can do that...

Brother Owens, if you're listening I want you to hear this. If you can get this in your heart, God can do great things through you cause you're on my heart this morning.

There's several others that God is dealing with my heart right now. That if you can get ahold of this that God can do great and mighty things through this.

If you're lovin...love on. Don't ever let no one out love you. Tell the children you love them. We're leaders and we need to tell the children that we love them. That is food for them. And if we'll do that God will bless us." - Rev. Robert Penny Sr. January 26, 2010