"Hijacking God"

It is hard to believe that we can destroy our own studies and worship. We take a verse or verses, begin to read them and then it is off to the races for many. The focus can turn quickly to how blessed we are and we share that openly. That really can't be wrong, can it? Then it is over to some self based stories that opens the door to more self based stories. Next thing you know, we are talking about things that have nothing to do with the study of the truth from God's word and it has become a self based study, with self thoughts. Many times, the majority never realize what is happening. This is what lends us to fleshly thinking and actions.

But that isn't all. We follow our study with our singing praises to God. That is fitting for Christian's, isn't it? We are told about our pitches, our harmony and we seem to love the sound of our voices. We are caught up in the beauty. The singing has become a self pleasing sound and we enjoy it!

What am I saying? I am trying to get us to realize that too many times, we 'hijack God' with all our self gazing! We gather to hear God further to reveal Himself, but we end with all this self reflecting and self gazing stories. We listen to the gift of some of the voices and we end up drowning out the voice of God who wanted to say something to us. Our gifts get in the way of our listening to what He wanted to reveal to us about Himself. Preachers allow it to happen, elders allow it to happen and members have difficulty at telling the difference.

Praising God is fitting for those in Christ Jesus! But so is listening to God!! Our studies, our praise will be more "awe filled" when we draw near to listen to God rather than turning things toward us. We need to prepare our hearts to listen, allowing Him to speak to us from His word. We need teachers that help us, lead us into listening to the Lord, drawing out rich teachings from His word so He speaks to us. The bottom line is many times our studies and worship are nothing more than self seeking moral instructions and lovely sounds. We just don't seem to hear God! That's why our teaching/preaching at times is so shallow.

I ask you to pray that God will raise up more teachers/preachers and wise leaders that can keep us from walking in self made circles, who can deliver us from self gazing by offering to us the Almighty Father who can enrich us and speaks to us. Look away from self and let's stop 'hijacking God!'