Continually

One of my brothers in Christ emailed me this morning and his email hit me between the eyes. We are in a small group together and have been brothers now for around 4 years I guess. I have sat around the campfire with him, and rafted the Ocoee with him. Shared hard times and great times. He knows more than most about this strange and wonderful journey we are on and where the Lord has me right now. We talked some yesterday about the attacks we are under and what we can do to proactively fight back (some of the things we need to do continually). The Lord really spoke to him and now the Lord has spoken through him to me. I will copy part of his email here now for everyone to read so that everyone can get an idea of where the Lord is taking us - and yes I am very excited about it!

"And the trigger that created this encounter was the emphasis on the word daily. That, my friend, is the piece I've have been missing about church. God, our Creator and Master of the Universe wants us heart, soul, mind and body -- daily, hourly, "minutely." As a society, most of us -- and me for most of my life -- are only willing to give Him an hour or two a week on Sunday morning. But what were those in the first Century (and the ancients) told to do?

-- "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7
-- Sacrifices were made daily.
-- We are to ask for our daily bread. (Matt. 6:11)
-- "Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." (Psalm 68:19)
-- "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23
-- "They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowhip, to the breaking of bread and to prayer...All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47
-- "So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers." Acts 16:5
-- "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:13

Pray continually. Worship continually. Meet continually. Teach continually. Crucify the old man continually. Put on the armor of God continually. Take up our cross continually. Encourage continually. Praise continually. Love continually.

How have we missed something so simple? How did we reach the point that we believe God would be happy with one or two hours a week, when He rightfully expects ALL, everything, every moment, every day?

There is a Spiritual hunger we are all feeling. As of yet, we can't get enough. I believe that the Spirit is trying to get us to remember what we as a society have forgotten. Worship isn't on Sunday. It is always. It is every moment. And once we get a taste of that, once our Spirit awakens us to join the continual work and worship of God and the fellowship of the Body of Christ, how could we not be frustrated and how could we possibly find contentment with a group of people who believe it is "normal" to worship Him for one hour a week?

The modern church definitely has its place and its role in God's kingdom. If it did not, He would have destroyed it a long time ago. I personally believe that It is the portal, the gate, the door between the world and the Kingdom of God. But we as the church have forgotten that there is an entire world beyond that door (the Kingdom and the body of Christ), and we linger in the "foyer" (the church building) instead of enjoying the wonder and majesty of living in the Kingdom in the continual presence of God and His Son."

Wow! How is that! This is the community and the church (remember not building but people) I have been talking about and dreaming about for a while now. We are commanded to do these things continually and like the verses said, daily. In order to do this, we have to walk, hurt, love, and live where each other is and then point each other continually to the Lord. This is church, this is what I am craving and that the Lord is showing and developing in me.