A preacher was out an about urging members to attend the mid-week services of the church. He got several different replies. One said, “I belong to the ______ and that is the night that it meets.” I cannot help but wonder how many people with their names on the “church roll” really BELONG to something else. When we speak of something belonging to someone, we mean that it is his property. So do we really “BELONG” to the church, or do we just consider ourselves to be member of the church? This is a question that must be answered. Take time out and answer that question before you read the rest of the article.
When Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” (Matt. 6:33), what did He have in mind? Later when Jesus said, “we need to count the cost” (Luke 14:28-33), what did He have in mind? I think we can see what He had in mind in Luke 14 read verses 26-27. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doeth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be me disciple.” Seems to me like the kingdom is pretty important, do you “BELONG” to the kingdom?
We do belong to the Lord! Because we have been purchased by His blood. Listen to what the Bible says about this: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:29); “What! Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in you body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19-20); “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Eph. 5:25); “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). Seems pretty plain to me that we have been bought. If we have been bought or purchased then we BELONG to the Lord!
It is also said of the Macedonian brethren that they “gave their own selves to the Lord” (2 Cor 8:5). I am sure and convinced that means their all – their time, talents and money. In short, what they were, and what they hoped to be. They thus belonged to the Lord. They held nothing back. But what about us today have we given our all to the Lord and His cause? Do we put Him and His kingdom first? Do we let other things interfere with our services to the Master? Does He really have first place in our lives?
Look at our numbers for Sunday night and then for Wednesday evening. Why is there such a difference in those numbers and Sunday morning numbers? You might say well we have visitors Sunday morning, and yes we did, but not that many and not that often. So, does the Lord really have first place in our life? Have we counted the cost for putting Christ and His kingdom first? This is something each of us seriously needs to consider!
We all truly do belong to something! Some BELONG to their jobs; some BELONG to some kind of club; some BELONG to a team; some BELONG to recreation; we could go on and on with this. The real question is this: to WHAT or to WHOM do you really BELONG? An honest answer to this question will show our preparation or lack of preparation for heaven.
Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people! Are you prepared for heaven? By putting Christ and His kingdom first in our lives, by BELONGING to the Lord, we are taking giant steps toward heaven. Let us get and stay prepared for heaven.
TO WHAT DO YOU BELONG TODAY? This is not a question about others but this is a personal question. We must answer this question sooner or later why not now.
You know if we do not belong to the Lord, then we belong to the devil. Does any one want to admit that they belong to the devil? No they do not, so why not prove that you BELONG to the Lord by doing what He says to do.
Love, Keith
