Last week I shared with my readers, “God’s House Must Be Respected-Part I.” Hopefully, everyone who read it understood the main idea of the message-Don’t enter God’s House in a way that you will cause a distraction from the Word! He created us to glorify and praise Him, not man. One of my dedicated readers wrote a thorough review to me about last week’s article, and I appreciate her so much. Here’s an excerpt of her review: “You need to stand up on the courthouse steps and tell that to all who attend church and to all who should attend church. We should make preparation to go into the house of the Lord. We’re not going next door for coffee or anything like that. Let us not ‘blend in with the flesh.’” The bottom line, God’s House must be respected! Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV) declares, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Let me reflect on proper behavior that is expected in God’s House. Confusion and chaos are unbecoming in God’s House. His sanctuary should be a place of peace, love, harmony, and “a hospital for the spiritually sick.” Some congregants have been known to physically fight and stir up arguments in God’s House. This is not of God and is not pleasing in His sight. When this happens in the church, it runs people away and turns others away who would come. Life is too short for foolishness, so the church is not the place for such. The Word says in 1 Corinthians 14:33 (ESV), “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace…” If you are holy, then you will not stir up confusion in the church because the Word further affirms in 1 Peter 1:14-16 (ESV), “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” I always heard my dear late mother, Rev. Dr. Evelyn Gelzer Stevens say, “If you know better, you will do better.” Therefore, those of us who know the proper protocol for God’s House must set the example. Consequently, God’s House will be respected! Always abound in the faith, and never leave home without Him!
