More Than Just A Church Junkie

As usual I was in a church service and the Lord spoke this phrase to me and I could not let it go. The phrase was, "More than just a church junkie". So, I wrote it down and began to listen to the message but that phrase was still heavy on my heart. So this morning when I awaken the thought came back to me again, "More than just a church junkie". When you think of a junkie or someone who is addicted to drugs, they would do anything to relive that very first high. They spend years and years chasing that same high they got the first time only to find that it really does not exist anymore. They are addicted and they would do anything to get that drug of choice. Most addicts do not care about who they hurt in the process or the fact that they are hurting themselves they just want to feel good. They want something to drown out the pain of their past or sometimes even a traumatic experience but they just don't want to feel anymore. They just need to be numb if only for that moment. But,when they come down from that high what they were facing is still there and it did not go anywhere. In that phrase I felt that the Lord was saying YOU have to be more than just a church junkie, running from service to service looking for your next high. I began to repent to God because I do not want to use his presence as a means to get high and feel good but yet not let his presence change me or my circumstances. Running from service to service looking for a word from God instead of falling on my face and crying out to God I need a word to sustain me as I walk through this situation. There is no better word than a word from God directly to YOU. It gives him pleasure to bless us his children when we truly seek his face and come naked before him, removing all the mask and just being honest with him about where we are. God is so tired of us coming to him with our hidden agendas of what we want him to do for us. I do not want to be a church junkie only coming into the house of the Lord looking for my next high to carry me till the next service I can find where HIS presence is to shoot up again. God's presence comes upon us to CHANGE us or to give us an assignment. This relationship with Christ should never be based upon what we feel because our feelings change each day but it should be based upon what we KNOW. Even when we do not feel that HE is there we have to KNOW that he is. Church is more than a place to go so that you can feel good. It is more than a place to go because that is how you were raised. Church junkies sing on the praise team, they sing on the choir, they usher and they even attend bible study but they are only looking for the next HIGH. They do not want to change and truly become the church they only want to come to church. Church junkies only raise their hands when they are in need of something from God or they are desperate for something but when the need is met, the relationship ENDS. Church junkies have the look of righteousness but they deny the power within. I encourage you today to be delivered from being a church junkie. You too can become more than just a church junkie. Please hear me when I say, "I'm not telling you not to go to church", but become the CHURCH. Chase the presence of God so that you can be empowered to change, so that you can be strengthen to do what the Lord has called you to do. Father I pray right now for those who may come and read this that they will find themselves in this post. Lord I pray that as they find themselves that they will not allow pride to get in the way but that they will repent and change. I thank you father that we will not be church junkies using your presence to get high but never change. Father I thank you for your mercy and your grace that continues to follow us. Lord thank you that you will keep a true hunger and thirst within us after righteousness. We praise you for freedom today and we thank you that we will be more than just a church junkie but that we will be changed forever that we will allow your word to change our hearts, minds and our souls. I thank you Lord that we will study your word for ourselves and be changed from glory to glory that we may bring you glory. In Jesus name. Amen