How many of us are in that position? We are in church, we are here, we are worshipping. But really, all our powers of concentration are on the here and now, on material things. Things we want, things we think are going to fulfil us, make us happy, make us feel better, things that will make us look good. People go out and buy cars. They do not buy something necessarily which will be efficient and reasonably comfortable and effective and economical. Sometimes they buy something – that will make them look better, more ahead, more significant. Have you done that, friends? Is that how we think? Yes, we will be in church for an hour, an hour and a half, once a week perhaps. But there is no real spiritual life, no seeking after the Lord, no living for him, seeking, finding, knowing, serving him, because our great priority is this life, the here and now. Be careful how you live as a believer. Have you really found Christ? And if you have, are you living for him? He is your priority. Of course, you have got to earn your living, and you have got to have a reasonable home, and look after your family. And you have got to advance to get stability and security. There is work to be done in this life. Of course there is. But he is first, if you are a true believer. Living for him and serving him.
I notice that there are churches springing up with a new kind of Christianity, and I am rather amazed at them. They seem to believe the Bible. Well that is good, obviously. They seem to be talking about the gospel and salvation, and you would want to rejoice, but then you discover, they have got a new brand of Christianity tied up with this, and they will start little churches with only one service on the Lord’s day. That is all you are going to have to go to, one service. Then you look in vain at their program, meagre as it is. Is there a prayer meeting? Well there may be one, a little gathering in a house once a month, but that is not very serious; there is not a dedicated, weekly prayer meeting. Bible study? Oh that takes place in cafes, little groups, having a whale of a time. And I notice too that they make a point of it: drinking wines and beer and so on, and enjoying yourself. The whole idea is to get people in who have no taste for church and the gospel, and so we will give them what they want. We will give them a new form of church, a church without much praying, without much worship, just a minimal amount; certainly without any commitment, without such things as people working in Sunday schools to help the children and the youth. We will give them a church where it is just pleasure, and socialising, and eating together, and enjoying one another’s company. Such churches do have people whose lives are really changed, who now live to be separate from the world, and to please the Lord, and to serve him. It is a sad thing.