MULTITASKING DURING CHURCH... PUHLEEEZ

The Word for the Day is Multitasking... 

Multitasking, as it is generally used in our society, has its place, but during church is not the time or place.

Sometimes “Multitasking” is a euphemism for, “I will give a partial effort to something I am not interested in, while also doing something I want to do.” Spouses sometimes call it multitasking, when they choose to expend their time and energies in various directions, rather than committing to building a good marriage or being a responsible parent. People think that multitasking is the first cousin to being Superman or Superwoman, when in reality it may signal a person's incompetence in a given arena.

I could give examples of people “multitasking” to the detriment of relationships or at the cost of successful enterprises. I will not do that. Instead, I want to address the subject of this article, Multitasking During Church. I am using the term, “church” in reference to either worship, preaching, study or fellowship times. 

Multitasking is Divided Attention...

Multitasking is an admission that a person's attention is being given to more than one unrelated pursuit at a time. People will boastfully tell you that they can adequately focus on more than one thing at a time. Though that may be true with some activities, it is not true in every situation. A doctor has no business watching the Super Bowl while he is performing brain or heart surgery. There are some things in life that should not be part of a multitasking effort: Service and Worship to God should not be given a partial effort. 

Church Activities Demand Total Focus...

To worship God in spirit and truth, precludes a person dividing his energy and attention, even with other God oriented activities. Of course, this is obvious to the person who is worshiping in spirit and in truth. This is evident to the person who truly loves God, His Word and His people. After all, when a person is totally committed to, and involved in an activity, they do not divide their effort. Anything less than total involvement is not a person's best effort. Multitasking during church is dishonest and dishonoring to God. 

Church Time is Not Spare Time...

Church time is not the time to catch up on writing correspondence, texting friends, sorting pictures, writing memoirs, planning activities, knitting or clipping your fingernails.
Church time is not the time to fret over work problems, family problems, money problems, health problems, relationship problems.
Church time is not the time to think about the big game, the upcoming concert, the next party, your summer vacation, your impending nuptials or your scheduled divorce, movies or TV programs.
Church time is not the time for the worship leader to plan the songs for the next service, not the time for the teacher to plan her lesson, not the time for the Building Chairman to sketch plans for the new addition. Leave your baggage and your distractions outside.

Don't Degrade the Church...
If you are not going to give God your all during church time, don't bother to come at all.
If you are going to play games and pretend to give God your all, don't come at all.
OR, come and surrender to God as soon as you enter the gathering. Confess your lack of pure commitment and ask God to deliver you.
THEN, worship, praise, study and fellowship in the beauty of holiness.

There are at least three reasons a person should not give partial effort to God during church time. 

GOD DESERVES OUR TOTAL EFFORT...

No one should render to the God of the universe anything less than total effort, time and energy. He has given us 168 hours a week and He expects us to come aside from the activities of the world in order to draw closer to Him.

If lovers expect full attention from one another, how much more should God, the lover of our soul, expect us to give Him our full attention, if we love Him with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength?

If instructors expect full attention when they are imparting knowledge to their students, how much more should God, the Fountainhead of all truth and wisdom, expect us to give Him our full attention?

If coaches and managers expect 110% effort from their players and workers, how much more should God, Who has called us into His glorious service, expect our full attention. 

WE NEED TO GIVE OUR TOTAL EFFORT...

We are a needy people.

We are a temporal people.

We are an easily distracted people.

We are a forgetful people.

We are a weak people.

We need to give God our best in order to receive His best.

We have so many flaws and problems that we need to focus completely on Him if we don't want to miss His best for us.

We prepare ourselves, equip ourselves and discipline ourselves to give our best effort in other areas of life, how much more should we want to give our best to God? How much more do we need to give our best to God? 

OTHERS NEED/WANT US TO GIVE OUR TOTAL EFFORT...

The people sitting near us do not need the distraction of multitasking during church.

Children and new people need to see us totally involved in the church service. They need to see what it means to worship God in spirit and in truth. They may be learning from us.

There are others who are in dire need of what God wants to give them, and multitasking robs them of God's best. No man lives to himself. We are our brother's keeper. God has prepared your neighbor's heart, prepared the message, prepared the service and the devil wants to use us to undermine the plan of God. It is Satan's purpose to disrupt church, it is our responsibility to keep from being Satan's tool of destruction.

There are those who have come to offer their best and to enjoy God's best during a church service and they should not be robbed of that opportunity by those who don't give God their all.


Oh, the glory that awaits a church when all of the people come together to worship in spirit and in truth. Do not be the one who sabotages the church.
We will either be a stepping stone or a stumbling block; a help or a hindrance; a blessing or a burden.


Launch Out and Hold Fast,
Pastor David L. Gould

THE TRAGEDY OF LOSING A LOVED ONE

When Tragedy Strikes...
How sad when tragedy strikes a family. Consider these scenarios.

A loved one drives to the store to buy party favors to hand out at their child's birthday. On the way home a drunken driver plows into the side of the vehicle, killing the birthday boy sitting in the back seat. OH, THE TRAGEDY.


A long battle against a ravaging disease finally ends when a young parent slips into eternity. OH, THE TRAGEDY.


A brave young warrior is killed by "friendly fire" in a country that does not want him there, fighting for a political agenda he does not espouse, and which is contrary to American principles and heritage. He is brought home in a body bag days before we withdraw in shame. OH, THE TRAGEDY. 

The heartache is indescribable and the scenarios are without number. Sometimes families never recover from such losses. 


BUT CONSIDER THIS...

A family is undermined and relationships are shattered irretrievably because of a misunderstanding and false pride and suspicion and selfish anger and petty differences. Parent and child, siblings and fellow church friends are thrown to the curb and love is abandoned because someone rejects the way of Christ and good counsel is despised. The brief, but important moments of love, joy and spiritual unity with the most important people in our lives are cast away, like garbage on a refuse pile. OH, THE TRAGEDY.


Sometimes the tragedy is self inflicted. Though the tragedy is avoidable, some people are determined to embrace heartache, suffering and loss. Though failed relational tragedies are inescapable, some people are determined to rob themselves and inflict others with great sorrow by holding to their toxic attitudes. No amount of reasonable or emotional appeal or spiritual counsel turns a stubborn heart. OH, THE TRAGEDY.

We need the words of Malachi to be fulfilled in our society today.

Malachi 4:6
(6)  And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

We need to dwell together in unity. As the Psalmist said,

Psalms 133:1
(1)  ...Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 


We need to be of one mind, regardless of what the world says,

1 Corinthians 1:10
(10)  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 


If we would hear and heed the words of Peter we would enjoy the blessings of God.

1 Peter 3:8-12
(8)  Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
(9)  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
(10)  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
(11)  Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
(12)  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.


Launch Out and Hold Fast,
Pastor David L. Gould

THE CHURCH AND SPIRITUAL ASTIGMATISM

The Church is not man's idea or invention. The Church is the idea and creation of God. A proper view of the Church is God's view of the Church.


Astigmatism is blurred vision because the eyes do not focus sharply on an object.


Spiritual Astigmatism is when a person does not have a clear understanding of Biblical truth. There is a great deal of Spiritual Astigmatism because people do not have a Biblical view of the Church.


The Lens of the Church...
If a person does not have a correct view of the Church, he does not have a correct view of the Christian faith. If a person does not have a correct view of the Church, he does not have a correct view of salvation. If a person does not have a correct view of the Church, he does not have a correct view of God.

From God's Point of View...
It is God Who gave the Church its exalted position. Read the Book. Also, the first generations of believers understood the importance of the Church in God's plan of salvation. As aberrant groups tried to replace Biblical beliefs with false doctrines, the early believers correctly pointed out that there is no salvation outside of the Church. Sadly, the various organized sects within the Church claimed to be the only true church and said there was no salvation outside of their organization (as seen in Romanism).

God's New Testament Models of the Church
The Body of Christ (Ro. 12:4-5; 1 Co. 12:27-28).
The Bride of Christ (Ep. 5:23-33).
The Household of Faith, of God (Ga. 6:10; Ep. 2:19-22).
The Building/House of God (Ep. 2:19-22; 1 Pe. 2:5)
The Pillar and Support of the Truth (1 Tm. 3:15).


Biblical Concepts...
The Church was a Divine mystery, hidden until Christ came (Ep. 3:3-10).
The Church belongs to Christ, is being built by Christ and will defeat the powers of hell (Mt. 16:18}.
Christ died for the Church (Ep. 5:23).
Christ is Head of Church (Co. 1:18).
Christ is coming back for the Church (Ep. 5:27).
The gifts of the Holy Spirit were given to the Church (1 Co. 12:7, 14:4-5,12).
The Church holds the Keys to the Kingdom and is vital to the salvation of the lost (Mt. 16:19, 18:17-19).
God has appointed officers in the Church; elders/deacons (Ph. 1:1; 1 Tm. 3:10-13; 1Tm. 5:17-19).
The Church was given Divinely gifted leaders, to convert the lost and perfect the believers; apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastor/teachers (Ep. 4:11-12).
The ministry of the apostles was to plant churches and appoint elders in those churches (Ac. 15:3, 23).
God gave authority to the Church to tend to His business (Ac. 15:2-6).


For Further Consideration...
The Book of Acts is God's record of the origin, planting, growth and ministries of the early Church.
More than half of the New Testament books were written to either churches or pastors.
God directed John to send His Revelation to seven churches.


Therefore Remember...
The Church is God's chosen institution to reach the lost and to sustain the believer, therefore, an incorrect view of the Church is an incorrect view of the Christian faith, salvation and God.


Launch Out and Hold Fast,
Pastor David L. Gould

FROM CLUTTER TO CATASTROPHE

A Sad Subculture

I have watched programs, in shocked bewilderment, about hoarders. These are not people who hoard food. These are people who hoard clutter, trash, garbage or animals and all the filth that goes with them. They have allowed the accumulation of these things, often times useless trash, to take over their lives.

Held Captive By Their Desires

I watch in horror as people have allowed accumulation of trash and filth to overtake their house and drive their families away from them. Garbage collects on the floor and vermin overrun the house. The garbage has filled all the rooms of the house and there is no place to cook, eat, sleep, visit, relax, or even bathe. People are willing to lose friends, family, personal dignity and health as they cling to their trash. Not only have I seen houses that were floor to ceiling with debris, I have seen someone who bought another house to live in because their trash had totally taken over their house. Still, they accumulate junk and garbage in their new home, until their new house becomes another dump site.

Moving From Value To Tragedy

It is asserted that these people have psychological problems. I am not focusing on that question at this time. I am simply pointing out that people, for whatever reasons, allow their orderly, clean, productive, attractive lives to become chaotic, filthy, useless and abhorrent when they allow stuff to enter and remain in their lives, to the detriment of their own value, their relationships with friends and loved ones and their useful place in society.

An Unintended End

People do not intend to become useless pigs. It does not happen overnight. It is the result of neglect, laziness and misguided values, which eventuates in deliberate choices to reject reason.

The Greater Tragedy

Most of us are appalled when we see such behavior. However, some of the same people who are disgusted with such aberrant behavior are collectors of spiritual trash and garbage. These people have neglected their own relationship with God and allowed the accumulation of spiritual debris to overtake their relationship with God.

Look And Learn

Just like the people on these "Hoarding" programs, most people are unaware of their own spiritually aberrant condition. At some time in the past, some people who have confessed and repented of their sins, and placed their faith in the saving work of Christ, have slowly allowed the worthless things of this world to accumulate and take over their lives. The things of the world are crowding out the good things of God. Yet, they will not hear, they will not see, and therefore they are being swept away in a sea of emptiness.

Take Charge

Take time to evaluate your life. Take time to let God speak to you. Take time to be holy.


Launch Out and Hold Fast,
Pastor David L. Gould

GOD'S COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

God, the Great Communicator
God has always sought communications with humans. It was face to face with Adam and heart to heart with Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Old Testament Prophets and John the Baptizer. Ultimately He communicates with all believers in Christ through His indwelling Spirit.

2 Peter 1:21
(21)  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

John 16:13-14
(13)  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
(14)  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

 While we live in a technologically advanced world of communications, God has always been ahead of the curve. Consider some of the present forms of modern communications and remember, God has provided everything we need for first rate connection, but we must stay online with Him if we want to hear from Him.

2 Peter 1:21
(21)  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

James 1:21-22
(21)  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
(22)  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Wireless

Before the internet, television, radio and telegraphy, God's Spirit communicated with His people wirelessly. In the most advanced form it was infallible revelation.

Hebrews 1:1-2
(1)  God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
(2)  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Texting

God texted us long ago through the written revelation given to men like Job, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Solomon, the prophets. Matthew, Luke, John, Peter, James and Paul. We have the whole document in the Holy Bible.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
(16)  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
(17)  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Tweeting

Tweets are short, random, unscheduled and time sensitive communications. Spiritual tweets are God's sudden interventions, intended to lead, inform and encourage us. Though tweets are quick and specific updates from God, they are based on long established truths found in God's revealed text, the Bible. These communications are sometimes called God's leading.

John 16:13-14
(13)  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
(14)  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

Romans 8:14
(14)  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Audio/Video

Though this is more rare, God sometimes communicates through visions. Visions come in various forms at varying levels, but visions never contradict or add to the body of truth found in the Bible. Visions are not to be confused with trances or occult communications with spiritual beings. Visions from God glorify Christ and build up the believer in the Biblical faith of Jesus Christ. Biblical visions are not to be sought and must be subject to the Word of God.

Acts 2:17
(17)  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Acts 9:10
(10)  And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

Acts 10:3
(3)  He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

Acts 16:9
(9)  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

Acts 26:19
(19)  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

Social Networking

God provides community/social networks for our inter-action and development. His primary and preferred community is the local church.

Hebrews 10:24-25
(24)  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
(25)  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting

MP3

God has given us Christian songs that encourage and edify us. We can call these songs to our memory or He brings these songs to our minds throughout the day.

Ephesians 5:19
(19)  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Colossians 3:16
(16)  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Tech Support

God has appointed pastors to answer questions, assist in correcting problems, update and upgrade our accounts.

Colossians 1:25-29
(25)  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God;
(26)  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
(27)  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
(28)  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
(29)  Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Ephesians 4:11-14
(11)  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(12)  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
(13)  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
(14)  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

A Good Connection

We can either have good or bad communications with God, depending on our connectivity. Our signal depends on our relationship with Him. He always gives a good signal, but we can turn away from Him and miss His enlightenment.

1 John 1:6-7
(6)  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
(7)  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Launch Out and Hold Fast,
Pastor David L. Gould

ALWAYS LOOK PAST THE SURFACE

It is essential for a Christian to engage his spiritual mind (the mind of Christ) when reading or listening to a word from God. In fact, we should be expecting God to show us light and speak to our hearts at all times and in all situations.


God's truths are spiritually understood. Don't just read, read with your heart. Don't just listen, listen with your heart. This is true whether it is teaching, preaching, personal witness, exhortation, correction, reproof, edification (training in righteousness) or music.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
(16)  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
(17)  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Look for the enlightenment of God. Listen for the voice of God. It takes time to be holy. It takes concentration to be spiritual. It takes dedication to grow in grace.

1 Corinthians 2:5-13
(5)  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
(6)  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:
(7)  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
(8)  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
(9)  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
(10)  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.
(11)  For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God.
(12)  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
(13)  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

As a pastor, I know that most people never get a real grasp of what I try to communicate, because they are not listening with their hearts. However, God not only wants people to get the message He is sending through the messenger, He wants the hearers to hear beyond what messenger says.

Matthew 13:15-16
(15)  For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
(16)  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Matthew 13:43
(43)  Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Acts 28:26-27
(26)  Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
(27)  For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Launch Out and Hold Fast,
Pastor David L. Gould

WHY I CALL MYSELF, "PROMISELANDER."

Promiselander has a double meaning for me. First it refers to the community I lived in as a youth and secondly it refers to the life of spiritual victory provided through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.


Though I was born in Morehead City, North Carolina, we lived in various places during my childhood, including, Norfolk, Va., Miami, Fl., Wilmington, N.C., Hollywood Hills and Glendale, Ca. However, we moved back to Morehead when I was in the sixth grade. My grandparents, parents and eventually I lived in a part of Morehead that is called Promised Land.


The name of the community is a reminder of those hearty outerbankers who moved from Diamond City on the Shackleford Banks to a beautiful stretch of property along Bogue Sound and called it Promised Land. Those people, many of them whalers, had weathered many hurricanes and watched their community get wiped out by wind and wave. Not only did they move from the outer banks, some of them floated their houses up Bogue Sound and settled the Promised Land.


Promised Land was a paradise for young watermen of the mid 1900s (like me), with swimming, fishing (with either hook and line or net), clamming, oystering, shrimping, surfing, skiing, sailing, motor boating. There was easy access to both Bogue Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.


The original use of the term Promised Land had to do with the land God promised Abraham and his descendents (the Jews) in the Old Testament. However, that stretch of real estate was also representative of the spiritual life God promises to all those who follow Christ fully. The Promised Land of spiritual victory is not heaven, but the life of godliness in this present evil world.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10
(9)  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
(10)  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

I love my childhood home and I also believe God has promised His chosen people, Israel, the region around Jerusalem. God has also promised to lead His children (Christians) into the life of victory and holiness, if they walk fully in the light of Christ.


Launch Out and Hold Fast,
Promiselander (David L. Gould)