How Accommodating is the One, True God?

How accommodating is God? Really, ask yourself that question. And maybe we need to clarify, I'm talk about the God of the Bible...not the god of self that many Americans serve today. The word "accommodate" is to make fit, suitable, or congruous.

Many American church members think of God as very accommodating. A whole generation, maybe two now, has been led to believe that we serve a "very accommodating God." If your child's got a soccer, basketball, or baseball game during a church service, "that's okay, God understands." Or, "I have to stay with Aunt Susie in the hospital today (Sunday morning). I can't come to church."

"I can't go to church on Sundays, because I got to work. God understands. He knows I have to provide for my family."

"Revival services? Weeknight cell meetings? I can't come, pastor. Tuesday night is bowling night...golf on Monday, softball on Thursday. And of course, we have date night on Friday."

Sometimes they just don't show and don't tell me about the real reason they can't make it. Why? They're too ashamed to say anything. By the way, that just doesn't happen to pastors. It seems to be the way many people do everything today...irresponsibility.

Aren't you glad your god is so accommodating and certainly doesn't want you to be inconvenienced? "But pastor, you don't understand, I put my fair share time into the church. I'm there two or three nights a week. I tithe. I need time with my family, or time for myself."

As a pastor, I have never been one to care when people miss a service or two. But the enemy is far more wiser than what we think sometimes. And if our view of God is one that He is "an accommodating God"....I think you need to look at the scriptures a little more closely.

I love David's words that I used for a text Sunday morning, "I will not offer God anything, that does not cost me something [paraphrase]."

Men's hearts must be captivated to God's word, not God's word accommodated to men's hearts.

Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

As I preached Sunday night, many of Jesus disciples left Jesus and chose not to follow Him more. These had left families, jobs, and homes; but they decided that was it. They had reached their limit, they were going back.

I see it constantly, Christians today "fitting God's Word" around their schedules, sports, hobbies, etc. The god of America and the American Christian for millions is the god of "self." If the God of the Bible gets in the way then we just work around that until we can "fit or accommodate" what self wants or needs.

This can be a fatal practice. I've seen Christians (people that I have pastored) over the years serve their accommodating god until they have become unfruitful and "like chaff" in the kingdom of God. The winds (trials) then come along and "blow them away." There is no foundation, no commitment to Christ. Their relationship with the real God has been accommodated to death.

As I have already stated, we are not taking the summer off here at KP. We really believe that time is short and Jesus is coming. We want to be found doing kingdom work when he comes. As the pastor, I will be held accountable to God real soon for how we have used our time, telent, and gifts as a church to win and make disciples. If church members don't like it, that's okay. I have to answer to Almighty God. I sincerely believe that we are going to see great things this summer. People saved by the hundreds. Lives changed. People delivered and set free. But if you choose to accommodate self and are afraid of your faith "COSTING YOU SOMETHING," then you will miss out.

Make it a great Wednesday!

-Pastor Randy