1 Timothy 3 verse 15 says...... But if I tarry long, THAT YOU MAY KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE YOURSELF IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, which is the church of the living God, the pillars and ground of the truth.
Let's honour God when we come to his house. There is a behaviour that is right for the house of our God and there are also behaviours that are not suitable in the house of God.
USE OF PHONE:
It is dishonour to receive or answer calls in the house of God. All phones are to be switched off once you enter the house of God. This is Church protocol. When you dishonour God by answering calls in his house, it is a sign that the presence of God means nothing to you. Have you ever paid a visit to a VIP? Do they allow you to use your phone? Can you sit in front of the president receiving and answering calls? You know you won't do that so why are you doing that in the house of God?
It's even worse when the preacher is answering calls on the pulpit or his protocols going in and out of service to receive calls. God and men cannot be speaking to you at the same time.
READING NEWSPAPERS:
Coming to service to read newspapers is also a dishonour to the house of God. While the minister is preaching, some are busy reading newspapers. You could have stayed back home to read your paper instead of desecrating the house of God.
EATING:
Food packs are to be distributed after service and outside the sanctuary. Some even started eating right inside the service. This is a great error that needs to be corrected. All these disorderly acts will hinder the power of God. You cannot come to my house and start eating anywhere? Let's be jealous over God's house. Let's defend it and honour it. That is where our miracles and breakthroughs come from. When we desecrate it, it loses its power. May we not be in church and remain poor and haggard?
Some even turn the church auditorium for their wedding and birthday reception. I do not know the kind of pastors who allow such. We must do things right in the house of God if we want to enjoy the power of God.
WALKING ABOUT:
When you come for service, avoid walking about. If you must go out during a service, make sure you sit near the entrance. Do not distract people with your movement.
SELLING INSIDE CHURCH:
I was in a Church some years ago on a visit and beside me was a woman sitting with a stylish designer bag. The moment they called for offering, she asked if I would like to buy perfumes. Right there she opened her bag and brought out three perfumes. I was dumbfounded. Inside church? I could not believe this. I was angry. I spoke harshly to her for selling inside church. It is very embarrassing how Christians belittle the house of our God. In the days of Jesus, he chased them out with whips. I think we must start doing the same and not allow any rubbish to go.
COLLECTING CHANGE FROM OFFERING:
This is also an embarrassment. How can you be asking for change from your offering? Is the Church a supermarket? Bring the denomination you want to give and leave the church honourably. I was in aChurch and I saw ushers dipping their hands into the offering bowl giving people change. It was a sad sight to behold. No one should put his hands into the offering of God's people. The offering is sacred. Do not allow the ushers to desecrate the people's offering. This is why such offering are never enough to do God's work. It has been desecrated.
I was in a Church where people were lining up in front of the pastor's office after service. I thought they were lining up for counselling and I was pitying the pastor. I said, don't they want the pastor to rest but my friend said, they want to collect change. Collect change? I was baffled. How do you even know if some of them are lying? This is wrong. The Church is not for money changing. Some sincerely do not know it is wrong. When I corrected my mum, she said she did not know it was wrong. She promised not to do that again. I just had a burden to write some of the things we sincerely do wrong in the house of God.
LITTERING THE CHURCH:
Train your kids not to throw dirty things in the church premises. If there is no dustbin around, keep your dirty things and go and dispose them in your house. Teach your children never to drop biscuit and sweet wraps on the floor in Church until they locate a trash bin. Leave the church and it's premises clean and tidy.
DRESSING TO CHURCH:
God is the KING OF KINGS so it automatically means the church is his Palace. Be royal in your dressing. Don't dress indecently or shabbily to the Kings Palace. Decency and Royalty are the Church requirements. God told Moses to make Aaron's HOLY GARMENT for GLORY AND FOR BEAUTY.
Every of your outfit to Church must be marked by beauty and glory. Ask yourself: Is this outfit beautiful? Does this outfit give glory to God? Read Exodus 28.
LATENESS TO CHURCH:
William Shakespeare said: It is better to be three hours soon than a minute late to any event. Have you ever had an appointment with a VIP? Do you go late? Every Church Service is an appointment with God.
When we tolerate all these dishonouring acts in Church, the Church will be riddled with sickness and poverty. Let's be jealous for the house of God like Jesus was. Let's make the presence of God real to people. Excellence is required in the house of God. It is well with the Church of Jesus and it is well with us all as we do things right. May the zeal of God's house overshadow every other ephemeral things distracting us in the body of Christ. Please, let's be careful when we're in the presence of GOD. The Lord help us in Jesus name.