God has a specific way that He wants His work done. The ends don't justify the means for God. When David first tried to bring the ark to Israel someone died, because David was doing the right thing the wrong way. And we need to remember that God never changes.
Many churches like to say, "We're getting people in and that's what counts!" But, that isn't what counts to God. God brought judgement down on those in the Bible who were doing the right thing the wrong way. Why? Because God wants His work done His way.
You come to the house of God to worship. You should also come to work. And, you should be clean when you come. Many people fail because they substitute man's ways for God's ways. The Bible says, "There's a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death." God doesn't want you to do what you feel you should do. He wants you to do what He tells you to do.
At the end of the book of Judges it states that "every man did what was right in his own eyes". Christian's make decisions based on feelings, but feelings can fool you. You don't serve God on feelings because they'll mess you up. You need to make sure that it's the will of God!
Man's ways can seem right. Man's ways can appear reasonable. Man's ways can look reliable. But, what are God's ways? God's ways have been revealed in His Word. His work won't get accomplished any other way.
Jeremiah said to ask for the "old paths". Churches are seeking out a lot of new ways to fill the pews. They are adding in new bible versions, new music, and even new standards. What's wrong with the old paths? God wants us to seek out the old paths. The world may think that the old path is ridiculous, but that's where God's will resides.
We can waste our energy trying to accomplish something for God doing things our way. But once we submit to God's way of doing things, He will give us His energy to complete the task that He asks us to do. God's work done God's way will never lack God's supply; God's work done our way will never get God's blessing.
