The Idolatry of the American Church

Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,

     "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me," says the Lord Almighty.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NASB

When the face of American evangelical Christianity is a man who stands in stark opposition to everything Jesus taught, and modeled for us by example in the gospels, the hypocrisy is glaring.

By supporting this man and his movement; by ignoring and excusing his unrepentant actions; by embracing his ungodly agenda, all in the name of Jesus, we give the lost around us an opportunity to blaspheme the God we claim to serve. Instead of drawing lost souls into the kingdom, we drive them away. Why would they want what "we have" when we have nothing at all. 

If the salt has lost its flavor it is worthless (Matt 5:13). I'm afraid our becoming yoked to the political system has cost us dearly in the eyes of the world. It has cost us more than we can ever imagine.

Today if you hear His voice.....

Thorny Ground

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 

                                   Luke 21:34 KJV

Jesus taught with many parables. Perhaps one that is very familiar to us is that of the sower, sowing seed, with it falling upon various types of soil (see Matt 13:1-23).

While we can glean much from identifying the four types of soil Jesus used in this parable, I would mainly like to stick to that of the thorny ground in this post.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns spring up, and choked them.

                                    Matthew 13:7 KJV

The seed is the word, and Jesus explains the thorny ground in verse 22.

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that hearth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

                                Matthew 13:22 KJV 

We are expected to receive the word and allow it to shape and mold our lives. The word of God should transform us from the inside out, into the likeness of Christ. It should produce a harvest of fruit in our lives. 

What happens in a garden when weeds are allowed to grow up with the sprouting seeds that were carefully planted just a few weeks earlier?  Those of us who have gardened know that if the weeds are not pulled up, the plants we are expecting to produce a crop will not make it. The weeds will take the water and nutrients out of the soil, block the sun, and ultimately our harvest will be very disappointing.

Just as this is true in the natural world, it is true also in the spiritual. Jesus explains it well in Matthew 6:19-34.

Starting with our "treasures", where are we laying them up? Are we working towards the heavenly kingdom, storing our treasures there for eternity, or are we storing up possessions here on earth? Where our treasures are, is where our hearts are.

People often fool themselves, thinking that this thing, or that hobby, doesn't have my heart, while in reality it does. What consumes our time, money, talents, etc? Suppose a man has a wife whom he says he loves. He works a 40 hour week, stops by the bar for a drink with friends on his way home, after supper turns on the football game, falls asleep in his chair until midnight. He does this several times a week. Weekends are spent with the "guys." Fishing, golf, and hunting consume most of the weekend. Sure, he does spend some time with his wife, but can he honestly say that she has his heart? Who or what really does hold his affection?

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

                                Matthew 6:24 KJV

That is what Jesus says about our treasure. What about the cares and necessities of life? If we read on in Matthew, Jesus tells us not to worry about food and clothing. These are the things, He tells us, that the "Gentiles" (the world) eagerly seek after. Our focus, our priority, is to seek His kingdom and righteousness. He will take care of us, making sure that our needs are met.

What does that tell us about the cares of life? It is so easy to be consumed by them, losing our focus on what really matters. Just like treasures that steal our hearts, the cares of life can just as easily take our hearts as well. Stress and worry are signs that our hearts are in the wrong place. If one follows the context of Jesus' teaching here we see that He links our treasures to our hearts, the focus of our "eye" to serving one master only, and then says, "Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" These things can become our masters too according to Jesus.

Too many of us are working for nothing more than to make ends meet. Does Jesus forbid work? No, I don't believe that for a minute. However, our focus still must be on the advancement of His kingdom. That is our main objective in life as Christians. We have to eat, we need clothing, and jobs provide the necessary income to purchase these things. Yet, if we let our need for the basics of life become our pursuit, we are again trying to serve two masters. This is the danger of thorny ground. The word gets choked out every time.

Jesus, in speaking about the last days leading up to His return, warns against becoming caught up with loose living, and being weighed down with the cares of life. The day of the LORD will come like a trap on all who are not carefully watching for it (Luke 21:34). To be consumed by these things flies out of a heart of unbelief. Jesus, once while teaching about prayer, asks, " When the Son of man returns, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)

Instead of anxiety, we are to take our needs to God in prayer, leaving them there in God's hands (Philippians 4:6-7). 

Then we read this warning in Hebrews 6:7-8,

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God.

But that which beareth thorns and briars is rejected, and us nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

This steps on toes, and I am stepping on mine also. It is so easy to get caught up in either the pursuit of things, or the cares of life. Just like a farmer who fertilizes and waters his field expects a good yield, so too God expects us to bear much fruit for Him. He blesses us and gives us whatever we need, so how can we justify it when all He gets from us is thorns and thistles? 

Jeremiah the prophet's ministery to the southern kingdom of Judah began just before, and continued during the early years of the Babylonian captivity. His message was primarily that of impending judgement, however we do see a call to repentance that is just as relevant for us today,

For this saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up the fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

                              Jeremiah 4:3-4 KJV

To repent is to return to the LORD. It involves putting away our abominations (Jeremiah 4:1). This is painful, and we must be thorough. As someone who has had a garden, and then let it go, I can relate to breaking it up so it is useful again. It's not easy to run that tiller through that hard packed ground, roots and weeds wrapping themselves around the tines.

Fallow ground is soil that has been allowed to lie dormant over time. It becomes overgrown, with roots tangled up below the surface. It needs to be broken up with a plow if it is to be useful again. All those weeds have to go, roots and all.

Just like the parable of the sower, Jeremiah uses the figure of thorny, fallow ground to make a spiritual point. Many Christians today slowly neglect things in their lives over time. Often, without realizing it, they have been caught up with the cares of life and the pursuit of money or possessions. Their once soft hearts have become hard and unyielding. This fallow ground of the heart must be deeply plowed. The soil must be turned up and the thorns and weeds must be thoroughly pulled up. All of it must go so that we have a soft, tender heart once again. Then when the word of the kingdom is sown it has a chance to grow and mature into a bountiful harvest. It is not easy work. The things that steal our hearts away from Jesus have to be pulled up by the roots. This is repentance, to cut out sin, to turn away from it, and return to Jesus, with a heart once again devoted to Him.

Broken and Contrite.

     For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.  
                                                    Isaiah 57:15 KJV

     We read in this verse that the eternal, holy, God desires to dwell with the humble and contrite. His desire is to revive the spirit of those who are lowly and broken in spirit. Indeed, we see that God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
     This is where the problem lies; our pride. It is our pride, our exalting ourselves above the reign of God within our hearts, that shuts out the flow of His presence and grace within our lives. Pride is the exact opposite of humility. God resists the proud. The picture is that of an army standing in battle formation against the proud individual. This is not where you or I want to be.
     In David's prayer of repentance, we see that the sacrifices acceptable to God are a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17). You see, we must be humbled if we are to receive grace. Jesus said we must receive the kingdom of God as a little child if we are to enter it (Mark 10:15). He is speaking of humility, becoming as nothing in our own eyes, and in the eyes of the world.   
     To be contrite is to be crushed, broken, and ground into dust. It means that we are sorrowful, and grieved in our hearts because our sin has grieved and offended God. Contrition is not feeling sorry for ourselves, feeling sorrow because we did something bad, feeling sorrow over being caught in our sin, or sorrow at the thought of sins consequences. No, godly sorrow is the sorrow that comes from a heart that is crushed because we have sinned against God (2 Cor 7:9-11). David said "Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight" (Psalm 51:4 KJV). 
     Only when one has been broken in this way, can one truly repent. An individual who has felt the deep sorrow over sin, how odious it is to God, how it has pained the heart of God, will leave it. Such a one is done with sin, not because sin has consequences, but because God hates sin. This individual will live his or her life careful to please God in all things. They fear sin most of all because they do not wish to grieve God.
     Oh that We would experience a mighty move of God in this day! That we would feel the deep conviction of sin that would break us and grind us to powder as wheat is ground into flour. The mighty convicting power of the Holy Spirit, that would bring us to our knees in humility and repentance. We so desperately need a move of God in our generation, a move that would revive and refresh us; a move that would bring us back to the heart of God; a move that would bring His presence back into our lives and assemblies once again. Oh that we could be humble and contrite of spirit, so that God would dwell with us once again. 

Grieving the Spirit.

    And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption
     Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
     And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
                                               Ephesians 4:30-32 KJV

     Many Christians find themselves in a rut. Their lives seem dry and empty. Many struggle to pray; it seems the heavens are like brass, and no prayer can get through. For many, church has become a mere routine. Worship has lost the life that it once had. Instead of sensing the nearness of the presence of God, He now seems distant, and silent. What has happened? The Christian life that was once vibrant is now strangely stagnant.
     There are many Christians who have allowed bitterness and anger to slip into their lives. Something has caused an offense, and instead of gracefully letting it go, it has been allowed to fester deep within the heart. Others have fallen into the habit of gossip and slander. It seems so harmless to talk about what is happening in the life of someone else. What happens when we gossip and backbite; when we become bitter and unforgiving, is that we grieve the Holy Spirit. We have ceased to walk in love, the very thing the Holy Spirit desires to form in us.
     To grieve the Spirit is to cause Him deep sorrow and pain. We are no longer keeping in step with the Spirit's leading, but are in opposition to the unity He is striving for among brethren. We are walking in the flesh! We block the flow of the Spirit's presence and power by our sin. This is why Jesus tells us to first go and be reconciled to our brother (Matt 5:23-24). This is why Jesus tells us to forgive, if we would be forgiven (Matt 6:14-15). Bitterness will shut out our prayers (Mark 11:25-26). We often take our Christian life for granted. We do not always notice the coolness slipping into our spiritual lives. We do not always sense the "silence" of the Spirit.
     If we would have Him back in real presence and power, we must repent! We must go back and find where we have been angry, where we have harbored bitterness. We must search it out and be reconciled to those we have offended, and forgive those who have offended us. We must let it go! Why not be wronged, as Paul states (1 Cor 6:7)? We must look at the gossip and slander that we have partaken of, and if necessary, go and undo the damage that we have caused, to the best of our ability. These are hard words, but unless we are willing to do what we can to make things right, we have not really repented.
     We are called to walk worthy of the call of God in our lives. This is to be done in humility, meekness, and patience. We are to put up with one another in love, striving to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3). As Christians we are to work hard, with much patience, and much grace, to walk in true unity. This means that we must be kind, we must be humble, we must forgive, we must love! This is what the Holy Spirit is accomplishing in the body as we cooperate with Him. If we would desire His presence among us, and His power at work in and through us, we must walk in love!

It Is Time To Seek The Lord.

Sow with a view to righteousness,

reap in accordance to kindness;

break up your fallow ground,

for it is time to seek the Lord

until He comes to rain 

righteousness on you.

Hosea 10:12 NASB

     

     Much like the "days of Elijah," we see a nation wavering between two opinions (1 Kings 18:21). The real tragedy in all of this is the fact that there is a professing element of Christianity that holds to a form of godliness, but denies its power (2 Tim 3:5). Many have allowed the soft ground of their hearts to grow hard. Instead of bearing the fruit of righteousness, thorns and thistles grow instead, on land that is in danger of being cursed (Hebrews 6:7-8).

     If we would enjoy the presence of God in our midst once again; if we would experience His refreshing; if we would walk in the power of the Holy Ghost as in former times, we must seek the Lord in all earnestness. As we read in Jeremiah, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). To break up the fallow ground is to repent. It is to get out the sin and rebellion, and to turn to God in brokenness and humility. Many people do not like this. They would rather not deal with their sin in this way. It hurts to dig deep within our inner selves; to tear the sin out by the roots; but repentance must be deep if we would truly seek the Lord, and find Him. I'm afraid that while many "seek" the Lord, very few actually find Him. They are not really sincere enough to do what it takes (deep repentance/humility) to persevere and find Him. 

     In 2 Chronicles 7:14, we have the promise that if we who are called by God's name (Christians), would humble ourselves and pray, seek God's face, and turn from our wicked ways, then God would hear us from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land. You see, it begins with us. The saying is true, that if we desire revival, it must begin with us. If we would see the fruit of righteousness springing up in our lives, in our churches, and in this land, we must begin to earnestly seek the Lord one more time. We cannot afford to be half hearted, we cannot afford to be insincere in repentance, we cannot afford to quickly give up before the Lord comes back to His temple in all of His power and glory once again. 

     Jesus says to us, Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me (Rev 3:20 NASB). These words were spoken by the Savior to the Church at Laodicea; a church that was compromised, worldly, and self sufficient, much like so many today. Yet, the invitation is still offered. Christ stands on the outside desiring to come in, if we will but let Him.

Those Who Fear the Lord.

     Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and esteem His name. "And they will be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "On the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.
                                                    Malachi 3:16-18 NASB

     There is very little distinguishing between the righteous and wicked in our nation today. Sadly, what is true about the spiritual condition of our nation, can be said of a great portion of the professing Church as well. There is a large segment of so called believers who have embraced a godless form of "Christianity;" one that has chosen cultural relevance over timeless moral principles of righteousness. 
     There is a huge lack of the fear of the Lord. People fail to take His word seriously, as evidenced by the boldness of many to disregard what it teaches- a disregard for its commands, and its warnings. So called Christians are quick to take a verse or two that speak of Jesus eating with publicans and sinners, to justify wicked behavior within their midst. "Judge not" is the knee jerk reaction to those who attempt to sound a warning, that things are not right in the sight of God.
     We so desperately need a revival today! Those who fear the Lord can take comfort from this passage found in Malachi. The Lord sees them. He sees their tears, hears their groans and sighs, and remembers them. They may feel all alone in this world, but they are His! God has promised to spare them! The day will come when the lines will be clear once again! It will be evident. One will be able to clearly see who is righteous, and who is not; who serves God, and who does not. 
     Today is the day to seek the face of God....

Go After Your Brother!

     "What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?
     "If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.
     "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish."
                                       Matthew 18:12-14 NASB

     Jesus continues the theme of true greatness (Matt 18:4). We see, in this portion of scripture (Matt 18:1-35), that we have a responsibility toward our brother; to watch over him, to ensure that we do not cause him to stumble, and to see that if he does, we do what we can to bring him back. This requires great humility. The common reaction is to let others do as they will, we will only worry about ourselves.
     We see from the above verses, that Christ is concerned for the individual who has gone astray. This illustration of a shepherd leaving the ninety-nine, to search for the one, leads us to His teaching on restoring a brother caught in sin.
     The Apostle Paul gives us similar instruction as well.

     Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted."
                                              Galatians 6:1 NASB

     James has this to say,

     My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,
     let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
                                             James 5:19-20 NASB

     We have this very important principle confirmed in the New Testament by the mouth of two or three witnesses (2 Cor 13:1), so why do we fail to put it into practice in so many instances today?`
     Jesus gives us a pattern to follow in the event a brother sins against us (Matt 18:15-20). The objective is the restoration of the sinning brother, and the healing of the broken relationship.
     In the event of a brother sinning against you, first go to him in private. At this point, this is between you, and the person who offended you. I believe that if people would gently, but honestly confront an individual, in a true spirit of love, it would go a long way to restoring fellowship, and in keeping a brother from straying from the faith.
     If however, your efforts do not reclaim your brother; he will not hear you, bring one or two others along with you, and try again. By bringing others in to help, it enforces the seriousness of the situation, and also ensures that things are done lovingly, and in truth.
     Sadly, sometimes it takes a little more effort to reclaim a sinning brother, and if he will not hear the two or three, then the Church must become involved. By this point things are more serious. The problem is no longer between you and another. The Church is also affected, because the refusal of the sinning brother to repent, also brings a reproach upon the body of Christ. True Christian fellowship and unity is dependent upon our submission to Christ, and our submission to, and love for each other (Phil 2:2; Col 3:12-14; 1 Peter 5:5; 1 John 1:7). Once again, the objective is to see a brother who has gone astray restored to fellowship. If he now sees the error of his ways, and humbly confesses his sin, turning from it, he has been reclaimed.
     If, at this point, he will still not turn from his sin, the only recourse is to break fellowship with the unrepentant individual. This seems harsh to many, but once again, the goal is restoration. This is actually tough love, with the intent that a "shunned" individual will come to the realization of his need of reconciliation. It would be important for the church to be in prayer for this individual, seeking that God would turn his heart back to the truth.
     The Apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthian Church for failing to go through this process with an individual who was in sexual sin. He called them arrogant for their acceptance of this unrepentant brother, and commanded them to turn the man out of fellowship. His goal was twofold. He desired that the individual would come to his senses and repent, and he was also jealously guarding the Church from further corruption (1 Cor 5:1-13).
     Again, this seems harsh to many. People view this as being judgmental, and are quick to point out that Jesus tells us not to judge (Matt 7:1). We are told in this Passage in First Corinthians, that we are to judge those within the Church (1 Cor 5:11-13). We must be careful however, that our judgment is not harsh or critical; it must be done in love, and that we judge ourselves first, before we judge another (Matt 7:1-5).
     If we would take the time to go after our Christian brothers and sisters when they stray, it would go a long way in promoting the unity and purity of the body of Christ.
     The Apostle Paul encourages the Corinthian believers to bring back a repentant individual, who had been turned out by the Church (2 Cor 2:1-11). Perhaps this was the same individual mentioned before, but the point is, a sinning brother was restored: to God, and to fellowship within the body of believers. This is how it is to work, if we would take the time, and make the effort, to see a brother restored.
    

Where Is The Shame?

    "Open shame belongs to us, O, Lord, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against you."
                                           Daniel 9:9 NASB


     We have been taught that shame is a bad thing; that we need to feel good about ourselves; we need to have high self esteem.
     As a result, we now see individuals within the visible Church proudly living in sinful behavior. They have overcome any guilt and shame that they might have felt over their sin, and instead chosen to flaunt their wickedness.
     We see so much acceptance of sin today. What was once understood as evil, is now openly embraced by many who would call themselves Christians. Things that were once disgraceful  to even mention (Ephesians 5:12), are now common place. We can speak of these things without blushing in shame.  It all has to do with feeling good about ourselves and others. Many believe that this is sharing the "love of Christ" with struggling individuals, but sadly the promotion of self esteem ultimately leaves us outside of the grace of God in Christ Jesus.
     John tells us that if we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, if we say we have not sinned, we are saying that God is a liar, and His word is not in us (1 John 1:8, 10). This is what so many do today. They have chosen to throw away the shame associated with sin, they have hardened their hearts, and openly embraced their sin, as a lifestyle. In other words, people no longer consider sinful acts as sin, but instead excuse things as life choices, or being born a certain way, or going so far as to claim God made them that way. So many modern "Christians" claim liberty. They somehow believe that they have freedom in Christ to do the very things that separate them from Him. The gospel, to them, has liberated them from guilt, while they remain in sin. The very thing that should drive one to the cross of Christ in repentance and faith, has been cast off in the name of self esteem.
     God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Those who openly flaunt their sinful lifestyles may feel no more guilt or shame, but yet their sin remains. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sin (1 John 1:9). To confess sin is to agree with God about our sin, and about ourselves. We agree that sin is offensive to God. We agree with Him, and take the responsibility for our actions. Yes, sin is shameful, and we should be ashamed of our sinful actions. True confession makes no excuses, and does not seek to justify our wicked behavior in any way. The truly humble sinner seeking grace, is willing to forsake his sin, because of the offense it causes God. That is his greatest shame; not the fact that he has done shameful things, but that he has grieved God.
     God never intends for us to remain in guilt and shame. Yet, as a holy, and righteous  God, He will never allow us to cast off our shame, and brazenly remain in our sin. He will free us from our guilt, and not only the guilt, but the power of sin, if we will give up, in humble submission to Him.
    

The Example of Sodom.

      Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 1:7 KJV).

     We read in the Bible that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for their extreme wickedness. This is God's view of the inhabitants of these wicked cities.

     But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly (Genesis 13:13 KJV).

     As the above text states, these cities are set forth as an example to us, a warning, lest we too fall into the gross, sinful lifestyle, that marked the inhabitants of these cities. Their destruction is a warning to future generations, that God detests sin, and will bring judgment upon those who persist in sinning. This is something that we do not like to mention now days, but it would serve us well to realize that Jude's warning comes to us in this age of grace that we now live in. The Apostle Paul is in agreement with this as well. The Old Testament failings of Israel, and the ensuing judgment that overtook them, were written down as examples to us, New Testament believers, so that we would not fall into the same lustful actions, idolatrous worship, and immorality, as they did (1 Corinthians 10:1-11).
     It is important that we take a look at Sodom and Gomorrah, so that we may see what sin they were guilty of. There are several passages of scripture that shed light on this important subject.

     Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
     And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good (Ezekiel 16:49-50 KJV).

     Here we have a list of sins that are very grievous to God (Genesis 17:20).
     1. Pride
     2. Over Abundance (luxury)
     3. Idleness
     4. Selfishness

     This could just as easily describe the conditions in America today, both inside the "professing" Church, and outside of it.
     Anyone who takes an honest look at the moral conditions that run rampant today, must agree that in our foolish pride, we have cast off all moral restraint. The authority of God has been rejected. Man has explained away the scriptures, and has determined that he, himself, will define morality. Cultural relevance is now the new standard, as the word of God has been determined to be outdated, and irrelevant. Man in his pride has taken the throne that rightfully belongs to God. We live in a society, where it is all about me, and everyone is doing that which seems right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6; Proverbs 12:15).
     Look at the vast abundance of food available in this land. Having an abundant supply of food in and of itself is not sin. But once again, take an honest look around you. Look at the huge amount of "fast food," "junk food," soft drinks, and so forth, that are consumed in this country. It is no wonder that we see so many people suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. All you can eat buffets are very popular, even with the "after church crowd", but when is the last time you have heard a really great sermon on gluttony?
     Paul taught "moderation". He would not be held in bondage to food or any other thing (1 Corinthians 6:12). We are to do all for the glory of God, even our eating and drinking (1 Corinthians 10:31), but are we really doing this? I fear that there are many who are enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things (Philippians 3:18-19 KJV).
     Pride and over abundance go hand in hand. Just like the Laodiceans, we believe that we are rich, and have increased in goods, and have need of nothing. Yet we are poor, wretched, miserable, and blind (Revelation 3:17). We might have an abundance of material things, but sadly, many in this nation are spiritually emaciated.
     We have an unprecedented abundance of idle time as well. Gone are the days when our children grew up with "chores", when they did small tasks at home for an allowance. These things were intended to teach responsibility, and to instill a good work ethic in our children. We have now seen several generations of young people grow up with video games, movies, social media, and a host of other technologies that have fostered laziness, and a craving to be "entertained".  I imagine that countless hours have been spent by millions of people in front of television sets. I can remember when you used to have to get up to change the channel. Now one can mindlessly click through a hundred channels, with a remote, and are still bored with the selection that is out there. We are living in a culture that has to be entertained to be happy. What entertained a previous generation is no longer good enough, so we seek something that is more extreme, something a bit more exciting. That is the problem with idleness. Nothing satisfies us in our pursuit of fun and pleasure.
     Sadly, the professing Church is filled with individuals with too much time on their hands as well. I recently listened to a "Christian" radio program that attempted to encourage parents who were seeking "godly" alternatives to the violent video games that their youth were playing. They interviewed a youth pastor who loved playing games, and who suggested several games that were not so violent, or worldly. What if youth pastors got rid of the X Box, and got on their knees instead? Not only are people growing up pampered with no work ethic, but they are also growing up with no knowledge of the word of God, and with no real prayer life. In all of our idleness, will no one take the time to seek God? Our abundance, and our idleness speak volumes about what we are truly living for.

     And I will say to my soul, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat drink, and be merry."
                                           Luke 12:19 KJV

     In their selfishness, the inhabitants of Sodom had no regard for the needy among them. We have many programs aimed at meeting the needs of the needy, and no doubt there are many who have been helped in times of need. There are also many generous people who have done much to alleviate the sufferings of the less fortunate. However, for every "Good Samaritan" out there, there are many more individuals who just don't care. They live to themselves, content to meet their own needs, and should they see someone in need, they, like the priest and Levite, pass on by (Luke 10:31-32). How many professing believers pass by the "cripple at the gate beautiful"  (Acts 3:2), on their way to the temple (Church), but never stop to give aid?
     One vital proof of our Love for God, is our love for the brethren. If we see a need that we have the means to meet, but close our heart to our brother, how can we say that we love God (1 John 3:16-18). Look at the standard of judgment according to the words of Jesus. It is based upon feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned.  (Matthew 25:31-46). We may find it easy to love some people in this way, but we do not have the option to pick and choose, as Christ calls us to love even those we may see as insignificant. Some may reject this as "works," but since these are the words of Christ, we do well to take them seriously. The fact is, our actions are the proof of who we really are. If we are following Jesus, we will love others.
     We have discussed the pride and selfish lifestyles that the people of Sodom indulged in, but they are even better known for their sexual perversion. This is what Adam Clarke has to say about Ezekiel 16:49, in his commentary.

     If we are to take this place literally, Sodom was guilty of other crimes beside that for which she appears to have been especially punished; in addition to her unnatural crime, she is charged with pride, luxury, idleness, and uncharitableness; and these were sufficient to sink any city to the bottomless pit.
     (Clarke's Commentary vol 4 pp 464, 465 Abingdon press)

     Let's take a look now at some other passages of scripture that deal with Sodom's sexual sin. In Genesis we read that two angels came to the city, and Lot received them into his home, where he offered them a meal, and a place to stay for the night (Genesis 19:1-3). Read what happened next.

     But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
     And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came into thee this night? bring them out unto us that we may know them.
     And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
     And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
     Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them what is good in your eyes: only to these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
                                    Genesis 19:4-8 KJV

     The men of this city were homosexuals. They came to Lot seeking to have relations with his visitors. It does not speak very well of Lot either, that he offers them his daughters instead. You see, this city was given over to sexual perversion. We are told that the righteous soul of Lot was extremely vexed at all of their unlawful deeds (2 Peter 2:2-7-8). Yet we see by his offer of his daughters to these men, that some of it appears to have rubbed off on him as well.
     Jude tells us that these cities had given themselves over to sexual immorality, and homosexuality (Jude 1:7). This was the low that they in their pride and selfish ambition, had sunk to. They now pursued perverted gratification, among all of their other sins.
     Sexual preference is not something that can be explained by the psychologists. It is not the way we were born. God did not create us that way. There is no "gay gene". It flows from the very depths of depravity. It is the result of being given over to our own lusts, sinking deeper and deeper into sin; doing wicked things that at one time we would have cringed at the very thought of.
     Read Romans 1:18-32. This is the process of man rejecting God, and as a consequence, God gives them up to their own passions.  We are told that men change the glory of God into an image, an idol. They change the truth of God into a lie, and worship the creature more than the creator (Romans 1:23, 25). Here is the sad result.

     Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves.
                                  Romans 1:24 KJV

     For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
     And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one for another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
     And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.
                                    Romans 1:26-28 KJV

     This is the result of idolatry. When we reject the revelation of God, which each one of us has received (Romans 1:19-20), we are left to ourselves. As the above verses explained, we are given up, by God, to our vile affections and lusts. A careful study of the bible will show you that wherever idolatry existed, sexual immorality was also present.
     Read the rest of the chapter. Sexual sin is not the only sin listed. Wicked behavior of every kind is listed here, all the result of man's attempt to live apart from the rule of God in his life.
     I do not write this with a judgmental attitude. I can see the direction we are heading as a nation, and I fear we are swiftly filling up the measure of our sin. King Josiah, upon reading the book of the law, recognized the danger that his nation was in, as a result of years of gross sin, and greatly feared the wrath of God (2 Chronicles 34:21). We need revival in this land. We are promised that if we as the Church (My people), would humble ourselves and pray, seek the face of God, and turn from our wicked ways, God would hear us from heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). We should be grieved in our hearts, as we see much of the professing Church fall away from biblical faith and standards. It is time to consecrate a fast, to call for a solemn assembly, and to seek God (Joel 1:14, 2:12-17).
     When we read of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, we also see that God is able to deliver the godly out of temptations (2 Peter 2:6-9). It seemed that Lot stubbornly "dug in his heels" as the angels urged him to flee, but he was delivered none the less. My desire is to see godly men and women gathering together in prayer to God, on behalf of a lukewarm Church, and a sinful nation. In the days of Josiah, God sent revival into the midst of a nation steeped in idolatry. Their sin included the sacrificing of their children, not unlike the sin of abortion that defiles our nation today. We need that same revival today, where God comes in power, and sets this nation free from the grip of sin that binds it. We need to see individuals crying out in repentance, putting away their idols, forsaking their sin, and embracing Christ. It begins with us. If we do nothing, what will become of us? 
     We need our hearts broken. When Ezra heard the report that the returned exiles from the Babylonian captivity were once again intermingling with the nations around them, he was gripped with fear, and great grief. He feared that they would once again face God's righteous judgment, and his heart broke over the nation's sin. He tore his clothing, and ripped out his hair and beard; not as an external act, but as a result of his deep anguish (Ezra 9:1-15). He stood in the gap for his people, and God sent revival. As he prayed, the people came weeping over their sin, with deep repentance (Ezra 10:1-4).
      It grieves my heart deeply, to see the capitulation of multitudes of so called "Christians" to the immoral onslaught that we are facing as a Church, and nation in these days. Thousands of professed believers, in the name of "love" are accepting, tolerating, and promoting that which is wicked in God's eyes. They have no tolerance however, for an individual who stands for righteousness; who refuses to conform to this world; who instead exposes sin, in love, to the end that people might repent and be saved. But this is what is needed in this hour; Spirit empowered individuals who will stand up with a holy fear, and proclaim the truth, to a lost and dying world.
     The Bible is filled with examples of individuals who were brokenhearted over their nation's sin. We read their humble, earnest, and tearful prayers of confession and repentance. We see the results as God brings about revival, and healing to the land. All of this is good, but profits us nothing if we will not avail ourselves of His great mercy. God is looking for those who will stand in the gap for a backslidden church. He is looking for an individual who trembles at His word, and mourns over the sin that is destroying our nation today. 
     We have the example of Sodom as a warning that God hates sin, and will judge it. We also have the examples of godly men who wept and sought the Lord. What will it take to break our hearts? What will bring us to the point of weeping? What will bring us to our knees, pleading with God, confessing our sin, and the sin of this nation? 
     Only in repentance, and turning back to God, can we be saved.
     
     
     
     
  

    
    

    

    

    
    
    

You cannot be unequally yoked.

     Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
     Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
     Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God has said,
     "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
     "THEREFORE, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPERATE," says the lord, "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; AND I WILL WELCOME YOU.
     "AND I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE SONS AND DAUGHTERS TO ME," says the Lord Almighty.
                      2 Corinthians 6:14-18NASB

     When one decides to follow Jesus, there is a line drawn that cannot be crossed. As we read in Paul's epistle to the Church at Corinth, there is no partnership between righteousness and lawlessness, no fellowship between light and darkness, no harmony between Christ and the devil, no common ground between a believer and an unbeliever, and no agreement between the temple of God, and idols. As temples of the living God who dwells within us, what can we possibly be thinking in compromising with worldliness and sin? The path of following Christ stands in complete opposition to the selfish ways of the world we live in. As Christians, we are governed by a set of values that go against the values that the world holds. Two sets of standards, in total contradiction to one another, and yet the modern professing "Church" has chosen to blend these two systems.
     Congregations and denominations have grossly departed from Christ and the absolute standard that He calls us to. This is not something that has happened overnight, people have allowed it to creep in over time. Churches grappled with the word of God, and decided that it was not infallible, was not inspired, and was subject to man's interpretation. This only opened the door to the sin and compromise we see so prevalent today in many of our denominations.
     Understand very carefully that these "Churches" have completely departed from the faith! One cannot condone, accept, and promote immorality, and yet be a born again follower of Christ. It is absolutely impossible. Look at what Paul writes in Romans 1:18-32. We see sexual immorality all around us, in the form of adultery, sex outside of marriage, and homosexuality. Understand very carefully what God is telling us in this passage of scripture. This immorality is the result of God giving up a people to their degrading passions, because they have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, worshipping the creature rather than the creator. When you see a nation promoting deviant sexual behavior, it is a sign of that nation being rejected of God. When you see a denomination promoting sexual sin, that denomination has departed from God, and as a result, He has given them over to pursue their evil passions. Without the restraint of God, man, left to himself, progresses farther down the path of sin, entrenching himself deeper and deeper in depravity.
     What we are seeing today in our modern denominations is not a church "loving people into the kingdom", but a group of depraved people, void of the presence of God. And it is not only sexual immorality we see, but also greed, envy, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, murder, slander, boastful people, arrogance, disobedience to parents, unloving people, untrustworthy individuals, and unmerciful people (Romans 1:29-31). We expect the "world to be filled with people like this, but it is found in the professing "Church" as well. Paul tells us that men will be lovers of money, lovers of self, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, conceited, loving pleasure more than God. They hold a form of godliness; in other words, they look like a church, appear to be "Christians" by some of the things that they say and do, but their lives are void of the true power that the gospel brings, as evidenced by their gross departure into sin (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
     I am not referring to the true Church, those who are blood bought, born again, and following Christ. These are the ones on the narrow path to life, while the world rushes to destruction (Matt 7:13-14). There are those who fear the Lord, and grieve over the sin and compromise that the world calls "Christianity." They know what it is to come out and be separate from the world and its ways. They experience the scorn and ridicule as they stand alone for what is right in the eyes of God. These individuals cry out to God for revival, they proclaim the truth even though nobody wants to hear it. Sadly they are accused of being judgmental, and self righteous, by the very ones who are being deceived.
     God calls us to come out from the midst of this sinful world and be separate. There is no possibility of compromise in the kingdom of God. You are either all in, and serving Him alone, or you are perishing in your sin. You cannot serve two masters (Matt 6:24). Light and darkness cannot mix, it is impossible to stand for righteousness, while promoting lawlessness. What we have recently seen in many of the major denominations, is a deadly deception, that is leading thousands into hell.
     We need a God sent awakening in our land today. As followers of Christ, who are seeking His kingdom and righteousness, we must fall to our knees in humility and prayer; seeking His face, that He would come and bring revival, and healing to this land. It is our only hope.
    
    

    
    
    

Strive to Enter the Narrow Door.

     We seem to have this idea that the Christian life requires little or no effort on our part. It is true on the one hand that salvation is the gift of God, received by faith, and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). But we also have the words of Jesus as recorded in Luke's gospel,

     "Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets'; and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME ALL YOU EVIL DOERS.' There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there when you see Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves being cast out. And they will come from east and west, and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last."
                                     Luke 13:24-30 NASB

     The word strive is a strong word that means to gain the mastery of, to agonize in contention for something. To strive is to give an all out effort in the obtaining of a prize. In this instance Christ is telling us that we must make every effort to enter through the narrow door. The four men who brought the paralytic to Jesus were an example to us of what it means to strive, or make an effort. They were not discouraged by the large crowd surrounding Jesus, but instead, dug a hole in the roof of the house where Jesus was teaching, and lowered their friend in front of Christ (Mark 2:2-4).
      We are told that many will try to enter, but will not be able. Elsewhere we read that there will be FEW that enter the narrow gate, and walk the narrow path that leads to life (Matt 7:13).
     The problem that multitudes of professing believers have is their lack of faith, evidenced by their lack of commitment to Christ and His call on their lives. They may desire to live better lives; perhaps to even give up some sinful habits, but their desires do not run deep enough to make a radical break with sin. For many, their profession is based upon an emotional experience with no depth. They may have said a prayer, made a commitment, but they failed to count the cost as Jesus tells us we must do (Luke 14:28). Just like the people in Jesus' day, there are many today who are familiar with Jesus. There are those who are content to believe the historical facts about Christ, but their faith remains in their heads and not their hearts, and their lives are unchanged. It is the same with those who are "Christian" based on the fact they grew up in a Christian home. Others are satisfied with religious forms and rituals. They, like those who ate and drank in the presence of Jesus, and heard Him teaching in the streets, will be shocked on the day they stand before Him and hear "I do not know where you are from." They have missed the new birth, through which we must enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3-7).
     Just as birth is painful and requires great effort to bring a life into the world, so also it is painful, and requires great effort to be spiritually born anew into the kingdom of God. Once again, I am aware that works will never save us, and it is impossible to earn our salvation, or to be able to impress God enough to save us. It is not a case of being able to somehow trust in God, and trust in works, and being able to get to heaven.
     You see, we must be stripped of pride, stripped of self, and this is a painful process and few can endure it, but God is opposed to the proud. Those who are humble, are those who receive grace (James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:5). The new birth is a radical change. We come just as we are, but we will never enter the kingdom just as we are. We come to surrender, to lay down our sinful lives, and be changed by the washing of rebirth, and the renewal of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-7). This surrender, this laying down of our lives is repentance, a complete change of mind and action. It is a turning from ourselves to God. It involves giving up our sin. It is painful to see ourselves as God sees us, but once we do we will turn from our selfish desires and actions and give ourselves to follow Christ.
     Jesus calls us to follow Him, and to follow Him requires that we deny ourselves, take up our cross; that we renounce all we have, that we completely lose our lives for Him (John 12:25-26; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 14:27-33). To follow Jesus requires that we obey Him (Luke 6:46; John 14:21, 15:14). Our obedience does not save us. If we are following Jesus from a motive of self preservation, we have failed to lose our life for Him. We are still in control of our life, and have failed to enter in through the narrow door. The door is indeed narrow, and one must squeeze through it painfully. We must follow Him for His sake, and love Him for His sake. It is not about what He can do for us, but about losing our lives for Him.
     It is a narrow gate and an equally narrow road that leads to life, with few on it, while the broad path to destruction is filled with souls (Matt 7:13-14). The cost is high, and few are truly willing to pay it.

Broken Cistern Christianity.

     "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water."
                                Jeremiah 2:13 NASB

     There is nothing new under the sun, as the preacher says in Ecclesiastes 1:9. The word of the Lord to His wayward people in the days of Jeremiah, is still applicable to modern "Christianity" today.
     Indeed, we have seen denominations, and churches, forsake the Lord, the fountain of living waters, in our day as well. How has this been done?
    
     1. We have forsaken the message of repentance.
     In much of our modern evangelistic efforts, we hold to an easy believism that allows "converts" to remain in their sin. The modern message leaves out the vital need for heartfelt repentance from sin. We say "come just as you are", but we do not stress the fact that we cannot remain just as we are if we have truly come to Christ for the salvation of our souls. We are leaving generations of professing Christians still dead in their sins, because the need for repentance has been cut out of much of our preaching.
     Yet Jesus stressed the need for repentance (Matt 4:17; Luke 13:3), as did His forerunner, John the Baptist (Matt 3:1-2). It was the message of the Apostles and the early Church (Acts 2:38, 3:19, 17:30-31, 26:20, 2 Cor 7:9-10, James 4:6-10). The scriptures close with the letters to the seven Churches where the Lord Jesus once again stresses the need for repentance (Rev 2:5, 16, 21-22, 3:3, 19).
     Repentance, the turning from our sin (giving it up), and turning to God in submission to Him, is key to our salvation. There can be no salvation without it, for if we desire to be forgiven, but still choose to remain in our sin, we are doing nothing but presuming upon the grace of God. He will not be mocked, we will reap what we sow (Gal 6:7-8).

     2. We have rejected true biblical faith, for mere head knowledge.
     The modern evangelical message is "Only believe." It is true that it is by faith that we enter into a saving relationship with Christ Jesus, but faith goes beyond mere assent to biblical facts about Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us that "Abraham believed God, and it was counted as righteousness (Romans 4:3)." James shows us the other side of faith however. We see that Abraham believed God with a faith that acted upon that belief. Abraham's faith was working with his works, and this was the fulfillment of the scriptures where we are told that Abraham was declared righteous on account of his faith (James 2:21-23).
     James tells us that true biblical faith, that is, true saving faith, will show itself by action. Faith without works is useless (James 2:20), and it is also dead faith (James 2:26). We are told that the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19). They have a lot of knowledge of Jesus stored in their minds, possibly much more knowledge than many supposed Christians claim to have, but that information is useless to them, as it is for those who do not act upon their faith in obedience to Christ. True faith, the only kind that God will honor, is an active obedient faith, expressing itself in love (Gal 5:6).

     3. We have forsaken the Lordship of Christ.
     Jesus asks "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say (Luke 6:46)?" Today we teach that one does not need to call Jesus Lord, or do what He says. We believe that He can be our Savior, but He does not have to be our Lord. What does Jesus say about this however? He tells us that we cannot serve two masters (Matt 6:24). Jesus calls us to lose all for His sake and the sake of the gospel (Mark 8:34-38). He calls us to give Him our complete allegiance, even renouncing all that we have (Luke 14:26-33). If we love our lives, we will lose them, but if we lose them for Him we will keep them unto life eternal (John 12:24-26). Will we follow Him all the way or not? It is a selfish gospel that offers forgiveness, but still allows one to retain full control of his or her life. To love anyone, or anything more than Jesus amounts to idolatry.

     4. We are without law.
     Modern day Christianity has failed to teach the importance of the moral law of God. We claim that we are now under grace, and the law is irrelevant (Romans 6:15; Eph 2:15). We do not agree with Jesus when He says He did not come to do away with the law, but to fulfill it (Matt 5:17). We have neglected the fact that the law is established by faith (Romans 3:31), and under the new covenant, it is written upon the hearts of those who have been born again through Jesus Christ (Jeremiah 31:31-33; Hebrews 10:16-17). The law is now fulfilled in us as we live and walk in the Spirit of God (Romans 8:2-4). We obey it's precepts from an inward principle. The Holy Spirit has changed us so that the true child of God will want to obey, from the heart.
     So many modern teachers claim that the law has been done away with, and it is not important whether we keep it or not. The words of John tell us differently however. He tells us that sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4). Jesus condemns those who practice lawlessness (Matt 7:23), as He came to take away sin, not to promote it (1 John 3:5-8).

     5. What about Holiness?
     The bible tells us that without holiness no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). The Apostle Paul calls us to come out from this wicked world and be separate. We are given the promise that God will be a father to us, and we will become His children (2 Cor 6:14-18). As we see, holiness is a way of life. It is a separation that is lived out in our daily conduct (1 Peter 1:14-17). Once again, this is downplayed, as God "sees" us as holy, no matter how we live. We are taught that somehow the Father cannot see our sin and moral filth, even though we are not truly separated from this evil world. Paul tells us that to reject holiness is to reject God (1 Thess 4:8). It is interesting to note that 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 deals with sexual purity, something that has been largely rejected by the modern seeker Churches of today.
     Once again, without holiness, that is, to come out of this world, and to be separated unto God, you will not see God. To refuse to be holy, is to reject God.

     6. We do not love Christ.
     The Apostle Paul closes his epistle to the Corinthian Church with the warning that anyone who does not love Christ is to be accursed (1 Cor 16:22). No professing believer would say that they do not love Christ. In fact, most, if not all, would claim to love Him, even with all their heart. But how does Jesus define our love for Him? What is the standard He uses? After all, if He desires, even demands our love, does He not have the right to define what that love is, and how it is shown?
     Once again, our love is shown by our deeds, in the same way our faith is made evident. Jesus tells us that if we love Him, we will do what He says. To disobey Him is to not love Him (John 14:21-24). Plain and simple words from God Himself, that define for us what love is. How many of us can say that we truly love Jesus if we use this as our standard? Love is not about emotions, and feeling good during worship. Lip service means nothing if the heart is far from God (Mark 7:6-8). Once again, where we have put away God's commands, and chosen to live in lawlessness, we have no love (Matt 24:12).
    
     The modern Church has rejected God in many ways, and chosen to serve a different Jesus than the one revealed to us in the word of God. Instead of coming to the fountain of living waters, we have become content to hew out for ourselves cisterns that cannot hold water.
      Imagine the inhabitants of a great city which lay under siege. As their water supply began to run out, they rush to open their cisterns, that should contain an ample supply of water. Imagine their shock and horror as they remove the coverings only to discover that all of their water leaked out over time! Now imagine you are standing before Jesus Christ on the day of judgment. Will your religion save you on that day?

     1. We have dug out a cistern of selfishness.
     The modern gospel has become a gospel of selfishness that appeals to our fleshly natures. It is not a matter of dying to ourselves, so that we may live for God. Instead, we hold to a gospel that makes God our servant. He lives to please us, and make us happy. This however is  not the gospel presented to us in the word of God. Once again, Jesus tells us to renounce all that we have, if we will be His disciples (Luke 14:33). It is the crucified life that Jesus desires for us (Gal 6:14), a life that is not about us, but Him.

     2. We worship at the cistern of modern culture.
     The modern Church has to a great degree allowed the culture of the day to define Christian faith and practice. Never mind that the scriptures define for us the standards that God has for His Church. We have determined that God's word is old, antiquated, no longer relevant for today's society.
     We can see this in the "sexual revolution" that has permeated the Church. Things that have been prohibited by the word of God for thousands of years, are now deemed acceptable. We tolerate all kinds of sin in so called believers. We affirm people in their sin, and do all we can to promote their sinful lifestyles.
     The Apostle Paul confronted this same thing in Corinth. He rebuked the church for their tolerance of gross sexual immorality within their midst, even calling them arrogant (1 Cor 5:1-2). God's word warns us that immoral individuals will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived by this empty cistern. (Ephesians 5:5-6).
     The gospel of the kingdom should be transforming the culture, instead of adapting to it. Our modern seeker sensitive mentality makes people feel good, and promotes Christianity as this non judgmental, tolerant fellowship, but in our efforts to cater to everyone, we have lost the power that only the true gospel contains.

     3. Programs with no power.
     In the beginnings of Christianity, a few uneducated disciples turned the world upside down for Christ. With no money, and no eloquence, these individuals went out filled with the Holy Ghost, and spread the gospel throughout the world.
     Now we rely on expensive programs to entertain people into the kingdom. These programs require manpower to carry out, and leave a wake of burned out volunteers disillusioned, when they fail to produce lasting converts. We seem to be more interested in Church growth numerically, rather than seeing the Church grow spiritually.
     Throughout the book of Acts, and the Epistles, we read how the early Christians went in the power of the Holy Spirit, and accomplished great things. Miracles, healings, devils cast out, and thousands of souls saved, are what they saw as a normal part of their Christian lives. The Bible tells us that it is not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of God (Zech 4:6). Why do we insist upon exchanging the Holy Spirit for a program?

     4. Grace has become a license to sin.
     For many, the modern view of grace means that we can live as we please, as God has covered our sin, by His grace. It is true that the forgiveness of our sin is due to God's grace. We, as rebels against God, deserve nothing but death. God's grace goes beyond our comprehension. Why would God forgive us? Why would He send Jesus to die in our place?
     However, many individuals believe that they can go on in sin because they are not under law, but grace. This is the exact opposite of what Paul states in Romans 6:14-15. Most Bible teachers would not come out and tell people to go ahead and sin because grace will cover it, but the way that grace is presented by many pastors and teachers today, leaves one with a false sense of security. They say that nothing we do can affect our salvation. No degree of sin can separate a believer from God. This teaching ignores many passages of scripture that warn us of sin, and its deadly consequences. Many "sinning saints" have little or no conviction of the sin in their lives, because they have ignored the voice of the Spirit of God, speaking to them through their consciences. They instead have been affirmed in their sin by this dangerous stretching of the truth of grace.
     God's grace actually teaches us to turn from sin, and to live godly lives (Titus 2:11-14). God, in His grace, has given us everything needful for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:2-4). This aspect of grace is seldom taught anymore, but it is grace nonetheless.

     5. A form of godliness, but without power.
     Many modern evangelicals today fit this category. They hold to a form of godliness, but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5). Paul warns of the day when the Church will be filled with selfish individuals.
    
   For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money. boastful. arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NASB).

     This is what we see filling so many so called Churches today. The sanctuaries are filled, the worship is thrilling, the message makes everyone feel good. It looks like a pretty good Church. Everyone is coming and raving about all of the cool things going on. The self help groups, the Christian counselors with all of their "Christian psychology", the life coaches, and so on, all seem to make modern Church so attractive and so godly. Where is the life giving power of God in all of this? Why do we not see sinners saved and transformed? Why do the people coming continue to live in the sins that they have always lived in? Why do people struggle and fall and struggle some more, without any change in their lives? This is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not the gospel that set the prisoners free in the early days of Christianity. Lives were changed, sin was eradicated from lives, people were willing to follow Jesus all the way to the death if necessary, but not today in our soft modern Churches.
      Too many have believed in a form of godliness that lacks the power to change lives. This is not the Christianity of the Bible. It is an empty cistern that will be sure to disappoint many on the final day when we all stand before the one who sits upon the throne.

     I do not write this in a spirit of fault finding. It is not my desire to hunt out all of the problems found in the Church, and then write about them. I desire to see change. I long for revival. I long for God to come down in His glory, and flood a dry and weary land with His presence. I long to see souls saved, delivered from sin, and serving Christ. I desire to see the miracles that we read about in the Bible. I desire to see God manifest Himself in power and glory once again in our land.
     There are many who like myself, grieve over the lukewarm condition that we see permeating Christianity today. Let us call a solemn assembly, proclaim a fast. Like Daniel, let us cry out to God in repentance and tears for the renewal of the Church in our day. We need revival. The lukewarm, compromising Christianity that prevails today, must be cast away in humble repentance, and we must return to the Christianity that Jesus died to give us. It is said that if you desire revival, draw a circle, get into it, and cry out to God for revival to begin with you. It is time to seek the Lord, on behalf of the Church, that she might once again rise up in the power of the Holy Ghost, and glorify the name of Jesus, as in former times.