There are those
who think that Christianity is a ritual that we do to enhance our life and make
us feel safe. We go to church, pray canned prayers designated by the leader and
sing songs that have little or no theology in them that are based on fleshly modulations
and superficial messages, much like mantra's of the cults, repeating phrases
over and over again.
Matthew 6:7 "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathens do. For they think that they are heard by their many words."
Church to the modern world is fun, happiness and enjoyment. If the gathering is too serious we sit waiting for it to be over so that we can get on with our "other" life outside of church. Church is not the people to us, it is the building that we sit in while enjoying our weekly fix of positive narcissistic supply.
I have heard it said that "the church service should comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." We are a society that seeks to comfort everyone, no matter the sin they are indulging in or who they are harming by their rebellion. The gospel is not very important to most church goers today, nor is spiritual growth.
All of this foolishness originated from the "self esteem" movement that began in the 70's. There were elements of it earlier than that but they did not become widespread "doctrine" in our culture until the 1970's.
When the culture began to look to the world for affirmation, rather than the Word of God and the Holy Spirit for their wisdom, the church began its downward spiral, I fear to no return. The church began to believe the "experts" in the secular community, who based their false knowledge on psychology that said that everyone is hurting and is merely acting out their inner struggles in terms of wrong behavior.
This belief that all people are basically good and only react to their environment, came straight from the pit of hell. God said the opposite, here is what He said in Jeremiah 17:9 ""The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], And desperately wicked; Who can know it?"
If the church is to overcome the indoctrination of the past 40 years, many who claim to be born again, are going to have to realize that they were never saved from their sin and are not believers but pretenders.
"When we become born again by the Holy Spirit of God, because we responded to His call through the hearing of His Word, then we are commanded to no longer walk in the flesh, but in the Spirit.
Galatians 3:2 "This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Matthew 6:7 "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathens do. For they think that they are heard by their many words."
Church to the modern world is fun, happiness and enjoyment. If the gathering is too serious we sit waiting for it to be over so that we can get on with our "other" life outside of church. Church is not the people to us, it is the building that we sit in while enjoying our weekly fix of positive narcissistic supply.
I have heard it said that "the church service should comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." We are a society that seeks to comfort everyone, no matter the sin they are indulging in or who they are harming by their rebellion. The gospel is not very important to most church goers today, nor is spiritual growth.
All of this foolishness originated from the "self esteem" movement that began in the 70's. There were elements of it earlier than that but they did not become widespread "doctrine" in our culture until the 1970's.
When the culture began to look to the world for affirmation, rather than the Word of God and the Holy Spirit for their wisdom, the church began its downward spiral, I fear to no return. The church began to believe the "experts" in the secular community, who based their false knowledge on psychology that said that everyone is hurting and is merely acting out their inner struggles in terms of wrong behavior.
This belief that all people are basically good and only react to their environment, came straight from the pit of hell. God said the opposite, here is what He said in Jeremiah 17:9 ""The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], And desperately wicked; Who can know it?"
If the church is to overcome the indoctrination of the past 40 years, many who claim to be born again, are going to have to realize that they were never saved from their sin and are not believers but pretenders.
"When we become born again by the Holy Spirit of God, because we responded to His call through the hearing of His Word, then we are commanded to no longer walk in the flesh, but in the Spirit.
Galatians 3:2 "This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Even believers
who are born again, have bought into this worldly thinking to some degree or
another. Many believers over the years argued with me when the Lord told
me self esteem was a wicked teaching, they were reading books and listening to
false prophets who claimed things that God did not say.
Gal 3:3 “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”
Gal 3:4 “Have you suffered so many things in vain--if indeed [it was] in vain?”
Gal 3:5 “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, [does He do it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
Gal 3:6 “just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
Gal 3:7 “Therefore know that [only] those who are of faith are sons of Abraham"
We often forget who we are as believers, we forget that Christ lives in us and that He should be controlling our every moment. Often we live our lives in the flesh as though He does not live in us. We quench the Spirit, He wants to lead us into all wisdom, but we do not always listen to Him.
Thes. 5:16 "Rejoice always,”
1Th 5:17 “pray without ceasing,”
1Th 5:18 “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1Th 5:19 “DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT.”
1Th 5:20 “Do not despise prophecies.”
1Th 5:21 “Test all things; hold fast what is good"
We cannot know the things of God unless we seek His Holy Spirit Who lives in us, for His wisdom. We can read regularly, His word, but if we read for knowledge only, we miss His wisdom. We must read and pray for His wisdom that He might enlighten what we read.
1 Cr. 2:9 “But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
1Cr 2:10 “But God has revealed [them] to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”
1Cr 2:11 “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God"
Gal 3:3 “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?”
Gal 3:4 “Have you suffered so many things in vain--if indeed [it was] in vain?”
Gal 3:5 “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, [does He do it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
Gal 3:6 “just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
Gal 3:7 “Therefore know that [only] those who are of faith are sons of Abraham"
We often forget who we are as believers, we forget that Christ lives in us and that He should be controlling our every moment. Often we live our lives in the flesh as though He does not live in us. We quench the Spirit, He wants to lead us into all wisdom, but we do not always listen to Him.
Thes. 5:16 "Rejoice always,”
1Th 5:17 “pray without ceasing,”
1Th 5:18 “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1Th 5:19 “DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT.”
1Th 5:20 “Do not despise prophecies.”
1Th 5:21 “Test all things; hold fast what is good"
We cannot know the things of God unless we seek His Holy Spirit Who lives in us, for His wisdom. We can read regularly, His word, but if we read for knowledge only, we miss His wisdom. We must read and pray for His wisdom that He might enlighten what we read.
1 Cr. 2:9 “But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
1Cr 2:10 “But God has revealed [them] to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”
1Cr 2:11 “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God"
God calls the
Galatians foolish because they were born of the Spirit, but do not seek Him for
their daily walk. We, as the Galatians did, keep God in separate elements
of our life. We think He belongs in a church building on Sunday, rather
than seeking Him everyday for all matters.
Those who are
always looking for miracles to be able to boast about, are missing the bigger
picture. It is a miracle that the Holy Spirit lives in us. It is a
miracle every time we seek Him for wisdom and He opens our eyes a little wider
to the deeper things.
We must stop
desiring to "see with our eyes" and begin trusting the Spirit that
lives in us that no one can see, but is widely sensed by all those who come in
contact with us.
How foolish it is
to seek our own way when we have the God of the universe dwelling in our
bodies, desiring to lead us into all truth, wanting to give us His best and for
eternity!!!
