To the Sheep: The Individuals of the Body of ChristThe ills that plague the body of Christ start with the individuals who make up the Body. Those who are in the ministry for gain and selfish ambition are only giving the people what they want. Prosperity preachers only succeed because the hearers desire prosperity. Lies are taught because people want their ears tickled, or because they don't know the scriptures so they are easily swayed and deceived. We like to exalt men and women, following them instead of Christ. We put them to the test when we do. (Titus 1:9) He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. [NIV]Paul expresses his frustration with the early believers for their need to be constantly nurtured, craving the milk of the Word instead of the meat. In Hebrews 5:12 he admonishes the believer that many of them should have become teachers by now, yet they still needed to be prodded and coddled. There is so much of this going on in the churches, today. Many believers have become lazy, taking their salvation for granted and their responsibilities lightly. They are unconcerned with the call to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. They are oblivious to the hurting, suffering and lost, each caught up in their own sorrows and frustrations and pursuits. They are pampered and babied, always needing encouragement, when they should be encouragers. They are backbiters, slanderers, gossipers, selfish, and indulgent brats, always judging one another or taking offense. Contentious and faithless, they lack self-control, giving in to tempers and temptations. They are afflicted with worldly quests and concerns. In their petty self-focus, they care only about themselves and nothing for the body of Christ and the work of the Gospel. We have all been guilty of these things at one time or another. Not one of us is exempt from the need to repent. (Phil. 2:3-4) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. [NIV]Many Christians don't want to hear God for themselves. Like the children of Israel, who preferred that Moses go and hear God on their behalf, many modern so-called Christians want to be spoon-fed the Word of the Lord and have a man tell them what God has said. At least the children of Israel expressed a fear of God that made them not wish to go into His presence. They knew that His holiness would consume their ungodliness and they had the sense to be fearful because of their sorry state, but sadly, not the determination to become holy so that they could experience God's presence for themselves. But today's congregations don't even have the wisdom to fear the presence of a holy God. They don't even know the meaning of the word, “holy.” Many of today's believers simply don't want to be bothered with the time and discipline it takes to know God and be transformed into the image of His Son, period. So they are content to sit in a pew and let a man tell them what God has to say to them. Then they can go back to their daily business of keeping up with the pace this world puts upon them and the Word is choked from them by the cares of this life. This should not be so. (Exod. 20:18-19) Now when all the people perceived the thundering and the lightnings and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled; and they stood afar off, and said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will hear; but let not God speak to us, lest we die.” [RSV]If we profess to be Christians, we should be working out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing we cannot escape if we neglect so great a salvation as a God who suffered and died on our behalf. If we continue in sin and worldly living, we are trampling the cross underfoot. How then, do we expect to be saved? Can Christ be crucified afresh? If we truly understood what was done for us, we would feel so indebted to the One who saved us, we would be at His holy feet, like a faithful hound. Instead, we run around in a desperate effort to accomplish a list of urgent, worldly tasks, sacrificing our lives to our jobs, our kids, the wants and needs of our flesh and theirs, and all the many dictates of a society gone mad with worldly lusts. It was a sad day when our society bought into the lie of the feminists, who have doubled the yoke of women and removed the heart of the home, for most families. Now, both spouses work and hopefully, share (but often not) the burden of caring for the children, home, meals, errands, and the list is endless. Schools burden families with a host of extra-curricular activities to consume even more time, money and energy. Parents run ragged all day, seeing very little of each other or their children, then finding themselves bewildered when someone finally explodes. No wonder marriages fail and the children stray. Few relationships can take such pressure. We must repent of making the demands of this modern and godless society our idol and god. We must repent of sacrificing our lives and our children to Molech, who is the god of this world. It causes us and them to pass through the fire of tribulation, resulting from the stresses of such frantic living. How many of our daily activities are carried out because we have had a clear direction from God to do these things? When the Lord returns, will He find us doing His will, our will or the world's will? (Luke 21:34) “But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; [RSV]We say we love Jesus, but most of our time, talents and money are consumed doing worldly tasks. We run around hauling our children to dances, games, events and social activities that have nothing to do with their spiritual welfare. We spend ourselves into debt oblivion, buying our children things to fill their every whim and desire. We indulge them and ourselves on all manner of stuff. We get caught up in an endless cycle where we work and work so we can run ourselves ragged and spend ourselves silly. Then we wonder why our spouses and children become strangers to us. We let others dictate what we do and where we go and how we spend our money on any given day, when it should be God who advises us on these things. But we would have to set aside time with Him to get to know His will and we don't have space in our daily planners for that. The way we all run is insane. We serve many kings and dictators through the many social systems of today and sadly, even the religious system, forgetting that there is only One King we are supposed to be serving. If we persist in following these worldly ways, then no one should blame God, if our world and our society falls apart, as a result of our misplaced priorities. How would you spend your time and money today, if you knew Jesus was returning this afternoon? (2 Peter 3:10-11) But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, [RSV]The truth is, few of God's people live as if they think that day is ever coming. But even if you think Christ's return is a thousand years away, your own “last day” could be this very day. Any of us could be selected for departure from this earth today. In light of that, how would you want to spend your last day on earth, before you meet our Lord face to face? We seek stability in worldly institutions using worldly plans. Many Christians place their security in mutual funds, stocks and bonds, a job and its benefits, such as health insurance. With all this, who needs to trust and hope in the Lord? In fact, in our present society, anyone who would forfeit these things to serve Jesus full time is considered foolish, even to those who claim to be disciples of Christ. I tell you the day is coming when the western nations and their worldly securities will be swept away. I fear it is coming very soon for America. Time is swiftly running out because God is weary of our corrupt version of Christianity. Our hearts are not set upon things above. (Matt. 6:19) Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. [NIV]Spiritual priorities are shipwrecked, particularly in the home. Restoration must begin with each individual and then extend throughout one's foremost and immediate ministry, one's own family. Husbands, you should be nurturing your wife and treating her as Christ does the church, even laying down your life for her. That means seeing to your responsibility as the spiritual leader. It is YOUR job to see that your family spends time in fellowship with other believers, receiving plenty of spiritual guidance and teaching from the Word. It is YOUR job to pray and intercede on your wife and children's behalf. It is YOUR job to see that your work is balanced with family time and both of those should come after you have had ample time in the presence of the Lord. Can't do it all? No kidding! Satan has set this world up in such a way as to consume you. It is up to you to simplify yours and your family's lives, until you can put God first, cherish and love your wife and then your children. Everything else comes after that, and any other accomplishments should come after you have given yourself to God, wife, then children. You are to nurture, love and cherish your wife, but never to lord over her. (Col. 3:18-19) Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. [NIV]Be faithful to your wife. This means take captive every thought, every temptation. If your wife looks haggard, maybe you are leaving too much for her to do. If she has aged from years of selfless service to you and your children, how do you justify “turning her in for a newer model,” whether in your heart, your imagination, (through porn on the internet) or in actuality? It amazes me how many men leave their wives, claiming they “let themselves go,” yet these same men have become careless in their own looks and are overweight and slack in hygiene and grooming. When love dies in a marriage, you can be sure that both partners are to blame. Keep your marriage vows to each other. You made those vows before God and it is Him you will sin against the most, if you break those vows. Wives, you are to submit to your husband. Honor, respect and obey him. Be a helpmate to him. That means you do not scold, nag, retort or diminish him, in any way. You are to edify and build him up, holding him in highest esteem. Be considerate of him and wait upon him. If this sounds horrible to you, you are lacking in love and have a selfish spirit. Repent and ask God to help you treat your husband as you would treat Christ. Treat your spouse as you should treat everyone, with unconditional love. Focus on developing the gifts of the spirit and practice them on your husband, for you are one flesh with him. To bless him is to bless yourself. If you don't show respect to your spouse, you will reap a bitter harvest as your children fail to respect you and your God. (Col. 3:16) Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [NIV]Christian singles, teens and children, you should respect and honor your parents. You have a ton of worldly interests, foisted upon you by the society of your school and peers. Pray and ask God to help you decide which activities are beneficial. Select the minimal things that take your time which have no eternal value and especially seek those things which will feed your spirit. You need to spend time in the Word and in prayer, just as much as your parents, perhaps even more. If you neglect your faith, every aspect of your life will suffer. Don't make financial demands of your parents. Repent of your worldly focus and selfish concerns. The west, especially America, has become grossly materialistic and self-centered. It has become all about SELF: self-fulfillment, self-motivation, self-esteem and self-indulgence. Christians have lost their focus on Christ. Selfish desires overshadow the call of sacrifice that is set forth by the cross. Jesus said no servant is greater than his master. How is it that those who call themselves Christians, approach the Gospel as a means of personal gain, rather than a responsibility to give every part of their lives for the sake of the Gospel? There should be a deep desire to help and serve others. Christians should be hungry for the Word, hungry to spend time in the presence of the Lord, hungry to go out into all the earth and spread the good news of salvation and reconciliation to God. Instead, it is all about getting that education and the degree that will bring about that coveted income, large home and SUV. We can choose to change our focus now, or we can be forced into it later, as God brings down all our idols, through the storm that is coming to America and the Western world. (1 Tim. 6:6-10) There is great gain in godliness with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world; but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs. [RSV]I want to emphasize part of the above scripture by repeating it in a second translation. It is probably the deepest problem among Christians today, in America and the rest of the Western world. (1 Tim. 6:9-10) People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. [NIV]Rather than seeking after wealth, things that are perishable, we are supposed to be seeking after things that will carry over into eternity, but few in the Christian realm seem to view these pursuits as all that important. (1 Tim. 6:11) But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. [NIV]Instead of weeping over the condition of our hearts, we church members are caught up in disputes, becoming critical of one another and our pastor. Many of us engage in slander, gossip, jealousy, pride, religious arguments, judgment and we fail to examine our own selves rightly. We are often unable to submit to authority, unwilling to put ourselves out for any humble work that might be needed. Far too many Christians want positions of glory that draw attention to themselves and their gifts, rather than perform simple tasks for others. Deacons want to be honored as highly-esteemed leaders who make decisions, but few of them want the lowly job of looking after and serving the widows, as was their original call. Being a Deacon isn't anything to be proud of. It was a shame they were needed in the very first place. Remember it was because at fellowship meals, members of the body were running over the old widows, to get to the food first. The members of the body have been letting their flesh get the best of them since the very beginning! When, out of love and respect for our Lord, will we choose to get it right and truly lay down our lives and die to self? Many of today's professing Christians have bought into the abomination of prosperity teachings. They run to and fro, chasing after the latest preacher/evangelist or prophet who is willing to tickle their ears, promising them blessings, wealth and fulfilled dreams. They see the Lord as a kind Santa Claus or fairy God father, here only for the purpose of granting their every wish. Latching onto only those promises in the Word which justify their hope of material gain, they pick and choose scripture out of context. They operate in a “gimmee God,” mentality and refuse to endure sound doctrine which builds upon the whole counsel of God. Listen to what James is saying to the Church. These are Christians James is addressing when he says they are killing and coveting. I am assuming they were not literally murdering people, but rather hating (or breaking fellowship with) one another, which Jesus says is murder in one's heart. (James 4:1-4) What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. [NIV]Because many of God's people do not read their Word and pray, they do not know their God, nor do they know their enemy. Therefore, they are vulnerable to every false wind of doctrine and every temptation of the flesh. And so they fall prey to the schemes of the devil. This is why sin abounds in the churches, with adultery, fornication and every sort of evil tearing away at the integrity of the Body, causing the world to shake their heads over our shame. Therefore, when the world rejects the Gospel because of our hypocrisy, and thus despises and ridicules our faith, it is not unjust persecution, but a loss of credibility that we have brought upon ourselves. Yet we wipe our mouths and say we haven't sinned and claim to not be responsible for the lost, who will not hear what we have to say. I tell you, God will hold us accountable for the blood of every soul that was eternally lost, due to our sin and inconsistency. Yet despite our failures, we have the audacity to judge one-another and judge others, and we walk about without love in our hearts toward our enemies or the lost or even our neighbors. (James 4:8) Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. [RSV]Having been a Pentecostal for years, I think I can speak this next admonition in fairness and truth. We declare ourselves spiritual because we are open to all the gifts of the spirit, but we are among the worst offenders of commercializing the Gospel and not walking in the whole counsel of God's Word. Because many of us are often not well-grounded in scripture, we are easy prey to those who take the Word out of context and preach unsound doctrine. We are particularly vulnerable to doctrines of personal, material prosperity, the tendency to exalt leaders and their ministries, and we promote the focus on manifestations and spiritual sideshow acts and even physical abuse, as evangelists bap our heads or punch our stomachs. (2 Cor. 11:20) For you bear it if a man makes slaves of you, or preys upon you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. [RSV]We endure these things for several reasons, but the worst reason is that just like the children of Israel, we still want a king to rule over us and be our mascot. We want a leader and so we chase after a man (or woman) to be God's spokesperson. It is SO much easier than taking the time and trouble to hear God for ourselves. It is SO much easier than to know God in the intimacy that comes from being in the fiery furnace with Him. It's easier, yes, but it's no substitution for a genuine relationship with Jesus. The good reason for following after claims of signs and wonders is that we are desperate for a real experience with Jesus. We long for those manifestations that speak to our hearts and say “Yes, I am here. I am real and I long to show you My love.” But our approach is all wrong. We can never come to God and experience Him in any vehicle other than a pure heart. He sees through all our schemes and tricks and deceptions. We have to get real. Then He, Himself will come and dwell intimately with us, not through some man. (1 John 2:27) But the anointing which you received from him abides in you and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him. [RSV]Callous to the suffering of a dying world, we continue to live as we please, holding all manner of frivolous activities, in order to entertain ourselves within the church. Many of these activities have no value in the growth of individuals or the furtherance of the Gospel. Men gather to watch a ball game, eat snacks and worship their favorite teams. Often at such gatherings, jovial, coarse jesting and gender-bashing abounds, and the television accosts them with ungodly commercials, in-between the plays. Women hold elaborate teas, dinners, shows and social events, to raise funds for various causes, from a mission trip to some exotic place, to new carpet for the nursery. Social events such as these can become a snare to us if it becomes a time to gossip, put down husbands, or just show off our talents. While it is commendable to practice hospitality, I fear we have made the Body of Christ a social club and missed the point of what we are practicing hospitality for. Sunday services in many churches look more like a fashion show. Looking nice is not a sin, but if our focus is on status or prosperity, we need to let the Lord show us our hearts and repent. This is especially true if we find ourselves gravitating to those who “look nicer” than others. Looking nice is not a sin. Looking like a million because someone told you that God wants you to prosper, so you overshoot your budget so you can look prosperous, is. Looking like a million to impress possible business clients is a wrong motive, too. Dressing to the nines to allure a married man in your “church” that you have lusted after, must be repented of. Get honest with God. You might as well, since He already knows your heart. (Eph. 4:22-24) Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. [RSV]We are teaching our children to be self-centered. Many churches devote their youth group activities to Christian rock concerts, fun outings to amusement parks, or similar activities. Some organize mission trips, but they are usually to some enjoyable and expensive vacation destination, rather than a grueling project in some dismal, local inner-city location. Few are taken to nursing homes or hospitals to minister to the sick, elderly and shut-ins. I remember years ago when teens auctioned themselves off to work for church members, in order to raise funds for trips, but I haven't seen that in a long time. Still, how many youth are enlisted to simply visit or do odd jobs for the elderly saints, free of charge, as their own type of ministry? We could encourage the youth to spend one day a month doing a deep cleaning of the building, saving the Body the expense of professional custodial services. How are we teaching our youth to minister the love of the Gospel and responsibility to the Body? Years ago, as a youth leader, I had my teens bake cookies and make puppets. Then we went to a nursing home, gave the Gospel story via a puppet show, and then served their cookies to the residents. The teens sweetly, hand-fed the residents who couldn't feed themselves. Believe it or not, several youths told me it was the most fulfilling time they ever had. The kids love to minister the love of Christ to others. Why not give them that opportunity instead of teaching them to focus on selfish fun? Maybe their lives and hearts would change. These are the deeds we should all be focused upon. Why should we deny our children the rewards of doing for “the least of these?” (Matt. 25:35-40) "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me." Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you" The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." [NIV]Even among the adults, few hours are spent visiting the sick, the shut-ins, the poor, or seeking out the lost. How many of God's professed children make a point to visit nursing home residents, other than at Christmastime? How many members of your church have a standing weekly appointment with a shut in or a prisoner, unless it is their own relative? When was the last time you put yourself out to give a message of encouragement, comfort or hope to a person in despair? I am not trying to execute a general proclamation of judgment over everyone, but in all honesty, what percentage of your time and the time of others, do you see being spent on someone who has nothing to give in return? The church should be exceeding the charity of every worldly organization that exists. Since you first became a Christian, what percentage of your time has been spent doing the work of the Church, compared to the time spent on selfish or frivolous pursuits or simply “church” social activities? To tithe one's time is a worthy pursuit. What will remain of your life, when the chaff is burned up and the work of eternal value is weighed? We all must repent of spending our lives on things that will not matter. This includes any activities or projects of your church, which have no spiritual or eternal benefit. (1 John 2:15-17) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. [RSV]This is again, scripture that is worth repeating from another translation: (1John 2:15-17) Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. [NIV]
All of God's people need to repent of their constant need to be entertained. Evangelists are endlessly challenged to ever seek new and more interesting ways to keep people's attention. More Christian entertainers jump on the bandwagon of making a pretty good living by entertaining the church, in the church building. The pure Word of God, delivered by a sincere man of God, should be enough. An hour of sweet corporate fellowship or worship in the presence of the Lord should thrill our hearts. Instead we have all manners of creative presentations of the Gospel, in an attempt to hold the interest of a society that is accustomed to being entertained. Merely hearing the Word is boring to us. Churches have to compete with the excitement of a generation raised on movies and television. I am a creative person and I enjoy using my gifts, and God of course is extremely creative and so creativity is good to put to use in the Body. However, many of these creative means are extremely costly and therefore the Body either must pay for these extravaganzas or “love” offerings must be extorted by continual pleading throughout the “show.” Entertainment forms of witnessing can be great for a way to reach the lost, but money grubbing in the midst of it is detrimental to that goal. Also, a real problem lies in which of these creative endeavors are truly helpful to the edification of the body. Some entertainment that goes on is definitely not edifying to the Body and some of it is unholy and unwholesome. There are some powerful films and plays and music that have reached out to the lost, and I am not putting those down. (In fact, I think film is a powerful medium and can be widely circulated to reach many lost people. Furthermore, a film has the potential to reach many more people than any church service, making it very effective. Just look how influential the worldly film industry has been on our society.) I am talking about some specific events that are spiritually shallow and give a mixed message to the Church and the world. Such extravaganzas, if they are reaching souls, are reaching them on a level that is more carnal than spiritual and seem to be more of an industry than a ministry. Some would argue that the Christian entertainment industry is a viable business and has its place. That may be, but let's keep it in the theaters, concert halls, and other places of professional entertainment. Let's keep it out of the places of worship and let's not call it a “ministry” whereby we come to churches with our “show” and repeatedly extract “love” offerings. There is a serious difference between an industry and a ministry and they need to be kept separate. A friend told me of her experience watching a group of men who use body building and martial art techniques to show off “God's power.” I am sure these men meant well, but surely Heaven groaned, as these virile young men called out a grandmother and a preteen from the audience to “feel their muscles,” while the congregation of God made whoops, hoots and catcalls in His house of prayer. May God have mercy, and may this misguided, American version of Christianity be forsaken! The assemblies of the Church are not meant to be a sideshow and a circus! I struggle with "Christian comedy" acts where a man or woman uses coarse jesting and gender-bashing to get laughs. We have no scriptural justification to use humor to degrade a brother in Christ and promote the use of carnal insults. Little to nothing about such an act is a witness, testimony or message of the Gospel. I saw one act where the man simply avoided profanity. Beyond that, I saw no difference between him and all the other comedians in the world. If a comedian makes a remark or joke that causes us to feel a discomfort in our spirit, then we should take care that we don't encourage it. I am sure the early Christian leaders would be appalled to see all the commercialism we promote these days, in the name of Jesus Christ. Just how much more desecration in the holy place do we need, before we fall on our faces and weep with broken hearts over our sins?
(Eph. 5:3-12) But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolator—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. [NIV]Those of us who profess to be God's children among the businessmen and women need to repent of certain practices which are an abomination to God. This is what the Lord has against us. We have cheapened the Gospel and profaned the holy blood and cross of Christ, by reducing it to an advertising gimmick. The ictus or fish was a symbol of the early followers of the way. It was used to help them to identify one another, yet protect them from the very real danger of arrest and execution. It is a sacred symbol of the Gospel and Jesus Christ. The cross is also a sacred symbol. It represents a very cruel method of death which our Lord endured, in order to make it possible for us to be redeemed from the sin of Adam. These are NOT logos to promote our businesses. If we want the world to know that we are a Christian businessman or woman, we should SHOW it by treating our customers with utmost respect, fairness and honesty. If you plan to use the name of Jesus as a promotion for your business, you had better be certain that you conduct your business in a way that is absolutely inscrutable, otherwise you misrepresent our Lord and embitter the lost. Sadly, I have personally found that several self-proclaimed and advertised “Christian” businessmen were the very worst people I have ever done business with. They charged more for their services or products, and were the worst at giving customer satisfaction. Several have outright swindled me. I have had better treatment from the heathen! I have heard many accounts from others as well, where “Christian” businessmen mistreated or cheated a partner or a customer. This should never be! If you have not dealt fairly, if you have let greed, rather than Christ, be your guide in business, you must repent! (Matt. 6:24) No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. [NIV]God's people in the west, (particularly America, and the poison is spreading to the rest of the world) need to repent of worldliness in general, especially in the business and commercial realm. The “Christian music industry” should repent of modeling itself after the ways of the world. Many songs address God as “you” and can't be distinguished at all from a worldly song. Song artists sing a single phrase over and over because it particularly sounds great and showcases their voice, but the lyrics are shallow and repetitive and there is no substance. Christian radio is often hard to endure. It wearies the soul to hear the same few songs played again and again, with a host of commercial babbling that sounds no different than a secular station. Personally, I miss the days of my youth when Christian-themed music was mixed in with secular. Lost people were more likely to hear the good news that way. Now that Christian music has become isolated from the rest of the music world, heathens can avoid hearing Christian lyrics altogether, by avoiding those "Christian stations." There is an idolization of Christian artists and celebrities which occurs that is grossly carnal and this too is an abomination. In many “Christian” concerts, one gets the feeling that the creature, rather than the Creator is being worshipped, praised and adored. God will share His glory with no man. I have seen people flock after a Christian artist, begging for an autograph, yet they don't give Jesus the simplest tribute of obedience. This should not be. There is also great corruption in Christian television broadcasting. Much of what goes on is an abomination to God. It is often prosperity pushing and worldly in its nature, mimicking the secular stations. It will fall along with everything else, as God brings His wrath and judgment down upon this wicked earth. Jesus didn't die to make us worldly rich. He didn't die to grant our every worldly wish. He died to save our souls. No one can serve two masters; it is mammon or Christ. I fear too many serve mammon and call it Jesus. I see this sort of commercialism and worldly marketeering in Christian publishing, entertainment, and all sorts of Christian products and services. There's a whole lot of big business going on in the guise of ministry. How does this fit in with His command to “deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me?” (Matt. 16: 24) Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [RSV]God's people need to repent of worldly pursuits. God did not call us to store up treasures for ourselves. Our money and resources, talents and time were not merely intended to bring about personal wealth and prosperity. While it is okay to enjoy the fruit of our labors, I think we have justified a disproportionate level of pleasure and material goods for ourselves. I have seen many homes where the residents have claimed to love the Lord Jesus, but the extravagance of their homes and possessions is confusing. Every other aspect of their lives seems to verify their love for Christ, but somehow they justify these amazing mansions on earth. The early Christians combined their money and land to provide for the needs of the Body of Christ so that no one had need of anything. Valuable missions and excellent works of God are struggling because there are no funds to support them. Children do without food and medical supplies all over the world. This is partly because the cost of living, fuel and taxes, etc. have consumed the resources of many saints who would otherwise send support. These have had to learn to trust God and pray in every morsel. But how much more we could give than we do, if only we could learn to do without so much that is meaningless in the eternal scheme of things? We will all undoubtedly be ashamed when it is revealed to us, all the things that our brethren did without, while exhausting their resources on the Gospel, and how wasted our wealth was, in God's sight. I truly believe that many of us will feel ashamed of the way we lavished ourselves with luxury, while we lived on this earth. There are many Christians who feel their prosperity is something they are entitled to spend upon themselves and there are plenty of ministers and evangelists who preach that doctrine. However, consider that if God has blessed you with the gift of gaining wealth, He surely has a purpose for it. To whom much is given, much is required, so those, whose blessings abound, should seek His will in how to use that wealth. Some of us are being tested with the gift of plenty, and will be saddened on the Day of Judgment to find the Lord was disappointed in our choices of spending our wealth. When we see the Lord our God, what will He have to say to us about our self-indulgence, while those true workers for the Gospel do without basic needs? (Matt. 13:22) As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the Word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the Word, and it proves unfruitful. [RSV]I fear these saints will weep when they view their lifestyles through the eyes of Christ and see what help their wealth could have brought to the kingdom, had more of it been used for the glory of God. Jesus has promised to prepare mansions for us in Heaven, and it seems we could focus on doing His work here, and wait for our mansions in glory. Surely they will surpass anything we could build for ourselves here and now. We will see when we get there, that our castles, which we built on earth, were nothing but a shabby shadow of the real thing. Furthermore, those things we have treated ourselves to, will likely cost us in the eternal kingdom, for surely we had our reward here on earth. I don't proclaim this in a spirit of self-righteousness and judgment. I share this from my heart with deep sorrow, as one who also regrets the way I have spent some of my wealth, over the years. My dear Jesus had no place to lay His head. I have indulged in many things. In a final summary for the individuals of the Body of Christ, I urge all of those who call themselves Christians to repent of the denial of the power of Christ. Repent of faithlessness, lack of self-control, disobedience to the Word, grieving the Holy Spirit, double-mindedness, coarse-jesting, gender-bashing, worldly thinking, greed, selfishness, dependence upon others rather than God, seeking approval of man, giving in to the fleshly desires, failure to bear fruit, stinginess, gossip, slander, backbiting, sarcasm, idolatry, the need to be entertained and pampered and the general lack of love for the Lord and for one another. Repent of not studying God's Word and having a weak or non-existent prayer life. Repent of the whining and complaining and the rebellion to God's Word and Christ's commands. (2 Pet. 2:20) For, if after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first. [RSV]Also repent of appointing a man to be king over you and then crying over your bondage, instead of following the King of Kings. Repent of kingdom-building in the guise of ministry! By the same token, if you choose to remain in the traditional system, you should submit to the established authority, practice love and repent of plotting against a preacher or leader. If you don't agree, get out from under that person. Your true authority is Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Move on, rather than go around stirring up strife and dissension among a group of believers. Such does no good for the body of Christ and the work of the Gospel. Forsake resentment, worldly alliances, and the sense that God loves you more than he loves others. A recent trend that is very disturbing is the tendency among American Christians to despise illegal immigrants. It is true that we are burdened by them, but it is not their fault. They are desperate to survive and are merely utilizing the system. It is all because of the foolishness of our leaders, who have enabled them to receive financial assistance and medical help, while we working citizens pay the price. Just the same, does not God love each of those people as much as He loves us? Is God more loyal to a particular race or nationality over another, beyond blessing those who bless Him? He created us all and we are all equally precious to the Father. While God was speaking to the children of Israel, in the passage below, Jesus made it clear we were to love our neighbors as ourselves and that everyone is our neighbor, so we can be sure God's heart hasn't changed on this. Repent of hating the alien. (Lev. 19:33-34) When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God. [NIV]If our nation is being taken down financially, in this way, understand that it is all a part of America's judgment. Our leaders have no discernment or wisdom because they have no God. Because we have allowed ungodly leaders to rule over us, we have been warned in Hosea that foreigners would devour the fat of the land, because the people had forsaken God. What does the Word teach us to do? Jesus taught us to love the hated Samaritans, to give our shirt also, to the one who asks for our coat. If one asks us to walk one mile, go with him two. If we try to save our life, we will lose it, but if we lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel, we will gain it. Sorry. There is no scriptural basis for despising the alien, or to resent any other human. Whatsoever you do for the least of these, Jesus said, you have done unto me. The people of America, need to get on their knees, ask God's forgiveness for our godless behavior and for electing godless leaders, who are irresponsible with our tax money and do not protect our national borders. At the same time, we need to extend charity to less fortunate countries, without resentment. This is the reason we have always been so great and so blessed in the past. The best way to stop this drain is to pray for the repentance and salvation of our leaders, as well as the illegal immigrants, so that all will have a conscience from God to do what is right. (1 John 3:17) But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? [RSV]Repent also of the prideful spirit behind those practices you think are virtuous, whether it is religious practices, clothing, your interpretation of holiness, scripture memorization, charitable donations, church attendance, or even merely tithing. The early church gave all they had, yet we hold back with selfish investments and living, and if we tithe at all, we act as if God owes us prosperity in return. Your works are important, as your reasonable service to a God to whom you owe everything. But they are nothing more than filthy rags, if you consider them your righteousness. The early Church not only gave every cent of their money, they gave up everything of this world. They shared all in common and kept nothing for themselves. They even gave up their very lives. So in what then, do we boast, if we tithe out of our plenty? (Matt.7 :22-23) On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' [RSV]The present church in the west (and the contamination is spreading), has become largely, spiritually powerless. The endless willingness to compromise has cost the Body of Christ many things, among these: discernment, true holiness, the ability to do miracles, communion with God, credibility among the lost, and it will soon cost us the freedom to publically practice our faith at all. It will also cost us the prosperity we have enjoyed. I believe it may soon cost this blessed nation, America, her very continued existence. It will certainly cost us rewards in heaven and it very well may even cost us our souls. (Eph. 4:18) they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart; [RSV]A brother-in-Christ shared recently that he was hearing from many that the glory of the Lord seemed to be departing and that the presence of God was missing from the countenance of an increasing number of Christians. This is no surprise. It is the fruit of our shameful, man-made versions of the Gospel. Why has the Church become so dead, powerless and worldly? Why are there so many who practice a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof? Why is there so little difference between many who profess to be Christians and those of the world? I believe it is because we are so blessed that we just don't really care. I recently read on a missions blog how an Indian missionary who had come to reach the lost youth in America, returned to India. He said that people of India, even with all their dark magic and false gods were easier to witness to and in less grave danger than the American youth, who had unlimited access to the Word, but were bored with it. Their accountability will be far greater. (1 John 2:15) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. [RSV]I also believe it is because so many are satisfied just to receive salvation, but are not willing to be sanctified, set apart and fully committed to their faith and their Lord. Christians need to go beyond just being saved and move on to being fully sanctified, that is—given over entirely to their Lord and Savior. Then they would have victory over the sinful nature and be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live holy lives, walking in the power of genuine, unconditional love, and thereby showing the world what the true Christian faith is really all about. Jesus wants to be more than your Savior; He wants to be your Lord. Learn what this means! (1 John 3:18) Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth. [RSV]Overall, the greatest area where repentance is needed is in the general lack of love among the brethren. The deep, unselfish love of Jesus Christ abides in so very few of God's people! Yet by loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and one-another as ourselves, we fulfill all the commandments of God. Of all the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of all the wonderful traits of a child of God, only one will remain in eternity. Love remains. Love abides. Love casts out all fear. Love endures. We will be known as Christians, by our love. Yet we are sadly lacking in love. Most of the problems in the Church, among both people and priests, can be traced to a failure to love. God IS love. Christ's willingness to become the atonement for the sin of mankind is the ultimate act of love. It is time the people of God start showing love to this lost and fallen world. Love never fails. It is likely that 99% of our misery as a Christian, is that there is no selfless, unconditional love for anyone, not even the God we claim to belong to. Jesus commanded us to love and He also said if we don't obey His commands, we do not love Him. (John 14:21) He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. [RSV]So, loveless child of God, who are you kidding, when you say you belong to Jesus, yet you love this world and the things of it more than you love your brother? Only yourself. The truth is proclaimed every time you choose to care more about your life, your things, your money, even your “church” more than you care about your neighbor and the God who asked us to lay down our lives and love one another. Repent with a broken heart and contrite spirit so that your loving and merciful Father can heal and restore you. He is quick to forgive! ( 1 John 4:8) He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. [RSV] A FINAL NOTE TO THE BRETHREN:If you feel an anger at my words, which are not mine but those which the Lord told me to speak, then your flesh is rising and you must decide whether you will put that flesh to death or whether you will allow it to continue to live. I promise you that your flesh only wants to agree with your adversary, that old evil serpent the devil, who is Satan. He will devour you and take you with him to his final destination, which is the lake of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Your faith, in its present weakness, will never withstand the coming tribulation of the last days and you will likely fall. I beg you to forsake him and deny your flesh, take up your cross, repent and follow Jesus. If you say that you love Him, then you must do as He says in His Word. Repent! Better to weep in godly sorrow for a night on this earth, knowing His joy will come in the morning, than to weep and gnash for eternity.To those who hear this word and repent, the Lord will reward you. You only need to get upon your knees, or even better, your face, weep before your God with true repentance and cry out for His forgiveness, mercy and grace. Ask Him what He would have you to do. You will be as lights to the world, in these final days of harvest. You will become a sign and a wonder to the people of this world. You will participate in the final harvest gathering of repentant souls, before our Lord's return. You will be able to withstand the coming judgment of America and perhaps other western nations and the following tribulation or be mercifully removed from its midst. And you will reap a great harvest in eternity, where you will hear those sweet words from our Savior, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” I am convinced that to hear those precious words are the only ambition any of us should ever have. (Rev 3:19) Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent. [RSV]
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