Why They Don't Believe? Part #3

God Is Not The Genie In The Bottle

The unforgiving nature of humanity, especially the African-American has produced a renewed division between the races and it is promoted within many organized churches. It is my belief that this division will bring about the events prophecied in Revelation 13.  Hatred has existed since the days of Adam and Eve, but in today's society it is being watered and cultivated under the guise of political correctness.  This hatred is growing and our belief structure has become contaminated as we seek to recreate God in our own image.   Through a special connection, some of us claim to reek in the favor of our God, while all around us the world is in turmoil.  The believability of the true God suffers because the organize church stands with blinded eyes, praying and projecting peace and prosperity while the nations are aligning and the appearance of the four horsemen are imminent. 

A centuries old Arabic folk tale tells the story of Aladdin, a street urchin who finds a lamp that houses a Genie.  In exchange for releasing him from the bottle, Aladdin is granted three wishes.  A wish implied that whatever the situation was, whatever your wants all you have to do is ask (pray) in the form of a wish.  In today's modernistic, pessimistic and apostate society to make God appealing to the mass, it seems as if we have given him the same attributes of a Genie in a bottle.  We can now go about our daily task, confident that God has got our back as we type Amen and share statuses on social media to collect party favors.  Finally, we have a God we can control, if I don’t like what you are doing, “God will get you”, and we are confident that we always closer to God than the next person.    Is it because we feel that we have a better understanding of how to manipulate the Genie in the bottle?  Our attitude is often based upon a sermon I once heard on, "How to work God". 

The rain finally came to our neck of the woods.  It is my expectations that my dried up fall garden will burst into new life.  The drought that had caused the trees to shed their leaves early and the grass to turn brown was spoken of by some as a warning from God.   Intercessory prayers were offered by some community members for the return of the rain, yet the dusk bowel continued to engulf our community.   But, praying for the rain to come was something I just could not wrap my faith around.  The warning of the prophets was that if we repented and turned to God he would heal the land.   The supporting scripture was 2^nd Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.  The land, the world our homes, our schools, our communities are suffering, therefore we must be doing something wrong.

To add to the misery of our drought-stricken community, one preacher or prophet pronounced the vengeance of God upon the church and community.   The threats that were made from the pulpit was equivalent to threats made by false prophets of old, “If you don’t do this or that, SOMEBODY is going to die.”    In my early years of Christian endearment, I was guilty of playing the same game.   At the close of a service, one lady spent thirty minutes communing with God, when it was over the message she received was, “somebody is going to die if they don’t stop fighting with the pastor.”  Needless to say anybody that had a disagreement with the pastor repented and went home and did some serious praying.   Back in the old days there was something profound about standing before a group of peoples and stating that God had spoken to you. As long as the message was scary, nobody bothering to question the validity of your message.  It happen sort of sudden and without warning, God began to speak to anybody who had the time to listen, and soon conflicting messages began to appear.

Why they don't believe us?  if we looked closely at the antics and messages of those who profess to be a Christian, the answer to the age-old question would be easy.  Look at the church, the cornerstone of Christianity, what do we see?  Not one, but many different intricated networks, designed to amplify the status of an individual, to collect money and funnel it up the chain of authority.   What's the effect of these multiple franchises of God's house?  Is there a decrease in crime?  Is the world becoming a much better place?  Are the spiritual needs of the saints being met or have the church just resorted to a platform of entertainment?   A better question that is the crust of the believability issue, how many unfilled promises or even threats   are made in the name of the Father?

The rain has come, but I guess we are still waiting for SOMEONE to die.   The truth is somebody is dying every day.  There seems to be no shame when it comes to making threats and promises in the name of God.  We just flip out our little genie in the bottle, say a few words and watch him work.  I once made the observation that even a drunk wallowing in the pit of sin and depravation could play the “somebody card” and be right.   The underlying question is do “they” really believe in God?  Maybe this is one of the many reasons why “they” don’t believe our report.

In Exodus 20:7, the scripture explicitly states, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”  The word “vain” has been redefined under the guideline of political correctness, thus allowing the name of God to be cast about careless.  Even in acts that are unethical or unholy it is more appropriate to say “Oh my God” rather than “Oh my Devil”.  God has become like that genie in the bottle, whenever we need him we just pluck him out and put him to work.  Car breakdown, call God, need money, call God and the preacher says, whatever you need to ask God.  While many are sucking every dime they can get from the community they serve for profit and prestige.     Every weekend thousands of pastors or ministers stand before their selected audience and proclaim a fresh message from God.  True, the metaphysical or supernatural aspect of God allows him to deliver messages simultaneously, but the question many ask is, why does God give out conflicting messages.   Thus, it becomes easy to see why many question the validity of the message.  

Jesus delivered the message of the kingdom without the pomp and pride of self-promoting titles.  Contrasting today’s churches that are filled with pageantry and the Word of God is merely a byproduct of a staged production.  Hearing and spreading the word of God has become an entertaining process and many are vying to make their performance on the  stage a stellar event.  The desire to act or to perform on stage before an audience could be described as an aphrodisiac.  It drives the qualified and the unqualified with the same intensity.  On the world stage, those who are unqualified are quickly discarded, yet in the religious community the conscious is, whom God calls, he qualify.  This extrapolation is based upon God’s actions towards Moses and even Jeremiah, whose callings were stated facts within the Word of God.   The problem that emerges is that Jesus and even Paul spoke of false prophets coming into the church.  Some of these false prophets are good entertainers, some are not, some have powers and some do not, but they all have one thing in common, they are not called or qualified by God.

The Devil and the unscrupulous are skilled at using  the Word of God to intimidate the righteous.  This process started in the garden of Eden and was even played out against Jesus in the wilderness.  The sheep of God’s pasture has been warned and they should be protected, yet the protectors of Jesus’s church have allowed the wolves to come in with their mega-programs, their pomp, and ceremonies and they are leading his people astray.  Those who question or rebel at the ideology of organized religion or churches, operating as a business are silenced and cast aside, they are treated as heretic or infidels. The question remains when I speak of the church, what am I speaking of?  Am I speaking of a denomination, the church over here, or the church over there?  This question cannot be resolved within the organized church.

The best answer to these question can only be found with the Heart of man, the spiritual church.  The numerous organized churches have long been contaminated by the wages of sin.  Once we realize that the purity of the church does not exist in some fashionable building or denomination, or even a man in a purple robe, we are well on the way to resolving the issues we have created.  Then, the question becomes, do we have enough time to repair the damage before Jesus return and call for his church?   The began the journey back to the cross, Christ organized churches we should read, study and meditate on the letters Jesus sent back to the church.  They are warning that we should heed rather than being cast aside.  

Contrary to what many teach God is not a Genie in a bottle offering you a walk of prosperity in this world.  The earthly journey is filled with hardships, and these we must endure if we intend to prove that we are capable of reigning with Christ.  If your intent is to float around Heaven on a cloud, then you have been misinformed of God's plan for this earth. 

Why They Don't Believe? Part #2

Isaiah 53:1  Who hath believed our report?  This question is reiterated twice in the New Testament, by Jesus in John 12:38 and by Paul in Romans 10:16.  It is a question that the church should ask repeatedly.  Doing so will allow will allow the pastors and the members to self-check themselves for errors.  The truth of our message cannot be determined by the number of people who turn out to hear what we have to say. A message of earthly prosperity and favors is more attractive to the masses than a message that teaches of blessing we will receive in the kingdom of heaven.  The purity of the gospel should not be tamper with for the sake of generating a following or creating a "but God" moment. Jesus attempted to put everything in the proper perspective in Matthew 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:  

The proliferation of the church and the shaped or tainted message emulating from the church is at the forefront of the lack of believability in God.  The amplification of blessing and favor to create that, 'but God' moment is not scripturally supported, nor is it believable to many of us who are suffering. Many have learned as Paul did, to be contented with our 'throne in the flesh'. There are two types of churches at play, there is the church that was ordained by Jesus and established by Paul, which is accessible anywhere two or three meet. This church caters to the spiritual need of its member.  This church was not a building with a cross on top.  Then, there is the organized, denominational church created by man, lorded over by men. This church caters to the need of its leaders.  Jesus addressed the transformation of these church in his letters to the seven representative churches in the book of Revelation. 

Jesus sent seven letters to the church.  In each of those letters, he admonished the church to retain its status of purity.  Jesus final message to the church was a message of condemnation.  Every since the publication of my first book, "My Search For The Real God", I have endured many tongue lashings because of what is said my disrespect for the Church.  I was even asked if I believed in God.  With the publication of my second work on religion, "Understanding The Word Of God", I was criticized for what some called a blatant attack on the church and it leadership.  As a matter of fact, many refuse to associate with me because of what they perceive to be an anti-Christian views.

Each of these churches represented a church age from the day of Pentecost until the day the church is caught up to meet Christ in the air.  Each letter amplified the decline in the church as a spiritual body and Jesus threaten to remove their light "candlestick". The letter to the seventh church which I believe is representative of today's church age, an apostate church that Jesus said because you are neither hot not cold, I will spew you out of my mouth. Jesus final plea was not made to a church building, but to the individuals who holds the church within their heart. Revelation 3:6 HE that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.  

This verse instructs the individual to hear what the spirit is saying to the church. Revelation 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:20-22 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

If we asked the right questions and proceeded to find the answer, it would allow us to explore the reason "why they don't believe us?' This question should be at the forefront of our daily walk with God.   The question is they don't believe. For me to answer that question I must destroy one of the many sacred calves we have created.  In the midst of the rubble maybe we will stop and think. At the risk of being redundant, mainstream Christianity is speedily digressing into a religion that is constantly searching for that, "but God" moment.  To justify the inability to present the Gospel of the Kingdom in a believable manner, there are those who will quote John 12:32 out of context in which it was spoken. They began by stating that Jesus said, all we have to do is lift him up and he will do the drawing. John 12:33 explains what Jesus was referring to when he alluded to being lifted up from this earth.  

The government and the religious community are  guilty of creating programs and services that destroy initiative.  The concept of the government taking care of me, combined with the ideology that God is also going to take care of me, has created an alien  mentality that manifest itself and is passed on to further generations.  This alien mentality breeds a form of dependency and laziness of spirit that thrives in our communities and it has even infected the mindset of many of the enlighten.  As a child, I was constantly aware of the message that was used to indoctrinate the weak, “ If God takes care of the birds, I know he is going to take care of me.”  A common sense fact of this analogy is, if the birds sat in the trees waiting for God to feed them, they would starve to death. 

Taking has become a way of life that is easily expanded to the “Nth” degree.  It prevails in the home, the church and in the government. The government takes and the organized church takes.   Social Security was designed to provide for the elderly,  It had a stated purpose the same as the tithes.   Neither were designed to support pet projects or fatten the purse of those who administrated the programs.  As a matter of fact, a careful reading of  Malachi would seem to indicate that the message of the prophet was to the priesthood rather than the assembly.  Malachi 2:1  And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.  It can get any plainer than that, yet the book of Malachi is used to condemn souls to Hell for not paying tithes.  The same as the government has become obsessed with collecting and raising taxes, the church has followed the same path, and the bible is used to enforce the pay as you go type of salvation. 

What many have failed to realize is that the promise of the prophets has become self-serving and the government and the organized church are becoming fat at the expense of the suffering souls and the communities they are supposed to serve.  There is a profound disconnect within the government and the organized church.  In this country, the exploitation of the constitution and the Gospel of the Kingdom  is a hand in hand process.  Our leaders, even our pastors have adopted a policy of, "don't do as I do, but do as I say do." This allows a sense of self-righteousness to flourish that the emerging generation finds deceitful.  The end result of this fallacy is many of our goverment and church leaders are becoming victims of their vices.

New denominations are being established and the proliferation of the body of Christ is at an all time high.  New and massive edifices dot the landscape  as pastors scramble to create the mega church effect.  Church failure is at an all time high, mostly because members are balking at taking on the extra expense to satisfy the pastor's ego, and in many churches a whole generation has opted out on attending church.  With the increasing number of new ministers arriving on the scene boasting of a fresh new message from God, it would seem as if the believability problem would be solved.  Even with the influx of new ministers, the building of modern and exquisite sanctuaries, the high-tech presentation of the Gospel by men and women in "colorful" outfits, the believability of God is at an all-time low. 

In Luke 18, Jesus used the parable of the unjust judge to teach the value of prayer.  In a sudden twist, he seems to change the conversation and posed the question, " ...when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"  This is a question that should be at the forefront of our Christian endeavor.  Do our Christian walk exemplify a walk of faith, or are we caught up in useless rhetoric seeking to impress our peers.  Clearly the art of preaching has fail to attract the emerging generation, a generation that has become obsessed with violence.  The preacher preaches but they don't believe us.  

Praise and Spiritual Warfare

Our spiritual journey consists of many facets, but praising God seems to be the one that shines the brightest.  We have learned how to praise God for the sunshine and the rain, which seems to detract from the true meaning of praise. Yet, it is this type of acceptance that allows us to praise God simply because he is God, rather than for his mercies.  David instructed his singers to Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever, (2nd Chronicles 20:21). What were those mercies? 

When greeting one another we often stick to a common script, emphasizing what God is doing for us through well-used scriptures, cliches, and platitudes. Often when these occasions, services or sessions are over, many of us returned to our state of deep contemplation, wonder if this is what following Christ is all about. We are enduring our pain and suffering and our praise is based upon thanking God for waking us up this morning.  Now, I have a problem with this when I consider the lifespan of some ministers, or for example, my father, and my brother, these whom I would classify as "Men of God". When I hear the testimony of how blessed we are to be alive, there is a type of sadness that overshadows me as I wonder why were the cursed to die so young. 

When those among us through time or chance realize that waking up in the morning is no longer the sustainable option, seeds of doubt are watered.  These seeds of doubt will grow and torment the soul who is suffering from an affliction and praying for deliverance.  Where is that person that is capable of ministering to this condition of humanity?  It becomes easy to visualize a group of people following after Christ shouting praises while the sun is shining.  Then, there is that seemly forsaken multitude standing on the sideline watching, wondering what all of the hooplas is about while we all endure the same benefits. 

The first question that we will pose in this discussion is,  what is praise?  How do we praise our heavenly Father or even our earthly father?  Is praising God voicing emotionalize words of adoration, the same as the rock star who write songs praise a woman's body or the rap star whose lirics glorify drugs and crime?   Why is our existence a component of praise and worship, when if we considered the alternate, the whole act become irrelevant?  In essence, I praise God for creating me, for if he had not created me I would what...  A unique situation that is equivalent to saying, God created man so that he would have somebody to give stuff to.  Are we so important that we feel that God's plan for the world is centered around us? What do we praise God for?  Are we praising God for self-serving  items or events (money and positions) that contribute nothing to the advancement of his kingdom?  Why is opening your eyes this morning so important to the Kingdom?  When Paul reflected upon the question he concluded that to remain here would be more profitable to the Kingdom.    

The Bible is filled with scriptures that call upon us to praise the Lord.  A computer search of the King James version found two hundred eighteen verses that used the word praise, one hundred and thirty-two was found in the book of Psalms.  It seems as if David was a man who loves to praise God.  A quick study of David's life seems to indicate that he took time out of his praising to fight battles, and when the battle was won he took the time to praise God.  An interesting observation which allows the conclusion to be drawn, that if David had spent all of his time praising God, he would have lost his greatest battle. Thus, we can conclude that there is a time to praise God and there is a time to engage in "spiritual" warfare.      

In my endeavors to Understand the Word Of God, I exhibited a concern  and sought the definition of the purpose of my creation.   The ideology that God just made a man so he would have somebody to give stuff to is not fulfilling. According to Genesis 1:28, God created man for a specific purpose. Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.  The use of the word subdue is indicative of a type of warfare and the history of man as recorded in the Old Testament shows man engaged in a constant battle against evil.  

Under the dispensation of the Law, this battle was fought flesh against flesh. Beginning with the flood God sought to destroy the corrupted flesh.  Later Kings was instituted whose failed mission was to destroy the sinful flesh.  With the death of Christ on the cross, the dispensation of Grace became in effect.  Under the rules of Grace, the battle moved from a natural level to a spiritual level.  We are no longer called to fight as David fought, yet we are still called to do battle. Ephesians 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

A noted speaker once defined spiritual warfare as praising God in the midst of adversities.  The problem with this type of definition is that it detracts from the value of praise.  As Jesus said in Matthew 5:45, "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Therefore, we should conclude that our praise should be based upon something that only as Christians who are engaged in spiritual warfare can relate to.  Our praise and thanksgiving should be a personal thing, based upon the battles that God have given us the victory.  Any other aspect of this is trivializing and demeaning to the Word of God. over. 

Ephesians 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  The devil and his angels were cast out upon the earth without  a human or earthly body.  When it is necessary for him to appear in a visible form he must occupy some other mortal form.  There is a spiritual battle taking place all around us, and much of the Christian world has been lured into a sense of complacency and distracted.  Rather than focusing on the powers that surround us, we are focusing on the entertainment aspects of our mortal existence.  Too many of our preachers and teacher are promoting a feel-good gospel rather than promoting the battle for souls for the kingdom.

We are in the fight of our lives, but you could not tell it by much of our praise and worship.  The music, the songs, the message, have been mixed together to form a highly emotionalized and entertaining presentation that have lulled us into  a false sense of security.  This conflict, however, is very real. Paul places emphasis on the reality of this struggle, stressing that it is both difficult and dangerous. We are encouraged to put on the whole armor of God, this we should if we believe that this spiritual battle is real, difficult, and dangerous. Charles Hodge expressed it like this: “Salvation, however gratuitous, is not to be obtained without great effort” (Ephesians, Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1994, p. 210).

This warfare is clearly understood through the devil’s actions throughout history. In the garden of Eden, he brought upon mankind the curse of death. In Bethlehem, he hoped to kill man’s Savior, the baby Jesus.  In the wilderness, he tempted the Lord to abandon his mission, and in the garden of Gethsemane, he hoped betrayal would demoralize and deliver him. On Calvary, he hoped to isolate him, but on the resurrection morning, the devil’s head was stomped, and his days are numbered. Paul encourages us to put on the armor of God, and Satan cannot defeat us (Ephesians. 5:13; 1 John. 5:18), for our great God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ has already proved himself victorious, having conquered him who had power over death, that is the devil (Hebrews. 2:14). Christ Jesus has the keys of death and hades (Revelation. 1:18). 

As we fight against the corruption of the devil, let us encourage other through our testimony of praise, of the victories we have won. Ephesians 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Pray For The Fruit Of The Spirit

Luke 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

Jude 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

An earnest observation of the events surrounding me and taking place in the world at large causes me to endure a state of confusion. This confused state, whether benign or malignant often causes me to reaccess my belief and refocus my faith.   The antics of denominational Christianity created an ever-widening gulf that ushered in the (church of the Laodiceans) seventh church age.  The devil has created a level of deliberate confusion that exist around what is faith, and prayer.  We are blinded by promises as we pray for every conceivable thing. World events are shaping up to fulfill the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, yet they are promising and we are praying for peace and prosperity.  Is there an outpouring of peace and prosperity oe is it as Solomon stated, "time and chance happeneth to them all"?

Two of the greatest assets of our Christian walk, faith, and prayer, has been hijacked by the unscrupulous.   These attributes of the spirit are cast about carelessly as we go about our self-fulfilling tasks.  We pray for rain, we pray for cars, we pray for money, we pray for favors, we even pray for football players and celebrates, when do we pray for the fruit of the spirit?  Prayer has taken on the attributes of our cell phone which was designed for a perticular purpose, now it is used for every conceivable act.

Not long ago a gentleman was found unconscious in what I will refer to as a house of ill repute.  His lifestyle, a supposedly far cry from the average Christian walk of faith, did not deter Christian around the world to entreat the God of their salvation to spare this man's life.  It became a call to touch and agree, and as his condition seems to improve the exclamation, "But God" was used to "seal the deal" that God was working in the hospital to restore this man to health, a modern day definition of a miracle.   I also remember another incident when the daughter of a deceased well-known rock star suffered almost a similar fate.   National known speakers, prophets, and preacher joined the social media to pray for God's deliverance. Even after all hope was lost there were those who stated they were holding God to his word, to do what he said he was going to do.  To those of us who are struggling to contend for the faith, the action of those who claim to possess a degree of faith often causes the faith of many to falter.  

Prayers are offered for the healing of this nation.  When there is an accident prayers go forth.  The solution to the problems within our communities and home is prayer.  But, it seems to some that God is silent.  Yet the silence of God is something we are taught not to entertain, even though the Old Testament ends and the New Testament began with the silence of God.

Publicly pray for the intervention of God, for the purpose of enhancing one's status is not in the best interest of the advancement of the kingdom.  Posting vague prophecies on the internet and encouraging people to type "Amen" serve what purpose?  What benefit does it serve to define a miracle as being delivered from a headache, or going into the hospital and surviving a surgical procedure? Much of our antics seems to revolve around a God who is looked upon by those we seek to impress as nothing but a figment of our imagine.  Deliverance from a headache or surviving a surgical procedure is no indicative of a belief in God. Whether we live to reach an  old age or die in our youth, it is not the result of prayer or God's special favors.  Ecclesiastes 9:11  I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill;  

Ecclesiastes 9:12  For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

Sitting in a church service, listen to the testimonies of how blessed it was to wake up this morning created a sense of despair.  Why am I being indoctrinated into a fear of death rather than to embrace death?  Was I to equate the untimely passing of my father and my younger brother as a curse?  Both of these men dedicate their life to serving God but did they fall victim to time and chance, or did call them to a higher service.  We are often comforted by the thought that they are sitting on a cloud in Heaven looking down on us.  But, is this really scripture or is this some made up theory designed to keep us from feeling so alone and blaming God for our loneliness?   Where is that Christian ministry that can minister to the reality of this situation?

Our prayers should be a prized commodity, a sacred communication with our father, not something to be cast about so freely.  The Holy Spirit never intended prayer to be used to implore God to act according to our will.  Without a deeper understanding of the meaning of prayer, we cast our wishes or demand before God.  And like the proverbial Slot Machine that pays off on its own time, we keep investing coins till we hit.  Is this a proper attitude of pray?  Imagine the condition of the world if God performed as we asked him to.  In reality, it would remove the need for Christ return.  How often do we pray, "Lord let your kingdom come?"  We are more apt to pray for God to fix my problems.  If "Ask and it shall be given", was a carte blanc invitation to ask for all types of trivial needs, then there is something wrong with this picture, but our indoctrination will not allow us to admit it.

Why They Don't Believe? Part #1

This is a question that should be at the forefront of all preached messages, Sunday school lessons, and bible discussions.  Yet, many pastors, ministers prophets, and teachers have taken a “head buried in the sand”, approach and failed to acknowledge the problem or even the question.  This is a problem that exist within the household of faith that needs to be addressed.  This problem is having an adverse effect on the soul winning ability of the Christian community. 

Simply put, in this age, this generation, there is an increase in those who are claiming a message from God.   An application of common sense indicates that if the laborers of the vineyard are increased then the harvest should increase.  Churches and expensive sanctuaries dot the landscape, yet there is a generation, a generation that grew up in the church, is walking away from God. As you look around your worship setting, ask yourself what age group is missing or is in low attendance. Understanding this reality should not force you to change your worship style or doctrine, rather it should allow you to search for the spiritual means of becoming effective soul winners for Christ in a modernist age.

Many have responded, “Jesus said if we lift him up, he will draw all men unto him.”  A rather cavalier approach to Jesus command to go into the highway and hedges and "compel".  There are those who believe that to attract, we must changing the worship setting to more of an entertainment format.  This format will allow the church to compete in a world filled with football games and nightclubs.  The end result is now many come to church to be entertained by entertainers.   The art of preaching and a fully staffed band holds sway as the spirit of God moves.  When the pastor is screaming and the music is playing how many will sit and wonder, “why they don’t believe?”

When worship service becomes a form of entertainment, a sacrifice becomes relevant to the amount of money you put in the offering. Miracles and blessing are the promised reward, thus fueling a hidden sense of doubt for many as they recede back into their same painful situation.  Was it necessary to dumb-down the meaning of blessings and miracles, thus allowing everyone to expect and enjoy the experience?  Have we become so complacent in our walk with God that we are willing to write bogus checks in Jesus name?  If we look closely at our antics it is easy to see why they don't believe us.  

In a group discussion, I posed the question, “why they (non-Christian) don’t believe us”?  Poll after poll indicates that the believability of God is at an all-time low.  This falling away is nothing new.  Jesus spoke of it and even Paul preached about it.  As far back as I can remember people have been walking away from the church and God.  A pious gentleman responded, “all we can do is tell them about Jesus, the rest is up to them.”  He finalized his position by referencing John 12:13 out of context, misquoting and misapplying the text.  Jesus said, “If we lift him up, he will do the drawing.”

The proper rendering of the verse should allow for the verse after to provide the context and meaning.  John 12:32-33  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  This he said, signifying what death he should die.  Christ used a word which has a double meaning, which is common in the Hebrew language, it signifies either to lift up or to get out of the way.  He intended for them to think of his death, but the Jews seemed to take it another way, the same as many Christians do today.

Sadly, many uses misquoted John 12:13  to justify their failure to win souls for Christ.  In this modern and pessimistic society walking in the woods preaching to trees, or standing on the street corner screaming Jesus love you, may not be the most effective way to win souls for Christ.   Showing up on Bible study nights and on Sundays is for the edification of the saints and not a soul winning technique.  Somewhere in the midst of soul winning the words of Jesus stands out, “Go into the ‘highways and hedges’ and compel them”. 

Before we began our extrapolation of the verse we should understand the meaning of the Hebrew phrase “Highways and Hedges”.Luke 14:23,  And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges. The parable-story has been dealing with the past and the present Israel; it now becomes prophetic, and speaks of a state of things to be. The third series of invitations is not addressed to the inhabitants of a (Church) city. No walls hem in (unbelievers) these far-scattered dwellers among the “highways and hedges” of the world. This time, the master of the house asks to his great banquet those who live in the isles of the (the streets) Gentiles. And compel them to come in. A greater pressure is put in this class of outsiders than was tried upon the favored that was first invited.

Highways and hedges—outside the city (church) altogether; historically, the heathen, sunk in the lowest depths of spiritual wretchedness, as being beyond the pale of all that is revealed and saving, "without Christ, strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12); generally, all such still. Thus, this parable prophetically contemplates the extension of the kingdom of God to the whole world; and spiritually, directs the Gospel invitations to be carried to the lowest strata, and be brought in contact with the outermost circles, of human society.

To be continued in 

Part #2

The Promise Out of Context

The Israelites were in exile in Babylon, a punishment from God as a result of their disobedience.  In Jeremiah 29, the prophet Jeremiah confronts the ever popular false prophet, Hananiah, who had boldly proclaimed that God was going to free Israel from Babylon in two years.  The two years time span was enough time for him to build his following and present himself as a messenger of God.  A study of the scripture shows that God did not do this.  Today, the masses are being misled by false messages from God based upon this and other scripture.  A careful study of this scripture and a deeper understanding of God word would show parallel events are taking place today.  Many church services are not complete until the prophet has spoken.  Jeremiah 29:9  For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

The auditorium was packed and a combined sense of urgency and exhilaration filled the air.  The crowd was waiting for a well-known prophet/preacher to bring them a message of God’s promise for their prosperity.  Some needed jobs, some need healing and some just needed money in their bank account.  Not only was he going to tell them of the promise, he would explain to them how to collect on the promise through the planting of a seed.  This is an indoctrinated fallacy that many have taken to the extreme.  The meeting was equivalent to something I had experienced in the early seventies at a “Dare To Be Great”  meeting hosted by Glen Turner.  In these meetings, hundreds of poor, out of work and broke people mortgaged their homes and life savings and welfare checks to buy into the dream of financial independence.  A dream whose foundation was built upon a pyramid scheme. Aside from the number of people who lost their homes or life saving, there was always enough (suckers) to parade in front of a hungry crowd to support the thesis that the idea was working.

Offering envelopes and Literature was passed out by the ushers.  Both framed the ever popular Old Testament scripture, Jeremiah 29:11, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” subconsciously we were asked to lay aside our knowledge of God, “common sense” and accept an alien interpretation of the scripture.  Alien in the sense that the verse was surgically removed from the supporting scripture, stripped of its context and present as a complete message from God.  Who is talking, who is he talking to and what is the subject matter was of no value, the verse was purported to be a message of prosperity sent to this eager and waiting audience.  The literature promised God's bountiful blessings upon the crown in exchange for the sowing of a seed.  "And the church said amen." This appeared to be equivalent to the email scam the promise you several million dollars, if you pay the processing fee up front.

Jeremiah 29:1 explains who was talking and who he was talking to.  "Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;"  Now if we continue to read a deeper insight will be given into, who Jeremiah was talking to and what he was talking about.  Further study of the chapter will reveal a message within the context of the scripture that is applicable to the church or God's people today.  

Many of us, on a day to day base, encounter numerous incidents or situations that just don’t make sense.  Whether it is Christian endearment, business transactions or  in the field of race relations, there is that highly vocal element  that has proven its inability to think rationally.  These entities of irrationality thought patterns  though lacking the ability to lead, possess the innate ability to indoctrinate and manipulate the masses.  In their wake of deliberate confusion, they leave behind a mass of used, tangled and tortured souls.  The falseness that exists in each one of the fore mention  arenas speaks for themselves and somehow has found a means of acceptability.  Yet I cannot reconcile the lies and falsehoods that emulate from the household of faith, especially when receiving the blessing of God is reduced to paying money or even typing Amen in a Facebook status.

A deeper Understanding of The Word of God will destroy what Jeremiah 29:11 has become to mean to so many.  Let's try to re-frame the verse  so you understand it better within its original and intended context.   We are often taught ‘by men in pinstripe suits’ or pious prelates to approach this verse and other Bible verses as a security blanket: God has a plan for me that is good, so clearly this suffering I’m going through will end soon and then my flourishing will begin! Scriptures that purport jubilee and a time of refreshment is added for further enhancement.  But this is not what  God was promising to the Israelites, and it’s not what he’s promising us, either.  To make most meetings or assemblies attractive to the masses, a promise of miracles or blessing is  often promised.  

What is often overlooked in these interpretations of the scripture is, Israel and the church are not and cannot be the same.  Israel was and is an earthly people and their blessing was of an earthly nature, whereas the church is a spiritual entity and its blessing are of a spiritual nature.   1st Corinthians 10:32  Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 

Noted Preachers, authors, and bloggers have spoken out, Jeremiah 29:11 doesn’t mean what many of us is being taught.  The heart of the verse is “Not that we would escape our lot, but that we would learn to thrive” in the midst of it.  This is the same message Paul advanced in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  Paul’s message was, if it means going to jail for Christ sake, I can do that.  For John the Baptist, it meant, if it means losing my head I can do that.

Here’s the context: the Israelites were in exile, a punishment from God as a result of their disobedience. The prophet Jeremiah confronts the false prophet, Hananiah, who had boldly proclaimed that God was going to free Israel from Babylon in two years Jeremiah calls out Hananiah’s lie, and then states the promise we read in 29:11. God does indeed have a good plan for the Israelites, and it is a plan that will give them hope and a prospering future.  The perfect message for the fleecing of the sheep, right?  The plan was not the one presented by Hananiah, nor is it the one presented by the prosperity preachers of today.

The thing is before he shares this promise, he gives them this directive from God: “seek the peace and the prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (29:7).  Here again, this is an earthly promise to an earthly people.

This is not at all what the Israelites wanted to hear! They wanted to be told that they were going to go home. They wanted to be told that their suffering was going to end. Instead, God’s plan was for them to stay right where they were, and to help prosper the nation that enslaved them!  And then came the biggest blow of all. In verse 10, God says that he would fulfill this “after seventy years are completed in Babylon.” This meant that none in the current generation of Israelites would ever return to their home. What a crushing thing to be told!

 God knows the plans He has for us. And ultimately He will give us a glorious future. But as we walk out our lives on this crazy earth, let’s remember that the best growth comes through persevering through trials, not escaping them entirely. And when we learn perseverance, we find surprising joy.  A better interpretation of Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me would have, “ I can endure”.

What hard thing are you currently going through? In the midst of your suffering, cling to Jeremiah 29:11, but cling to it for the right reason: not in the false hope that God will take away your suffering, or he will fill your bank account with money but in the true, gospel confidence that he will give you hope in the midst of your suffering. It is blessed are the poor in spirit, not that they will have prosperity here on earth, but they shall see God.

A Conversation

On a day to day base, there is that pious person instructing the indoctrinated and yearning masses on how to get what they want from God.  There are many of us who began our day feeling alienated or rejected by God because we are not enjoying the blessings that other are proclaiming.  We are being told that we have entered a season where God is pouring out his blessing upon his wayward children.  Yet, many of us fail to see that beacon of light radiating out from those who professes to be enjoying those special blessing of God.  Is it because the meaning of a blessing has been dumbed down and we are blessed because we woke up this morning?  

There do not appear to be a fence of protection separating the righteous from accidents, death, disease and suffering. Oftimes we are left wondering, "why do God allow bad things to happen to good people?"   Matthew 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.  There appears to be a great difference between what God wills and what God allows.  It is not God's will that anyone should perish, but God will allow us to perish.  Matthew 18:14  Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. Luke 13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

There are many great testimonies of how God is blessing financially and there are many great messages of how to reap these blessings, but at the root of receiving these great blessings, there is always the need to plant a seed.  Is God like an ATM machine, where you punch in the right code and receive what you requested?  If our prayers are not answered within twenty-four hour, is it because much of what we consider to be prayer does not fit within God's definition of prayer.   Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.  It is interesting that the disciples would ask Jesus to teach them how to  prayer.  He gave them a model prayer  in Luke 11:2.  Another interesting point is much of what we pray for today is missing from the model Jesus gave to his disciples.  

The trivialization of God has resulted in  that which is Holy is being invoked in many unholy situations.  On Facebook this morning I was encouraged to type "Amen" and my house would be free from financial worries.  Matthew 6:5-8  tell us how not to pray, and Jesus ends with Be, not ye, therefore, like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. If this is true why are we using the social media to collect "Amen". After reading many of the postings,  I usually end up with the uneasy feeling that my spirituality has been raped.

The focus of today's prayer services is blessings and miracles.   Then, there are those prophets that are predicting the outpouring of God's wrath upon an unrepentance world.  Salvation and financial blessings have become synonymous.  I along with many, in and out of the organized church have begun to secretly wonder if we are making this stuff up as we go along.  We cannot openly question the cute cliches and proclamations, by doing so would expose us to the wrath of the Christian community.  Cute cliches and proclamations without substance appear to be one of the reasons the believability of our God is suffering. 

Understand how God works and what to expect from God is two of the important elements of our Christian journey.  Made up promises and making vast and vague claims that God is not about to answer is not in the best interest of promoting Christianity.  In Matthew 21:22 Jesus said, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."  The key and operative word is prayer.  What is a prayer?  Is asking God for one million dollars an act of prayer?   Solomon asked for wisdom and God gave richness.  Maybe we should simply pray for the fruit of the spirit. 

In Matthew 5:3-12 Jesus expounded upon the attributes of being blessed in such a manner that that it should be impossible to misunderstand the meaning.   Yet, we still consider waking up to be included in the list of blessings.  I can and should be glad I woke up this morning because it will give me another day to work for Christ, but the blessings I should expect to receive is in the kingdom of Heaven.  This was Paul's reason for wanting to stay here. Philippians 1:23-24, For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.  Simply put, going home to get our reward should play an important part in our daily walk. 

To make the Christian walk more attractive, why is it necessary to redefined blessings and make them collectable on a daily base.   There are those who are standing by prepared to teach us for a fee, how to collect our blessings and count them, naming them one by one.  The blessings that Jesus expounded upon did seems to indicate that there was a reward pending, but this reward was in Heaven.  Matthew 5:12  Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.  In the Old Testament when the old patriots blessed  a child, it merely empowered them to act in the name of the father.   In today's society, collecting freebies and blessings is a way of life many.  

Often, in the midst of our pain, in the midst of our suffering the message is to wait on our deliverance or it's already done.  Many will speak with conviction and authority as if they have the Word of God in their mouth.  You will be left with the belief that the only thing standing between you and your deliverance is you acceptance.  Often there is an urgent need for the fruit of the spirit to manifest itself. There is a need for a message of joy and peace and this message will shift our focus from our condition, it will allow us to glory in our Christian walk.  The fruit of the spirit will become our most important asset.  

The type of messages that focused on our healing even as we go into the hospital often leave many feeling confused and rejected.  The reshaping of the message to indicate that God is using the hospital or the doctor as instruments of his healing power is no longer persuasive.  At the end of the day, we still wonder if God has rejected us.  In my sickness and in my suffering, in my search for God, I cried out, don't tell me what God can do.  If you cannot help me accept what God is doing, or what God is not doing, then hold your peace.   

As I walk through the valleys and the shadows of death, I rise to the occasion to speak like the three Hebrew boys, "Wheather God deliver me or not He is still God." Because of my acceptance of that concept, that ideology, I do not pray for financial gain, I do not pray for healing,  I pray for the fruit of the spirit.  With joy and peace, whatever my situation is, I will fear no evil for thou are with me...