Are We Preparing To Meet God? (Part #6)

Earl Gillespie

Are We Preparing To Meet God?

Do We Really Believe In God??

What would you think of me if I ask you in church, "do you believe in God"?  No doubt your response or reaction would be on the same level of reaction to the title of my first book, "My Search For The Real God."  One lady's response was, "why would you search for the real God, you already know who God is."  Many are aware that there is an outward expression of God that make us feel apart of the group and the is that hidden expression or feeling of God that keeps us searching.  It is this feeling that causes many who once professed to be godly to turn away from Christianity. Those that are unable to control this inward expression of doubt often evolve into a 'regenerated' atheist. After the death of Jesus, Thomas's testimony was I know Jesus, I have walked with him and I have talked with him, I know what he said, yet I will not believe this new thing  unless I can see and touch."  Jesus dealt with his unbelief.  Are we prepared to deal with another's unbelief?  Do you actually believe the story of Noah’s flood?  The introdoctinated answer is, "if the Bible says it happen then I believe it happen."  Many religious scholars, preachers and pastors don’t even believe it actually happened. They explain it as a “nice story” containing symbolism that can teach valuable lessons. Why don’t people believe it? Their response is, “where is the proof?” Believing the account of the flood is strictly a matter of faith because there is no strong physical evidence. Therefore, most people do not believe in a literal flood.

The shaping of the scripture to reflect our personal wishes and/or desire, the spiritulization and sermonization of the Word  or God is not drawing souls to Christ.  Todays messages are centered around giving money to God and he will bless you.  Ask God for what you need and he will bless you with.  Come to Church and get your praise on a blessing will come down.  Many are following along for the bread crumbs that are being scattered along the way.  When Jesus fed the five thousand, I am sure many began to follow him looking for a free meal.  The is probably why he addressed them as a generation of vipers, and at no time did he say follow me and I will give you food to eat.  To Jesus, feeding the hungry was just and after the fact 'act'.  There are those who claim to believe in God but they are sheep in wolf's clothing, they are living of the flock and are destroying the true Church of God.  Do they really believe in God? 

A belief that is based upon an indoctrinated platform is not really a true form of believing.  True believing must come from within and it must be triggered by an inward or personal experience. The church's mission that it has neglected, should be to help or teach others how to believe. Can you teach a soul to believe? Can you explain the Word of God in such a manner that a distorted sinner will exclaim, "You have convinced me to be a Christian"? Not through cute phrases or indoctrinations, but aid us in having a personal relationship with God.   Those that are religious will say this is not my job, yet this is what Phillips did as he ran along side of the chariot.  The, "I know he lives because he lives with me, or, "If he did it once he will do it again," is not faith building statements, nor will these phrases help that struggling soul to grasp that moment of believablity.  To believe requires a personal experience.  Look around us, the believablity  of  God is not enhanced by promises of what God is doing or what God can do. Jesus addressed the matter in this manner, "It rains on the just as well as the unjust,"  there the person testifying of how God healed a headache or gave them a job  will not cause an unbeliever to believe.  These things happen, as Jesus said, it rain on the just as well as the unjust.  We can only find a revealing Christian experience through the application of the fruit of the spirit.  God has already provided for the natural man in the Book of Genesis, today we should seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness.  Ministers of God need to search for and teach the fruit of the Spirit.   

Church services in many arenas have given over to the charlatans who have concocted all types of schemes to fleece the sheep of God pasture of money.  Many are impressed with the promise of blessings if they give a certain amount of money.  Jesus condemns this practice.  Revelation 2:14-15  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. (Spiritual fornication is when the world and the church walk hand in hand) So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.  (It began when the messengers of God accept money from the government, thereby giving the government control of the message.) We know that Balaam was a prophet for hire, and the Nicolaitans were a group of people that set themselves up as rulers of the Church. 

The Father gave to Jesus Christ a revelation and the prophet John was inspired to write the Book of Revelation. John never saw the fulfillment of what he wrote because it was not about his time. The beginning of Revelation is mostly about the Church of God that would continue for nearly 2,000 years, leading into the very end-time. John gave testimony about seven Church eras that would exist through this time. One era would follow another until the last era, the Laodicea era. The Church is in that era now, and near the end of it. Laodicea is the last era of the Church before the return of Jesus Christ as King of kings to rule the earth in God’s government.  The Laodicean church, a representative church in its final state of apostasy, a church that was so corrupt that Jesus found himself standing at the door knocking.   There is a failure to give proper attention to these letters because they are the beginning of a prophecy of doom, but regardless man’s  form of government is about to be brought to a close. In the first chapter of Revelation, John describes these seven Church eras, in symbolism, as seven golden lamp stands. Certainly this symbolism is important to God because it is about His Church that has continued since the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D., with each era leading into the next, until the end. These seven letters trace the corruption of the church beginning with Revelation 2:4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.  The solution to the problem was laid out in Revelation 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

This is Jesus speaking to the representative Church of today.  Read and re-read this passage.  If you need enlightenment ask God. This is Jesus final message to the Church.  He is not talking to his disciples, he is not talking to the Jews, he is talking to the Church.  Revelation 3:14-22  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would that you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel you to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white clothing, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness does not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.

Even the Devil believed in God but the key to pleasing God is living according to Gods directives.  How do we do that?  First we must separate our thinking from those who are shaping, mis-locating the Word of God and using it for their own vain glory.  We must heed the teachings of Paul in 2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  We must search for a personal experience with God that will boost out faith.  Instead of asking God for earthly goods, try asking God for the fruit of the spirit.   Focus on the things that will withstand the fire of judgement, these are the things that will cause your spirit to soar.