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There are many things that are very distracting to Christians in the world today. With all of the wicked things going on around us, it can be hard to see how God is working things out for the good. Between the sinful things that we see in everything we consider entertainment to isis beheading Christians in the middle east, we live in a sick and very darkened world. Where evil abounds freely and without conviction. Jesus warned us of all these things and much, much more.
Jesus gives warning of people hating us. Then he comforts us in the fact that they hated him before they hated us. Then he stated, " Be at peace, for I have overcome this world. " . He warned us that there would arise a people that are going to kill us in the name of God, and believe that they are doing the work of god by doing so. We are seeing this in the middle east now. However Jesus also stated " Do not fear those that can only kill the flesh not the soul. " . Jesus knows that we have the victory in him. But do we always realize that we already have the victory.
In the entertainment world, it does not matter what we are doing for entertainment in todays world. There just always seems to be something wicked and against our lord in it. Most movies have some kind of the Lords name in vain or some kind of malicious revenge plot or some kind of sexual something or other in it. If we go bowling, there is always some kind of worldly music and people acting crazy and even some kind of violence sometimes. If we go to parks in the city, we see people doing drugs or find rigs all over that they have used to shoot up. People are often fighting or drinking and speaking nasty things out of their mouths. It seems that no matter what we do it seems as though there is something wicked around us. Jesus warned us of these thing through Paul in 2 Timothy 3. He also warned us that sin would abound and that there would be a world of no compliance or self control.
It just seems no matter what we do or watch or go, there just seems to be something wicked. Something to question something in our faith. However, there is a distraction that is worse in my mind than all of these. The distraction comes from a place that many of us would never expect. Many will not even believe it when I put it on here. But it is a distraction that unseasons salt in the most manipulative ways. It takes people by surprise because we are so often taught that it is good for us and our souls. But is it truly. The distraction I am talking about are our churches and many of our church leaders. There is always something to be said against anyone that has a real zeal for our Lord Jesus Christ. Or there is some kind of judgment laid on people when they feel moved by the Holy Spirit of our God. It is very dangerous and many will not believe this so I will share examples of what I am talking about.
How do church leaders become a distraction for us? I will share with you many of the comments and actions I have seen and heard from our faithful all knowing church leaders.
1. If you have a zeal for Christ that you want to share him, it is because you are an immature Christian. This is not found anywhere in the Bible.
Actually you find just the opposite of this through out the word of God. Look at the apostles. They had such a zeal to share Christ that they went to their graves for it. When they were told by authorities to stop preaching of Christ they turned and stated, " Are we to obey man or God. We will not stop as Gods commandments are of more importance. " Yet if we show this same zeal for Christ and the souls of other we are called immature in Christ. But if we go out and preach our church and promote it we are mature and saving people from hell. That is a lie from the devil. Christ saves and the Holy Spirit convicts not getting people into our church.
2. Invite all to come to church buildings. This is not found anywhere in the Bible.
There is not one place in the Bible where the apostles first invited people into a church. They did not even invite people to join their fellowship without first preaching Christ and his goodness. Allowing the person to first receive Christ and then giving them fellowship.
3. Church denominations and membership. Also not written about anywhere in the Bible.
When we go before God on the day of judgment, He is not going to stop and ask us what church denomination, building or congregation we belong to. Many want to claim the verse that states, " Do not forsake the assembling together of the saints." It is true that we need fellowship. The Bible makes this very clear. However, fellowship can be anywhere. We do not have to be Pentecost, Methodist, Baptist etc. in order to have fellowship. We can have fellowship anywhere we wish to meet with one another.
4. Rules of salvation that do not exist.
Many churches have a check point list on what is salvation and what is not. Some of those rules are telling people how to worship God. Or they are telling people how the Holy Spirit is leading them or what their gift is. All of these things are between the person and God. Other rules of salvation include telling people to change their outward appearance rather than their heart. Some of these rule include telling men they can or cant shave their beard. Or telling women that they are not allowed to cut their hair. They often use 1 Corinthians 11: 1- 15 to get people on this teaching. However they do not go to verse 16 where it states " But if any be contentious in this area we have no such customs nor does the church of God. "
5. Church as a building and honoring it more than Christ.
There is not anywhere in the Bible where church is a building. Not one place even where the word church is used where the definition would be a building or even a place to worship. The word church means those that have accepted Christ as their savior. Nothing more, nothing less than that. Christ is the only way to the father. He said, " I am the way the truth and the life. No one gets to the Father accept through me.
Jesus has made it very clear through out the Bible that He is the King of Kings. It does not matter if you step foot into these churches or become a member as so many falsely state in order to gain population in their pews. Being a pastor is not a career, but a calling on our lives. Pastors have used many lies and manipulations and twisted the Word of God in order to make money. Why are our churches dead inside, because Christ is not the head of the building and business we call church.
Look at their out reach systems. They look good on the surface. Man they are feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and putting up concession stands advertising only their church. Never speaking of Christ and never telling people of our need for a savior. Oh no, you will not hear of such things. But they will sit with everyone and try to convince them that their church is the church of Christ and to get to heaven you work through the church and you go to church and you give all of your money to the church. These are all lies of the devil. Christ is the only way to salvation.
Now is the time to stop with all of the churchianity and get on board with Christ. Stop trying to be more popular than the next guy. Stop trying to out do the other church denominations that are not found anywhere in the Bible because they do not exist. It is time to worship our Lord in spirit and in truth. It is time to stand as one body in Christ and walk this road together. Today is the day of salvation and there is hope for all that walk right now. But that hope can be over for anyone that is unsaved at anytime. What did our church leaders do about it? Stop discouraging those with the zeal and start standing with them.
Jesus gives warning of people hating us. Then he comforts us in the fact that they hated him before they hated us. Then he stated, " Be at peace, for I have overcome this world. " . He warned us that there would arise a people that are going to kill us in the name of God, and believe that they are doing the work of god by doing so. We are seeing this in the middle east now. However Jesus also stated " Do not fear those that can only kill the flesh not the soul. " . Jesus knows that we have the victory in him. But do we always realize that we already have the victory.
In the entertainment world, it does not matter what we are doing for entertainment in todays world. There just always seems to be something wicked and against our lord in it. Most movies have some kind of the Lords name in vain or some kind of malicious revenge plot or some kind of sexual something or other in it. If we go bowling, there is always some kind of worldly music and people acting crazy and even some kind of violence sometimes. If we go to parks in the city, we see people doing drugs or find rigs all over that they have used to shoot up. People are often fighting or drinking and speaking nasty things out of their mouths. It seems that no matter what we do it seems as though there is something wicked around us. Jesus warned us of these thing through Paul in 2 Timothy 3. He also warned us that sin would abound and that there would be a world of no compliance or self control.
It just seems no matter what we do or watch or go, there just seems to be something wicked. Something to question something in our faith. However, there is a distraction that is worse in my mind than all of these. The distraction comes from a place that many of us would never expect. Many will not even believe it when I put it on here. But it is a distraction that unseasons salt in the most manipulative ways. It takes people by surprise because we are so often taught that it is good for us and our souls. But is it truly. The distraction I am talking about are our churches and many of our church leaders. There is always something to be said against anyone that has a real zeal for our Lord Jesus Christ. Or there is some kind of judgment laid on people when they feel moved by the Holy Spirit of our God. It is very dangerous and many will not believe this so I will share examples of what I am talking about.
How do church leaders become a distraction for us? I will share with you many of the comments and actions I have seen and heard from our faithful all knowing church leaders.
1. If you have a zeal for Christ that you want to share him, it is because you are an immature Christian. This is not found anywhere in the Bible.
Actually you find just the opposite of this through out the word of God. Look at the apostles. They had such a zeal to share Christ that they went to their graves for it. When they were told by authorities to stop preaching of Christ they turned and stated, " Are we to obey man or God. We will not stop as Gods commandments are of more importance. " Yet if we show this same zeal for Christ and the souls of other we are called immature in Christ. But if we go out and preach our church and promote it we are mature and saving people from hell. That is a lie from the devil. Christ saves and the Holy Spirit convicts not getting people into our church.
2. Invite all to come to church buildings. This is not found anywhere in the Bible.
There is not one place in the Bible where the apostles first invited people into a church. They did not even invite people to join their fellowship without first preaching Christ and his goodness. Allowing the person to first receive Christ and then giving them fellowship.
3. Church denominations and membership. Also not written about anywhere in the Bible.
When we go before God on the day of judgment, He is not going to stop and ask us what church denomination, building or congregation we belong to. Many want to claim the verse that states, " Do not forsake the assembling together of the saints." It is true that we need fellowship. The Bible makes this very clear. However, fellowship can be anywhere. We do not have to be Pentecost, Methodist, Baptist etc. in order to have fellowship. We can have fellowship anywhere we wish to meet with one another.
4. Rules of salvation that do not exist.
Many churches have a check point list on what is salvation and what is not. Some of those rules are telling people how to worship God. Or they are telling people how the Holy Spirit is leading them or what their gift is. All of these things are between the person and God. Other rules of salvation include telling people to change their outward appearance rather than their heart. Some of these rule include telling men they can or cant shave their beard. Or telling women that they are not allowed to cut their hair. They often use 1 Corinthians 11: 1- 15 to get people on this teaching. However they do not go to verse 16 where it states " But if any be contentious in this area we have no such customs nor does the church of God. "
5. Church as a building and honoring it more than Christ.
There is not anywhere in the Bible where church is a building. Not one place even where the word church is used where the definition would be a building or even a place to worship. The word church means those that have accepted Christ as their savior. Nothing more, nothing less than that. Christ is the only way to the father. He said, " I am the way the truth and the life. No one gets to the Father accept through me.
Jesus has made it very clear through out the Bible that He is the King of Kings. It does not matter if you step foot into these churches or become a member as so many falsely state in order to gain population in their pews. Being a pastor is not a career, but a calling on our lives. Pastors have used many lies and manipulations and twisted the Word of God in order to make money. Why are our churches dead inside, because Christ is not the head of the building and business we call church.
Look at their out reach systems. They look good on the surface. Man they are feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and putting up concession stands advertising only their church. Never speaking of Christ and never telling people of our need for a savior. Oh no, you will not hear of such things. But they will sit with everyone and try to convince them that their church is the church of Christ and to get to heaven you work through the church and you go to church and you give all of your money to the church. These are all lies of the devil. Christ is the only way to salvation.
Now is the time to stop with all of the churchianity and get on board with Christ. Stop trying to be more popular than the next guy. Stop trying to out do the other church denominations that are not found anywhere in the Bible because they do not exist. It is time to worship our Lord in spirit and in truth. It is time to stand as one body in Christ and walk this road together. Today is the day of salvation and there is hope for all that walk right now. But that hope can be over for anyone that is unsaved at anytime. What did our church leaders do about it? Stop discouraging those with the zeal and start standing with them.