This is not what I was planning on writing today and who knows maybe I shouldn’t since I haven’t had time to process yet. But it is what is on my mind and there is no way I would be able to recall my previous plans if I tried as this is so fresh and heavy on my heart. There is a spirit that is hiding itself in the church a very cunning and evil spirit that I think is causing more damage to Gods Kingdom here on Earth than perhaps any other and it reared its face today in a powerful way. Let me tell you it is UGLY! It is SLY! And it must be STOPPED! This thing is so sly that as soon as I tell you what it is you’re going to say “Oh I recognized that years ago” ME TOO! I’ve heard sermons about it. You would think It’s on the run because I’ve heard so many speak against it. Instead somehow it has dug it’s claws so deep into us that we don’t even recognize it anymore. I’m not even sure what to call it. It may be two spirits working in tandem I don’t know But we need to recognize its lies and stomp them the second they arrive. For now I’m going to give it two different names The spirit of “Division” and The Spirit of “Superiority”
Let me start by first saying there is just one church. That is GODS CHURCH! For those that may think I’m naming a specific denomination I’M NOT! If you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God, Born of the virgin Mary, Crucified for our sins and raised from the dead three days later. If you believe that this Jesus is the ONLY way to God and have accepted his gift of salvation than you belong to “GODS CHURCH” Let me also throw in the Trinity Father, Son, Holy Spirit all wrapped in one. I don’t mean this as an after thought Just realized I shouldn’t assume that everyone thinks it’s a given. (Even though it is). For some reason it’s almost as if (Though no one will admit they believe this way) We have multiple religions that almost believe the same way. LIE, LIE, LIE, LIE!!! Did I say that enough? LIE! First let me say that I don’t believe God ever desired for us to be divided into multiple denominations. Show me an example from scripture I don’t think it’s possible. (That is the first sign that Satan is at work) I’ve heard it justified over the years by saying “I just have a different way I like to worship so I go here”, or “They just relate to God in a different way”. What a load of crap. Some now may choose a church for those reasons but that is not why we have so many different types of churches. Honestly I don’t know how all the different churches came to be. Each one has it’s own story and there-in lies the root of the problem. “I have an understanding of God that is different than the current churches so I’ll begin my own thing”. I’m beginning to dive into uncharted waters (As in I haven’t studied how each church came to be.) so I’ll stop there and move on.
No matter how each church came to be there seems to be an underlying lie that accompanied it. “I know something of God that you can’t grasp so I’m moving on” or “I know God better than you do so I’m moving on” (PLEASE AS WE MOVE ON REALIZE I AM NOT TALKING EVERY PERSON, EVERY CHURCH. IF THIS ISN’T YOU PRAISE GOD)
God has given each and everyone of us special giftings, talents, and understandings of who he is. I assume he has done that because there are many different types of people in the world and he wants his people to be able to relate to all of them so they might come to him. But what seems to have happened is 1. God moves in a new way 2. The church doesn’t know what to think of it 3. A new denomination is born wrapped around that experience. 4. An underlying I’m better than you vibe begins to grow in the new church. 5. The old church prays for the new church because this move can’t be from God it must be a lie.
Let me tell you what happened today that has me so upset. Since I’m on a road trip and don’t really have a home I participated as an outsider which is probably why I saw the beast with-in (So to speak). For those that don’t know I am currently visiting Bethel Church in Redding, CA (If you don’t know Bethel check it out God is doing some pretty cool stuff) I was out with a couple people from Bethel (On what is called a treasure Hunt) We began speaking with some guys from a local bible college (We were at the campus) They instantly knew where we were from and went into “Witnessing mode” (Now please don’t think I’m going to rag on them alone stick with me) It was clear that somewhere along the line they had a discussion about the beliefs of Bethel and why they were wrong and the (Bethel) congregation was buying a lie. Now I’ve heard this before so I’m not too terribly surprised. But what surprises me is the mode that EVERYONE kicked into. Both groups begin arguing their points. I would like to say discussing their positions so we could leave with a mutual understanding of the others position and leave agreeing to research in scripture what the other had to say and then prayerfully go to God for his guidance and wisdom. But that would imply that we were listening to each other. One of the people I was with I saw her stance change and her kick into “It’s on! mode” The guys were more laid back with a smirk on their faces like “This is going to be fun” I must admit I had that thought as well. I loves me a good debate it challenges me to think. Many of you could guess what the debate was about but that’s not the important part. I don’t even want you to assume you know where I stood because you’d probably be wrong (It isn’t that obvious) We get into the discussion and after awhile I begin to hear others repeating to me things I said clear at the beginning but it was as if was their thought or idea. That makes me take a step back and watch others a bit closer. I can see it in their eyes. Nobody is listening to the other instead they are listening for the opportunity to make their next point. The two viewpoints 1. They are suffering from a spirit of religion. 2. They have bought a lie. 1. I must set them free 2. I must not buy into the lie
Anyway we finish gather in a group like a nice “Christian Family” and pray one person from each side. Yep you guessed it the prayers are like closing arguments instead of prayers. (A whole different topic) We hop in the car and instantly “Can you believe this, how about that?, and what about that prayer oh my” all along I am picturing them doing the same thing at the school. It is so sad because we all have something to offer each other me to you and you to me. I’m not going to type it all out here but read 1 Corinthians 12 ALL OF IT. We all have differing gifts and they are to work together to make one body.
One of the people I was chatting with today. My heart so reaches out to him. I don’t know what happened in his life or in a friends life but I could see it in his eyes. “I can’t open up in this way I don’t want to be sold another lie” This is why I go back to last weeks blog topic but ad a new verse 1 Corinthians 12: 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the holy spirit. Don’t be so afraid of buying a lie that you accept the truth. On the flip side another person was so convinced that they were 100% correct that they wouldn’t have heard it if anyone did correctly reveal where they were wrong.
My friends we are the body of Christ and Satan wants desperately to keep us divided. We must fight against that division. We must take the time to recognize our differences not as lies or a failure to grow but as an opportunity to join together for one purpose. “To show the world the Love of God” and in so doing we might just might glean a little bit of light from each other as well. John 17: 20 – 21 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me,
Ok gang that was another long one. Hopefully it was direct enough to follow without too many wonderings. Have a great week and as always lets “Live it upside down”
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