What causes understanding? What causes salvation? Is it not the Lord and Him only?
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth."
"He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would heal them."
The driving goal of the western 'church' for the last two-hundred years has been to enlighten the masses. We have heard unending sermons and discourses on scripture and theology. We have traveled to every corner of the world passing our seed to the masses. We write books, tracts, and blogs (couldn't leave myself out) about everything God said and everything we think He said. It has turned into a circus. Flashing lights, silver tongued preachers, moving music, and a healthy helping of guilt, or pardon me... conviction. And we are proud! "Look what my words did! What change! There used to be only 25 people in here. Now, 250!" But we don't claim that do we? It's not our words! It's God's words! (In a humble voice)"I am merely a vessel." (right hand over heart, chin lifted high) Mmm hmm... how noble. But the change never comes. Our 'church' is full of thieves, liars, and the sexually immoral. And we give them grace and mercy where the Lord does not. We make them believe that God accepts them just as they are. That the blood of Christ was spilled for this very purpose. That we could all be accepted as we are. And they believe it because they want to believe it. They don't really want to abandon the world and it's ways, they like, no love, the world and it's ways.
To those of you who have seen this truth and are left standing around wondering, "What should we be doing?" I have some good news. A Gospel to be sure. God doesn't need you to save anyone. God doesn't need you to convince anyone. God doesn't need you to lead anyone. That is all His job. And He does it well. One of the first things you have to understand is this: God doesn't want anyone that doesn't want Him. I know, this is a hard thing considering the lies the 'church' has been telling for a couple of hundred years now. "God doesn't wish that any should perish", but that doesn't mean He is some poor angst-filled teenage boy sitting outside His crushes house singing and professing His undying love to a closed window.
"The LORD's eyes scan the whole world to find those whose hearts are committed to him and to strengthen them."
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth."
The second part of the good news is that all God wants from you is your undivided, passionate, rapt attention. Your only job is to love the lord with everything you are and have, to be true to the revelation that you have at the moment, to have an open heart and mind, to testify to the truth and be a living example of the righteousness that is God's kingdom.
"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
We can not even effect our own spiritual growth. It is all in the Lord's hands and His only. God gives the growth. The only thing we can do is trust in faith. Trust that He will provide for our needs(water, food, shelter); provide the wisdom we need, and provide soft hearts and open minds, and provide the growth. We struggle and claw our way forward through the darkness thinking we are making progress. We are like small babies wiggling and squirming trying to get our way when all we have to do is be still and trust so that our Father can carry us, feed us, protect and comfort us. Does this mean that we should not worry about purity, obedience, and sanctification? Not at all!
"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
But the mercy that Christ bartered for us was to cover the ignorance and immaturity that we display as we passionately and radically pursue Him, not willful disobedience and self-worship or self-centeredness. I will leave you with the words of Paul,
"I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
Pursue the Truth, love the Truth, testify to the Truth and leave the rest up to the Lord. It's His kingdom and His Bride. He will be the one to redeem her and gather her to himself. We live in blind, happy faith and sit in amazement as Christ opens our minds, eyes, and ears and reveals the real world to us, His awesome power, and the works He has done and will do.
Feel free to comment or ask questions!
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth."
"He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would heal them."
The driving goal of the western 'church' for the last two-hundred years has been to enlighten the masses. We have heard unending sermons and discourses on scripture and theology. We have traveled to every corner of the world passing our seed to the masses. We write books, tracts, and blogs (couldn't leave myself out) about everything God said and everything we think He said. It has turned into a circus. Flashing lights, silver tongued preachers, moving music, and a healthy helping of guilt, or pardon me... conviction. And we are proud! "Look what my words did! What change! There used to be only 25 people in here. Now, 250!" But we don't claim that do we? It's not our words! It's God's words! (In a humble voice)"I am merely a vessel." (right hand over heart, chin lifted high) Mmm hmm... how noble. But the change never comes. Our 'church' is full of thieves, liars, and the sexually immoral. And we give them grace and mercy where the Lord does not. We make them believe that God accepts them just as they are. That the blood of Christ was spilled for this very purpose. That we could all be accepted as we are. And they believe it because they want to believe it. They don't really want to abandon the world and it's ways, they like, no love, the world and it's ways.
To those of you who have seen this truth and are left standing around wondering, "What should we be doing?" I have some good news. A Gospel to be sure. God doesn't need you to save anyone. God doesn't need you to convince anyone. God doesn't need you to lead anyone. That is all His job. And He does it well. One of the first things you have to understand is this: God doesn't want anyone that doesn't want Him. I know, this is a hard thing considering the lies the 'church' has been telling for a couple of hundred years now. "God doesn't wish that any should perish", but that doesn't mean He is some poor angst-filled teenage boy sitting outside His crushes house singing and professing His undying love to a closed window.
"The LORD's eyes scan the whole world to find those whose hearts are committed to him and to strengthen them."
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth."
The second part of the good news is that all God wants from you is your undivided, passionate, rapt attention. Your only job is to love the lord with everything you are and have, to be true to the revelation that you have at the moment, to have an open heart and mind, to testify to the truth and be a living example of the righteousness that is God's kingdom.
"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
We can not even effect our own spiritual growth. It is all in the Lord's hands and His only. God gives the growth. The only thing we can do is trust in faith. Trust that He will provide for our needs(water, food, shelter); provide the wisdom we need, and provide soft hearts and open minds, and provide the growth. We struggle and claw our way forward through the darkness thinking we are making progress. We are like small babies wiggling and squirming trying to get our way when all we have to do is be still and trust so that our Father can carry us, feed us, protect and comfort us. Does this mean that we should not worry about purity, obedience, and sanctification? Not at all!
"Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
But the mercy that Christ bartered for us was to cover the ignorance and immaturity that we display as we passionately and radically pursue Him, not willful disobedience and self-worship or self-centeredness. I will leave you with the words of Paul,
"I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
Pursue the Truth, love the Truth, testify to the Truth and leave the rest up to the Lord. It's His kingdom and His Bride. He will be the one to redeem her and gather her to himself. We live in blind, happy faith and sit in amazement as Christ opens our minds, eyes, and ears and reveals the real world to us, His awesome power, and the works He has done and will do.
Feel free to comment or ask questions!
thats good stuff babe. We are to share christ's message with people but if they dont want to listen, we shouldn't keep pushing...leave it alone. God is the one who can make them listen, not us.
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