Since being back in Texas I have realized more how American
Christianity is so self consumed. Nothing has changed much. Christians
are still "talking" about the same things, discussing the same
doctrines, having the same problems, fighting over the same biblical
topics, and still holding on to their life. But who's truly picking
up their cross? Laying everything down for His sake no matter the
cost?! My heart grieves at hearing so much biblical knowledge being
boasted, but where is the passion for Jesus?! To make Him known
through our death that He may be glorified?
My mind ponders again about how many do "hear" the word of God, but it is more of a hearing like Herod's, like the people that delighted to
hear from Ezekiel, but do not want to obey. Just because profess
Christians or anyone who does hear the word and understands it does
not mean they truly believe. The Israelites came to believe in some
of God's works, but God saw from the beginning that they never truly
believe IN Him. Some people that Jesus healed believed in the
miracles, but doesn't mean they believe in Jesus for salvation. So
you do meet many professing Christians who do believe in some of what
Jesus did and said, but have not been given the revelation like Peter
that HE IS THE CHRIST, THE SAVIOR and like Joshua that He is our
DELIVERER. If we had such a revelation of Jesus being our salvation
it will surely show in our walk and not just merely our talk.
What made me think about the superficial Christianity here is hearing
from Vali, the brother in India. Vali lives on his needs and works to
only provide for his and his mother's needs and the rest of the time
is given to preach the gospel. Very different from American
Christianity. Vali doesn't have a car. He walks to village to
village preaching the gospel. Vali has so little and does so much for
the sake of Jesus. We in America have sooo much and do very little
for Him, but more for us then we wonder why we aren't having revival.
How sad is that?! American Christianity boast so much in knowledge.
Yes, many can preach and teach a good "holiness" message". Even a
goat can do that, but whats missing is the power of the Holy Spirit
and you can't display the power without living a crucified life,
making Jesus your first love. So preaching a right message does not
mean anything. I've seen many goats enjoy good holiness preaching.
Such good preaching without the power of the Holy Spirit just makes
many goats and sheep legalistic pharisees. But when one is living the
crucified life, beholding Jesus they will preach in the power of the
Spirit and it will cause a shaking that will divide, uproot, expose
most of the goats and build up His true sheep. But American
Christians are more passionate about learning doctrines than beholding
Jesus and being one with Him in His death that they may receive
ressurection power. I'm not saying that doctrines are not important.
They are. But when doctrine is all you have thats a problem. You
become like a pharisee who study the scriptures, but are not willing
to come to Jesus that you may have LIFE(John 5:39-40). People who put doctrine first above delighting themselves in Jesus have no life to
show. They may know a lot about the bible, but have no fruit, still
in bondage to sin and the world, giving no hope to those around
because their life is the same as the world. They hold much zeal in
knowledge, but no zeal to know Jesus intimately. To know Jesus
intimately will cost more than knowing about Him. You must fellowship
in His suffering to know him, but many love their life too much and
cannot stand humiliation for His name sake. To think of loosing your
reputation, living lowly, consider a fool and weak by the world gives
many professing Christians much fear. These professing Christians
will hide their life from others, but make loud boast with their
mouths.
Another thing that Vali got me pondering over just by his life is
servanthood and meekness. Sean and I just found out recently that
Vali is the pastor of the fellowship that we will be working with.
Vali never told us that he's the pastor. We thought he was just one
of the guys in fellowship. Its when Sean ask about the leadership
there that Vali shared that him and another brother was one of the
leaders. Vali has a servant's heart that you do not see in many
leaders today. Many leaders today want to boast in their positions
and titles, boast in how much knowledge they have. Many Christians go
to fellowship expecting to be served by others instead of serving
others. I've met a lot of professing believers who are so bittered at
leadership that they complain about how they weren't discipled
according to what they wanted, that the leaders did not spend enough
time "hanging out" with them, that the leaders should have chased them down. If the leaders have to chase a professing believer down then that is not discipleship. Jesus never chased or forced anyone to
follow Him. When the 72 left He did not chase them down and beg them
to stay. And many leaders fall for the manipulation of these
professing believers who really do not want Jesus, but to be pitied upon. Many goats have been added this way. I am reminded about how Paul the "apostle" approach the Coritihians. With weakness, fear and much trembling(1Cor.2:1-5). Paul definitely had no dependence on his flesh, but to display the cross of Christ in his life. For that is
what will truly minister to His sheep, especially knowing that the
Corithians were very carnal that he could not go on with deeper
knowledge of Christ if they have a hard time swallowing the milk which
is the basic- The Cross. But many leaders, pastors, teachers approach
the body with much pride, ready to teach, thinking they have more to
give than others. Having no clue on how to feed His sheep because
they bring all sorts of doctrines to them when many have not been
made ready for deeper things. Many times I have seen teachers teach
many things that have nothing to do with the cross and it has lead so
many Christians to be legalistic and making many false converts. And many have brought division in the fellowship over non essentials above essentials
I am reminded of a preaching, but I forget who it was by. The
preacher shared how this woman came up to him and ask him why does he keep preaching about the cross and nothing else. The preacher said
that until I see that the people are picking up their cross then I'll
stop. Paul told the Corithians that he could not give them the meat
because they were so immature. He had to still stick to the basics.
Todays Christianity is the same. Many want the meat, but they are not
willing to swallow the milk. To give baby Christians meat will choke
them, puff them up, and bring much hypocrisy in them. Many shepards
do not know like Paul how to give food in due season. We know that
you should never give babies what they want all the time and give into
their whining or else we will make these cute babies monsters. Babies
do not know what is good for them. The same way with baby Christians, but many leaders give in to their whining. They preach on what many want to hear, they hold them so tight, not allowing them to fall that they do not learn how to walk with Christ without depending on man. Many leaders have put themselves in the place of God where many
Christians look to them and not God. Oh how important it is to
make sure that all your preaching and serving points others to Christ
and not to you. But it seems that many leaders like the praise and
attention from man, to be looked at as something great. Woe to those
who enjoy taking the place of God, having others look upon you as an
idol!
These are just some of the things I've been pondering over. There
seems to be so much doctrinal knowledge in American Christianity, but
who's really beholding Jesus and taking the message of the cross
seriously?
Let us Meditate on the basics of Christianity.....
Luke 14:27
27And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be
my disciple
1 John 2:15
15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If
any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Matthew 16:24
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
Matthew 10:37-39
37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And
he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And
he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of
Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life
for My sake will find it.
Luke 9:59-60
59 Then He said to another, "Follow Me."
But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father (meaning, let
me wait till my father dies)."
60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead (meaning, let
the unregenerate take care of the things that concern the
unregenerate), but you go and preach the kingdom of God."
Luke 12:51-53
51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not
at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will
be divided: three against two, and two against three. 53 Father will
be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter
and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
(If you are picking up your cross, the truth will bring division in
your family who are lost, work, among the lost and lukewarm
Christians. God did not promise peace on earth, but persecution
because many hate the light and the Truth will expose man's wicked
hearts)
Luke 9:62
62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow,
and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
Philippians 3:7-10
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for
Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from
the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness
which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of
His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being
conformed to His death
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