Be Not Deceived

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6)

A picture is worth a thousand words.

The photo above illustrates most of our society today, including the majority of Christians. "If we just pretend there is no problem, it will go away."

People are apparently still under the false assumption that if we can just get the "right person" in the Oval Office, all of America's problems will be solved. Do you think either of the current two presidential choices are capable of that?

Lord help us.

“Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.” (Isaiah 5:13)

Most people today are either unaware, or unwilling to admit, just where we are at as a society and as a nation. People don't seem to see, or care, where we are in relation to biblical prophecy and the last days of earth as we know it. And all these predictions about our economy imploding? "Nah, they're just doomsayers and fanatics!"

I heard someone recently say of America... "We've used up our account."

Immediately following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, millions of Americans flocked to churches and cried out to God for safety, looking for answers, and for hope. But that soon died down and everything returned to business as usual. 

Now terrorist attacks, racism, murdering of police officers, and school shootings are so common place, our society has become desensitized to it. And everything continues to go on, business as usual. People go on chasing and living the "American dream." Look out for Number One.

The Selfie Generation.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Throughout history every society who banished God out of all public life, denying the truth of His Word, sexual immorality run rampant, killing and lying without restraint, was eventually brought down by God. 

“There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land. By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint, with bloodshed upon bloodshed. Therefore the land will mourn; and everyone who dwells there will waste away.” (Hosea 4:2-3)

We've used up our account.

But for some strange reason, most Christians in America are under the assumption that God will not do to this nation, what He eventually did to every other nation who rejected and disobeyed Him. As if this nation is somehow immune...

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." (Galatians 6:7)

Time for a wake up call.  The hour is later than we think.

“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Romans 13:11-14)

The days of "business as usual" are over. Let us be about our Father's business.

This nation has a spiritual problem, and can only be changed from the inside out by Jesus—by the Love, Grace and Spirit of God.

God help us.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

From Isolation Comes Revelation

“I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 1:9)

Isolation can be a very lonely place.

You look for deeper purpose and meaning for your life. Sometimes wondering, is this all there is?

How must the Apostle John have felt? who, in his nineties, was banished forever to the tiny Greek island of Patmos, far from civilization in the Aegean sea, charged as an enemy of the State of Rome, for spreading the Gospel and Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

I can imagine the weary, aged Apostle sitting on the rocky shore of this barren desert island, trying to catch a small fish or two, just to survive. How lonely it must have been for him, banished and exiled, miles away from his flock of fellow Christians—his "little children" as he was fond of calling them.  

John must have felt his life was over. His purpose and usefulness seemingly gone now. I would imagine he probably felt abandoned by the Lord. He was likely just counting down his days until death forever released him from exile.

But one day, out of the blue, John heard a loud, startling sound...

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia” (Revelation 1:10-11)

John was visited by the Lord.

“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.” (Revelation 1:7-18)

The Almighty God of the universe, visits His close friend John, and when John falls on his face in deathly fear, Jesus lays His hand on him to comfort him, and reassures him to not be afraid. 

Can you imagine how John must have felt in this moment. Just when life must have seemed like it was over for him, his God and Savior Jesus comes to him to comfort him, and to utilize him once more. 

Do you feel like John sometimes? Isolated, even exiled from family or friends? Perhaps you were once utilized by the Lord, but that season has seemingly ended, and you wonder what your purpose is now? Where is God in this season of my life?

David wrote some of the most amazing Psalms while he was isolated, fleeing from murderous King Saul, hiding out in caves, surviving like an animal. Moses met with God and received the Ten Commandments while he was exiled in the barren Sinai wilderness. Jeremiah wrote some of the most powerful prophecies in Scripture when he was at his lowest point, totally alone and ostracized by his own people. Paul received some amazing revelations from the Lord when he was isolated and wandering the desert of Arabia, being taught by the Lord.

I believe from all these biblical examples, that God also leads us out into our barren wilderness experiences—times of isolation—to reveal Himself to each of us; to know Him more, and to show us His purpose for our lives.

So while isolation can be incredibly painful and lonely, I am learning to embrace these times, knowing that God is drawing me closer to Himself, that I may decrease and He may increase. That I may know Him more. That I will be refined in the fires of life's tribulations by the Refiner. That I will be meet for the Master's use. That He will be glorified.

We don't know exactly how long John was in exile on Patmos before Jesus visited and gave him the Revelation. But I believe the lesson and encouragement here to each of us is to trust completely in the Lord in our times of isolation or exile, knowing He promised to never leave us or forsake us. He has a purpose for allowing us to go through our desert seasons. From isolation comes revelation. 

But He will come to us. He will take us to be with Him. He promised:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:1-6)

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

No Greater Love

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Recently I was poring over hundreds of my fishing photos from the last decade, and I couldn't help but be convicted of how many hours, how much time, energy, money, resources and thought I've selfishly spent on pursuing big trout in my home rivers here in the West. Thousands of dollars. Hundreds of hours. The greater portion of my spare time.

But for what?  

A friend of mine recently wrote:

“We have one short life to live! It is easy to become very "I"-centric in our society and culture. Let's use our lives, resources, and talents to make a difference for others. It truly is better to give than receive.”

His comments confirmed in my heart something that has been stirring for the last couple of years.

Who am I living for?  For others?  Or for myself?

And I've had to come to grips with the fact that for most of my life I have been so self-focused that I haven't done nearly enough to really help others in need. Oh sure, I've done some. But it was always from my surplus...from what I could spare. But it didn't really cost me much.

My friend also wrote:

"What defines our character is how we treat those who can do nothing for us."

As I approach the 60 year milestone in my journey, I have a great desire to spend my remaining time here living to help others, in whatever ways God opens the door for me to do so, and primarily to point them to Jesus Christ, Who is the only One who can saves a man's soul.

One door that has been opened to me this week is an organization called Send Hope.  www.sendhopenow.org

These folks feed, clothe, house and care for hundreds of orphaned or abandoned children in India, many of them H.I.V. infected. We have been sponsors of three young boys beginning in 2004. I personally know the people who founded this organization and can attest that 100% of the sponsor funds go to help these children. 

The most recent need is for Nutrition Kits to feed people infected with AIDS living in the slums of India. These Community Nutrition Kits provide healthy food and supplies for children and families suffering with HIV/AIDS. Just $15 per month is life-changing! Besides feeding, housing and caring for these people, they show them the love of Jesus Christ, and teach them to know the living God before they step into eternity. There is no greater love than this.

When I recently read of this urgent need, I couldn't turn away. How could I not be moved?

We here in the West are incredibly rich compared to most of the rest of the world, particularly the Third World countries. We take for granted how blessed we are to have food, clean water, and a roof over our heads. Please prayerfully consider helping those who have no way to help themselves.

When my mom was still alive she said to me:

"I thought that when I became a Christian that I would have to give up all the things in my life that I enjoyed. But God has shown me that He has actually set me free from these things."

There's nothing wrong with spending an occasional day on the river with a friend if it's about true friendship and fellowship. But for me the days of being overly focused on the fishing are gone forever.  I mean, what are we here for in this life? To please ourselves?  I tried that for fifty years. And it doesn't bring any lasting peace or joy. There is no divine purpose involved in being self-serving.

Helping people who are most in need is a directive in the bible, and we should truly want to do so. But people's greatest need is for Jesus. The spiritual condition of the world is very dark overall. Don't just feed someone for a day, week, or year, without providing what is truly needed for their eternity: the living God, Jesus Christ.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Jesus was not a fisherman... He is the Fisher of Men.... of men's souls.

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.

Mega Church?

“Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.” 

(1 Corinthians 16:19)

In China today it is illegal to hold any kind of Christian gathering in a private residence, or anywhere outside of the state approved churches, which are closely monitored and controlled by the communist government. And yet, the collective Chinese Church of believers in Jesus Christ has been experiencing rapid growth for years. Christian underground, or "house" churches are everywhere, though the danger of persecution and imprisonment, or worse, is ever-present.

It was much the same way in the Middle East in the first century, after Christ's ascension. Followers of Jesus, if caught having Christian meetings in each other's houses, were imprisoned, tortured, and even crucified. They were not free to build large, comfortable church buildings where they could openly meet whenever they wanted as we are free to do today, never having to worry about persecution. It was life or death for them. Being a passionate follower of Jesus cost them something—often their very lives.

Consider the average American "Mega Church" of 5,000 to 10,000 people. If 1,000 congregants from such a church each (conservatively) tithed $200 a month, that's $200,000 monthly. And $2.4 million per year. And it takes a good chunk of that money to pay for the huge building debt, lavish expansion projects, staff salaries, maintenance, cleaning, community outreach programs, missions, ministry schools, sound equipment, graphics and advertising, radio and television programs, overhead, and so on. Large churches do, or have the opportunity to do, a lot of good, in their communities, and abroad.

It struck me today... hypothetically, what if such a Mega Church were to sell all its property and holdings, paying off all its debt, and instead establish at least one hundred house churches throughout the entire community? After all, the Church of Jesus is not a building—it's a living organism. Church means, "The called out ones." The Church of Jesus is His people—the Family of God.  Instead of building a Mega Church building and organization, praying they will come to us, why not take the Church family to the individual neighborhoods of the entire city? The whole valley?

Having a church building and organization is not the purpose. It cannot exist just so we Christians can have a luxurious place to gather together in comfort for an hour once a week. That was never God's intention or purpose for calling us out.

Many non-Christian people are either intimidated to walk into a mega church building, or they think all the church wants is their money. It's a bad stereotype. But sometimes it's the sad reality.

If the U.S. economy implodes in the near future, as some people predict, the mega churches of today will cease to exist. They will become extinct dinosaurs, empty shells, too expensive to maintain.

If the persecuted house churches in China are thriving, and the house churches in the first century, empowered by the Holy Spirit, collectively turned the world upside down for Christ, we the called out ones of Jesus can reach our lost and dying world with the same power and purpose. But are we willing to count the cost?

This post will no doubt ruffle some feathers, and challenge man's comfortable traditions. Many will say it can't work the way I'm suggesting in this modern day. But God often goes to great lengths to push us out of our comfort zones and accomplish His purposes. And the direction this world is rapidly heading, we may not have a choice.

Jesus said:

“And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?  Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:27-33)

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.