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Dead churches or truly living for Christ?
added 26 Jan 08 by Brandon
Just what is the institutional church here in America teaching? What is the environment, the culture, within the institutionalized church? Sadly, the environment and culture of the institutional church is something that I find very disappointing that leaves me heartbroken. For how long has confusion reigned in the spiritual realm of this country? I have started to make it plainly known on this website that through the fiery trials, God has begun to awaken me to the ways that the institutional church is failing in ministry and proclaiming The Gospel of Christ that leads to repentance. I pray that myself and the church as a whole will be begin to turn away from the attitudes and practices of the world and heed the calling of Christ.
How can the true believers, the born-again saints of God tolerate existing in churches where prayer is not even practiced nor welcomed? Sure "a pastor" may utter a few words of prayer, but it just seems all to often that there are powerless words uttered in prayer that is more about speaking elegant words to a crowd from the community rather than seeking the love, power, faith, and leading of The Holy Spirit in prayer. What I'm talking about here is a prayer led by The Holy Spirit that actually glorifies Christ, lifts up others with power, draws near to the presence of God, and leads others to repentance and revival. Instead, weak and powerless words are spoken in churches all throughout the country on Sunday mornings. You might ask, "where do I get the audacity to say such words?" My response is to ask where are the fruits of the Spirit in the American church? How many churches are actually distinguishable in their heart from the people of the rest of the world? Where are the fruits of The Spirit?
Rather than ministering to the broken lives in and around the church and community, the institutional church trends are to drive across the countryside to see/hear "an anointed man of God" who does mighty works of power and healing. Come on, get your touch! Groups of believers continually seem to be seeking after that next big move of God through the next up and coming popular prophet, teacher, author or celebrity within the institutional church. What have we done?!?! If we would seek The Lord Jesus where we are, we could have all the anointing and power from God that we could handle. God is not limited! Gather with some brothers and sisters from nearby. Gather in your living room if need be. Gather with some brothers and sisters who love and seek the Lord, and I guarantee you a healing touch from God. It may that your heart is healed instead of your knee. Praise God! Would you not rather enter the Kingdom of Heaven with your soul in tact than enter hell with your body in tact? If that knee does not get healed here on Earth, I guarantee you that it will promptly be healed upon entering your true home of Heaven for those who are in Christ Jesus. If Christ does heal your body now, praise God. He has some work for you to do. No. It is not the work of going and making more money to increase your stock portfolio. No. It is not work to build a bigger mansion here on Earth. I am talking about going to work on building a bigger mansion in Heaven. That is what Christ has called us to do. That is, love God and love our neighbors. We are to love and minister the love of Christ to whomsoever God leads us to or leads to us.
While my body may be broken, I thank God that my mind is not broken (at least not all the way). Since my body is broken, my heart too, I will sit here then and proclaim the truth of God however I can. As it is, I can sit here with this laptop in this recliner and write. Since that is about all that I can do, then I will do it unto The Lord with my whole heart. I pray that Christ is somehow glorified by this, and I pray that whoever reads this would be lifted up. Maybe these words would lead to repentance, praise God. Maybe there are words I write that would encourage you, praise God. If that is what God would have me do, then I thank God that I can somehow be of use to The Kingdom of God.
Don't you see the point? If you know Christ, it is not about you. It is ultimately about glorifying and loving Christ Jesus. From there, Christ lets us know through the scriptures that it is about loving others so that no other children of God are lost. For God would not have that any should be lost. Christ came to save the lost. When this toil is over, oh the sweet fellowship that we shall have as brothers and sisters with our Father. Praise God for the fellowship that God allows us to have at times now, but oh how sweet it will be when we are all home. Until that time, Christ calls us to be about The Father's business. It is with a sense of urgency that The Word of God must be proclaimed.
A time is now coming where each person must sincerely search their heart to find the decisions to which God is leading. It is not my place to speak to individual lives to say whether or not that person should stay in their local "church." For many, it might well be that God is calling you out of that spiritually dead community. What about those people who are my friends, you might say? Let the dead bury the dead! For some of you, it may be that God is calling you to minister and be a light to your local congregation. For some, you may well be in a church that The Spirit of God abides with in truth, love, and power. Praise God, I pray you continue to grow in love for God and each other as you proclaim The Word of God to a lost and dying world. For others, God has already been stirring your heart that something is missing. You are a person who loves the Lord, but you feel stuck in a rut. You are stuck in a routine not only with work but with church. Maybe the Lord is calling you to examine your heart. Are you seeking after Him, or are you seeking after the things of the world. You are busy laying claim to the things of the world, but there is something deep down inside your heart that yearns for something more. These words you are reading may even seem outrageous and abnormal. Yes! To the ways of the world, picking up the cross of Christ is weird and abnormal. For you, it is time to come out from the ways of the world. It is time to pick up the cross of Christ. For this is the question for you, why would you want to waste your time in a church that does not even pray nor preach The Gospel to the lost and broken?