Abba

"Abba, a colloquial form of address used by little children toward their father and best translated Papa or Daddy, opened up the possibility of undreamed-of, unheard-of intimacy with God... Indeed, intimacy is one of the greatest treasures Jesus has brought us."

Peter Van Breemen, Called by Name

"Abba. The over tones of this small word will always escape us. Yet in it we sense the intense intimacy of Jesus with his Father. We touch the heart of his faith. We come to understand the mind of Christ."

"The parables of divine mercy -- the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son--are all rooted in Jesus' own experience of the Father. He speaks in light of this reality. These stories were intended not only to defend his notorious conduct with sinners, but to startle his critics by cracking though their conventional ways of thinking about God. Jesus skewered his opponents with words to this effect, 'The harlots who have no imagined righteousness to protect will be dancing into the Kingdom while you have your alleged virtue burned out of you! Hear me well: I have come to announce the dawn of a new age, an era of incredible generosity. Allow yourselves to be captivated by the joy and the wonder at the surpassing greatness of my Father's love for the lost; set it over against your own joyless, loveless, thankless, and self-righteous lives. Let go of your circumscribed notion of morality. Cease from your loveless ways. Celebrate the homecoming of the lost and rejoice in my Father's munificence.'"

"The proclamation of the kingdom was born from the urgency in the heart of Jesus. It was crucial that he bring the Good News of the gospel of grace; if only people could realize their own belovedness, their lives would be transformed and a new kingdom would spring into being."

"You and I not only are invited but actually called to enter into this warm and liberating experience of God as Abba. In Romans 8, Paul is explicit: 'You have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba, Father!"(Romans 8:15 NASB). We are privileged to share in the intimacy of Jesus with his Father. We are called to live and to celebrate the same freedom that made Jesus so attractive and authentic."

Brennan Manning, The Signature of Jesus

The Birth of Christianity

Many Christians today believe, that their faith in Christianity and church activity is the outgrowth from the teachings of Jesus Christ and the early Apostles. However, if we take a true and honest look at history, we will see a different story, and why the church is the way it is today. Unfortunately, we will also see that many assumptions have been made that are based on traditions, laws and the doctrine of men. Christianity is a man-made religious organization, just like all the other religions of the world. Christianity has good, but there is also a lot of mixture. Many believe it is the best religion and do not see the mixture that has seeped in and there in lies the problem. God is not looking for the best, He is looking for a pure, separate, and holy nation that is set apart to Himself. This holy nation is the 'disciples of Jesus', who have denied themselves, taken up their crosses and are following Him alone. S0 let's take a little look at how Christianity (the religion vs. the disciples of Jesus Christ) got started. The following history lesson is from a section in John Crowder's book, The New Mystics.

It is believed that the "... Emperor Constantine began leading his army to war under the symbol of a type of cross, the chi rob. In A.D.313 he issued the Edict of Milan, which officially tolerated the church and ended the Christian persecution in the Roman Empire."

"Suddenly, church leaders from local bishops to popes were given governmental power It seemed a good idea at the time. But as church leadership gradually move into power trips and politics, church office became associated with money and control."

"Constantine began a massive program of church building projects in A.D. 323. ... prior to that the church had never even considered buildings - the church was a living network that met in homes, and really had nothing to do with physical structures. Church buildings became more elaborate with high vaulted ceilings. On one hand they spoke of vast beauty and glory of God, but on the other hand they hand the mesmerizing architecture made God seem distant and out of reach."

"Previously, Christians had always gathered for love feasts, but with crowds swelling in these massive new church buildings the community focus dissipated. Mere crowd control merited that only one or two people could speak or share, out of the hundreds in attendance. Christianity became a spectator sport. The layman lost his voice. Where once you may have been a participant, suddenly all eyes were focused on a centralized pulpit. Services became ordered. Professional speakers replaced the spontaneous sermons given by the believers."

"Understand that these must of been exciting times for the believers. You could be a Christian for free, without it costing your head! But the celebratory love feast were soon banned. The priesthood of every believer was handed over to a select few, who approached God for you. The Roman system of hierarchical government was transposed into the church leadership model with bishops, archbishops, etc. Scriptures would eventually leave the hands of ordinary believers, and theological baggage would be piled on top of them for centuries, until the Reformation."

"During this time of Constantine, Christians jumped from about 4 percent of the population to about 80 percent, but it is doubtful that most of these were real conversions. Pagans flooded into the church. Clergy -- a term that originally described pagan priests -- suddenly began wearing costumes that would set them apart from average believers. Church buildings were named after saints, like the pagan temples were named after their gods. Pulpits and choirs were originated in pagan practice. Sunday, the " day of the sun," or dies solis, was the state institution holiday that gave preference to the Sun worship--" Christian" Constantine even built a number of pagan temples as well to cover all his bases with other religions. He even did this in Constantinople--the great city he built in dedication to Christianity."

"I believe the Lord longs to redeem practices and cultural trends we see in the world around us., but it is clear that in Constantine's day, the church jumped to quick, false maturity based on institutional religion and half-converted pagan practices. Why do we dress up on Sunday? It is because your forefathers tried to look good to impress Constantine's friends. Why has the operation of the five fold office gifts been lost from the church? It is because Constantine's hierarchy established a one-man, priest-like hierarchy."

"Pagan rhetoric practices would soon bring polished snappy oratory into the church. Professional sermonizing would replaced prophetic utterance and the "simple speech" used by the apostles. Eventually, every practice of faith would become established (suppressed) and taken out of the hands of the average believers. By the time of Pope Gregory, around a.d. 500, even singing was relegated to the clergy! And even then, they were only allowed to chant in one special scale."

"But it was the twisted unity between civil government and the church authority that still gives us the most problems today. Constantine promoted church leaders that agreed with him and quietly dismissed those who spoke up against state interference in the church. At that time, no one knew how to handle a government that was friendly toward the church. It was not easy to resist the tempting siren of the state, after the church had been persecuted for so long by it."

John Crowder, The New Mystic

Unfortunately, this is just the tip of the iceberg, until you hear the rest of the story. I do realize that there are many Christians and godly men and women within Christianity. I believe, there are also very many anointed ministers and leaders, but most are still operating within a man-made system. Sooner or later they will all have to come out of Babylon. This may seem harsh but it is still true. I still love them and most of all God does too, but what has been acceptable in the past, is not now. God is calling all His sons and daughters back home to the Father's House, away from all forms of carnality. Desiring them to be led by the Holy Spirit, to establish His Kingdom on earth; not to build an organization.

Solemn Assembly- A call to Repentance

Prayer--Abba Father, forgive us! For we have sinned and disobeyed You. We have disregarded Your Word and have failed to hear and listen to Your Voice. Help us to see and understand where we have gone wrong and repent. Remove the scales off our eyes and open our ears. Expose the lies, deceptions and false visions we have believed. Take us back to the foot of the cross, for a good long look, to see the cost, the humiliation, and Jesus’ bloody tortured body. Help us to understand and feel just some of the pain Jesus suffered. He bore all of our sins, sickness and diseases for us, and the whole world. Jesus also took all our guilt and shame upon Him. This sacrifice was so we could be free from the bonds of our sins and one with the Father again. We can't comprehend that kind of love Abba. You are, our only Hope and Salvation. You alone know and understand all our fears and weakness. How, we have allowed others to influence and lead us. There are many religious men and women who have tried to lead and failed to show us the way. They keep building their churches and saying, "this is the way." And we have followed like sheep being lead to the slaughter. We are just as guilty as they, because we followed man's example instead of yours. We listened to their voice instead of Jesus. They preached and we accepted a weaker gospel, one with out a cross to bear, because it was what we wanted to hear. Instead of planting seeds of truth, they have built bigger and bigger churches for you to dwell in, based on the laws, doctrines and traditions of men; creating denominations and division between our brothers and sisters. Forgive us for trying to confining God to a “box” and limiting you to our way of thinking. Your much bigger than anything we can imagine. Forgive us for allowing this to happen. Forgive us for letting our fears and circumstances control our lives instead of trusting God.

Abba Father, we need to build the Alter of Repentance back in our lives. It would be the proper foundation that Jesus Christ is looking for in His Church. That is why You is calling for a solemn assembly. "Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly," (Joel 2:15). It is a time for repentance, prayer and fasting, during the Tabernacle season (Sept.18-28). Father you're asking for one million of your sons and daughters across this nation and around the world to take part in this crucial time in history. Together we need to cry out for mercy and forgiveness not only for ourselves but, for our Nation, the world and the generations of souls to come. Father I believe we will heed the call, whether in churches, synagogues, or in home churches. Show us what we need to do to prepare our hearts, our homes and our place of worship. Reveal to us the idols in our hearts, our minds, and homes that need to be removed. Bring us back to a place of Holiness in Your eyes. Together on our knees, with broken and repentance hearts, we will yield our lives back to Almighty God.

Father, we also cry out for mercy for the sins of the church. All creation is groaning because we, the sons of God, have failed to follow your last commandment, "to love the Lord our God with all our heart and our neighbor as our self." We have become like spoiled children; a generation of selfish, jealous, bitter and unforgiving. Our feelings are so easily hurt when things don't go our way and we are quick to blame or point the finger at someone else’s mistakes. We give You and others so little time, money or thought because we are pleasure seeking and self-center; full of pride, lust, greed and a lot of fear, just like the rest of the world. We have not honored the Father, or His Word or obeyed them. God it is no wonder why You are shaking us, and this world; creating havoc within the world systems, especially the political and financial. Even the weather systems have displayed Your displeasure. We had a responsibility when we gave our lives to Jesus but we didn't follow through. As His disciples, we didn't take up our cross and follow Him. We were to be the salt and light to the world but we have become saltedless and barely a flicker of light, because we did not care enough. We made Jesus into our image and thought that it was acceptable to Him. We have filled our lives with all kinds of idols, replacing the love we should have for God alone, and that is the reason our Nation, and the world is the way it is today. We are suffering the consequences of all our actions or lack of them. Now, fear has griped many hearts and hope is waning. You've been trying to get our attention for so long, yet we have not listened, or acknowledge Your discipline, nor recognized the warning signs. We have failed to heed them and return to Abba God with all our heart. Yet, You still love us and want to help us. You have kept a remnant, Joel’s army; who have not bowed their knees. This holy army will bring hope and restoration to the Church and the world, through agape love and authority; revealing the Heart of the Father. They will bring Truth and blessings for now and the generations to come. We believe, that the Holy Spirit will come forth, like a mighty rushing wind and fire. The Spirit will sweep across this Nation, starting in the Northwest, and go around the world. Abba, You are The Promise to come, and there are so many more promises and blessings you want to fulfill, if we will only repent and obey.

Abba Father, now is the time, we desperately need You to save and forgive us, for we are lost without you. Make us Holy as you are Holy. Almighty God, give us new hearts and write your commandments them. Create in us a new and right spirit. Renew our minds by giving us a passion for Your precious Holy Bible. Father, forgive us for going along with the flow. Forgive us for allowing others to influence our decisions because of fears of what they may think. Forgive us for not taking the time to seek the truth out for ourselves. Give us the courage to do what is right even when other don't. Jesus, forgive us for not honoring you, our parents, and our spiritual leaders.

You have also given us more and made us more than we can comprehend if we will only believe. Jesus said, "I have given you all power and authority." We are the ones who have set the limits by our fears and false concept, and unbelief. Holy Spirit, we look to your leading for we are unable to do this of our own strength. Father your Word says, that God’s ways are not our ways nor has it entered the hearts of men all that you have planned for us. Therefore, Lord Jesus, we humbly bow before you, and we cast our crowns before Your feet. We are so thankful that You have heard our prayers and cries. We bless Your Holy Name, for You are a merciful God. Our desire is to see Your Kingdom established on earth, as it is in Heaven. For You alone are Holy and worthy of all praise, glory and honor. Yours’ is the Kingdom and the Power and the glory forever and ever. Amen

The Excellence of God's Love

As Christians our "Chapter 13" is when we realize that we are "spiritually bankrupt" and that our only hope comes in our total dependence on God to fill that emptiness in us with His love.

For if I speak with the tongues of men and of angel and have not God's Love, I have become an irritating noise or a bag of wind. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all the secrets and facts of the universe; and if I have all faith to do mighty works of wonder, but have not the love of God, my gifts, intellect and abilities mean nothing. And if I give all my possessions to the poor, and if I were to give my body as a sacrifice, but do not have God's love, I have gained nothing.

God's love is patient, God's love is kind and is never jealous; His love does not brag and nor is it arrogant, does not behave foolishly; it does not seek self interest, is not provoked or offended, does not keep a record of wrongs suffered, does not rejoice in the sins of others, but rejoices with truthfulness; God's love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures everything. God's love never fails! ( 1 Cor. 13:1-8 my paraphrase )

The Declaration

And Jesus cried out,
"It is Finished!"

F

I

IT N IS

I

S

H

E

D

Those three words, from the cross, have more power, dimension and meaning than we will ever know or comprehend. Everything God planned from the beginning of time and into eternity has been accomplished. Every sin, past, present and future, has been forgiven. The same is true for every sickness and disease, they all have been healed and every promise fulfilled. God is not limited by time and space.

God of Justice

Last night I had a dream. And in that dream, I was speaking to a group of people. As I was finishing my speech with, "if MY people who are called by My Name will humble themselves..." I was awaken by God. I immediately got up and went into the another room to pray.

Before falling asleep I had been weeping before God. I had been feeling so useless and helpless, yet I thanked Him, knowing He loved me and that He would help me because He had plans for my life. I had been working on my Blog, on an article about Solemn Assembly, and was having problems editing it. In frustration, I just shut the computer down and decided to wait for someone to help me. I then went in and sat down with my wife in the living room to watch the movie " Flash of Genius".

The movie was about a man named Kearns, who had invented the intermittent windshield wiper for cars, back in the 60's. With a friend, who did business with Ford Motor, he had shown the prototype model he had made to the Ford Motor Company . But Ford played Kearns for a fool, stole the idea and gave him no money or credit for his invention. Ford used it the following year on their automobiles, unbeknown to him. Ford's attitude was that they were so big and powerful that no one could ever sue and win against them in court. But Mr. Kearns would never give up trying to reveal the wrong that had been done, and it nearly destroyed his life and his family. Even his attorneys quit because He wouldn't compromise and left him to defend himself. He never gave up on of the principle of justice. Other inventors in similar circumstances encouraged him to continue fighting, in essence, for all of them, the little person, who is up against big companies and overwhelming odds (ei: David vs. Goliath).

During my quiet time in prayer God reminds me of the movie. That sometimes we too, can be overwhelmed by the battle before us; seeking to see truth and justice prevail. It may cost us everything if we want to see victory over the enemy, Satan. But just like in the movie, after 12 years of perseverance, Mr. Kearns won, big time! He rejected initial lower offers and could have even settled for more out of court, but he fought instead for the truth, not for the money. He humbled himself before a Court of Justice and the jury gave him the victory. Another valuable lesson in the story was that Mr. Kearns' friend had asked, not to be involved with the law suit, because it would hurt him financially. Kearns agreed, knowing full well that it would make it harder to win his case. And He held no bitterness towards his friend for not helping.

Likewise, in the Court of Heaven, God sits on the throne of Justice . He too cares about Truth and Justice. God, is a just God and knows everything, including every secret thought. He will right the wrongs and will restore all things and God's people will never be put to shame (Joel 2:18-27). Nothing will remain hidden that is not covered by the Blood of the Lamb. The wealth will be returned to the sons (Is. 60:5, Jer.30:17). The Judge of heaven and earth will have the last word in favor of all His good and faithful servants. By faith, we already have the victory and the awards He gives are forth coming. But for now, the sons of God on earth are going through a season of struggles, called Jacob's striving, So don't give up, keep fighting the good fight of faith.

As sons we are all in a battle against Satan and his demons, not people. Satan wants us to focus on people and the problems, not on Jesus. The Devil seeks to steal, kill, or destroy us with his lies and the deceptive power. He doesn't want us to realize all the power that God has given us and hopes that we also will settle for less. Yet God wants us to use that authority against Satan's activities, to take back all of what He has stolen. The only real power Satan has are his lies and illusions. Sometimes we get too caught up in the battle of words, what we perceive to be real, and in the pains of the cross. As a result we start to loose focus of the Truth.

Sometimes, I also get caught up in the pain, like the man in the movie, that I had missed the part of his compassion he showed for his friend, until the Lord reminded me. We too, need to always remember that people are human, weak and often make mistakes and many are in bondage to there mistakes, but they are not the enemy. They are also God's children. The friend in the movie must have been very grateful. Likewise, people will feel the same way toward us when we overlook their weaknesses and failures, by showing God's incredible love.

When we get a glimpse or "flash" of Jesus, it too will change our lives and the pain won't seem so important. Looking at Him and listening to His Spirit will give us all the knowledge, insight and ability we need for our "flash of genius". So, don't be discouraged because we know the Truth and we know that the battle has already been won. And it will have been worth it all, when we see Jesus.

Prayer - Thank you Father, for letting me see this movie and for reminding me of the things I have just shared. Forgive me for getting caught up in the pains of the cross. And by faith I will stay focused on You and have compassion for my friends and all God's children.

Solemn Assembly 2009

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly…”

Tabernacle season (Sept. 18-28)

(A time of Prayer of Repentance, Petition and Declaration)

Father God, forgive your people…

1) …

1) ...for we have sinned by disregarding and not obeying the Word of the Lord; ...
2) ...for our rebellion. (yielding to the desires of the our emotions instead of the Holy Spirit.
3) ...for not denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following You.(taking the easier way) 4) ...for not loving You with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
5) …for limiting the power and authority of God through our unbelief.
6) …for setting up idols in our hearts, our lives and our churches.
7) …for our fears, pride, greed, hate and lust that we so often express.
8) …for creating division within the Body of Christ. (because of our differences)
9) …for not being willing to forgive one another with our whole heart.
10) .for our religious spirit. (following man-made laws, doctrines, and traditions)

Father God, forgive our Nation

1) …for our disregard for life. (killing, rape, and especially abortions)

2) …for making money our god and the answer to our problems.

3) …for believing that technology and government, will bring us together in unity.

4) …for trusting in our defense system and our intellect for our security.

5) …for borrowing against tomorrow because we want it today.

6) …for lying to and deceiving the people that they are meant to serve.

7) …for not honoring our forefathers' declarations for this Nation.

8) …for letting our laws and justice system become perverted.

9) ...for not allowing God’s Presence in the public school system.

10) for dishonoring Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth, and His Commandments

.

Prayer of petition and Declaration

Heavenly Father, we humbly come before You, in prayer and fasting. Crying out to You, we are asking for your mercy and forgiveness, even though we don’t deserve it. Remove the scales from our eyes and open our ears so that we can see and understand where we have gone wrong. Lord, remove the bonds of Satan and the religious mindsets that have kept us from serving the Father and the Body of Christ as we should. Abba Father, You have called us here, for such a time as this. Thank You for having raised us up as sons and daughters to walk in Kingdom authority. It is by Your Power and Spirit, that we are able to bring Truth and Restoration to a lost and hurting world. We will reveal the love and forgiveness of the Heavenly Father. And we thank You and praise You for how great You are.

Father, 2000 years ago Jesus said,”It is finished!” So that, everything You planned for us was accomplished and established. Father, you also said, “Every thing I have, is yours.” Therefore, today, by faith, and in one accord, we believe that God is going to change the hearts and minds of searching people. You’re calling the prodigal sons home, to a place prepared for them. And we are expecting to see them coming. Your fire and the breath will blow across this Nation and around the world to establish your Kingdom. We are the Kings and Priests in the service of our God. We thank You for Your Blessings and Promises and for what You are doing now and for future generations to come. For yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever and ever. Amen

True Apostles

"The Lord Himself is the one who supernaturally places His apostles into their offices. They were not established or ordained into that position by any man. The apostle Paul seems to define himself as an apostle because he has seen the Lord. This seems to be a prerequisite. In the age of modernity, governments, corporations, and even churches have been controlled from the top down, with systems of rules and regulations, with the guiding virtues of strife and selfish ambition. The postmodern era , however, seem most ripe for apostolic leadership, which leads by relationship in a servanthood position. True apostles will not be interested in maintaining control. Instead they will seek to reproduce themselves. Their goal will be to raise up others capable of taking the reigns—'establishing elders'—then moving on to break open more ground for the Kingdom. They will be spiritual fathers who want to raise up children who surpass themselves."

John Crowder, The New Mystics

The Revolution

"The church, for the most part, still acts like the slave son of Hagar, serving God under the task master of the law with no true understanding of its sonship or inheritance as the seed of promise. The revolutionary change that is coming to the church government is that we will possess that Spirit by which we call out 'Abba, Father!' The church will not be an institution of leaders and laypeople, as much as it will be a family of sons and daughters and mothers. Regulations will be washed away by heartfelt relationship. Law-focus will be replaced by faith-focus, and Jacob's striving will be replaced by Israel's ruling and reigning."

John Crowder, The New Mystics

Prophet of Hope

"Hope says that I no longer need be dismayed over my personal dishonesty and self-centeredness and feeble life of faith, my laziness. That I no longer need to feel defeated, insensitive, and superficial."

"Because the question no longer is: Can I do it? Am I able? Can I overcome my moodiness, my laziness, my sensuality, my grudges, and resentments? The only question is: Is Jesus Christ able? Can My Savior, the Lord of my life, revive my drooping spirit and transform me..."

"Do you relate at all to where I'm coming from? Has despair ever destroyed all joy and courage in your life? Has loneliness, unemployment, divorce, the lose of a loved one, betrayal by a friend, a totally unforeseen tragedy, ever plunged you into similar darkness?"

"Or... is the future, rather than anything in the past, that cast the shadow on your life? The Prophets of doom today paint a paralyzing portrait of apocalyptic disaster. We have no shortage of gloomy predictions and forecasts. What we desperately need is a prophet of hope with a vision of Good News. We are in urgent need of a reason to go on. 'Without a vision,' says the Book of Proverbs, 'the people perish' (Proverbs 29:18, KJV )."

" Where can we look for such a prophet, such a vision?"

Brennan Manning, Lion and Lamb

Note: This quotation was written in 1986, yet many people today feel the same way. However, I'm happy to say that God has raised up such prophets in these last days. So don't despair or give up hope. God wants you to hear the Good News that He is coming to save us from our situation, and that the Love and Power of the Heavenly Father is coming in a way that has never been seen. The Kingdom of heaven will, and is, to be established on the earth for all God's children. And all our pains, sorrow, sickness and diseases will vanish. That is, if we believe.

If, you have such negative feelings don't listen to them, or to other sources that speak contrary to God's Word. Hopelessness stems from our fears. We must remove them, by exposing the lies from Satan, and believe what God has said. Jesus told us that He came to give us life and His authority. He also said, He would never leave or forsake us. We must renew our minds by reading and obeying His Word and listening to His voice. And to hold on to all His promises, no matter how dark things may look or feel. Pray that God will open your eyes and ears, to see and hear, so you may enjoy all good things He has planed for you. Yield your heart and trust to Him, and be willing to be led by the Holy Spirit. God is not finished with you, no matter how old you are. Actually, He has only just begun. If you so desire to see and/or hear His prophets of Hope, He will reveal them to you. They may be closer to than you realize.

Intercession

Time 1:37 am

I didn't want to get up this early to pray. I don't like feeling tired when I pray. But as I lay there, God reminded me that man has always tried to negotiate a better deal with Him, instead of accepting the steeper cost of following His will. So, I got up to pray. (I figured that since He's God, He already knows I'm tired. Yet, He woke me up despite my tiredness.) Waking up to pray and intercede is a simple gift I can offer that costs me something. And that's what makes it special to the Lord. After all, helping someone (even through prayer) should cost us something, even if it is some time or sleep. Thank you, Father, for the simple gift of sacrifice.

By the Love and Grace of God, we will overcome all our fears and set others free from theirs. There is more that can be accomplished in prayer than we have thus far imagined. We simply must wait on Him.

Broken Covanant

"My covenant with Levi was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and stood in awe of My name. True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from doing evil. Likewise the lips of the priest [minister] should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. But as for you, you have left the way; you have caused many of My children to stumble by your laws and traditions, you have corrupted and broken the covenant I made with Levi," says the Lord of Hosts. So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people, because you are not keeping My ways but are showing favoritism in [your] instruction."

Malachi 2:5-9 (PAR)

Religion

"Religion is the opium of the people."

Karl Marx

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

Mahatma Gandhi

"Organized religion is a sham, a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers."

Jesse Ventura

"We must cry out when we see evil being done."

Charles deFoucauld

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

Edmund Burke

We've arrived?

We've come a long way from the Gospel that Jesus and his Apostles taught. Is it really a surprise that many people scoff at Christians and Televangelists? In many people's sight, Jesus Christ has become a stepping stone instead of the Chief Cornerstone, a means to a better life instead of Life itself. No wonder the world has little interest in Christianity; much of the church has become just like the world, just a different flavor—a flavor that can leave a bad taste in the mouth (God's mouth, too—see Rev 3:13). Too often we attempt to graft Jesus into our life instead of being grafted into His. (Rom 11:17-24).

Christianity Today

"I hope that you are as profoundly disturbed as I am by this new definition of 'successful' Christianity. Do you get the uncomfortable feeling that God is being used? The self-centeredness of our culture spawns a self-centered religion. The most common question in evangelism today is 'What can Jesus do for me?' Potential converts are told that Jesus can make them happier, better adjusted, and more prosperous. Jesus quickly becomes supreme product, attractive packaged and aggressively sold to the consuming public. Everywhere you turn there are billboards, and buttons and bumper stickers—'Honk if you love Jesus.' He's being advertised in a competitive market with every ingenious Madison Avenue sales technique. Even more than Coca-Cola, Jesus is 'the real thing.'" [My note: "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"]

"As Jim Wallis notes in his book, The call to Conversion, 'The gospel message is being molded to suit an increasingly narcissistic culture. Conversion is proclaimed as the road to self-realization... religion... as a way to help us uncover our human potential—our potential for personal, social, and business success, that is. Modern conversion brings Jesus into our lives rather than bringing us into his. We are told that Jesus is here to help us do better what we are already doing. Jesus doesn't change our lives, he improves them.'" [My note: A classic example along these teachings, is the popular book "The Purpose-Driven Life."]

"What a tragic distortion of the Gospel! Christianity is made compatible with the worship of other gods. Christ is used to serve the interests of wealth and power."

"In entering human history God shattered all previous conceptions of who God is and what man is meant to be. In the New Testament we are presented with a God who suffers crucifixion, a Supreme Being with spit on his face. What He went through in His passion and death is meant for me too; the invitation He issues is, 'Don't weep for Me! Join Me!'"

"American spirituality still seems to start with self, not with God. Personal responsibility replaces personal response. We seem engrossed in our own effort to grow in holiness. We talk about acquiring virtue, as if it were some kind of skill that can be acquired through personal effort, like good handwriting or a well-grooved golf swing. [My note: like reading "How To" books or going to seminars.] In seasons of penance, we focus on getting rid of our hangups and sweating through various spiritual exercises, as if they were a religious muscle-building program designed to produce that Christian Charles Atlas."

"The emphasis is always on what I do rather than on what God is doing in my life. In this macho approach God is reduced to a benign old spectator on the sidelines. The American mystique orients us to attribute any growth in the spiritual life to our own sturdy efforts and vigorous resolutions. We become convinced that we can do a pretty good job of following Jesus if we just once and for all, make up our minds and really buckle down to it. Well, if that is all there is to Christian discipleship, then in the words of singer Peggy Lee, 'Let's break out the booze.'"

Brennan Manning, Lion and Lamb

I Don't Care!

Warning signs. What makes us disregard so many of them? We seem to believe them, but we still tend to ignore them anyway. I hear it all the time when people are confronted, "I DON'T CARE!" or, "You can't make me!" It seems to be the response from so many people nowadays, regardless of age. Many children say it, even when being given a warning of a spanking, or of no desert. Adults are worse because they should know better but their response is often the same: I don't care! Sometimes it is said forcefully in defiance, and other times softly, in tears or in shame. The warnings from parents, police, government officials, and most importantly from God, are still not being heeded in the way they should be.

Here are some examples: Many people smoke, knowing it is harmful and addictive. Some cheat on their taxes. Others overlook their bulging waistlines, preferring to eat foods that are not good for them. People know they should not drink alcohol and drive, or use the cell phone while driving. Many disregard the harm (to self and others) and danger of having sex outside of marriage. The list could go on and on, yet we still keep doing so many of them. And, why?

Do we think we won't get caught? or that a few more pounds won't hurt? Some say, If it feels good, do it." Or, "I'm young and I want to enjoy life now; I'll think about God when I get older." Sometimes we might think that if we've seen others doing something—possibly including some ministers—it must be OK. Somehow we still believe it won't happen to us, or if does happen someone will help us out of the fix or possibly eliminate, "the problem". We've all done many of these things knowing the consequences, only to regret it later. I know, because I have. Yet many of these lessons are a part of growing up, and others are just plain stupidity. But either way they will teach us that there is a price to be paid for rebellion. This generation has become the most selfish, prideful, lustful, and pleasure-seeking generation ever recorded. We seem to have taken pleasure-seeking to another level, always looking for "the ultimate high". Is the response, "I don't care" possibly coming from a broken heart masked over, that just desires to be loved, a love that can only be satisfied by the Heavenly Father. But, we often don't know where or how to find the Father's love. And the enemy, Satan, often tries to make people believe it can be found in dangerous and foolish activities, things we wouldn't normally do (or at least with a right mind).

It seems our minds have become dulled and we don't trust anyone, even God; despite the warnings and threats. And when confronted with our mistakes and sins, we tend to give a series of lies and unbelievable excuses such as, "I didn't know." or, "I didn't see the signs." or, "I forgot." Or we might blame it on someone else. Yet, my question remains, why?

I think there are two main reasons. First, deception. And secondly, disregard for God's Word. I believe we are living in the Laodicean Age, not only within the world but also the Church. Government officials and religious leaders have deceived people, telling them to believe that they have the ability to lead others to a better future. They cry, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace—and in fact, things aren't getting any better. People often think that they are well off or safe when in fact they are not, or think they are wise when they are not—we all suffer from some measure of blindness to Truth. People often call things that are bad, "good" and things that are good, "bad." In society, it's all about changing the meaning of words and of God's Word. For instance, sin is now called "an alternative lifestyle." People often want to decide what is bad and good for them, and "be their own boss." People generally don't want anyone telling them what to do, including God. Some come to think that it is okay to change or add to the Word of God, and such ideas are reinforced by religion, preachers and denominations. They tell people what they want to hear, so people believe it happily. After all, this is the 21st century, we can't be expected to live by what was written thousands of years ago. Yet here we are today with many poor, needy, bored, stubborn, sick, frightened and apathetic people clinging to weak faith and weak religion. And ministers are still seeking to keep everyone happy, content and entertained with programs and activities so as to keep them coming back for more. After all, we have to have something to offer them on Sunday Morning, don't we? Does the Church need to become more worldly to attract the lost? God forbid! Seeking people are looking for something beyond what they have seen, and they will not be able to find it in a more christianized version of the world.

It's time we start caring about what God wants and feels, and how He wants us to reach a lost and hurting world. The only way that will happen is, "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chr 7:14)