Only One Race

Ephesians‬ ‭6:12‬  - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

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There is only one race...the human race. This is a bit off my normal blog. I was listening to a very old sermon, probably recorded in the 50’s. But the message was ever as relevant today as then. The message doesn’t change, though the messenger might! The preacher was A.Z. Tozer. I was riveted as I took notes. So this is his paraphrased sermon with my added comments, in italics where I remembered! 

This is also a sober reminder to myself!

There coexists only two kingdoms: the kingdom of man and the Kingdom of God. They touch at least, living side by side. We are born into the kingdom of man. This is the rebellious, fallen kingdom, exiled from God. By nature we are a fallen race. For the most part this human race disagrees on many things. There is division among races and division politically, division on ways of life...”local” things. But we do agree on one thing. The basic principle of human self-sufficiency...instinctive wisdom of the race. 

However, God talks about the folly of the human race. We don’t know our spiritual home nor the hand that feeds us and are not sufficient unto ourselves. The human race believes in moral judgment with a mistake being made here and there. We “basically” know what is right and allow for a few flaws but we are basically good! We do have institutions and people who do good things for others. But there still is a basic evil of the human race. 

We can be distressed over the world conditions. Don’t we realize that this is proof of the depravity of the human race? The human race is nothing unless God is involved in lives. Until then goodness is man-centered. Man’s kingdom is filled with organized evil from satan. It is implemented by science, history and personal success...all of the flesh for the desires of the flesh. All part of the human race. 

Then there’s the Kingdom of God! It’s a totally different Kingdom. This is made up of people who have been re-created, born again into His Kingdom. Persons who have given their lives to Christ. Persons who have no confidence in man’s successes and goodness because man can so easily fail without God. 

I added these:

Without Christ I can do no good thing.

God is my strength and my shield, my help in times of weakness. 

Only God knows just what we really need. Only He knows what is truly the best for us. The world has nothing to offer compared to what He has for those who seek Him. 

These two kingdoms will touch, maybe even seep into one another. Sadly, there will always be a little world that spills into the church because man does that. And there are churches totally given over to man’s kingdom because they don’t really know God; their belief is that man can do good apart from God. Motivational speakers and businessmen are brought in to bring success or tell people the best life is now, here on earth, be the best you can be...without the help of God. 

**I can do nothing apart from God.**

Mankind cannot be made good on their own but only through Divine help. The Church cannot succeed without God’s intervention. Only God in us can do a good thing. 

So if we cannot do anything on our own, apart from God, we must seek Him daily, in prayer and supplication to help us make the right decisions. I know someone who (used to) ask God what she should wear every day. That might be a little overboard but we should at least seek Him about guiding our days, our thoughts, our words. We can so often fail here... So we need a Savior, One who will guide.

Examples of how to do this!!

The world says, "in everything by money"...if you have enough you’ll have what you want. Money talks and opens doors. More money, more success. If we, according to God’s Word, offer up first to the Kingdom of God, He will bless us (not necessarily with more money but spiritual blessings...what we truly need). However, money without prayer behind it, can become a curse.  Even money given to a church without prayer behind it! If a church only wants a person’s money, they do not care about God. And likewise, giving because it’s an obligation, it’s not for God. So, how about everything by prayer and supplication...

The world says "it’s about social prestige," climbing the ladder, success. It’s not what, but who you know. Winning friends and influencing people. What we need is the power of God! We shouldn’t care what the world says; it’s what God thinks of us that matters. He has the power over life and death. 

Let this sink in...Christ was born in a manger. Peter and John were fishermen and Matthew a despised tax collector. The early church rose up out of people with very little, not those in power or wealth. Paul was learned and he persecuted the early church. But he was humbled! He was brought to his knees before God. And converted! Peter was not very learned, but when God got hold of him it was the power of God in him that led 3,000 to Christ! They were a praying bunch! They sought Him. 

When we come to Christ it’s usually when we realize a need, our awfulness, our miserableness, our poor spirits. We are humbled. When all else fails, Christ is there. It is through our testimony that others see Christ. Everything by prayer ... and it doesn't need to be in a mega church; a small, modest one will do too.

With the power of God, all things can be settled...better than any man or group of men committed to doing it their way. Pray more, talk less! 

When a church begins to backslide it tends to try to educate itself through man’s ways. Get books on this, study this...as opposed to being directed into the Word of God. What does He say? 

The world says everything by compromise. Could that be like being politically correct? Trying to be in harmony? All at a level playing field? The Word doesn’t suggest any such thing. There is only one right way. As much as people will balk at this, it is the truth. There is only one way! Through the power of God because His ways are perfect, His ways just.

Compromising in the Kingdom of God has deadly consequences. Yet some churches choose to compromise by seeking what the world wants over what God wants. Letting the church get along with the world, not standing alone with God. Like the "coexist" movement, regarding religion. Not taught in the Bible. 

People have a problem with believers who won’t budge when it comes to the truth of the Bible...the world says, “Did God really say that? If He did He’s a tyrant; He’s supposed to be a loving God.” The Church is not to be used by man but by God. God does not compromise because...He IS God. He IS Creator of all things. He IS all powerful, all knowing, always present. What He commands will happen with or without man. He doesn’t need us but we certainly need Him. I'm thankful for a pastor who is diligent to seek God in all things.

But if we call ourselves to prayer and seeking (and trusting) God in all things, He will deliver. Prayer is what gives power to all the necessary things of life. We’ll find out some day whether the good that we did came to anything. That’s a scary thought. How much of my life will have been stubble which will be burned up, useless? 

This is all truth and yet it is something that needs to be brought into our minds through the Holy Spirit. We will always fail at some things. It’s this fallen human nature we have as a human race. When we fail we rise up and start over.

Must be why Tozer titled the sermon Everything in Prayer! 

Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭- Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

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Food Which Endures

John 6:26 - Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled."

I read two articles the other day on the same subject--state of today's church. I talked briefly with a friend about how more and more the churches today are making it very comfortable for people to be there. And then I read reviews about a church in a community in Arizona I was looking into. One 5-star review: Good coffee, good snacks and great people make this a good coffee spot. Ummmm...

One 2-star review: We were told it was casual ... Many of the females, young and old, were dressed in street clothes that inappropriately showed too much skin. ... They were dressed like they were going to a strip club. It quickly became apparent that people treat it more like a social gathering at a club instead of a church. We came on a day when someone from the bachelor was there with his wife. They were drawing names of females to meet him even though he's a married man. ... He said to ask his wife, that their sex life was great... If you don't take Christianity seriously, enjoy talking about your sex life to the masses, and are looking for a big giant social gathering, than yeah this is your church. I'll stick to the smaller ones who are interested in talking about God... 

If coffee and snacks and being comfortable and bringing society's standards into the church are the selling points, that doesn't work for me. Needless to say, I will not go to that church. I've said this before: the Church is not a place where we bring the world in; it is supposed to bring God to the world. It is not a place where we indulge in everyday activities but take our minds off ourselves and reverence God (which we should do everyday).

A church doesn't need movies or television miniseries' with study and guidebook,  "awesome" music to get one revved up and excited for the amazing, fun sermon, or a coffee bar and doughnuts. I'm not so sure this is what Jesus wanted (but probably knew would eventually happen...after all He knows the beginning from the end). What about an honest message straight from the Bible? We shouldn't need more than this Book.

Yes, Jesus offered food to over 5,000 people...but these offers were miracles to point to Him and that thing of substance He offered, after showing us what sin is, forgiveness of that and salvation, providing we give our lives to Him. He spoke the rebuking words above about seeking and wanting signs and physical food, but not so much the salvation, not so much the Man who offered it.

Listen to the words from an article I read called Maybe Christianity is Dying Because It's Boring Everyone to Death by Matt Walsh (a very good article). He was quoting C.S. Lewis: Enemy-occupied territory--that's what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you may say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. We have an enemy lurking. He disguises himself as an angel of light (2Corinthians 11:14) and many, including the elect, are being deceived. (Matthew 24:24) 

People, the Church should always be God-centered, not man-centered. We can enjoy going to church and being with church family and fellowshipping. But God needs to be the center. I've had lunch with believers after church and church continues in our conversation, not that we talk constantly about the Lord but He remains with us.

There is a righteous judgment we are allowed because the truth, not ours but of Christ, is being compromised or watered down. Somehow society has softened the Gospel message to make it more palatable. That is dangerous as many will believe God will ultimately accept all people. Sadly, people will die a terrible death without the truth. There is a reason sin is pointed out...we need to know. And we need Jesus. The immodesty in the church described above is just one example...one out of a very many. We all have sin. We all need Jesus.

Churches which push comfort offer things that perish. Jesus offered Himself to all who would seek the offer of salvation only He can give...the food which endures. Look to Him for the promise of eternal life in Christ. 

John 6:27 - "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which
endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” 

Lookin' Good?

Galatians 5:9 - A little leaven leavens the whole lump.

Pastor Nathan Heller of the Superstition Foothills Baptist Church told it like it is! Praise God. He talked about the Impact of Spiritual Decline.

Our nation is in a spiritual decline and those of us old enough have seen a lot of it. But as the pastor suggested, it's not just the nation, but the Church, and because we are human, it can affect us also. We have allowed this decline to creep in, almost unnoticed. It takes effort to look back to determine just when it started.

You see above what one scripture says about leaven. A little can do a lot. And what does leaven do? It makes something less serious and often more exciting, according to Webster's dictionary. I had never thought of it that way. Gee, I think I know an evil character who likes to let us to whisper in our ears, what's it going to hurt to do that?

Pastor Nathan focused his message on Abraham's cousin, Lot. Lot left with Abraham when God told him to leave his people and settle in a land He would show him. So, when Lot started out, he was fine. When they came to the land of Canaan it wasn't big enough for both their families with servants and livestock. Abraham told Lot to look over the land where they stood and choose where he wanted to go and he would take the other portion.

Lot allowed his senses to take over. This land over here looked mighty good: And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. (‭Genesis‬ ‭13‬:‭10‬)

As you can see, Sodom was part of that land. And while Lot at first didn't live in Sodom, he was edging closer until his desires got the better of him and he lived within the gates of this abomination of a city. He still was not a fallen individual, however, but he was letting his guard down. When you become accustomed to your surroundings you go with the flow, not against it. Once within the city he had to have known what the city was like. He sat at the entrance gate, supposedly to watch for strangers that he might lead them to his house so they would not be subject to the wickedness of the Sodomites.

Two angels arrived. He led them to his house. Still a good thing. But when a knock on the door produced wicked men wanting these two angels, Lot faltered a bit. His initial response was no. Still a good response. But he couldn't stop there. He felt he needed to appease these men from the city by saying he would offer his virgin daughters to them...oops. He compromised.

We are not supposed to compromise when it comes to God. We are not to let our guard down no matter what others might think. I wonder how many times this happens? Pastor Nathan believes that not only the people in this country have compromised, but so has the Church.

Churches today are allowing the things of the world in. Let's not call sin sin. Let's only speak of the love of God and lure them into our churches with only half the story. We'll entertain them. We'll only encourage them. They will stay with us. We'll have ministries up the wazoo; we'll separate the young from the old and teach accordingly. We'll compromise our beliefs a bit and call it being politically correct, so as not to offend.

I don't think Jesus ever sugar coated His words. He called sin a sin...and it put Him on the cross. What happened to the days of fire and brimstone? Hah! Like what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah when God's patience ran out. The truth is, it is a narrow road to this truth. Even the Church is faltering and wandering off that road.

As Pastor Nathan suggested (paraphrasing some more) the decline begins when we can't let go of the world and all it has to offer. When he refers to we here he's talking about all believers. And we make up the Church. We and the Church have failed this nation despite our reason for leaving England for the right to worship God properly. As a consequence, we are in a spiritual decline. Can we recover? Unlikely. It would take such a revival as never seen. It could happen...but time is awfully short.

I believe we all can struggle with some of the things in the world. I have for years told God in specific areas if He wants to take it away, while it may sting for a bit, I know it will be for the better. Less of it, more of Him. Surrender.

Mark 8:15 - Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."

Trembling and Warm Chills!

Psalm 96:9 - Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth. 

How do you know you've been in the presence of God? I believe it can happen in more ways than one. I'm amazed at the process of events over the past few days or week and what happened last night. I'm hoping my writing will help me process all I just experienced. I won't go into details but I will share something!

I do recall that I had been working on a Bible study on the Book of Hebrews either early yesterday morning or the night before. The question was asked, How does God speak to us? There were various scriptures to look up. He's not limited to how He can do it. I do know that when two or more are gathered in His name, God inclines His ear to hear (Psalm 116). Not that He can't hear us but that He is taking a very special interest in what we have to say. He's leaning forward in His chair in anticipation as it were. He's silently thinking Tell me more. Why? Because we are speaking or praying His will and that so pleases Him.

The Bible also shows us that in Jesus' day people followed Him looking for a miracle to happen. We shouldn't need to see or experience miracles, but for some it helps. People always want signs. Are we a visual people?? If we have enough faith we don't always need a sign. We might just feel His presence, which can be felt in various ways.

So last night I attended a prayer gathering at church. I'm new to this group and getting my feet wet! I really did not feel I belonged with these incredible men and women of God. Who am I was the question that kept running in my mind. But...we were in one accord with our petitions to God. And you know what? It's what I've been writing about for some time...the truth of God's word...how it is being compromised...how there will be only a remnant of people some day who will rise up out of the Church. There be only a few people who will be willing to walk the narrow path that the Lord requires us to walk.

God does not want us to compromise His word. The Church, in general, so wants to be seeker friendly, not willing to preach the truth in love. It's run more like a business with bottom line mentality, with the goals of building newer, bigger, fancier churches, or of bringing in more people by seducing them with words they want to hear, to fill the pews. God is not interested in the numbers, He's interested in what is being spoken and the hearts of the people in His church. Remember, relationship...

But this what the word says, we are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). And that's why Christianity is failing. There's no backbone anymore. Preachers don't want to offend. The truth is watered down so it's more palatable to the general public. Perhaps if they don't feel convicted they will return and the pews will be full...full of people hearing that compromised word and not meeting Jesus face to face to have their sins forgiven, their hearts and lives turned around for the better thing.

Yet there are people who are searching for a good word. They too fall prey to destruction because they can't find a church where the Word that brings life is spoken. I've said it before and I'll continue to say it...there will be a day not too long from now when people will be flocking to churches around the world looking for the truth because the world and the people in it have failed them. Their riches just aren't doing it for them anymore. The leaders in the world are failing them. The fear of what they see happening in the world will be unbearable, and like with past disasters, they will begin to turn to the Church in search of answers and comfort. 

People will flock to churches but will they find this Jesus who claims to give us His peace and comfort? Or will they find clergy who themselves have been fed lies and have lost their own way, taught their own form of Gospel, have been feeding their flock the wrong kind of food, the wrong kind of bread, having forgotten who the true Bread is? Oh, even "men of the cloth" can be coerced into believing a lie.

This is what Jesus says. This is why He tells us it's a difficult, narrow path and few are willing to travel it. Few are willing to let go of all sorts of hindrances in their lives. I'll tell you I don't even know how I will fare and what I will have to sacrifice or let go of if I am able to stay on this path (and I want more than anything to do this) and look not to the left or to the right and only hear the voice that's behind me saying, "This is the way, walk in it." (Isaiah 30:21)

Only a few people truly desire more than anything else, God's will, not man's, for the Church. Many just don't recognize the direction they have allowed themselves to wander off in, even myself. A little compromise here, a little there...barely unnoticeable and widely accepted. Only a remnant of people want to go so deep into the truth of God's Word, who are no longer satisfied just knowing that Jesus loves me and are happy that He can do thus and so for them. There are some, thankfully, who have gotten to that place in their walk with the Lord where they now want more and this is their plea: "Lord, what can I do for You? Here I am, use me. Let me be Your voice, Your hands, Your feet. This is what You've called me to do. Let me distinctly hear Your voice and let me not hesitate to obey, at any cost, no matter how silly or even frightening it may seem."

I just know that when I left church last night, I knew I had been in the right place with people who only want God glorified, who want God...period. I just know that when I got home after the prayer there was a trembling throughout my body, a weakness and a feeling like warm chills! I knew that we had each experienced the presence of God in some way and that His heart was pleased with our hearts' desires. Oh, there were more incidences that occurred throughout the evening that were not coincidences but God-incidences. God showing He was inclining His ear and bringing confirmation that He loved what we were saying.

Lord, this can only be You showing me...us...which direction You want to take us. You want to see us living Your Word out: Your will be done... You love us all so much that You don't want any to perish. You want us to know that we know what Your will is for our lives. We think it has to be some big thing and often it is not! But when it happens we know it is You who have brought it about, whatever it is! We are each unique in the gifts You have given us. Help us to recognize what they are and when You want us to exercise these gifts. Thank You, Lord, that the greatest gift You've given us is Yourself. The next are our willingness to listen for your voice and hear what it says, then trust, follow and obey. That's what it all boils down to...how You in your infinite wisdom know what we can do through You if we just give You control of our lives. Help those who love You, Lord, to desire that more than anything else. Sear it into our spirits.

Jeremiah 7:23 - ...but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.