Any nation at any time–however spiritually alive–is always potentially only a generation away from paganism and mind-defying evil.”
–Ravi Zacharias
“Paul was devoted to a Person not to a cause. He was absolutely Jesus Christ’s, he saw nothing else, he lived for nothing else.”
–Oswald Chambers
Sometimes I just don’t get it (no, more like most time). When we see the times around us; the condition of the nation and the world, I don’t get it. When the moral standards continue to drop and abominations rise up, I don’t get it. When there are signs and tremors and wars and confusion, I don’t get it. The “it” I’m referring to is the lackadaisicalness among Christians.
Then I go back and read the prophets of the Old Testament. No wonder Jeremiah was in exasperation at the people of Israel. Joshua declared that the people would not keep their word and not keep the standards established by God, and sure enough one generation removed and Israel is in a mess.
We could cite several reasons for our dilemma, but one will suffice here. People in the church today leave the things of the faith; they leave the principles of doctrine. The Word has become secondary or even lower in the order of service most Sundays. I read where most people not of the “Boomer” generation state that fellowship is the most important reason for church followed by “worship.” I put worship in quotation marks because the vast majority of people do not even understand what worship really is.
A.W. Tozer wrote a few years back, “In our day, we seem to overlook the divine principle of what ought to happen in the life of a truly born-again man.” Change must occur! The old is gone, man is now a new creation, yet it seems that many persist in clinging to the old life and any attempt to bring that to their attention they will cry “legalism.”
The writer of Hebrews states, “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.” (6:1, NKJV) I like the way the NLT reads, “So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.” In other words, quite playing games and grow up. Mature in your understanding, “Go on to perfection” (KJV).
There are a host of gimmicks and gadgets and hypes out there, but very little conviction. There is plenty of those who peddle a brand of Christianity, but neglect the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Go back to the Word; then let the Holy Spirit enrich it to your soul.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.”
–2 Timothy 4:3 (NASB)