Gospel
Written
Nov 7 2007 12:00AM
Christian, who are you following? This is a very important question, as their are millions of Christians all over the world, and many are truly following Jesus Christ, but many are following their Pastor, a Christian entertainer, other Christians, the world, and all their idols.
I am not trying to be funny, I believe this is from God, as it just begin flowing without any thought on my part.
The Church in general has gone to great links to draw people into their churches, usually they are just other christians going from church to church looking for the "right church", whether they are hungry for deeper things, or fellowship, activities, more entertainment, more anointed teachings, whatever the case may be, but in reality we need to be searching for more of Jesus, more of His rhema word to change our souls.
Somewhere along the way since Calvary, things have changed, even the name of Christian came along later. Act 11:26 and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people, and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Followers of Christ.
What has happened to the church is the world has crept in, and materialism is every bit as much in the church as in the world. The love of money is the root of all evil.
But my dear sisters and brothers, when Jesus called people to come to Him, they left everything, they just up and left their businesses.
Simon called Peter and and his brother were fishermen, they had a boat.
Mat 4:18 And walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. Mat 4:19 And he saith unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men. Mat 4:20 And they straightway left the nets, and followed him. Mat 4:21 And going on from thence he saw two other brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. Mat 4:22 And they straightway left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Now I am not saying you should up and leave your jobs for Jesus, but think about this, what are we sacrificing to follow Him?
Many of the disciples were very successful, like Mathew the Tax collector, and Saul later to become Paul, who was the leader of those who persecuted the church and was there at the stoning of Stephen.
These men found their lives as dung for the knowledge of Jesus Christ and Paul said, "and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings".
Fellowship of His sufferings? yes, they wanted to Know Christ so intimately, and to suffer whatever he suffered, as a fellowship, a togetherness, being of the same heart and mind. Suffering? Yes, you heard right.
Beloved, do you know anyone that would say such a thing today in the church and mean it?
I realize today that two in the home have to work to make ends meet right?
This is why Christians cannot follow Jesus in this manner, they cannot leave their jobs to follow where He would want them to go, and they do not really have time to make Him their all and all. They have to go home from their jobs and make dinner, check out the news and their favorite programs, and the dishes and of course get the kids to bed.
Funny thing is they had to cook and clean and do dishes, get the kids to bed, in those days, but the difference is they didn't have to have a bigger house or a bigger and latest car, or a bigger and latest television, and DVD player and go to sports games, and shopping at Walmart, or go to the video store.
Do you know what was on their minds? Jesus Christ, and telling as many people as they could that Jesus Christ healed them, delivered them, touched them and was the Son of God. Yes, they spent all of their time thinking about the kingdom of God, preaching the message, they didn't need entertainment, activities or sports, because Jesus filled their very being with new life. He was the absolute center off their life and attention, and He didn't even take the glory, He gave it all to the Father.
This message rally started a couple days ago, not actually the message, I was asking the Lord what I could do to stay at home to do ministry. And I believe the Lord clearly said to me "your work is your ministry, you go to work for the pay check, but I am your source, have you forgotten? You use to pray for everyone that came to you with a prayer need at WORK, you use to talk to them about Jesus.
I was supplying all of your needs according to My riches in glory, now you are depending on mammon, and you are missing opportunities for ministry."
The Lord and I had had a similar conversation a couple weeks back, but this was new insight.
The whole purpose of this message is to let you know that the Lord wants us to get back to that place in our life where He is our EVERYTHING, just was in the early church.
Forget about the world and all the world offers, as it is straight from hell, it is a diversion to bring the church out of God's will.
We do not need a bigger house a newer car and all the other things you think you need.
How can we trust God if we are trusting in Mammon. How do we have time to go where He sends us, if we are consumed with consumerism? Money, not having enough.
Simplify said, this is done quite well by the Amish, the Mennonites and others of the Brethren.
I know you think they are legalistic, I guess we believe too much of what others tell us, and not checking things out for ourselves with the Lord.
These groups live simply, some more so than others, and their children are very well behaved and disciplined, they are meek and gentle spirits. Hmmm isn't that biblical? No anger, no spirit of offense, no complaining, no jealousy, no adultery, no fornication, they love their neighbor as themselves, and they are living epistles written on the heart.
Yes, they are a walking bible. 2Co 3:2 Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;
Think again, maybe they have something. They are not into materialism, they have their own businesses, and are independent of many things many are caught up into, they don't spend their life in front of a TV, that has nudity splashed all over the screen so much you are brain washed, you don't even see it any more, you are desensitized to it, having become a normal thing to you.
What does the word say? Joh 14:15 If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. How much does that say we love God?
Is He our whole life? do we give up everything for Him?
Is He our hero? Do we live in discipline so that we can be a real Disciple, a real follower of Christ.
Do we obey His commandments or do we try to skirt them or make excuses for not obeying them, because they are not convenient.
Do we love Him so much that all we want to do is spend time with Him?
Are we hungering and thirsting for Him and His word?
Who do you think our heavenly Father will let in to heaven?
Those who do His will, those who obey him?
Or those who are enjoying their freedom in Christ.
James said "faith without works is dead", and the Lord said, "not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of My Father in heaven".
Is not the Fathers will to obey Him? To love Him and to fellowship with Him? But John 14:15 says that if we love Him we will keep his commandments.
So who do you think is right?
The Mennonites, out of the groups I mentioned have separated their whole life unto Jesus, they even witness and have missions to the lost.
They work but they don't have to have a nice house, nor a fancy car, or the latest this or that, and so the Mothers are able to teach their children at home, they have time for them. I forgot to mention that they do not have crime or Juvenile delinquency in their communities, or teen pregnancy.
The Lord wants us to turn our hearts back to him, to repent of these things, to really think about how we live our life.
We are not responsible for those who are living like the world, so we do not have to follow after them, the devil has entraped them, they have listened to a social gospel.
Would it shock you to tell you that the devil is sitting in the same pew you are? And he isn't red, doesn't have horns and a pitchfork.
He is beautiful, he could be your best friend or a family member.
But he is there to draw you away from a true life in Christ, not the watered down life you have lived since you were called to Christ.
Your enemy the devil will use whoever it takes to get you to not follow in the life of Christ, because he knows if you do, he is done for.
Folks he is real, in case you have doubts, he is very real, and he is full of all kinds of tricks to get your eyes off of the prize, to not finish your course, to make you lukewarm, to get you into a worldy lifestyle because he knows it displeases God.
Why do you think you have so many problems?
The Lord is speaking to some of you right now my brother and sister, time is running out, and the Day of the Lord is very near.
What kind of Christian ought we to be? He wants you to know there is still time, to turn things around, and to follow Him with all of your being.
If you do not turn from the worldliness now, He will pull it all out from under you, just as He did Job.
You will find then there is no one else to turn to, no money in the bank, no checkbook, no Walmart.
He wants to know you truly love Him more than anything else. Think about these words, they are I believe from the heart of God.
Lord, I lift up my brother and sisters to you Lord, and myself, and I ask you to show us the way You would have us live, that our hearts would be in You alone, that you would show each of us how to live simply not attached to "things", so that we can live a more fuller and rich life in you.
You have promised to supply all of our needs according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus, and if you want us to have certain things, You will provide them for us, we do not have to check our checkbook to see if we have enough.
Lord help us to simplify, help us to learn to enjoy the simple things in life, that we might be freed up to give you all of our love and worship.
Forgive us for our wrong motives, and for living our life selfishly, and Lord show us Your way, that leads to LIFE. In Jesus name, amen and amen.
If this has brought conviction to your heart, please don't hesitate to ask for prayer and first to go to the Lord, and as for forgiveness.
Jam 4:1 Whence come wars and whence come fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your pleasures that war in your members?
Jam 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.
Jam 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures.
Jam 4:4 Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.
Jam 4:5 Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?
Jam 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
Jam 4:7 Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jam 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.
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