Likely not Invited!

Walk the streets by moonlight, if you dare, and you will see sinners. Watch when the night is dark and the wind is howling, and the burglars are skulking in the shadows, and you will see sinners. Go to the jail and walk through the wards—note those men with scowling faces, men you would not want to meet at night—and you will see sinners. Go to the reformatories and observe those who have demonstrated juvenile depravity, and you will see sinners. Go over the ocean to the place where cannibals do their terrible deeds, and you will see sinners. You will see sinners wherever you go—you don’t need to ransack the earth to find them, for they are common enough. You’ll find sinners in every lane and street of every city, town, village, and hamlet. It is for such people that Jesus died. Show me the grossest specimen of humanity, and if he is born of a woman, I will still have hope for him—because Jesus Christ came to seek and to save sinners (Luke 19:10) - C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12 

The people of Hosea's day had become hardened to God's Word. They had heard it many times before and had grown apathetic to what God required of them. God's solution was for them to break up the fallow ground of their hearts. They were to allow Him to soften their hardened hearts. When the earth was dry and crusty, the farmer would plow to loosen the soil so it was receptive to the seeds and the rains that would give life to the crop. Likewise, God's people were to break up the sinful barriers in their lives that prevented God's Word from penetrating their hearts. Then, said Hosea, God would give life and refresh them by raining down on them in righteousness. As Christians, we must continually cultivate our hearts and minds so that they are receptive to whatever God tells us. John the Baptist exhorted those around him to prepare for Jesus’coming. We, too, can remind others to prepare their lives so that God's righteousness will penetrate and fill their lives. We can urge them to repent when we see sin sinking into their lives. We can share the joy that God's Word brings us and encourage our friends to seek God's will also. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

I know the two passages above are to me a few side dishes to this message this morning.  They compliment what I believe God is showing me as I got my coffee this morning.  It's something that's been weighing on me for many days now. 

Are you really following Christ in the Church you go to, if indeed you go to one, or are you going to be made to feel better?

Is there a selfish motivation behind your going to a building to supposedly worship your God?  A day of worship is that...a day. Not a few hours in the morning then off to football, soccer or basketball.  

But that's a rabbit trail at the moment. 

The question that ties these portions together is this:  Would the likes of a Peter or Paul be invited to speak at your Church?  Look at their lives, look at yours.  Don't even go to the excuse of its a different time in history.  God doesn't change.  He's the same, yesterday, today and forever.  His Word does not fail. 

Yet we have so-called Churches today where if they were able to be a guest speaker they wouldn't be allowed in the door.   I know of other Godly men today who are no longer being welcomed into Churches to speak on the subject of Bible prophecy. People might be offended or be scared I imagine is the real reason. 

But stay on the topic of these visitors.  Peter and Paul would be told by the supposed leaders of many Churches to tone it down.  Don't do this or don't do that.

How can I say such a thing?

Read the letters to the Church's in Revelation.  Look at the matters that the Lord Jesus Christ brings up!  Those letters are to US! Yes!  Those letters were written to every believer since Jesus arose from the dead.  The other passages of where it says in latter times people would accumulate to themselves teachers who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear.   Want to hear, not need to hear.

Those Churches that are spoken of in the end times are OUR Churches!

Scripture says people will be offended by the message of the Cross!  So why are so-called Churches watering down the Gospel to keep from offending people!?!

Why are Churches introduced various forms of Christian legalism that the early Church shot down!?  

Why are there Churches demanding things of people that the Bible never suggests?

Think about where you go, if you go, to Church.   Look at the statistics of why various age groups stop going to Church.  What is it that had been introduced to the Church's of today that were never part of the early Church?  Today when truly Godly Men speak up, the multitudes tell them to bd quiet!  You're scaring people?!?

Sinners are indeed everywhere.  Just as the excerpt that begins today's post talk about.   Hardened hearts were the problem with Jewish leaders in Jesus's day.  Hardened hearts are the problem in the Church today.  It produces the same legalism in the Church that the Pharisees and Sadducees introduced to the Jews. 

Yes, God is a God of love, but He is also a Holy God.  His Word will all come true. His ways are higher than ours.  His thoughts higher than our thoughts.   He is also a God of justice according to His Word.  Sin is what we are all born with.  Jesus is the only cure. Obedience is paramount to successful Christian living.   Wolves in sheep's clothing have been ravaging the Church.  Heresy has been taught as fact. 

People by the thousands have been lead astray by false doctrines.  How can I say that? Read Revelation.  Read Thessalonians.  Read all the passages that speak of how it will be in OUR time.  We are living in that time when Jesus is going to return.  

God's warning to the early Church is our warning.  His plea to the Jewish people is His plea to us.  Break up the hardness of your heart and let the waters of the tree of life come in.  Get serious about serving your Savior.  Get serious about spending time with Jesus.  Get serious about your relationship with Jesus.  You don't have a relationship with a sports team.  You don't have a relationship with a celebrity you aren't going to meet from the movies or elsewhere.  Why do you spend countless hours worshipping something you have no relationship with?  Football didn't die for you did it?  Soccer, the movies, television, didn't die for you did it?  Things we intentionally use to occupy our time outside of work didn't die for you did it? 

Think about your WHY.

Why do you do...

Why do you think...

This world is dying.  Jesus is returning. 

Why isn't that important to you? 

Look at your heart and your answer will be evident. 

I still am shown things in my life that drag me down.  Scripture says: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1 NASB

Look at Ephesians 6.  The whole armor of God.   See anything about pockets on it for other worldly things?  See anything about a rucksack?  No backpack mentioned?

What the wearer has is for combat.  What the runner has is only for running the race. 

The more I let go the more God teaches me.   That's the pattern that I have seen in me.

My head, much like yours, can only be pointed one direction.  

Jesus warned about a divided heart.  

Is Jesus waiting in the door of your heart or have you let Him in?  Is He stuck in the foyer of your heart or does He have free reign of you?  Do you shut Him in a room while you go do what you want?

Hmm...think about that last one. 

Quite often the one really not invited to Church is Jesus.  The King of Kings. Lord of Lords.  The Judge.  The Advocate. The Lamb of God. The Resurrection & the Life. The man of Sorrows. The Head of the Church.  The Master.  The Faithful and True Witness.  The Door. The Living Water.  The Bread of Life.  The Alpha and the Omega.  The Good Shepherd.  The I Am. The Prince of Peace. The Way, the Truth and the Life.