"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NIV)"
Business is never 'as usual' in the Kingdom and churches shouldn't emulate the cultural deception that pervades the society to which they claim separation. This isn't a game, where the most vocal is heard and the rest…well that message wasn't meant to be heard apparently. This battle waging in the hearts of our children, in the minds of our teenagers, and in the souls of our young adult generation is fully engaged, if only by the enemy forces. Speak of battles in the church today and you will be shut down. The new generation doesn't want to hear that. They want the simplistic methodology that allows them to send cash to feed some children on a distant shore while driving down I-96 with their Latte Mocha and I-Pod plugged in to some 'non-traditional, Christianized' secular music. After all, hymns are so……well, old age.
Pastors seek to 'reach the lost where they are' and often leave them….where they are, safely ensconced in the walls of the church. Design a church to operate as a business entity, after all….savings souls requires work and work creates money and money creates competition and competition is business. We seek those who have acting ability to be our leaders; you know,the ability to show us what they would have us see; perfection for the new age……and we are often shocked and dismayed at their failings, after all…..they are our leaders, after all.
We have continually 'secularized' God and designed the worship to reflect this new imagery. It isn't the source of the need we seek to address, but more simply just the need. We'll fill it this time, this place, and for this much…..but Heaven help you if you don't learn your lesson and find yourself here again. There is only so much we can do........by the way, new flooring in the hallways is coming next week, let's make sure to give the volunteers a hand installing......
We seek to fix marriages and leave the brokenness of the two main players in that game…….well, broken. We have self-helping, self-medicating, and self-dying people living scant inches from the living, breathing waters that they only have to sip to live and tell them to reach a bit harder……..obviously they don't desire the water enough. Was the music too loud? Go somewhere else then.
We tell men that they have serious issues but don't admit that as a society we have created the men who have the problems in the first place. We tell men that they are accountable of their actions, but fail to show the biblical standards to which men are designed to live; throwing "love your wives" as the offering upon society's altar. We expect them to learn it on their own......
We tell parents to 'train their children in the way they must go' and then present the myriad of options that are too misleading and too complex. We destroy the generation that is beginning before it begins.
We pick up pistols, automatic rifles, and knives, walking into the place of our discontent and destroy that which we were designed to save. We hurl hatred and ridicule in the name of tolerance, overshadowing the injustice of the intolerance created.
We use the weapons of the world; feel good theology, anything goes mentality, and however you please cosmology to dress up for the battlefield, so long as it fits into our scheduled 'playtime' for church attendance. We shut down on Sunday, cause gee….it's Christmas. We forget to meet on Sunday, cause the boss kept me late two days ago and I'm just soooooo tired.
We leave the gate to the fortress wide open and defend the walls.
I am guilt of this all too. I do not rage against that which I do not know. I cry out in shame of the man I was, the mistakes I make, and the restitution I have yet to make.......
But....
I woke up this morning and strapped on the armor of the God I serve with my failed heart, my weary faith, and my broken soul. I stumble upon the battlefield again and wearily raise the sword in preparation of the enemy engagement.
Overwhelmed, overburdened, and under prepared……..the battle is engaged…..another soul, another life claimed for Christ. Not by me, I only poorly speak the words given to say.
And the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings steps out amongst the faithful. He corrects a position here, there. He walks and offers encouragement to bolster a line to the East and the West. He stands upon the field of honor and exudes honor. He is my example of what I was designed to be, what I want to be, and what I will never become upon this earth.
But I grow each day in The Way and I seek constantly His face, even though I know I will fail today and sin.......I look to my King and pray for forgiveness and grace....Asking for more of Him and less of me....
And all is well with my soul……………………………..
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