Crisis In The Church
We pray, “Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Do we honestly believe that God’s will is being done on earth today? In our country? In the church? If we will be honest with ourselves, we will need to admit that our world is going to hell in a handbag, and we can hardly tell the difference between believers and non-believers.
Recently I was a guest on a radio program that had as its theme “The Crisis in the Church.” I don’t believe the moderator or I came up with any solid answers as to why the church of Jesus Christ is in a crisis, but I couldn’t shake that thought. As I prayed about this, the Lord brought several Scriptures to mind: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1John 2:15,16) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4) The world tells us that the most important thing in life is to be financially successful. We come to believe that the most important things in life are having a magnificent house, a luxury car, a boat, an airplane, and to be able to retire with a substantial income at age 50. To achieve this dream we must spend 16, 20 or more years in school and dedicate ourselves to reach the top in our chosen vocation. The drive needed to achieve such lofty goals puts tremendous stress on an individual. The world gives us a safety valve. It’s party time! Booze, drugs and illicit sex can go a long way towards taking the edge off, but the relief is only temporary. Not everyone gets caught up in the party lifestyle, but those who do are victims of the world system.
Let’s examine this. The man of the house is supposed to lead in this quest for “the good life.” From the time he is a toddler his parents impress upon him the importance of preparing himself for his eventual role of being the provider for the family. They do such a good job that by the time he reaches his teens he knows what profession he wants to follow. Time passes and he graduates from college and goes on to receive his masters or doctorate degree. Since America is the land of opportunity, he quickly moves up the ladder of success. Somewhere along the way he acquires a wife and family. His children give him a strong motivation to succeed, after all, if they are going to be successful, they are going to need a higher education and he knows that doesn’t come cheap. And let us not forget his goal to retire with a large pension at age 50. To achieve these lofty goals requires long hours at the office, time spent away from his family. In today’s economy it doesn’t take a genius to realize that one income in the family isn’t going to make it. No problem, thanks to the feminist movement the wife has prepared herself for a career. But what about the children? Who is going to take care of them? No problem! Prior to their reaching school age, there is day care. And after school? Well they can fend for themselves until mom or dad get home.
When little John or Suzy reach 13 years of age, reality sets in. This child who had been so docile and content is now refusing to obey his/her parents who don’t like their choice of friends. There is evidence that they are smoking, possibly even doing drugs. What went wrong? Haven’t we given them everything? The problem is the child does not feel loved. The feelings of abandonment started back when they were placed in day care. It was aggravated over the years when mommy and daddy were hardly ever home. And when they were, they were still working or too tired to listen as their children tried to tell them of their needs. We have a generation of unloved children that are seeking love in all the wrong places. This has produced an epidemic of alcoholism, drug addiction and sexual addiction, resulting in devastation to themselves and their loved ones. James Dobson, child psychologist and well known Christian author, speaking about parents who don’t spend enough time with their children said, he has never met a man who on his deathbed said, “I wish I had spent more time on my job.” You would think this would cause more people to re-evaluate their priorities. Sad to say, far too many fail to heed these warnings. Why? We have been so programmed in believing the world’s message as to what constitutes success that nothing short of a move of God will make any significant difference in our society.
Did our Lord perceive this problem? Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) Jesus knew the heart of man. He knew that he would be easily tempted to go after worldly treasures, and that these pursuits would take him far away from his God. Later in his Sermon on the Mount Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24) The word “mammon” here refers to the world system. We cannot serve God and the world system.
What if you are not a professional person; will you then escape this temptation? No, the message is the same to the blue-collar worker as it is to the professional. He may never acquire the yacht or the airplane. He may never belong to the country club. His house may not be as big, and he may never own a luxury car. But he will strive to his own level of worldly success. He may never bend his elbow on the padded bar at the club, but the local pub will satisfy his need for relief. The results will be the same. His children will feel abandoned and unloved. His spiritual life will suffer. He will also wake up in eternity and find that his ladder to success was leaning against the wrong building.
The Bible warns against idol worship. The Old Testament reveals how God’s chosen people the Israelites fell out of favor with God because of their worshipping idols rather than offering true worship to Jehovah God. I believe that many today that name the name of Christ have fallen out of favor due to their worship of the god’s of pleasure, power and money. Those seeking sexual pleasures or getting high on drugs. Those seeking control over family members, employees or associates. Those seeking wealth by any means are all examples of modern day idol worshippers. They have walked out from under the umbrella of God’s protection. They need to repent and learn what it means to trust and serve God. The Bible addresses these issues: Let there be no sex sin, impurity or greed among you. Let no one be able to accuse you of any such things. You can be sure of this: the Kingdom of Christ and of God will never belong to anyone who is impure or greedy, for a greedy person is really an idol worshipper – he loves and worships the good things of this life more than God. Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible wrath of God is upon all those who do them. (Ephesians 5:3,5,6LB) 1 Corinthians 6:9,10 LB says, Don’t fool yourselves. Those who live immoral lives, who are (in effect) idol worshippers, adulterers or homosexuals – will have no share in His Kingdom. Neither will thieves or greedy people, drunkards, slanderers, or robbers. (Emphasis added) Hebrew 4: 13 LB tells us: He knows about everyone, everywhere. Everything about us is bare and wide open to the all- seeing eyes of our living God; nothing can be hidden from Him to whom we must explain all that we have done. Wow! That is scary if we are still enslaved to habitual sin or living a worldly lifestyle. But the God of all hope has not abandoned us. The rest of that chapter says, But Jesus the Son of God is our great High priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore let us never stop trusting Him. This High priest of ours understands our weaknesses, since He had the same temptations we do, though He never once gave way to them and sinned. So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive His mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need.
Greed should have no place in the life of a Christian. Jesus taught us to pray; “Give us this day our daily bread.” The Apostle Paul said that God would supply our needs. (Philippians 4:19) He said he had learned to be content whether he had much or little of this worlds goods. (Philippians 4:11) Is it possible to be content if we do not have all the things the advertisers say we need to make us complete? I have found that some of the happiest people on earth are those who have the least of this world’s goods. They enjoy the simple things in life (truly the best things in life are free); an early morning walk as you commune with your Creator, a day in the park with your children, a romantic interlude with your spouse and visiting those in the hospital, nursing home or prison. Truly it is when we give that we receive.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Can there be any doubt that we are living in the last days? We need to heed the warning found in Galatians 6:7-8; Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. If we continue sowing to the flesh we are going to reap God’s wrath, but if we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us we shall reap everlasting life. We shall experience the abundant life both here and in the life to come.
Believe me when I say I know it is not easy to change one’s lifestyle. We need to learn to trust God and obey. If we will by faith take a few small steps toward God, He will meet us. God is for you. He wants to see you make it. If we will begin to seek Him, we will find Him. You seek God by getting alone and talking to Him. Quite often you will hear from Him and receive answers to your prayers when you are meditating on His Word. You will find some that are like-minded and will encourage you in a Bible believing church. To be sure, not all that attend church trust the Holy Spirit to lead them. The old adage, the church is full of hypocrites, may often be true, but don’t let that dissuade you. They need to be in a place where they can find God, and you will find that in every church there is a remnant that follow Him.
Start tithing! This is one place where God says we are to put him to the test. It is also where you will find out just how much faith you have. Malachi 3:8-10 says, Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Proverbs 3:5,6 says, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Tithing is a good place to find out if you are trusting God or leaning to your own understanding. God’s storehouse includes the local church and other ministries that are doing the Lord’s work.
To wrap this up, I want to say God has chosen us to be conformed to His image. He wants to give us His very own character. He wants us to see Him as our loving Father. That we will look to Him for our provision and not lean to our own understanding. He says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1,2)
Finally, let us take heed to this Scripture; You have had enough in the past of the evil things the godless enjoy – sex sin, lust, getting drunk, wild parties, drinking bouts, and the worship of idols, and other terrible sins. (1 Peter 1:3LB) If you find yourself anywhere in that Scripture, the message is the same now, as it was when Jesus walked this earth; “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)