A Letter To The Church...

Hello everyone and God bless you all.
It has been quite a while since I have been on here. Things in my life have been a bit hectic, but I feel that God is calling me to begin my writing again. I wanted to begin again with something that may be a bit controversial and may step on some people's toes. I'm good at doing that. Just ask my wife! The following is not meant to hurt anyone's feelings, simply to get people to think a bit about what they believe and how they act in relation to what they believe. Any feedback, good, bad, or ugly, is always welcomed and appreciated. I can handle a little criticism. But only a little. :-) May God bless you greatly as you read what I have to offer.


Letter To A Christian

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I would like to take a moment of your time and share what I think is a much needed word with you. May God bless you as you read this, and if this message applies to you, may God use it to change your life.
Step into most any church nowadays and you will most likely hear a feel-good, humanistic message that tells you that God loves everyone, no matter what they do; a message completely devoid of sin and hell. If even presented with the Gospel, it will probably be watered-down, so as not to offend anyone. You will most likely hear that the life of a follower of Christ is an easy one, with no self-sacrifice, no changing of your former ways, no hardship. Simply repeat a cute little prayer after the “pastor,” perhaps even get baptized for the continuation of your sins (!), and keep on living like you always have. You may even hear in some churches that everyone is going to heaven! The Word of God says, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it (Matthew 7:13-14).” Sadly, many modern-day churches teach that the wide gate and the broad highway lead to Heaven.
The Body of Christ has been lulled to sleep by the teachings of such abominable heresies that are promoted by wolves masquerading as sheep. In the modern day church, I daresay there is no fear of God, no love for God, no love for our neighbor; there is only love for ourselves. The Bible teaches us that we are to fear God, that we are to love Him with all our heart, soul, spirit, and strength. The Bible also teaches us that we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Yet, we have thrown out what the Bible teaches and have replaced its timeless teachings with the worldly wisdom that says, “every man for himself.” Complacency, I fear, has taken the place of fear and fervor within the Body of Christ. Is it any wonder that less and less people are coming to faith in Christ? Is it any wonder that the world no longer sees Christ as a viable answer to all of its problems? Why should anyone see Christ as a viable answer to anything when so many who profess to follow Him deny so much that He taught?
“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths (2 Timothy 4: 3-4).” “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead (1 Timothy 4:1-2).” Is this what is happening here? I fear it is so.
Hosea 4:6a tells us, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you…” Well then, let us go looking for knowledge in God’s Word, so as to not be rejected!
I believe that Revelation 3:15-19 is addressed to the Body of Christ in our day and time. It says, “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing.’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from Me - gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from Me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.”
What an apt description of modern Christianity! What shame belongs to those of us whom that is addressed to!
The Word says in Isaiah 29:13, “These people say they are Mine. They honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.”
Do you take part in this “stained-glass masquerade?” Do you attend church once, twice, even three times per week, then go home and act like the rest of the world for the rest of the week? When you accepted Christ, did you truly give God control of your life, or did you only give Him lip service? “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God (Matthew 3:8).” Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow Me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for My sake and the sake of the Good News, you will save it (Mark 8:34-35).”
Is your focus more on serving God or on serving your own sinful, selfish desires? Are you proud of belonging to Christ, or are you ashamed of Him, rarely, if ever, letting His name pass your lips outside of church? Are you embarrassed to be seen praying or reading the Bible? Is hell a reality to you? Are you aware that people are perishing all around you without knowing Jesus? Do you even care? After all, you already have your ticket, right? “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5).” Jesus said, “Everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in Heaven. But everyone who denies Me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in Heaven (Matthew 10:32-33).” A follower of Christ does not have the luxury of remaining silent about his or her faith. It will shine forth in all that you say, think, and do… if it is real.
In word, in thought, and deed, do you resemble Christ or the world? Make your choice. Make your stand. Be for Christ, or be against Christ, but be real about it. “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other (Luke 16:13a).” “What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God (Luke 16:15b).” “Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God (James 4:4a)?”
Be warned my friends, there is simply no such thing as a closet-Christian. If you are simply “playing church,” you are not only harming yourself, but you are harming others around you as well who see what you are doing. People outside of our faith see no credibility in Christianity because of the actions of many of those who call themselves Christians. You may be fooling others in your church, but to be sure, you are fooling nobody else… and especially not God. The Word tells us, “For now the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household (1 Peter 4:17a).”
You can say that you belong to Christ until you are blue in the face, but it is like one of the Catholic saints said long ago, “There is no use walking somewhere to preach if your walking is not your preaching. “ James asks us, “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless (James 2:14, 17).” And Jesus gives us the following to meditate on, “Not everyone who calls out to Me ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in Heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God’s laws (Matthew 7:21-23).”
Does the preceding passage scare you? It scares me. Perhaps, if it does not scare you, you need to take yet another look at 2 Corinthians 13:5. “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine.” Philippians 3:18b-19 tells us, “…there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.”
On a final note on this topic, I would like to give a word specifically to my Sisters in Christ. Many times I have gone to church and been so distracted by some of the so-called “Sisters” that I could barely focus on the Word what was being presented. To be beautiful is not a sin. To profess to be a follower of Christ and dress and act in such a way as to make people lust after you is. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” Jesus said, “What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting (Matthew 18:7).” Are you, dear Sister, tempting believers by what you wear? Are you tempting unbelievers in the same way? Is the world just supposed to ignore the immodest clothing that you wear and deduce by your fancy gold and diamond cross that you wear that you are a follower of Christ? With the example that you set in your appearance and mannerisms, does that cross even matter? Does the cross that you wear, or the fancy Bible that you carry mean anything to you, or is it all just for looks? Were the wounds that Christ carried for you just for looks? Think about it.
So my Brothers and Sisters, perhaps this all applies to you. Perhaps it doesn’t. I’m just making observations. For you who it applies to, perhaps it has not always been like this for you. Perhaps you began your walk with Christ like so many of us did, full of the Spirit, living only for Jesus, completely sold out. Something happened along the way and you burned out. That’s okay. It happens to most everyone at some point. It is never too late to turn back to God. My own life is a testimony to this.
Check out the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. God is waiting for you to return to “your first love (Revelation 2:4b).” God is standing by with some gas to relight that fire with. “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of the wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And, if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away (Matthew 18:12-13)!” “But God does not just sweep life away; instead, He devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from Him (2 Samuel 14:14).”
Repent of your lukewarm attitude! Confess your sins to Jesus. Read the Word. Pray. Seek God with all your heart. He is not far from any of us. “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7).”
Be fervent for our Lord, leave your complacency behind. His return is very near. The signs are all around us. Wake up, dear Brothers and Sisters, and live, truly live for Jesus, the One who died for you. When I was in prison, we had a saying: "If you stay ready, you don't have to get ready." Sure, it had a much different meaning than I am using now, but it applies here. Don’t be caught sleeping when He comes back. If you are not ready for your Lord to come back right now, then get ready. If you are ready, make sure you stay that way.
If it has been awhile since you read the Word, may I make some suggestions on places to start? Matthew 5-7; Ephesians 4:17-5:20; Colossians 3; Colossians 4:5-6; and the whole book of James.
May God richly bless you as you live for Him!

*As a final note, no doubt I will have ruffled some feathers by writing this. That’s okay though. Sometimes it is a good thing to get your feathers ruffled. I am sure that someone will think (maybe even say to me?) that it is not my place to judge. We all know that famous passage that is so often misapplied and misunderstood: Judge not! However, I rest my authority to say what I have said in this letter on the following passage:
“…it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside… (1 Corinthians 5:12b-13a).”