Philippians 3:18
One Sunday Morning
Author Unknown
One Sunday morning during a service in a mega church, two men entered, covered from head to toe in black and carrying sub-machine guns. One of the men proclaimed, "Anyone willing to take a bullet for Christ remain where you are."
Immediately, most of the choir rapidly filed out of their seats to flee, all the deacons hastily left their post, while most of the church congregation themselves promptly vanished. Out of the 12,500 seated people, only around 200 remained.
The man who had spoken took off his hood, looked at the preacher and said, "Okay Pastor, I got rid of all the haters and all of the hypocrites. Now you may begin your service."
Then the two men turned and walked out.
There are those who come faithfully to the house of God, but they have no desire to know Him and His house is not their true home! Their minds dwell on their own appetites, cravings and passions!
Oh, that we had the same affections of the heart, for the Glory of God, that was felt by the Apostle Paul. That we were as discerning and intuitive as he was, even to tears, lest any who professed to be the friends of the Cross should, by their very own lives, turn out to be its worst enemies.
Instead of pondering and ruminating over any of these present day deceivers, we need immediately to fall on our knees in prayer and faith believing, therefore triumphing over them. Oh, we need more of Paul's enthusiasm for God, and that nothing would matter more as long as men were saved and God's name was Glorified!
May Jesus our Lord bring us to that state of mind!
Let it be known, there are many who are on the faithful course and are headed for the same goal of "finishing the race," that God has us on. However, there are those who choose to take their own paths, choosing their own goals as they try their best to get you to go along with them.
Paul's warning is for today as much as it was in the church of Phillipi! All some supporters want is easy street, they hate the Cross of Christ. But, easy street is a dead-end, fulfilling only their desires of gossip, lies, backbiting, immorality, murder, corruption and defilement!
We have already seen murder in the church and the killing of a six year old child right here in South Carolina. Our nation is in a war with itself and law and order is controversial!
It is a peculiar, convoluted world of strange things-a Savior full of love and men full of hate. An apostle, a preacher with a heart so broken that he rather weep than preach and a congregation with hearts so hard that, though he has poured out his heart to them, with the truths of God over and over, but still... they do not respond to it.
Our God has not left us hopeless... take heart, my friends there is far more to life for us!! We are citizens of the highest heaven and we are waiting the arrival of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He will transform our earthly bodies into glorious bodies like His own! He is putting everything as it should be, no matter what this life looks like now!
So, now I ask you to ponder the statement below: