Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their own conscience seared with a hot iron... 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-2
UNWANTED IN THE CHURCH
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COULD THIS BE
It was a beautiful Sunday morning. People were filling the church to its fullest capacity!
As they entered, each person was given a bulletin filled with the week's announcements, topics of the day's sermon, what songs they would be singing and who to pray for.
At the end of the line stood an elderly man. His clothes were filthy and you could tell that he had not bathed in days. His face was covered in whiskers where he had not shaved for a very long time.
When he reached the usher, he removed his tattered old brown hat in respect. His hair was a long, dirty, tangled mess. He had no shoes on his feet and wore only soiled black socks.
TIME TO CALL IN THE DEACON
The usher called the head deacon over, both had their fingers holding their noses and as they glared at the old man they said, "Um, I'm sorry sir, but I'm afraid we can't let you in. You will distract the congregation and we don't allow anyone to disrupt our service. I'm afraid you'll have to leave!"
The old man looked down at himself and with a puzzled look on his face, he placed his old brown hat back upon his head and turned to leave.
DISCOURAGED AND UNWANTED
He was sad as he loved to hear the choir sing praises to the Lord. He loved to watch the little children get up in front of the church to sing their little songs. He carried in his pocket a small worn out Bible and love to see if the minister preached a passage from the Bible that the old man had underlined.
He was respectful enough and didn't want to cause any commotion, so he hung down his head and walked back down the steps of the big brick church. He sat down on the brick wall near the edge of the churchyard and strained to listen through the closed doors and windows to the singing going on in the church.
Oh, how he wished he could be inside with all the others!
OH, WHEN JESUS STEPS IN
A few minutes had passed by when all of a sudden a younger man came up behind him and sat down near him. He asked the old man what he was doing. The old man answered, "I was going to church today, but they thought I was filthy and my clothes are old and worn, and they were afraid I would disrupt their service."
"I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. My name is George."
The two gentlemen shook hands and George couldn't help but notice that this man had long hair like his. He wore a piece of cloth draped over his body tied with a royal purple sash. He had sandals upon his feet, now covered with dust and dirt.
The stranger reached out to touch George's shoulder and said, "Hello, George, don't feel bad because they won't let you in. My name is Jesus, and I've been trying to get into this same church for years, and they won't let me in either."
WHAT HAVE WE DONE??
Does this story seem a little absurd or senseless to you? Are you wondering, "What church would ever do that!"
Let's stop and think about it for a moment! Let's see, what has been removed from our once Christian Nation:
No Prayers in our schools, No Bibles or Bible reading in our schools, No Spanking our children on their backsides,
Abortions not only allowed by our schools and Planned
Parenthood, but we don't have to inform parents in many
states and our boys, who are just being boys they
get as many free condoms as they like!
Can we even say, "God help us, after all the silence that has caused a very few people to have their ideas made into laws that govern our homes and schools??"
RESPONSIBILITIES WE ALL BEAR!
We can always pray, but we bear the responsibilities for; every prayer that wasn't said in school, every Bible that was tossed out of school, every child who has become a criminal because we didn't discipline them, every unknowingly aborted baby and every boy who now feels free to engage in sexual activities!
We need to be praying, "God have MERCY on us, our homes, our schools, and even our churches!"
APOSTASY
Sadly, there are many churches out there that just go through the motions. They are "so set in their own ways and even their own traditions" that they don't even realize or consider that Jesus would like to be welcomed into their midst!
The Holy Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in the latter times there will be a great falling away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and the doctrine of demons. We are being misled by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared as with a branding iron leaving many of us incapable of ethical functioning!
I'm saying that when the Spirit of God makes it clear as time goes by, there will be those of you who just simply give up
on the faith and you will chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. These liars have lied so well
and for so long that they have lost their
capacity for truth!
We've done a great disservice to our schools, our children, our marriages and even our churches!! We have taken the
Lord out of our lives and even many churches!
SELF SUFFICIENCY!
Why you may ask?? I believe it's because we have become self-sufficient to the point that we no longer need the Lord God! We
have thrown him out of every important decision and we have become, "OUR OWN GODS!
We no longer read our BIBLES, we no longer PRAY as we ought to, and we no longer NEED God in our lives! Yet, after horrible bullying... or a school shooting... We ask ourselves WHY!!
WHY DID GOD LET THIS HAPPEN???
TIME TO PRAY FOLKS!!
Lord Jesus, I pray that you have mercy on America. I pray that we invite you back into our lives! I pray for a Spiritual Awakening of your children and I pray sincerely for
forgiveness for all of us who have
LEFT YOU OUT OF OUR LIVES, OUR SCHOOLS, and EVEN OUR CHURCHES!! Help us, dear God, and please senda revival just once more!! Amen.
BE PREPARED FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE
We must put on the "Armor of God" daily!
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in
the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God,
that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil!
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your
feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be
able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which
is the Word of God: Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with
all perserverence and supplication for all saints; And for
me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open
my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the
gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds:
that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
EPHESIANS 6:10-20