In America today if you walk up to the average person and ask them if they are a christian, the majority of them will tell you yes. In America today, Christianity is the leading religion professed by United States Citizens. Yet the problem is that this nation looks nothing like Christ, and what is worse is that neither do our churches. Ladies, let me introduce to you modern christianity- the biggest country club on earth- anyone can join, all you have to do is wear nice clothes, go to the building called church every Sunday, sit in the padded pews, join a Bible study or two, become a member of a church, go to a few potluck dinners, get married, have kids, go on a mission trip for a week, and mention God to a few people and your set. It is really quite easy because everyone is fairly nice, or atleast to your face, oh and make sure you buy a Bible, but don’t worry about how thick it is or what the words mean because no one will expect you to read it anyway, just say Jesus to every question, be a good person, don’t kill anyone, and don’t go to jail, and everyone will believe you know God, and if you keep it up long enough, you begin to too. But the problem is that when we read the Bible-- we find stories of miracles done by the mighty hand of the One true God that are so incredible they are almost unbelievable, we see prophets, teachers, leaders, and apostles eagerly seeking God with everything they’ve got, acting in extreme obedience to extremely difficult calls by this God that is so apparently massive, and powerful, and we see this excruciating desperation come over men and women to spread the Good News of a Savior that has made redemption possible to not just one type of people, but to all; so much that death was no obstacle, but rather their only concern was that the One true God get all glory, and that they reached all the people humanly possible with the time-span given to them in life with no moment wasted for the sake of every person’s salvation from eternity in Hell-- what is worse is that christians, that is you and I, look nothing like this, and that is a very big problem.
What's the cause of this problem? Christians today do not really know God. We may think we serve Him, and worship Him, when in reality the god we serve is not the God of the Bible at all. All these events, the programs, these systems, this christian world with rock bands and t-shirts, colleges, churches-- this isn’t God! The god we are serving is not really God! Have you read the Bible lately? The god we cram into our church service time slots, the one who is okay with us not having our quiet times, who is understanding of the sin we choose over him, the god who doesn’t pay attention to our thoughts, or who doesn’t notice that were not even thinking of him as we sing songs about how big He is and how we will tell the world about Him and then leave church and never open our mouths-- that god is not God. Are you hearing what I am saying? That god is not GOD! Please do not miss this, because if this is what you think God is, you are following an illusion. Please hear me out- I come to you not in condemnation, but in love, as your sister in Christ. God is not some program you can install into this system you call your life- you do not have the power to turn Him on or turn Him off, you can not contain Him, you can not put Him in a box, nor can He fit into your plans, HE IS TOO BIG AND TOO REAL, and if you try- you only exclude yourself further and further from the true reality that is actually real, you forfeit the here and now, and drift away into the meaningless leisure land that you call your mind. And it is this, this act, that becomes the casualty to genuine Christianity, because we have turned God into this program that needed be installed in our minds and living for Him became like that of a virtual reality-- it is very robotic, heartless, think-less, and painless.
But the reality is, that god we have configured up in our minds is not the one true GOD! It is not the God of the Bible!!! It is an illusion, and a pretty crappy one at that. I mean think about it- what kind of a wimpy god puts up with such passive followers, such calloused hearts? Well not the God of the Bible, that is for sure. So while we parade around in our ideas of what want God to be and think He is, the real God is consuming those who are faithful with His abundant Spirit, and He is fulfilling His plan without us. The question is... how long will we persuade ourselves that this shrine we have built in our minds of this passive, non- disciplining, and carefree god is not really an idol we have actually built up for ourselves? WAKE UP! READ THE BIBLE! The god you have conjured up in your mind is not God! And recognize that Jesus is returning, and He is coming quickly, but to those who do not know God, nor believe His truth with real conviction-- then the signs of His returning will never be perceived by them for their eyes will be shielded by scales of deception that they themselves have allowed to be placed there, and He literally will come like a thief in the night. So it would be smart of you ask yourself... am I one of those people? Am I guilty of this? Do I really know the One true God, or do I know just what I have been told about Him here and there, and the rest is assumed? Do I have belief in God that is rooted in conviction, faith in Him and not only His existence, but His personality and characteristics as described in the Bible, do I know this God? This is so important because to those of us who chose to conform God to our convenience, we will be the ones who suffer- for the intensity of the contradiction to who He IS, and what we have made Him out to be, will be equivalent to that of Him finding us following an entirely different god. And we can never say we were not warned, for scripture tells us that we must know God! Read Matthew 17, and John 5:31-47:
Matthew 17:
1-3 "Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light. Then they realized that Moses and Elijah were also there in deep conversation with him. 4Peter broke in, "Master, this is a great moment! What would you think if I built three memorials here on the mountain—one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah?"
5While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: "This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him."
6-8When the disciples heard it, they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. But Jesus came over and touched them. "Don't be afraid." When they opened their eyes and looked around all they saw was Jesus, only Jesus.
9 Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. "Don't breathe a word of what you've seen. After the Son of Man is raised from the dead, you are free to talk."
10The disciples, meanwhile, were asking questions. "Why do the religion scholars say that Elijah has to come first?"
11-13Jesus answered, "Elijah does come and get everything ready. I'm telling you, Elijah has already come but they didn't know him when they saw him. They treated him like dirt, the same way they are about to treat the Son of Man." That's when the disciples realized that all along he had been talking about John the Baptizer.
14-16At the bottom of the mountain, they were met by a crowd of waiting people. As they approached, a man came out of the crowd and fell to his knees begging, "Master, have mercy on my son. He goes out of his mind and suffers terribly, falling into seizures. Frequently he is pitched into the fire, other times into the river. I brought him to your disciples, but they could do nothing for him." 17-18Jesus said, "What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here." He ordered the afflicting demon out—and it was out, gone. From that moment on the boy was well.
19When the disciples had Jesus off to themselves, they asked, "Why couldn't we throw it out?"
20"Because you're not yet taking God seriously," said Jesus. "The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, 'Move!' and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn't be able to tackle."
22-23As they were regrouping in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed to some people who want nothing to do with God. They will murder him—and three days later he will be raised alive." The disciples felt terrible.
24When they arrived at Capernaum, the tax men came to Peter and asked, "Does your teacher pay taxes?"
25Peter said, "Of course."
But as soon as they were in the house, Jesus confronted him. "Simon, what do you think? When a king levies taxes, who pays—his children or his subjects?"
26-27He answered, "His subjects."
Jesus said, "Then the children get off free, right? But so we don't upset them needlessly, go down to the lake, cast a hook, and pull in the first fish that bites. Open its mouth and you'll find a coin. Take it and give it to the tax men. It will be enough for both of us."
CHALLENGE: Know the REAL ONE TRUE GOD!!!!! Keep Running- EVERY NIGHT! Keep praying after you run- EVERY NIGHT! Keep witnessing- EVERYWHERE YOU GO! Go big or go home ladies. This God thing is serious, and it is time to kick it into gear.
5While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: "This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him."
6-8When the disciples heard it, they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. But Jesus came over and touched them. "Don't be afraid." When they opened their eyes and looked around all they saw was Jesus, only Jesus.
9 Coming down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy. "Don't breathe a word of what you've seen. After the Son of Man is raised from the dead, you are free to talk."
10The disciples, meanwhile, were asking questions. "Why do the religion scholars say that Elijah has to come first?"
11-13Jesus answered, "Elijah does come and get everything ready. I'm telling you, Elijah has already come but they didn't know him when they saw him. They treated him like dirt, the same way they are about to treat the Son of Man." That's when the disciples realized that all along he had been talking about John the Baptizer.
14-16At the bottom of the mountain, they were met by a crowd of waiting people. As they approached, a man came out of the crowd and fell to his knees begging, "Master, have mercy on my son. He goes out of his mind and suffers terribly, falling into seizures. Frequently he is pitched into the fire, other times into the river. I brought him to your disciples, but they could do nothing for him." 17-18Jesus said, "What a generation! No sense of God! No focus to your lives! How many times do I have to go over these things? How much longer do I have to put up with this? Bring the boy here." He ordered the afflicting demon out—and it was out, gone. From that moment on the boy was well.
19When the disciples had Jesus off to themselves, they asked, "Why couldn't we throw it out?"
20"Because you're not yet taking God seriously," said Jesus. "The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, 'Move!' and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn't be able to tackle."
22-23As they were regrouping in Galilee, Jesus told them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed to some people who want nothing to do with God. They will murder him—and three days later he will be raised alive." The disciples felt terrible.
24When they arrived at Capernaum, the tax men came to Peter and asked, "Does your teacher pay taxes?"
25Peter said, "Of course."
But as soon as they were in the house, Jesus confronted him. "Simon, what do you think? When a king levies taxes, who pays—his children or his subjects?"
26-27He answered, "His subjects."
Jesus said, "Then the children get off free, right? But so we don't upset them needlessly, go down to the lake, cast a hook, and pull in the first fish that bites. Open its mouth and you'll find a coin. Take it and give it to the tax men. It will be enough for both of us."
John 5:31-48:
31"If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. 32There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid. 33"You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
36"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41"I do not accept praise from men, 42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?
45"But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"
36"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41"I do not accept praise from men, 42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?
45"But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"
They didn’t know God, so notice how in both these passages, these “righteous” people rejected Moses and Elijah, and did not believe them. Jesus says the same about the religious people here- they will reject Him too because they do not really know God. Why is this important? Do we really know the real God- the One true God, the God of the Bible, the Alpha and the Omega, the king of kings, the Lord of Lords, the creator of Heaven and earth, the Lord Almighty who is incomprehensibly huge, and completely awesome; or is it the god in our heads, the illusion, the comfortable god who is convenient and fits in our plans? It is my truest hope that you do not follow the latter, for the latter will lead to death. An illusion will not save you, but the God of the Bible will. It is not enough to go to church, to study the scriptures backwards and forwards, in fact that is not even the goal- Where you start should not be with a to do list of deeds to get to God, because your works will get you closer to God. So what will? Move your feet, get on your face, and seek Him: Know God, and really know Him- the real Him- discover Him, and then once you've done that, you will have encountered true reality, God Himself, and THEN, something will come over you that makes nothing else make sense but to do all the things for God. Ladies, the distance between heaven and hell is only 18 inches... between your head and your heart. Knowing about Him and Knowing Him is the deal breaker, and its a much thicker line than we anticipate. If you don’t know Him- the real God- I suggest you get it straight right now. Nothing else is more real or important.
CHALLENGE: Know the REAL ONE TRUE GOD!!!!! Keep Running- EVERY NIGHT! Keep praying after you run- EVERY NIGHT! Keep witnessing- EVERYWHERE YOU GO! Go big or go home ladies. This God thing is serious, and it is time to kick it into gear.
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