Where Are You?

Where Are You?

Stand Firm in the Faith

 This blog may be considered an open letter to the Christian Church, (all-inclusive), the universal church of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Collectively, that would mean all who are born again, regenerated, redeemed by Christ believer.  Whatever your relational position is with the Savior, only you can know.  It is time for us, (as professing Christians), to examine ourselves, instead of just going along with the flow of the world and the various forms of progressive religion, including those who are of false teachers; their motivation is of the world and not the Kingdom of God.

I classify to whom I write this article because things of the spirit are not understood except by the Spirit.  That is why each individual born into this world, is born with a “measure of faith that they may first believe.”  To the non-believer to read this would be a total waist of time, because you will not understand what I am talking about, or attempting to convey to my fellow believer.

Over the years of my ministry there have been those who have attempted to lend credibility to their conversation by saying that they have studied the Bible and know Jesus, but yet persecute Christianity and the deny the deity of Christ, the authority of the Bible, and the Bible as being the divine and special revelation of God.  When I encounter individuals that are obviously challenging my belief as hieratical or to push their argument that there is no God, it is time to remind them that the demons and devils know who Christ is, and know scripture better than I or most scholars.  Nonetheless, the demons and devils do not have a loving relationship in their intimacy and knowledge of the savior, they may know the Bible, but have no understanding of it being the living word of God.  They cannot unless they have the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, whom Christ sent to teach us all things, to comfort, to guide, convict, and bless us.

With that said, let us continue with what is happening, and will continue to worsen over the next couple of years if the Christians do not “repent,” change direction and move in the direction of God.  Christians have followed the Pied Piper of this world.  I do not know if it is out of fear of being called names, or mocked, or outright lied about, perhaps it is political correctness, or the intimidation from progressives and liberal politicians, what reason do Christians have for not standing up for Jesus?  Some quote the Bible, “turn the other cheek,” “live by the sword, die by the sword,” “Jesus said we would be hated and persecuted,”  and to these and many more I agree, nonetheless, for the life of me, I do not see where any of these tell me that I am not to stand firm and defend my faith!  Nowhere, does the Bible tell me I am to compromise my faith, or the Word of God; what is happening Christian, are you so ashamed of Jesus that you deny Him, as Peter did? 

It is not politically correct to make the claim that America is a ‘Christian’ nation.  The Atheists and liberals have brainwashed many Americans into believing or going along with extremism from the liberal side is not a bad thing, only Christianity is bad; that sin can be free to enslave Americans.  It did not start with Obama, it started nearly fifty years ago, however, it has become more obvious and intensified under Obama’s watch.  Notice that the Christian denominations that have compromised their faith, and the basis of their faith are never mentioned in any of the Obama assault on Christianity.  Ever wonder why it is, those denominations that oppose the president’s ideology and agenda are tagged and found on a terror watch list from Home Land Security, (military’s), such as Catholics, and Evangelical Christians?  They have classified Christians above the Muslim Brotherhood.

The report that the Southern Baptist Convention’s web site was blocked from military bases is the one that really bent my nose a bit.  The scraping off Bible verses from the rifles and the presentation of anti-Christian content to the National Guard.  The lame excuses that this government has come up with as to why, is just plain fabrications of truth.

The political correctness “protocol”, social injustice, racism, intolerance, school curriculum, Christianity from the public square, attempt to re-right history, and all the recent campaigns against Christianity, leaves little doubt that we are intentionally being persecuted by liberal and progressive politics from both sides of the isle who are New Ager Gnostics.  The ones who are not under attack are the ones that have compromised the faith, and embraced liberal and liberation theologies, and heretic ideologies.

The title and original question of this blog is “Where Are You?”  This is to mean just that.  As a Christian, where am I?  Where are you?

The first church…  Ephesus became the ‘loveless church.’  Not so much as the love to one another, or the horizontal love for humankind, but through their discipline and work, they had lost their intimate love for the Lord. 

The second church…  Smyrna became the ‘persecuted church.’  Even though they were persecuted put into prison and tested they did not waiver or give in.  Jesus gives us hope and purpose in our persecution and tribulation even unto death.  The crown of life!

The third church…   Pergamos became the ‘compromising church.’   Compromise, when we compromise the basic foundations of the church, as it was then with false doctrines, that of Balaam or of Nicolaitans (the followers of Nicolas the unbelieving deacon), or of the Gnostics, liberal theologies, liberation theology, Atheist, or progressive politics, we have compromised the faith.

The fourth church… Thyatira became the ‘corrupt church.’  The woman Jezebel, (Jezebel being used by Jesus as a type of woman), teaching sexual immorality and other false doctrines, nonetheless the sexual immorality seems to be the main point of the corrupt church, because of such we have another tool of Satan to tear down the value of marriage, and the family unit.  How are you with homosexuality? Gay marriage? It is here where we need to really examine ourselves as to why?  Why have we lost the battle in this area?  Could it be, that we started to condemn the person and not the sin?  The Christian should look at the sin and not the sinner, and what that sin does to the value of marriage and the family. 

The fifth church…  Sardis became the ‘dead church.’  I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  If we are not demanding that we are actively involved in outreach, if we are not furthering the growth of the Kingdom, if we are not speaking up with our testimony, or living a life that reflects Jesus in us, we may well be dead.

The sixth church…  Philadelphia the ‘faithful church.’   “these things says He who is holy He who is true,” He who has the key of David, He who opens and none shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: I know your works, see I have set before you an open door, that no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept my word, and have not denied My name.  Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie – indeed I will make them come and worship before our feet; and to know that I have loved you.  Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.  Behold I come quickly!  Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.  He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more.  I will write on him the name of My God and the mane of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God.  And I will write on him My new name.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 

Where do I fit in this church condition?  WOW!   Am I keeping Jesus’ command to persevere? That means keeping on keeping on!  When all that is going on around us is ever intensifying am I hiding out, or am I continuing to push back! 

The seventh church…  Laodicea became the “Lukewarm church.”  ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold or hot.  I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth.  Jesus is here saying that the lukewarm Christian makes him sick!  It took over four years to find a church where the pastor keeps me fired up about the faith!  There are two other retired pastors who have joined this church, and the reason we have is because we are spiritually challenged to stand fast in the faith and keep on keeping on serving our Lord.

Stand Firm -- Stop the Attack

It is my heartfelt suggestion, that anyone who reads this and is a born again Christian, go to the book of Revelation, chapter 2 – 3 read and then study each of them see who searches your “mind and heart” who knows you better than you know yourself.  Make an informed analysis of what you find in your spirit, take the steps to repent and grasp the opportunity to stand fast in the faith.