Denying the power thereof...

"In the last days men will...have a form of  worship, but denying the power thereof..."    -2Timothy 3:5


I've gone to several churches over the past few years, some large and very Banana Republic like in appearance, and some meeting wherever God purposed; at the end of the day, any old building will do. You see, the assembly of God in Christ Jesus is not a work of human hands. The ecclesia, the Body of Christ, is not confined to walls built by men. It is also, not a lone wolf wilderness. It is a people brought together by the power of God for the salvation of the world. Church was never biblically defined or designated as a building; it was men coming together in Jesus name to encourage strengthen and share the truth about the same power and hope and faith they had come to by God's will in our Savior. I fear that many, maybe most, do not know the voice of Christ, and marginalize Holy Spirit's power by settling for a form of worship that is laid upon a wide wide road.

 Let me say this clearly: church is not a place where you go to be saved, it is where the saved get together in Spirit and Truth. It is not a place for altar calls, it is a place for the called.  It is not a gathering of sinners seeking sainthood through attendance and tithes. God does not need facetime on the weekend, He needs humble servants of clay 24/7/365.  Church is by election, grace and Holy Spirit power. It is two or more gathered by His will and in His name, and 3000 being saved in one day.

Modern Christianity has turned church into a place you go, and not the person and people you are and come to be in Christ.  There is a continual modernizing of the Ancient of Days taking place, forming Him to a mold that makes Him more commercially viable to a world we do not belong to. The Spirit of the world  often navigates now the direction of  American Christianity, softening the message of Truth to appease an audience of men who do not comprehend who the Holy Spirit is. Obedience is overshadowed by grace. Tribulation is replaced with favor. Truth has been replaced with whatever message fills the seats and gains converts to a system  in denial of true Gospel. Repentance was the cornerstone of the early church. Today: It is grace and favor. Therein lies the root cause of a church without Holy Spirit Truth and miraculous works. Sin and it's implied chasm to Spiritual truths. It is a religious format denying Christ's centric headship. If churches really centered themselves on Jesus headship...it would be a different world. Then, He could really take the wheel.

Until the gospel of repentance and obedience through faith is properly declared in the darkness, men will a accumulate teachers to tickle their ears instead of being centered on The Teacher who only speaks truth and life. Truth of scripture will be the sword that divides the wheat from tares. You see, wheat and tares look identical until harvested. To whom we truly belong will be exposed when the fires that refine and the winds of tribulation surely separate chaff from wheat. What shall remain in an unadulterated remnant of those who, above beyond and separate from churches, really knew, the voice of Jesus, and followed Him like sheep.