On the news this week they had a poll that said 3.4% of Americans are LGBT. (And before some of you get all hot headed and red faced...this is not about people's lifestyle choices. Just keep reading to see my point). I was shocked at the number being so small because they have such a loud voice in American politics and policies.
3.4%
That is such a small number. So then I wanted to see what the percentage of Christians in America is.
78% (according to NPR).
LOL!!! Literally....that number made me laugh.
I am completely shocked and at the same time horrified. If that is a fact...which I assume it is, that 78% of people in America consider themselves Christian or mostly affiliated with Christian beliefs, WHAT IN THE WORLD is going on here in America?!!!!?
If only 3.4% of people are LGBT and they have such a loud voice in our culture and government, then why is a group that is 23x bigger have little to no say at all in this nation?
It's because that 78% of Americans who call themselves Christians don't have half the passion about their beliefs as that 3.4%.
That's what I believe it boils down to.
So where is this passion for the God that is believed in by 78% of Americans?
Why are we not shifting our own country with this passion, that when seen and heard is so contagious!?
There is a disconnect somewhere...Our country is about 236 years old this year...and yet the country has only drifted from our foundation of faith. If even half of 78% go to church (39%)...why are we not seeing generations rise up and stand up as what God has called us to be? L.R. Shelton says, "Seemingly everybody seems to be 'born again'; but where are the fruits of the new birth?...Where is the Christ-like life?...those whom the Lord Jesus Christ is precious and a living reality?"
I'm going to step into the line of fire and say the disconnect comes in the church.
Something is going wrong in the church. If we can call it that at anymore. Now, I know this may sound harsh, but just follow me here.
Firstly I do want to say that the Bride of Christ is to be loved. I seek everyday to love the church, the bride of Christ, with all of its imperfections because Jesus Christ loved the church first. There are many churches who are the true Bride of Christ, so please know that I am not speaking of every church in America.
But what many Americans have begun to call the church, is in fact no church at all. Paul Washer said himself, "I believe alot of churches in America are not churches." The church is meant so serve as an ignition, a fan to the flame of fervor and passion for our Savior. But instead...millions leave church every Sunday feeling no different then when they entered.
"The majority of what calls itself Christianity today is a circus. You've got a bunch of people chasing health, wealth, prosperity; chasing a good time, chasing the social club, chasing where the action's happening, chasing the good music and the good times. But few people are out there chasing God, and truly going hard after Him, and truly making the sacrifices in their life and cleaning their hands in such a way and working to have a pure heart that they might actually ascend that hill of the Lord and they might actually commune with God in a way that few people do and few people know about." ~ Tim Conway
It breaks my heart, but it is what I have begun to see. Charles Spurgeon's prophecy has become largely true, "A time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the church will have clowns entertaining the goats." - Spurgeon (TruthSource)
How did this happen? How did this happen when we were on watch? My heart literally aches to think that while I have been on watch, in the church, for 23 years, this has happened.
I feel like David when Goliath was running his mouth about the Living God. Davide stood in shock amongst the Israelites, saying, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" (1 Samuel 17:21).
Who are these men and women coming amongst the Bride of Christ looking for fame, wealth, favor of men and ease of living? Who are they that they should dilute the Gospel of God and seek to simply entertain people?
I do not go to church to sit in a comfortable chair, amongst pleasant well-dressed people, and get a good laugh. I go to church to be convicted and challenged in my faith, to experience the presence of God Almighty, and to feel refreshed and filled by the Word of God.
Can you only imagine the sorrow of our Savior to see what has become of many of his Bride's homes? May it not be so! May we not grieve or quench the Spirit of the Lord any longer!
But what has happened, how did this happen?
We began to let our flesh speak over our spirit. We began to notice the nice huge churches, and all the fun things they brought into the temple. We liked convenience, and media, and tech savvy presentations. And before we knew it, we were overcome with a love for the culture in our very own church. We welcomed in the world's entertainment and pleasures, forgetting that the bride is only meant to be about Christ.
"The early Church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity." ~ Leonard Ravenhill
My soul is devastated. We must deliver the bride from such an illness by standing up and saying church is about JESUS. I don't want to laugh at a good joke or story in church, I want to laugh with overflowing joy of the Lord. I don't want to socialize at church, unless it is with the Living God. I don't want to judge those around me at church, I want to search my own heart and repent for my own shortcomings and failures. I don't want to beg God for more, I want to thank him for his unending blessings he has already given me.
Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with jokes or stories at church, or socializing with fellow believers or asking God for things, but when it takes over the focus of Christ...then it has no place in the church.
I want to see the Bride be the bride. Not some masked painted face joyfully loving people to hell by deception and distraction. It sounds so so harsh, but don't you see it, don't you see what is happening? We are trading the Treasure for counterfeit.
People are believing they are truly saved, but "Most people today in our churches are lost, and they demonstrate that they are lost because their entire Christianity is nothing more than, 'They made a decision.'" ~ Paul Washer
This cannot remain so. The GOSPEL must be taught, shouted from the rooftops. People must know the TRUE Gospel, the Gospel that CHANGES people, that makes them look entirely different from the world around them.
So what is to be done? How do we begin this shift? Pray.
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." - James 5:16
The Lord longs infinitely more than we do to see his Bride restored.
And love. Love the church, love them as Christ loved the prostitute who was about to be stoned, who instead was saved as Jesus said, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7).
Cast no judgement or hatred towards those who are wolves. But rather love them to Heaven. Speak truth, yet know that you will be opposed even by those in the church. Speak the truth, and SEEK THE LORD.
"Watch that you do not lose your own spirituality while trying to make others spiritual. The great point is to live near to God." - Spurgeon
In the end, we are not here to save the lost, or rescue the dying. We are here to glorify our God, Jesus Christ. HE is the Great Rescuer. The Great Healer. When you draw near to him, and grow in your relationship with Him...THAT is when you will see the heavenly realm shift. He is once again RISING UP the ARMY of the LORD. And as you rise you SHINE. And that is the light that others notice. That is the light that sparks Life, and brings them to ask life of the Living God.
My prayer is that from this blog post what you take away is an awareness and an awakened fervor for the Lord. I want to see God's children step out of the shadows of complacent sleep, and say "No more." To stand up and say, "I will no longer settle for counterfeit gospel. I want to know the TRUTH, the GOSPEL, JESUS CHRIST." To shout from the rooftops the goodness of our God, and be a voice in the wilderness shining forth God's holy passion for his people.
Let us pray for a revival of the Gospel, the True Gospel. People are hungry for the Real Jesus. May you be blessed in your journey to know God more and more everyday. He is faithful to redeem and restore, for he is Love.
(I welcome your thoughts or questions about this topic or on any other that presses on your heart.)
"That the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored." 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Less Than 1%
In high school my Bible teacher led us through the book of Romans. This study was the first time that Scripture truly came alive to me.
I had grown up in the church, feeling as though I had known Jesus since even before I was born. I accepted Jesus into my heart when I was 7, and I truly believe that I then received the Holy Spirit, but I believe that I quenched it. But it was when we read Romans 7:15-25, that I felt the first real spark of the Spirit.
I had always loved Jesus, and done what was expected and desired as a young Christian girl. I never got into drugs, alcohol, swearing, etc because I just knew it was wrong, pointless, and would not make my parents too happy. But what I did struggle with was focusing on God and serving him out of true love.
I was in a season of extreme distraction and frustration with a relationship that I knew was probably not ever going to be God-glorifying. It was a relationship that I knew was just a tool of the enemy. In my heart I knew the guy was not something the Lord would want for me, but man oh man did I fight it.
So it was reading Romans 7:15 that I felt the Spirt open my eyes, and for the first time I saw my exact self in Scripture.
"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ...For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." (Romans 7:15,18-19)
"OH MY GOSH!!!" Were my exact thoughts, "THAT'S ME!!! I do the exact thing I don't want to do!"
And it was with those thoughts that the Lord woke my sleeping soul.
My Bible teacher then told us some days later that less than 1% of people who claim to be Christians have actually read the entire Bible. Pretty sure my jaw literally dropped, as well as my heart. I was not one of those people...
I was one of that 99+ % that had not read the book that I base my entire faith and LIFE on. I didn't even know myself what all was in the book I claim to be 100% true. How do I know it is true if I haven't even read it!?!? I was just going off of what everyone else told me.
It wasn't until my Sophomore year in college that I actually did something about this conviction. I had tried those "Read the Bible in one year plan" but I always felt like I was reading out of obligation. Looking at the daily assignment with "ugh...3 chapters??" didn't feel so God-glorifying. So I finally decided to just read what I wanted and when I wanted.
I started with the New Testament because I wanted to be able to see all that was foreshadowing Christ in the Old Testament and already be familiar with the prophesies Christ fulfilled.
And so every morning I would get up and read as much as I felt like. Somedays it was 1 chapter, others were just a few verses. I felt no guilt in only reading a little some mornings because I had no set plan. It was just whatever I felt led to read. ...but then something shifted. The more and more I read the more and more I wanted. I started to read entire books in one day because I couldn't get enough!!
My spirit yearned for more and more. I felt so alive, energized, and satisfied. It took me 1 1/2 years to finish the Bible, but it was the most wondrous, amazing, and invigorating endeavor I have ever taken.
I discovered hidden treasures, stories that I had never heard of in my 21 years of being a Christian, verses that spoke my soul's exact feelings, and so much Life!
Scripture came to life in this year and a half journey. When I finally finished in Malachi, my heart felt SO full. It wasn't easy...oh boy...Leviticus, Numbers...those were so hard. But I sought the Lord for the purpose of books that I struggled through. And He was so faithful!
When I read the last words of Malachi, my heart skipped. And then came the "Wait...what do I do now?" I thought to myself.."Now what?" And the Spirit spoke..."Read it again." Of course! Why would I stop??
And so I read the New Testament again. Did you know there is a special blessing for those who read Revelation? (Revelation 1:3)...but Revelation is not for the faint of heart ;)
Alllll of this to say:
I challenge you, if you have not already, to start your journey through the Bible. You don't have to take notes or even study. Just read it. Simply read through the Bible...the studying, note taking,etc, that can come later. Just start in Matthew and read however much you want whenever you want. Keep a bookmark, just like you would in any other book. Your life will never be the same.
It won't be easy, if it was, everyone would have already done it. But it is honestly the most rewarding thing in life that you could ever do. I pinky promise that the Lord will do something in you. It may not seem like He is when you first start off, you may struggle through the first couple books...but then...one day, something will shift. I have no doubts about that fact. Something WILL shift in the depths of your soul, and you will become so hungry for the Word of God that you will amaze yourself with your love of Scripture.
Brother or sister, I pray that you will choose to start this endeavor today. Right now. It doesn't matter how long it will take you, it may take less than a year, more than a year, even 3 years. But it doesn't matter. How incredible will it be that on the day we see Jesus face to face, we are able to say, "Lord! Lord! I read your letter to me. I read every word! I read it over and over again, and it was life to me! I love your Word, my sweet Jesus!"
I want to be able to say that. :) And I pray that you be able to say that too.
All His love,
Sophia
I had grown up in the church, feeling as though I had known Jesus since even before I was born. I accepted Jesus into my heart when I was 7, and I truly believe that I then received the Holy Spirit, but I believe that I quenched it. But it was when we read Romans 7:15-25, that I felt the first real spark of the Spirit.
I had always loved Jesus, and done what was expected and desired as a young Christian girl. I never got into drugs, alcohol, swearing, etc because I just knew it was wrong, pointless, and would not make my parents too happy. But what I did struggle with was focusing on God and serving him out of true love.
I was in a season of extreme distraction and frustration with a relationship that I knew was probably not ever going to be God-glorifying. It was a relationship that I knew was just a tool of the enemy. In my heart I knew the guy was not something the Lord would want for me, but man oh man did I fight it.
So it was reading Romans 7:15 that I felt the Spirt open my eyes, and for the first time I saw my exact self in Scripture.
"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. ...For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." (Romans 7:15,18-19)
"OH MY GOSH!!!" Were my exact thoughts, "THAT'S ME!!! I do the exact thing I don't want to do!"
And it was with those thoughts that the Lord woke my sleeping soul.
My Bible teacher then told us some days later that less than 1% of people who claim to be Christians have actually read the entire Bible. Pretty sure my jaw literally dropped, as well as my heart. I was not one of those people...
I was one of that 99+ % that had not read the book that I base my entire faith and LIFE on. I didn't even know myself what all was in the book I claim to be 100% true. How do I know it is true if I haven't even read it!?!? I was just going off of what everyone else told me.
It wasn't until my Sophomore year in college that I actually did something about this conviction. I had tried those "Read the Bible in one year plan" but I always felt like I was reading out of obligation. Looking at the daily assignment with "ugh...3 chapters??" didn't feel so God-glorifying. So I finally decided to just read what I wanted and when I wanted.
I started with the New Testament because I wanted to be able to see all that was foreshadowing Christ in the Old Testament and already be familiar with the prophesies Christ fulfilled.
And so every morning I would get up and read as much as I felt like. Somedays it was 1 chapter, others were just a few verses. I felt no guilt in only reading a little some mornings because I had no set plan. It was just whatever I felt led to read. ...but then something shifted. The more and more I read the more and more I wanted. I started to read entire books in one day because I couldn't get enough!!
My spirit yearned for more and more. I felt so alive, energized, and satisfied. It took me 1 1/2 years to finish the Bible, but it was the most wondrous, amazing, and invigorating endeavor I have ever taken.
I discovered hidden treasures, stories that I had never heard of in my 21 years of being a Christian, verses that spoke my soul's exact feelings, and so much Life!
Scripture came to life in this year and a half journey. When I finally finished in Malachi, my heart felt SO full. It wasn't easy...oh boy...Leviticus, Numbers...those were so hard. But I sought the Lord for the purpose of books that I struggled through. And He was so faithful!
When I read the last words of Malachi, my heart skipped. And then came the "Wait...what do I do now?" I thought to myself.."Now what?" And the Spirit spoke..."Read it again." Of course! Why would I stop??
And so I read the New Testament again. Did you know there is a special blessing for those who read Revelation? (Revelation 1:3)...but Revelation is not for the faint of heart ;)
Alllll of this to say:
I challenge you, if you have not already, to start your journey through the Bible. You don't have to take notes or even study. Just read it. Simply read through the Bible...the studying, note taking,etc, that can come later. Just start in Matthew and read however much you want whenever you want. Keep a bookmark, just like you would in any other book. Your life will never be the same.
It won't be easy, if it was, everyone would have already done it. But it is honestly the most rewarding thing in life that you could ever do. I pinky promise that the Lord will do something in you. It may not seem like He is when you first start off, you may struggle through the first couple books...but then...one day, something will shift. I have no doubts about that fact. Something WILL shift in the depths of your soul, and you will become so hungry for the Word of God that you will amaze yourself with your love of Scripture.
Brother or sister, I pray that you will choose to start this endeavor today. Right now. It doesn't matter how long it will take you, it may take less than a year, more than a year, even 3 years. But it doesn't matter. How incredible will it be that on the day we see Jesus face to face, we are able to say, "Lord! Lord! I read your letter to me. I read every word! I read it over and over again, and it was life to me! I love your Word, my sweet Jesus!"
I want to be able to say that. :) And I pray that you be able to say that too.
All His love,
Sophia
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The Girl On Fire
Move over Katniss Everdeen, I want to burn with a different kind of flame.
This morning on the way to school I discovered a song that should very well be our anthem as a His Church.
"For the sake of the world, burn like a fire in me. Light a flame in my soul, for every eye to see."
Immediately the Lord gave me a vision of driving along a highway and seeing a big smoke cloud coming from a fire. When you drive by those things you immediately notice it and it pulls in your curiosity. You instantly wonder, "Whoa, I wonder what is going on over there? Why is there so much smoke?"
Just like when people see smoke rising and their curiosity is sparked, people should see the fire in Christians. We should be that beacon, that smoke signal calling people's attention and focus to what is burning in our souls.
Why is it burning? What is causing such an unusual large flame?
WE are to be that attention grabbing fire, a fire that grabs people's attention near and far.
We are to grab their attention by the fire in our souls for our Savior.
I want to be so in love, so passionate, so infused with love and awe of my Savior that I am a tenacious fire affecting everything in my path, forcing people to wonder what in the world is going on with her!? Why is she like that?
May we be on fire for the LORD. May be we live to bring HIM glory.
Burn like a fire in me my Sweet Blessed Gracious Savior!! Burn in me, burn me up. May I be a beacon that calls all to wonder and question what is feeding the flame in my soul.
All it takes is one question to get people thinking...one question. one thought. one Spark. That's all it takes to begin a fire.
This morning on the way to school I discovered a song that should very well be our anthem as a His Church.
"For the sake of the world, burn like a fire in me. Light a flame in my soul, for every eye to see."
Immediately the Lord gave me a vision of driving along a highway and seeing a big smoke cloud coming from a fire. When you drive by those things you immediately notice it and it pulls in your curiosity. You instantly wonder, "Whoa, I wonder what is going on over there? Why is there so much smoke?"
Just like when people see smoke rising and their curiosity is sparked, people should see the fire in Christians. We should be that beacon, that smoke signal calling people's attention and focus to what is burning in our souls.
Why is it burning? What is causing such an unusual large flame?
WE are to be that attention grabbing fire, a fire that grabs people's attention near and far.
We are to grab their attention by the fire in our souls for our Savior.
I want to be so in love, so passionate, so infused with love and awe of my Savior that I am a tenacious fire affecting everything in my path, forcing people to wonder what in the world is going on with her!? Why is she like that?
May we be on fire for the LORD. May be we live to bring HIM glory.
Burn like a fire in me my Sweet Blessed Gracious Savior!! Burn in me, burn me up. May I be a beacon that calls all to wonder and question what is feeding the flame in my soul.
All it takes is one question to get people thinking...one question. one thought. one Spark. That's all it takes to begin a fire.
Burn like a fire for HIM.
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