I know I said I would talk more about “spiritual orphans” and “spiritual sons”, but I decided not to. If you really desire to know what a spiritual orphan looks like, what it must take to kill your flesh, and then be filled with the same spirit of Christ that calls out “Abba, Father!” then read Romans 6, 7, and 8. Paul says it far better than I ever will. Still, the reason I am not going to talk about it is simply because as I meditated and took it all to scripture something began to happen in my heart; God, the Holy Spirit, began to reveal something to me…
I honestly find it quit comical that as I experience beautiful cultures across the world, see creation like never before, and worship with the persecuted Church’s that my heart should long for my brothers and sisters back home like never before. Do I believe this to be my last time I ever go overseas and advance the love and glory that is God? No. (Those supporting me, aren’t you happy to hear this!) But God is seriously breaking my heart, to the point of tears (no joke) for the lukewarm Church’s of America.
It’s not that I believe myself to be “holier than thou”, but my new experiences of God have deepened my love for my fellow Christians, especially for those who walk as an orphan along the lukewarm path of the American Church. I know all are children of God and equal in His eyes, and I am but a simple man who longs to see the heart and face of Jesus Christ every single day. However, I also know that the majority of you back home are bored with the religion of Christianity and are just too timid to admit it in fear of what those around you may say or think. I love you like crazy and one of things I crave more than anything is to experience God with you in true genuine worship from the soul and spirit. (1 John 3:18-19; 1 John 4:7-8; 1 John 5:1; John 13:35).
So let me start off by saying,
“It is okay that you feel this way! Long after God, shout out loud that you are bored, lost, unsure of what you believe, etc. The wonder that is God awaits you, humble yourself before Him.”
For too long has the American church made the cross a friendly pal with the human race, a source of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment that allows the man to live for his own pleasure, “only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor” (A.W. Towzer). The new cross no longer slays the sinner but instead provides a warm fuzzy blanket that allows the follower of Christ to sleep at night while still chained and bound by sin as they remain unchanged by the grace of Christ. The new cross doesn’t bring the earth to the judgment of heaven, but has instead brought heaven to the judgment of the earth.
Too many have become content and satisfied with the theology of the cross; however, it appears quit obvious that Christ never intended for us to become satisfied with the theory of self-denial. Jesus has to do all the dying and suffering, but we want to be happy. It appears that as a body we have forgotten what it says in 1 John 1:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
The Church has become bored with the invisible God in the same way the Israelites became bored as Moses ascended the mountain. This time the golden-calf is a maximum of entertainment, especially among the youth, and a minimum of serious instruction in order to attract people. It would be nearly impossible to attract people if the only attraction is God…oh God forgive us. Any objection to this golden-calf Christianity deals with a response along the lines of, “But we are winning them! So many people come now!” Winning them to what?!
To true discipleship?
To cross-carrying?
To self-denial?
To separation from the world?
To crucifixion of the flesh?
To a despising of the world’s treasures?
To total commitment to Christ
To hard-self dicipline?
To love for God?
To holy living?
The path is narrow, it is difficult, but we have grace to learn by. My heart is for the one who has entered the narrow gate and then sat down forgetting that there is also a narrow path they must follow. What a price the American Church is paying for their boredom. I love all of you so much and I will pray for you with my entire heart, and I hope you too will pray for me.
