Walking Revival Ministries, Inc.

I heard a preacher on the radio say “I’m so proud of what I accomplished doing God’s work today. I led a young man to Christ, all because I was willing to sacrifice my plans for the benefit of another.” Now that statement may sound good on the surface, but what did he just say? He led someone to Christ. Really? Can he do that? I thought the Spirit had to draw a person unto Christ. And this preacher is proud of what who accomplished? A young man has come to know Christ as savior because this preacher sacrificed what? His plans? You’ve got to be kidding me! In all truthfulness this very statement is contrary to the Christian Faith. Do we really think we have that much power and control over God’s work? Do we hold life, death, healing and salvation in our hands? Does someone’s eternal destiny teeter on the scale of our plans? In reality, aren’t we supposed to die to ourselves and be raised in Christ Jesus? Isn’t it a fact, that He (Jesus) is the one doing the work, and we are merely a tool He uses to accomplish His work? I believe there’s a great danger in having this self-praising attitude and outlook about serving in God’s Kingdom. I’m no prophet, but I believe a good dose of humility is in this preacher’s future. Let us be careful
to give God the glory for what He accomplishes in and through us. When we come to the place where we believe, we do these wonderful works, we have deceived ourselves and have shipwrecked our faith on dry ground! To God, ALL the Glory is given!

How much yeast is acceptable in the church? I use the word yeast because it sounds so much more pleasant than sin. Then again, maybe that’s the reason why we so easily accept sin in the church, because we don’t recognize it, as what it is. Let’s dig a little deeper and get a little more personal. How much yeast, or sin, is acceptable in your life as a Christian? How much of the world do you have mixed in with Christ? How much yeast are you willing to overlook? How much yeast are you willing to ignore because to denounce it would cause discomfort to you? How much yeast are you willing to live with? How much yeast are you willing to pray with? How much yeast are you willing to worship with? According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 5 none is acceptable. We are to throw out the old yeast and become a “new lump” in Christ. A lump without sin (yeast). Unfortunately most don’t believe its possible to live a life free from sin. In an effort to justify yeast in our life we have been taught by modern day pastors and bible scholars that we all sin, because we are clothed in sin, and nothing but death can remove us from the sinful nature we were born with. But what does God’s word say? Did Paul not tell us that those who are in Christ are a new creature? Did he not say that old things had passed away and behold all has become new? Has our bodies not been changed from a storehouse of defilement into the very temple of God? So how can sin rein in our mortal bodies if Christ has taken up residence within us? Will Christ live in sin? God forbid! Get rid of the old yeast by removing this wickedness from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are in Christ.

What’s the one thing that most people who profess to know Christ as Saviour never enact? It’s the one thing most elusive to those who search the scriptures and study the Word of God. It’s the one thing we need in our daily walk, more than anything else, and yet somehow we don’t realize or understand it’s importance. It’s the one thing that we have to do for ourselves, no one else can make us do it, and no one else can do it for us. Yep, you guessed it, application! Application is not accumulating knowledge. The world is filled with people who know all about the Bible, but failure to apply that knowledge has resulted in confessors who don’t believe, and lives void of the evidence of change. Many believe that understanding is the goal of Bible study, but in reality understanding is the beginning not the end. Application causes a person to focus on God’s truth, learn what to do with what is revealed, and motivates a person to respond to the word of God. Application is putting into practice what we have learned and know to be true. Application takes God’s truth and proclaims it to the world around us, through the lives we live, and the actions we take. To read the Bible is not enough. To know and understand all of history, is not enough. To be educated and equipped with modern knowledge and understanding, is not enough. Application is necessary, and required, for all who confess and proclaim Christ as Lord of their life. No matter how many degrees of education one has. No matter how many schools one has attended seeking higher learning. No matter how many countries one has traveled to seeking knowledge. If application is absent, that person will lack the power to live out their faith in a way that agrees with the profession that comes from their lips. So the question I put to you is this, in all your learning, knowledge and understanding, do you have application?

I’m sure this post will get me plenty of hate mail from the religious crowd, but letting the light of Jesus shine into darkness has never been easy or without persecution. Wolves, dressed in the clothing of religious service looking like sheep, have infiltrated the church and are openly stealing the glory that belongs to God. Helping people in need brings God glory and for those who have received help, rightfully so, God bless you. But for those to whom this post is written wake up!

For weeks now people have worked feverishly to get things ready. Donations have been sought and collected to ensure no one goes without. Crowds of people have so graciously donated their whole weekend taking care of the material needs of folks all over the area. People under bridges have been clothed, fed, and hydrated. School kids have received back packs filled with school supplies. Porta-johns have been set up for the grand celebration service this evening. God is sitting on His throne looking down at His people so proud of all their selfless efforts. Yes, in our little world, God is well pleased. Bologna! Since when has working for the kingdom of God become about back packs, school supplies and worldly material things? Since when was it proclaimed by Christ that providing for people living under bridges that refuse to rid themselves of pride and arrogance be called the work of God? Since when did Christ say the work of God should be so worldly focused? I wonder how many cases of beer the church bought this weekend? I wonder how many cartons of cigarettes the church provided? That’s right, I said it, how can the church enable irresponsible people to continue on the same path of destruction by choosing to deliver, in God’s name, the provision people refuse to work or sacrifice for. It’s a fact, many of the thousands of back packs that were delivered to children have parents that are not willing to sacrifice their carton of cigarettes or their case of beer so that their child could have what is needed for school! It’s just a fact that most of the people living under bridges refuse to go to a homeless shelter because the shelter won’t allow them to do as they please. The shelters have rules and standards that are very similar to the rules and standards we live by. Drug and alcohol abuse is forbidden. But don’t worry, our conscience is soothed and we have spoken the words of affirmation that we needed to hear to each other making everything feel fine. After all, we are the one’s most important. For every comment I hear about what Christ has done, I hear hundreds more about what we’ve done. It makes my stomach turn to see God’s glory being stole right before my very eyes! For if I would keep silent, the very earth would cry out in anguish. I’m all for loving on the lost. I’m all for feeding the hungry. I’m all for helping those who are struggling, but not at the price of enabling them to continue in a life of sin. It’s my desire, and the desire of Christ, for them to be delivered from the bondage of sin and set free. It wasn’t material things that Jesus said would set people free, it was Truth! Nowhere in scripture does it say we should become like the world to win them, in fact it states quite the contrary. Go ahead throw your stones, but know this, truth has been delivered to you this day. What are you going to do with it?

As I entered the auditorium I was handed some hearing protection and warned of the volume of the music for the sake of my child. Smoke filled the room, actually it was fog from a machine, but the effect was meant to be smoke. Lights, all different colors, to excite the mind and shine on the one of interest for the moment. The stage was filled with props that would fill the mind of the crowd with anticipation of what’s next? The music was indeed loud, guitars screaming at the top of their volume, telling a story of hypnotic trance. The beat of drums pounded so loud that the walls shook with intensity. The bass boomed so hard it sounded like thunder. The soloist screamed at the top of his lungs just to be slightly heard and yet only every other word could be understood. But have no fear, Television cameras caught it all on tape so that all could experience the awesome move of spirit via the Internet at anytime in the future. Big screens on both sides of the stage made it possible for all to see and feel the effect of the experience, even in the very back. The faces of the band members were zoomed in on, so that the crowd could experience their extreme faithfulness and emotion. The crowd was intense. Some of the men, still hung over from the tailgate party the day before, and some of the women dressed to impress the husband of an unworthy wife. But all had hands raised worshiping the god that was before them. And then it all came to an abrupt end. A man walked out on stage and delivered a speech, lacking even a portion of the intensity of what had just taken place. He uttered the words of affirmation the crowd wanted, and needed, to hear. A few minutes later the crowd exited the auditorium feeling good within themselves, knowing that today, yes today, they had worshiped. This my friend was not a Van Halen concert, it was the Sunday morning service at the modern local church!