The Pampering of the Saints - anonymous

sermonindex Mar 21, 2014

I do hope believers in our country will be prepared as "persecution" breaks out upon us.

But, I wonder if it could be any more devastating than the "deceitfulness of riches and the cares of this life that are decimating the ranks of the saints now.

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The air was foul of demon hordes, the council was in session
The warlords boasting in their pride of souls in their possession
The prince of darkness stood and roared "give full account to me”
The principalities and powers set forth their strategy

Debate and argument arose as warlords pressed their case
It’s time to put the saints to death and end their claim to grace
But one demonic prince withstood the urgent cry to act
And silenced the entire horde with one forgotten fact

Each time we press the sons of light with grief and pain and loss
They drop their toys and earthly joys ”“ have you forgot His cross
We thought we’d won, we killed the Son, but O how we were wrong
The seed was sown, the church was grown - our pain just makes them strong

If we will fight the sons of light we must use subtlety
And fill their minds with earthly finds and make them think they’re free
Let’s fill their bellies, soothe their pain and make them feel divine
No need to kill, just keep them still, by making them feel fine

G

ginnyrose Mar 22, 2014

QUOTE:
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No need to kill, just keep them still, by making them feel fine
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I think they have succeeded quite well...

Ministers have said for years prosperity will ruin more folks then persecution. And now you have preachers who will preach prosperity is a sign of approval by God. (But never mind how some will bully their way to prosperity and call its rewards a blessing from God!)

The poet said it like it is, I am sure.

M

MaryJane Mar 22, 2014

Greetings

The topic of persecution has been much on my heart and I agree with what Ginnyrose shared here, "years prosperity will ruin more folks then persecution."

How true this is, and I will go further and say that the ease of life can help in dulling the believer into thinking that going to church, giving a tithe, and wearing an "I love Jesus" tee shirt is enough but in truth what has following HIM cost you or me? Have I spoken out against sin in the lives of those around me, all the time knowing they will hate me for it? Have I stood my ground in the work place, school, or other battlefield for HIS TRUTH and HIS KINGDOM? Have I loved another without regard to myself that I have been willing to become a servant to them? Have I loved JESUS so much, that I am willing to stand up for HIM and be counted the way other saints that have gone before me have done?

I was reading in Act just last night, in the chapter Peter and John went to the temple and preached the gospel boldly. The religious of that day, threatened them and warned them never to do so again but the very next day the disciples were back, speaking all the more boldly and proclaiming JESUS...is my love for HIM that strong? that committed? that I would stand for JESUS and keep speaking no matter what, that I would share HIS GOSPEL and let the only way the world could silence me be, to silence me????

God bless
maryjane

I

InLove Mar 22, 2014

But let us remember the other side of the coin as well. While we will all agree that ease and comfort does lead to complacency, but for those who are trained in the Spirit it is a blessing. A chance if you will, to say no in the midst of a people that love wealth. It's easy to be poor when you have no choice, but to surrender it when Jesus calls glorifies Him.

Even now we would make it easier for others by having them destitute, but God will be glorified by His saints no matter the comfort or pain.

Which would be easier, to live with nothing but God or to choose nothing but God? Just my thoughts.

In Love,
Joe

sermonindex Mar 23, 2014

The Spirit is saying that those who have riches should not be high-minded or trust in them as they provide no certainty. If you have riches, the Spirit of God is admonishing you to continue to trust in God and not to be deceived by your riches.

1Ti_6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

S

Sree Mar 23, 2014

After moving from America to India which is my home country. I found a big difference between the church there and here. It is not doctrinal difference but a attitude difference between the brothers here and those in US. These brothers trust in God for even small things in their life. They seek it from God. They have a stable job and decent life but the condition in such developing countries is such that you need God even to satisfy your basic life needs. So they grow up with an attitude to depend upon God. But in US and other developed nations people are so self dependent that they do not need divine intervention for most of their daily activities. They are inwardly caught up by the deceitfullness of riches.

sermonindex Mar 23, 2014

I would not say that is true for every person in the American Church. I have Indian friends who tell me the same sins that vex Americans vex Indians. Materialism and hypocrisy is very strong over in India in the Church, too. They tell me a lot about religious hypocrisy and the divided church in India and though it is a poorer country, people still covet and lust for material possessions. I would agree that it is more pronounced in America and less subtle because we have so much "abundance". Spiritual self-righteousness seems to be strong in many countries rich or poor because either one of these conditions can feed self-righteousness. Pride can be taken in being poor and pride can be taken in being rich (believing you are being blessed by God).

A

a-servant Mar 23, 2014

Interesting comparisons, since I'm familiar with both
societies, i have to say that we generally talk more
about the problems in the US society, and let the Indian
be a "poor developing nation". What is total nonsense,
i have friends in the 'merchants and industrial league'
there, and also personally dealt with the general
'rich class' from India. Hardly ever met so much
arrogance and looking down on the poor or anyone
for that matter that provides a service to them.

On the other side what Sree says is correct. The
dependance on God for even little things is much
more a basic situation in Indian life than in America,
in that regard the church in America would
be able to learn a lot from them, if she was not already
that self sufficient and superior in her own mind.

S

Sree Mar 24, 2014

I would not say that is true for every person in the American Church. I have Indian friends who tell me the same sins that vex Americans vex Indians. Materialism and hypocrisy is very strong over in India in the Church, too. They tell me a lot about religious hypocrisy and the divided church in India and though it is a poorer country, people still covet and lust for material possessions. I would agree that it is more pronounced in America and less subtle because we have so much "abundance". Spiritual self-righteousness seems to be strong in many countries rich or poor because either one of these conditions can feed self-righteousness. Pride can be taken in being poor and pride can be taken in being rich (believing you are being blessed by God).

I am not referring to materialism in Church or among brothers. I am not even referring to prosperity teaching. I agree that prosperity teachings are way higher in India where thanks to Evangelists from West, they attract these poor Indians by teaching prosperity.

I am referring to Godly brothers in Godly Church. Even the fellowship that I attended in which Brother Greg too happened to be a brother for sometime. With solid teachings of discipleship. There is no prosperity teaching here. I am still under the same Church but in India (not a denomination though). But the brothers here, I observed that they have far more dependency on God compared to what I saw in west. Their payer needs, their basic dependence on God is way higher. So their testimony is also way more powerful than what I saw in west. It is just a general observation. Nothing against the godliness of people in west. It is just the life style in west which causes this difference.

It is not that all people in developing nations are poor. There are even rich people here. But the facilities available here is same irrespective of whether you make money or not. For example you may have money to buy a car but need to drive on the same packed roads with bumps and holes. You may have a big house, still you need to contend with frequent electricity cut. So by nature brothers here develop a dependency on God even for very little things, because you can take nothing for granted in developing nations.

sermonindex Mar 24, 2014

Thanks for clarifying.

I don't know how wide-ranging your experience of Christians in America is (visit a few fellowships or making your conclusions from T.V.), but this is always an area where accurate judgments are difficult at best to make. I suppose that is why Paul gave us the following wisdom so we don't create imaginary caste systems in our mind towards one another:

2Co_10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

sermonindex Mar 24, 2014

Some additional thoughts:

Comparisons are very difficult (actually impossible) since we don't see men's hearts as the Lord does and while men can be praying and fasting and appear to be very mature saints, the Lord may have a completely different opinion than we do.

An example of this would be the Ephesian church. By all accounts a very mature church, which had great revelation about the King and the Church. And there was no shortage of miracles, either.

But, in the book of Revelation, Jesus had something to say to them.

Rev 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev 2:2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.