I have tried many flavors of Christianity. Through years of searching for truth, I have witnessed churches in the Western world commit to all sorts of practices. Some churches believed in clapping their hands, screaming the name of Jesus while sitting on an “altar” to “get saved”. (I’ve even tried this one. It left me a sweaty mess, disappointed and with a dry mouth.)
Some churches “spoke in tongues” which was really a group of people babbling gibberish. No one knew what anyone was saying. (I was taught how to speak in tongues once. I was told to say “ba-ba” like a baby. Then, I was told to say it over and over until the Spirit came.) I remember feeling something that night. But it wasn’t because of my baby talk. I remember praying to God and apologizing for not knowing how to speak to Him in tongues. I said, internally, “God I don’t know what I’m doing but I need you now”. (You see, I was in a low place in my life at that time. I was pregnant, jobless and separated from my husband. I was desperate and willing to try anything.) I felt comfort that night. I was comforted many nights afterward, just praying to God in plain old English.
Some churches like to show off miracles by trying dangerous tricks like handling snakes or guilting their congregation into refusing medical care for serious and sometimes terminal illnesses. One preacher gave a woman dying from breast cancer some “blessed oil” (which was really a bottle of pure olive oil he prayed over) to drink and told her that if she had faith, God would heal her body. Needless to say, the woman died a few months later.
So, you get my point. I have tried several, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Non-denominational, even Jehovah’s Witness. I couldn’t try them all if I wanted. A different denomination is created all of the time. With all this variety of Christian, I am still asking…
Where is Jesus?
Christians today, as I have witnessed, are more interested in chasing fortune, fame, prestigious titles and honor and reverence. Who’s interested in serving God?
I have sat in churches that take several minutes to raise an offering. And you are shamed if you don’t give. If you walk into their building with the wrong clothes on, you are lower than the dirt. (Matthew 6:19-24).
Some churches refuse to welcome people who live an alternative lifestyle (which by the way, is not alternative anymore). Gays and transgender people are not welcome. Mixed race families are not welcome.
Who placed you on the Throne of God?
When was the last time your church gave to the poor? Sheltered the homeless? Or opened your building to house the homeless at night? (God forbid you dirty up your clean sanctuary.) Where does the money in your church bank account go? Mansions, fancy cars, private plans and expensive vacations? Meanwhile the people in your own community are on welfare.
Where is Jesus?
If these churches can answer in the affirmative, you better believe that have practically hired a PR Firm to make sure people know that they’ve done a good deed (Matthew 23:1-8).
I’m no Bible scholar. But I know in my heart that this is not what Jesus intended for the church. The church (people) have compassion for others. They are kind. They are nonjudgmental. They only want to serve God through loving and sharing others. Jesus put no disclaimers on any of this. They don’t need fancy buildings and nice cars. They don’t even need a building. Jesus and his disciples had no building, tent, property or horses to get them to place to place. They literally walked by faith.
Jesus’ message was simple: Love.
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34-35
These days, Christians are nothing like Jesus Christ. They just stole his name. Christians have no love for Jesus (John 13:15). If we did, we would be obedient.
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 13: 21
But we are not, and this is why the world is a cruel Godless place. I, for one, am waiting for the day to be rescued from this place and carried home to paradise. Many will not make it. But sadly, have no idea because they are blinded from the truth.
What is truth?
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Corinthians 15:2-4
It’s a pity but very true. A lot of people will hear the Lord say to them “…I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23).
Friends, don’t let this be you.
Grace and peace,
Blessings and love,
