It’s as I suspected, I need hearing aids. And as I said in yesterday’s post, so does the church in America. Spiritual hearing aids.
Of course, by America, I mean the United States. There are a lot of Americans out there who are not citizens of the U.S. And there are a lot of spiritually minded followers of Jesus out there who just don’t fit in a whole lot of American churches.
I have Christian friends in places around the world who would be considered a little weird, even doctrinally suspect, because they are more mystic than intellectual, more idealistic than pragmatic, and more focused on God’s Kingdom than the kingdoms of this world. Dreams, visions, keeping in step with the Spirit, uttering prophetic words, and the like; those whose Christian lives include things like these are considered a little wacky at best and sometimes just plain looney tunes. My apologies to Bugs Bunny and friends.
When did our spiritual life as Christians, described in the New Testament as being hidden in Christ with God, seated in heavenly places, and knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection, sharing his sufferings, and becoming like him in his death, lose its deeply mystical and spiritual meaning? The mystery is gone, and with it, the deeply spiritual lives our Lord calls us to.
Without the mystery, apart from the wonder and awe, we inevitably become spiritually deaf. Comfortably numb.
I’ll have more to say about this in upcoming posts. For now, I leave you with some excellent advice for the culturally blind and deaf church in America —
“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and enjoy rich, life-changing fellowship with him or her.” (Italics my words)1
In Christ,
Dan
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You can listen to my weekly messages at Embrace Church, High Point.
Revelation 3:18-20.
Amen. God has chosen the foolish to shame the wise. God's Spirit is pouring out revival fire on those whose hearts are completely surrendered to Christ Jesus. Who will answer the call? If we are not ashamed of Jesus in the presence of men, neither will Jesus be ashamed of us in the presense of His Father. The Church without the Holy Spirit is a cult. What is the mandate on the lives of those who belong to God? Heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons. Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save it. He came to destroy the works of satan.