05/20/2026
Warning: Long Honest Read Below
I've been on this journey the last 7 months. My focus has been to listen to the Lord rather than talk. My desire is for Him to share His heart with me. And all I can say for sure is that I am enamored with Him!!
But . . . Today, I felt His heaviness of heart. Those who know me know I really hate social media. I post as I feel led -- but I rarely look around. Today I felt the burden to do so.
To make a long story short, He led me to take a brief survey of headlines, social media posts (local and global). Based on that alone, one might conclude the following: the modern Western church in many ways is exhibiting behavior that looks more like the father of lies than the Heavenly Father.
My heart grieves. Based on just a cursory search, one might make the following observation: Much of the modern western church has adopted into its practice at least 15 of the following behaviors and false beliefs:
1. The enemy is the neighbor who hurt me instead of the adversary the Bible names
2. We must come to our own defense
3. Repentance is a one-time thing
4. Christianity is some sort of exclusive club that gives us the right to judge under the guise of "righteous" standing (over our neighbor, apparently)
5. It's about taking land, countries, and institutions in this fallen world that is going to pass away instead of the people in them
6. We somehow are excused from keeping His commandments because we interpret them differently
7. Grace is an excuse to make categories of sin
8. It's apparently okay to expect the promises of God without behaving how He expects
9. Somehow "professional" Christians with ministerial licenses are the ones who win sinners--all the rest have to do is bring them into a building to see them
10. It's about winning converts, not building disciples (which takes time!)
11. We apparently can have God, His gospel, the end times, etc. all figured out (and therefore under our control and defense)
12. God fits into our lives instead of us submitting to His will
13. The power He promised us either (1) died out with the early Apostles, or (2) is for a select few and is for hyper charismatic encounters that do little more than give a short buzz that becomes a substitute for intimacy with Him and His sufferings
14. There are therefore several brands of the Jesus life available: (1) Frozen Chosen who have it all systematized, (2) Mainline Moderates that don't take the Bible seriously enough and look more like the world every day, (3) Hyper Five-Fold Mountain Mandate Extremists who take far too many liberties in my opinion and are focused more on taking over institutions than building disciples, (4) Lone rangers who have thrown the baby out with the bathwater and have no real accountability (internet-church is safer), (5) The Revivalist Culturalists that over-emphasize the victorious life and seem to covertly judge those who are not always "in the glory" . . . I could go on, but I digress . . .
15. We can somehow have "glory" without "honor" (though in Hebrew they are the same word).
Ever wonder how we got here? Church History tells the story pretty clearly -- but those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it.
I don't know that I have a point to this other than my heart grieves today. So many are hurting in the church as well as out of it. I think I understand Jesus more today when He said, "Will there be any faith on the earth when I return?"
I have no earthly wisdom to offer any of this. Even if I did, that is not the point. My point is simple: Teshuva.
Let's return to forgiveness. Let's get off the throne of our own hearts and seek His Face! I pray with Him for the maturing of the saints. "Christianity" has become an ugly term (started as one, too!). I would rather be a "Follower of the Way."
Jesus is still on the throne! Let's look full in His wonderful face so the things of this world can grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace.
Let's live out a surrendered life. Completely. Pick up the lost art of self-denial. Real Shalom--psychological wholeness--can ONLY be found in His presence. And when we're there, all else comes into its rightful place.
Let's live out repentance.
Will you join me?
