1 Corinthians 9:16
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
It has been several weeks since I wrote (Part 1) regarding this theme of loving and being called to preach the gospel. I wanted to follow-up with some thoughts that are foundational when it comes to one’s ability to live a life that truly brings glory to Jesus and He alone!
The subject matter upon my spirit is one that has been a source of great, moral decline in the life of the Church of Jesus Christ in recent decades, especially the Church in America. It is as if we have now entered a season where we are challenged when it comes to dealing with truth and the very essential mandates of the Bible as it applies to life and ministry. With this being said, I know that many will want to throw up red flags and cry out (legalism) at this point! Though this may happen, I want to say here that this has everything to do with basic, scriptural principles that have in many ways been swept away in the name of: freedom, liberty, grace, etc. It is as if many are afraid to preach and teach the Word of God when it comes to areas of: purity, holiness, obedience, repentance, conviction, discipleship, etc. Please here me when I say that I do understand that there is a legalistic approach to living for God that many have falling prey to over the years. This mindset leads to religious exasperation, which is oftentimes void of joy and true freedom. With this being said, I would also say that much of what we now call legalism in the modern church is really not legalistic at all when we compare it to what the Bible says regarding following Jesus, Ref. Matthew 8: 20-22, 10:37-38.
With the above said, lets look at the subject of (Conscious and Opportunity). You might ask, why deal with this matter? My answer is simply that, there is an epidemic of compromise that has enveloped and dulled much of the church world, as well as the ministry of this hour and this subject stands at the forefront of this tragedy!
It has been alarming to me over the last several years that so many people who once burned for truth and a genuine move of God have now fallen into traps of delusion, which have only led to spiritual decline, lukewarmness and coldness of heart. I have witnessed some of God’s warriors fall on their own swords as they have allowed their conscious to become dull in order to embrace an opportunity laden with worldliness and selfish gain with Jesus only being a mascot used to justify the expression posing itself as ministry or spiritual opportunity. Even though the initial decision to take the plunge into such a place must have been somewhat painful, after awhile the ability to condone sin and ungodliness became easier and easier. This scenario encompasses a wide spectrum of actions and I will list a few here.
1) Many have been willing to align themselves with movements and individuals that can assist them in their own personal or ministry growth, despite the level of sin or compromise allowed or even promoted in the affiliation.
2) Many have overlooked sin and blatant discretions, as long as there is an appearance of anointing and gifting upon a ministry or movement.
3) Many have willingly violated their own conscious in order to create a bridge with others who can help them advance in their quest for ministry opportunity and fame, despite the fact that immorality is present.
4) Many have left the place of burning for Jesus in exchange for professional ministry, which lends itself to numerical growth while all the while creating an atmosphere of spiritual death.
5) Many have embraced movements that are full of false fire fueled by folly and a willingness to trivialize the holy things of God.
Lastly, let me admonish all of you to live a life that brings honor to Jesus Christ! We are living in challenging times and our emphasis must be upon the will of our Father. We do not have time to get entangled with the things that will cause us to get distracted from the Kingdom of God and His eternal purposes. We must give ourselves to divine intimacy and from that place our hearts will be ignited and through this experience of eternal burning, a generation will be awakened to do the works of Jesus in this hour!!!
Grace & Peace,
Keith Collins
www.generationimpactministries.com