You may have heard the expression measure twice, cut once, but every once in while the measuring tape malfunctions, and you find yourself with something that is the wrong size. You then can use the expression that says cut it once and it is too short, cut it again and it is still too short. Either way, the measurement is wrong both times. Depending on the material you are cutting, this can be very costly. Sure, your covid haircut will grow back and yes you can replace most materials but making a costly mistake with your life due to errors can have eternal consequences. 

    The other day I heard a short interview with Michael J. Fox. In the interview he talked about mortality. As you may be aware, he has Parkinson’s disease and as he said in the interview, he will probably die before his family. The part that caught my attention was when he talked about death being the end of his future. Until the time of his death he said he had a future, but at the point of death, it is all over, so you make the best of it until then. I felt sorry for him, not just because of this debilitating disease, but also his lack of hope and his lack of knowledge about the future after death. True Christianity gives us the hope of a future after our bodies die. Jesus said, John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. John 6:40 “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.” It is too bad he didn’t go back to the future and believe the words of Jesus so that his future would be eternal life and not damnation. Jesus is our only hope for a future. God’s word shows us the error of our ways but we have to listen and accept them.

    The church was to carry on with the gospel message and we were supposed to continue to do as Jesus did. Jesus would have looked at Michael J. Fox and healed him. Matthew 8:16 “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” The foundation of Christian belief is that Jesus rose from the dead, so He should still be taking up our infirmities and bearing our diseases. As you know, His disciples carried this on. Acts 5:15 “As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” The gospel message is much more than talk about heaven, but the kingdom of God actually coming near in power. When the kingdom comes near people are not only saved but healed from disease and demons are cast out. Matthew 4:23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.” Do you actually believe what you just read is possible for today? And don’t answer if God so desired. Of course, He desires! The true gospel message is missing in the church today due to the error of our ways.

    The answer to the missing power is found in these errors. It is not that God doesn’t desire to empower us, but this missing power is because the church rebelled and God turned His face from us. By going our own way and rebelling against God’s way, we lost the power to do as Jesus did. Millions will not see eternal life due to these errors. Even though Jesus said John 14:12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it,” the church in error decided their way was better and now we have people going to church instead of being the church with no hope of a future and no power to defeat satan. It is not just those like Fox who will miss eternal life but those who go to church who still follow their own ways. Over the years church became empty, pathetic and powerless. Remember we are not talking about the many powerful church organizations but the missing gospel power in them. Many have been deceived by the hour of power, that Sunday morning event called church, except there is no power. Powerful worship and prolific speakers are not power. It seems that whoever could do this best, drew the crowds. Those who could run a well-oiled organization, put on a show, grabbed the attention of the masses yet they were using the wrong oil as there was and is no anointing, therefore no power. They just continue to parade their nakedness as we talked about last week.

    At one point the Sadducees were trying to debate with Jesus about the resurrection of the dead and marriage. Jesus answered them, Mark 12:24 “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?” This short response by Jesus describes the church today. So many are in error because they do not know the scriptures, nor do they understand the power available to all who believe. There are many so-called intellectual giants who come across as knowledgeable. They have written volumes about the bible. Doctrines and theology have been formulated. Visions have been cast and executed yet look nothing like Jesus. Jeremiah 14:14 “Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.” Now compare the books that could have been written about Jesus. John 20:30 “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 21:25 “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” Instead, they 2 Timothy 3:5 “having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.” These men and women appear to have immense knowledge yet are in error and do not know the power of God. 

    The problem is that many people follow these false teachers. As Peter described the false teachers, the same can be said about the false teachers today. 2 Peter 3:16 “He (Paul) writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” satan is the master of distorting scripture to deceive. Jeremiah 23:36 “But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God.” Today the word of God continues to be distorted for their own gain. 2 Peter 2:17 “These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.” 

    Someone like Michael J. Fox has rejected truth but what about those who think they have received truth but have been deceived. What about the millions of people who have falsely believed what they have been told, only to find the truth after they have died? Then it is too late. Matthew 18:6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!” Ezekiel 13:3 “Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to the breaches in the wall to repair it for the people of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord. 6 Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. Even though the Lord has not sent them, they say, “The Lord declares,” and expect him to fulfill their words. 7 Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The Lord declares,” though I have not spoken? 8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations.” 

    Let’s say you were wanting to have a house built. You find a builder who has a model home. As you drive up you notice the terrible workmanship of this new house. The lines are uneven as nothing is level, foundation cracked, windows upside down, parts unfinished, shingles missing, lights don’t work and so on. At that point you would continue your search for a builder. You do not want this builder to build your home. When you are looking at houses it is easy to see the workmanship of a master craftsman where every detail is crafted to perfection. Most people have an idea of what a house should look like, or even feels like. But since we are not really talking about houses but the church, the same applies. We have to analyze the house and we want to make sure the master builder is the one to the build the house. Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.” 

    So what does the house look like that God builds? First of all we go to the word of God. Then we understand that the house is a temple, but it is not a building / structure. Acts 17:24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.” This is one thing that changed from the Old Covenant to the New; the temple is no longer a building but people. 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” Revelation 21:3 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Almost immediately after Jesus, great structures of worship were built and continued to be built. I took a quick peek and saw some cathedrals dating back to 300 AD. Today there are massive churches and cathedrals all around the world yet they are void of God’s presence. The problem today is that most people will look at a church and say oh how beautiful, but God sees something totally different. Mark 13:1 “As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” Most people use their worldly eyes when looking for a church instead of looking with spiritual eyes. They say nice building, they look at its size, they like the ease of access and the comfort, great acoustics, the parking, etc. As the centuries have gone by, the errors of those who went before continue to this day. For years Bill Hybels was worshiped as a church guru. Everyone wanted to be like him so their church could be a clone of Willowcreek- oops!. Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral seemed to have it all together. Rick Warren has led millions to follow his how-to bible, the purpose driven church. Yet there is no power. Today gurus are everywhere, selling their wares but true gospel power remains unseen. When Jesus was asked in Mark when this would happen he said watch out that you are not deceived.

    When talking about false prophets, Ezekiel goes on to say Ezekiel 13:10 “‘Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, 11 therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. 12 When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, “Where is the whitewash you covered it with? 13 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: In my wrath I will unleash a violent wind, and in my anger hailstones and torrents of rain will fall with destructive fury. 14 I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord. 15 So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, 16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.” Jesus said when describing the Pharisees Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” This also describes most churches. Jesus warned us about false prophets and disciples and then talked about building on the sand. I am sure you have seen some pretty amazing sandcastles but the first wave or rainstorm that comes along demolishes the castle. Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

    When you use scriptural eyes, you see what is really happening. Yes, on the outside churches have the appearance of godliness but there is no power, therefore God does not dwell in the people that are in that building. If you are looking for a master builder, you have to look at the house they built. Yes, in David’s day God gave him the blueprints to build the temple. Today there are no such blueprints to build a building, yet people keep on building as if there was. The New Testament is the blueprint for the church but it is not a blueprint for a building yet most want to build something with their own hands and ignore the New Covenant blueprint for the church. Meanwhile the actual church, the people of God remain powerless, empty and weak all because of the error of man’s ways and a lack of knowledge concerning the power of God. Ezekiel’s description just isn’t a story of long ago but truth that describes today’s church. This is what happens when you follow someone in the wrong direction who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 1:7 “They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.” For the most part these leaders do not acknowledge they are going the wrong direction, but they are because they have not remained true to God’s word. They think that because everyone is following them, they must be right. I am sure Jim Jones thought the same. It also shows the mases will follow and do about anything they are led to believe is the truth. In the case of Jones, the error of their ways was mass suicide. Following the error of a false teacher in the church is even worse, as that decision will lead to eternal damnation. That same satan led power is throughout the church, as many leaders have sold out to satan. They think the blessings are from God, but they are just taking what satan has offered them. Luke 4:5 “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus correctly but most would rather have worldly power. They are not clothed with power from on high. Jude 11 “Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.” 

    The problem is that empty and powerless ways have been handed down from generation to generation. 1 Peter 1:18 “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” By choosing empty ways instead of the way of Jesus who is truth and life, we have chosen death and destruction instead of life and prosperity.        Here is an example of following the error of the empty ways. This concerns the filling of the Holy Spirit. I was raised in a Methodist tradition and pastored in two Methodist denominations, which were completely void of the Holy Spirit, yet they talked of being entirely sanctified. When I was a pastor, they wanted you to fill out a monthly report. How many salvations, baptisms and then the elusive entirely sanctified question of which no one including myself really seemed to understand what this actually was. Yes, they said it was a deeper commitment but what was it. I even thought I was entirely sanctified. I went to the altar and shared that I was but there was no evidence whatsoever not only in me but the church as a whole. Entire sanctification was supposed to be a filling of the Holy Spirit, not something you could do in your own power but what you could do after being clothed with the power of God. In other traditions they say you get saved, baptized and you are filled with the Spirit. In the charismatic circles you got saved and then filled and spoke in tongues. Yet in all of these there is no power, no scriptural evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit, so the church as a whole is in error.  Some even go as far as denying the power. They say it ceased with the disciples even though scripture does not say that. Most people will say they have the spirit, but did they test the spirits to see which one they had. 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” What exactly have you been saved into? What were you baptized into? Are you filled with the Spirit or did someone tell you that you were? If the Holy Spirit was truly in you, then there would be evidence of that filling. Yes, the charismatics say that speaking in tongues is a sign and it was but not the gibberish that they speak. I have heard people that sounded like serpents and one guy who sounded like Barney Rubble. It was just noise that served no purpose. Just as those who believe they have been filled when saved, those spewing gibberish have also been deceived. It is amazing that whole movements of people have been thoroughly deceived into believing they are filled with the Spirit of God. 

    You may be saying now wait a minute, I go to a very sincere church and believe with all my heart that they speak truth. Ok, but does it line up with scripture. Acts 2:2 “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?” Later we see the power of God continue to fall on the people when Peter was preaching. Acts 11:15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” The babble of the charismatics is not the same gift the disciples had. 

    When John was preaching, he said Mark 1:7 “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Today we have lots of water baptism but no Spirit. Again, where is the evidence. If the Holy Spirit was present as most say, where is the power? We are told there would be gifts and nowhere does the bible say they ceased. 1 Corinthians 12:4 “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” Mark tells us Mark 16:4 ““Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Hebrews 2:4 “God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” Jesus also said in Luke 24:46 “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

    Clothed with power actually means what it says, and we then go do as Jesus did. This misunderstanding of the power of the Holy Spirit has been a massive error in the church. We were supposed to preach the true gospel of the kingdom, heal the sick and cast out demons. To do that we would have to be clothed with power from on High and all the gifts will be in operation. When that happens, we go to the ends of the earth, preaching the true gospel with the Lord working and confirming. The disciples were told, Acts 1:4 “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” So you say you are filled with the Spirit? Really? I say that to hopefully get you to look closer at the plans of the master builder and not the plans of man. By going with man, you continue to follow in the error of their ways. Choose life not death. When you look at the church, you see the world. When you look at scripture, you see Jesus. Due to the great rebellion of the church, you do not see Jesus when you see the church. If you did, the church would look like the Gospels and Acts.

    We were warned repeatedly not to be deceived yet the church did not listen and continued in the error of their ways as generation after generation got further and further from the truth. In the last hundred plus years, there has been massive deception. We have seen the error of the charismatic movement where you saw it build to the false Toronto Blessing and Brownsville revivals. Even today there are churches who continue in this false anointing such as Bethel Redding, California. For years you have seen or heard of men and woman like Benny Hinn who appear to have an anointing from God, but it is not. Most people think that this massive deception has just been among the charismatics but along with this enormous deception you have other deceptions with the likes of your John MacArthur’s and dispensationalism. MacArthur is vehemently opposed to the charismatic movement, yet at the same time has led people astray teaching his own brand of gospel. He stands his ground on cessationism and millions like him agree with him but not with the bible. Mark 7:6 “He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” Then you have most churches who are just dead while still celebrating anniversaries of their old buildings. 

    In a very short time, the church has been decimated. This didn’t happen overnight, but the pinnacle of this deception has been recent. The church started to fall away almost immediately just like Israel and Judah did. Again, this is no fault of God but due to the rebellion of His people. Catholicism was the beginning of the end and the Reformation continued in that end. It was not a good thing for the church to divide. Every group states they are following the one true God, but everyone goes their own way, so that is impossible. Paul said Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” This has been going on ever since, all because men and women have continued in the error of their ways. Most will not repent of those ways so that the kingdom comes near but will continue in their wicked ways. When you hold up scripture, you then can see the plans of the master builder. For example hold up 1 Corinthians 12 and you can see that anyone who does not believe these are possible for today is a false prophet. Yes, there are confusing passages in scripture and God will clarify them as needed but this is not one of them. The only reason it is confusing is the church is not seeing it, so instead of repenting, the church just invents a new way that leads to death and destruction. Proverbs 9:18 “But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.”

    If we are to walk as Jesus did, we can no longer walk in the errors of those who walked before us or presently. Just in case you missed it, the error is that you have not been filled with the Holy Spirit as you think you have been. You probably are not the Christian you think you are and the church you go to is probably teaching other gospels. You cannot walk in your own errors either, as you will be accountable for them. As Romans tells us Romans 1:27 “Men received in themselves the due penalty for their error.” We are held accountable for our errors. We are told that God’s people will perish due to a lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.” To get knowledge we must turn back to God. Ezekiel 18:30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!” Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” This is what a fool looks like. Isaiah 32:6 “For fools speak folly, their hearts are bent on evil: They practice ungodliness and spread error concerning the Lord; the hungry they leave empty and from the thirsty they withhold water. 7 Scoundrels use wicked methods, they make up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.” Proverbs 1:29 “Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. 30 Since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, 31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. 32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.” Those who call themselves Christians must understand that the church building is not the temple of God and satan has infiltrated the church because of our rebellion. Paul tells us 2 Thessalonians 2:4 “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” Daniel 9:4 “And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.” 

    We are that temple, but the end is coming and the remnant will rise up once more. Daniel 7:21 “As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.” The church was not supposed to changed. If the church had not rebelled, the kingdom of God would have come near. We were supposed to continue to preach the gospel, heal the sick and cast out demons. If we had, we would have sped up the return of Jesus. 2 Peter 3:11 “You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” We were supposed to continue proclaiming the Words of life. 1 John 1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” We cannot live in darkness and call it light. 

    We cannot walk in our own ways and call them the way to God. We must follow God’s word wholeheartedly. Lots of people only follow wholeheartedly the way of their church or denomination but do not follow God’s word. Most really do not know their bibles. Verses are left out and verses are added, just so people can remain steadfast in their beliefs, but the error of your ways will lead you to where the dead are. The good news is this abomination is coming to an end. Jesus said Matthew 24:22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.” 

    So repent and return to the plans of the Master builder. Don’t be afraid to look into scripture and compare your Christianity to it. Pray that God will open your eyes to the errors of man’s ways. 2 Peter 3:17 “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.” Psalm 119:18 “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Deuteronomy 32:3 “I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! 4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.”