There are moments in the life of a believer when conviction does not fade with time, but deepens. It is not always loud, but it is persistent. It does not come from anger, but from a growing weight of sorrow—a heaviness of heart over what we begin to see more clearly.

For me, that conviction is not theoretical. It is shaped by where I have come from. Having once lived in a place where truth and deception were intertwined, where spiritual language was blended and clarity obscured, my concern is not abstract. It is personal. It is experiential.
And it raises a question that cannot be easily set aside:

Are we (the Church), even unintentionally, creating the same kind of mixture within the Church that we were once called out of?

This question often surfaces during what should be the most sacred time in the Christian faith. We gather to remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, to reflect on the cost of sin, and to celebrate the resurrection that stands at the center of our hope.

This is not simply a tradition.
It is the foundation of everything we believe.

And yet, in the middle of this holy remembrance, many churches include something else—something widely accepted, culturally familiar, and often defended as harmless.

An Easter egg hunt.

For many Christians, there is no tension here. It is joyful. It brings families together. It creates excitement for children and offers a way to engage the community.

These are not wrong desires. The longing to welcome others and to create spaces of joy reflects something good within the heart of the church.

But sincerity does not remove the need for discernment.

Scripture calls us not only to good intentions but to careful examination. 
“Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

The question before us is not whether something is enjoyable or effective in gathering people.
The question is whether it is faithful.

Are we being faithful to Christ, faithful to the gospel, and faithful to the people we are called to disciple?

At the heart of this discussion is not simply what is permissible, but what is formative.

Every practice within the Church shapes

• our affections
• our attention
• our understanding

Ultimately, those practices shape our devotion and form our understanding of what Christianity is.

So we must ask:
Does what we are doing draw us more fully toward Christ--or divide our attention between Him and something else?

Scripture calls us to a singular devotion. “Keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).
Idolatry is not always obvious. Sometimes it is the quiet presence of something that competes for meaning, shares symbolic space, or softens the clarity of where Christ alone should remain central.

When we place non-biblical symbols within the most sacred remembrance of Christ’s death and resurrection, we must ask whether we are maintaining that clarity or unintentionally diminishing it.

Syncretism rarely begins with open rejection of truth. It begins with addition.
Throughout history, movements such as Gnosticism and systems like Haitian Vodou developed not through immediate denial of God, but through gradual blending—combining truth with outside ideas until clarity was lost.

That is how drift happens.

Not all at once.
But slowly.
Quietly.
Unexamined.

The concern is not that a single event defines syncretism.

But rather, are we introducing elements that, over time, blur what should remain unmistakably clear?

Are additions shaping perception in ways that blur the uniqueness of the gospel over time?
 
We are not the only ones interpreting our practices.

In a culture where many are exploring spirituality through systems such as Wicca and other nature-based beliefs, symbols carry meaning. Eggs and rabbits are not always seen as neutral. They are often associated with fertility, seasonal renewal, and cycles of life.

When those same symbols appear within a Christian setting, they may not be interpreted as harmless. They may be seen as familiar. And what feels familiar is often dismissed.

Perception matters, especially to those outside the church.

Rather than encountering something distinct, they encounter something that feels blended. Another variation of what they already believe. And what feels blended is often dismissed.

And that weakens our witness.

There is another group we must consider carefully: those who are new to the Christian faith.

Many believers are still learning what it means, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Many are just beginning to discover:

• what it means to follow Christ
• how to renew their minds
• how to distinguish what is holy from what is of the world

For a mature believer, it may be easy to distinguish between what is cultural and what is essential. For a new believer, it is not.

When cultural and worldly traditions are placed alongside the gospel, they are often received as part of Christianity itself. And in doing so, the Church may unintentionally model and teach a blended faith—one where truth and worldly traditions exist side by side without clear distinction.

Over time, this can weaken our discernment and make it more difficult to recognize compromise in other areas.

Paul speaks directly to this issue when he writes, “All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful… not all things edify” (1 Corinthians 10:23) or build faith.

The question is not simply what is allowed, but what strengthens the faith of others.

And even more directly he warns: “Be careful… that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9). If even a portion of the body is confused or hindered, this is something to take seriously.

And it leads us to a deeper question—one that reaches into the formation of the heart.

What will people remember?

When children and families participate in a weekend that includes both the remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection with activities such as hunting for plastic Easter eggs filled with candy or prizes, those experiences do not remain separate.

They are woven together in memory, shaping not only what is remembered, but what is most treasured.

And over time, what is most vivid is often not what is most sacred, but what is most stimulating.

• The laughter
• The activity
• The reward

 
So we must ask honestly, when someone looks back on the weekend we hosted, What will they remember most? What will feel central to them years from now?

Will it be the cross, the reality of sin, the grace of God, and the victory of the resurrection?
Or will it be something else, placed alongside it?

Ask kids at church next weekend, what were their favorite parts about Easter weekend. Their answers are the memories we are shaping.

Scripture shows us that remembrance is not casual.

In Exodus 12, the Passover was established with intention and clarity, pointing to Christ. Jesus continued that pattern in Luke 22:14–20, and the Church was instructed to remember Him in 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 in particular ways.

These moments were not supplemented with additional symbols. They were centered entirely on what God had done. Nothing was added that could compete for our attention. Because:

• What we remember shapes what we value.
• What we value shapes our devotion.

This also leads us to consider the stewardship of the church. The time, energy, and resources entrusted to us are given for a purpose. They are meant to reflect the priorities of Christ and to build up His body. The early church devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42–47). While this does not dictate every form of activity the modern church can do, it establishes a pattern of Christ-centered focus.

When significant resources are directed toward activities that are not rooted in Scripture and that may carry mixed meaning, it is reasonable to ask whether those resources are being used in a way that most clearly reflects the mission of the Church.

For leadership, this is an opportunity—not a threat. Leadership carries a sacred responsibility in shaping how the Church remembers, teaches, and represents Christ. When concerns are raised about how practices surrounding our Easter or resurrection celebrations—such as events like egg hunts—may affect clarity, conscience, or our witness, they should not be dismissed without thoughtful engagement.

Not every concern or difficult question is an attack or the enemy.

Sometimes these questions or concerns are an invitation to grow in discernment, looking at the spiritual weight they carry. They also present an opportunity for greater refinement and unity. As faithful leadership listens carefully, weighs concerns against Scripture, and seeks to guide the body of Christ with both truth and grace, these questions turn into blessings.
And at the same time, believers not in leadership who carry and raise concerns must do so with humility. Our call is not to accuse or judge intentions as evil but to speak truth in love, pursuing unity. Our convictions don’t give us license to encourage division, hatred, or disrespect our brothers and sisters who disagree.

Conviction and unity are not enemies.

Our convictions should not be a call to remove joy from the church or disengage from community and fellowship with those who disagree. Ours is a call to align our expressions of joy with the truth.

The Church is not limited to copying cultural traditions that carry and promote mixed meanings. We can create experiences that are engaging, meaningful, and rooted in Scripture, without eggs or bunnies. We can create opportunities that do not simply entertain, but that clearly and consistently point to Christ.

Imagine if the Church promoted during the holy resurrection weekend events that only focused on:

• a resurrection-centered journey
• a gospel-based story experience
• interactive teachings that lead families to Christ

Not less engagement—but more clarity.

Ultimately, this is not about Easter eggs. It is not about preference or tradition.
In the end, this is about Christ.
It is about devotion.

• Does what we are doing draw us more fully toward Christ?
• Does it strengthen the clarity of the gospel?
• Does it build up the faith of believers and present a clear witness to those outside the church?

In our desire to engage culture, have we allowed culture to shape how we present Christ?

The gospel does not need to be supplemented to be compelling.

The gospel simply needs to be seen clearly.

If we are willing to pause, to listen, and to examine our practices together, this does not have to become a point of division. It can become a moment of refinement—a chance to pursue clarity over familiarity, faithfulness over convenience, and Christ, fully and unmistakably, at the center of everything we do.

That’s a goal worth pursuing together.

Self-effort is the foundation of a Performance-Based religions, and out of its root stems many fears, inadequacies, judgments, and vain repetitions of religious prayers and actions. The reality is too few Christians even recognize the difference between a Grace-Based and a Performance-Based mentality within church teachings.  While in the human mind, the difference between a foundation in self-effort and a position of Grace-alone cannot be clearly distinguished in most people.  It is only when "push comes to shove" (during times of trial) that the fruits of these different systems are finally exposed.  The various responses to the demonic encounter in part 1 clearly demonstrated the difference between these two opposing systems of operation, with most believers offering advice unknowingly from a self-effort point of view.

Examining the physical actions resulting from a performance-based mentality in other religions, Christians often call these actions "witchcraft."  Perhaps it's easier to look externally at a pagan ritual, reciting a magic incantations, or talisman and recognize the placement of faith as wrong.  It's easy to see a "witchcraft" label when it isn't being disguised by Christian terminology or symbols.  But, throw in the name of Jesus, His blood, a cross, holy water, or repeated scripture to ward off the enemy, and many Christians wrongly assume it's biblical to perform these Christian witchcraft rituals. 

When we advise others to perform an action like "pleading the blood" or praying a specific verse repeatedly, we are in essence telling them to rely on self-effort for protection.  Seriously, how much more blood can be pleaded for you than all Jesus' blood poured out on the cross?  His blood has eternally pleaded for everyone who will believe, and He is at the Father's right hand making intercession for you right this very moment.  You don't receive extra protection because you "pleaded the blood" over your home, and another Christian received less protection because he believed and rested in God's promise of protection.  All Christians are eternally safe in Christ.  The enemy has no power over Believers except what may be given to him in ignorance.  Re-read James 4:7 or the Gospels for direction if you need the enemy to leave.  You don't receive extra deliverance from evil because you said the right prayer, the right number of times.  In fact, Jesus called this type of behavior "vain repetitions" and spoke against it.  All Christians receive the same amount of deliverance from ALL evil via their new nature upon the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  God our loving Father never plays favorites with His children.  All of His promises are "Yes and Amen" in Christ Jesus.  You have equal access to all spiritual blessings by faith alone and not on your own merit or effort.
 
Believers don't need to wear a crucifix for protection; the symbol itself does nothing to ward off evil. A Bible under your bed or pillow won't do you any good if its words have not been sown into your heart by the Author. Believers don't get to command Heaven's angels to deal with vast spiritual problems, nor do they have the right to rebuke  principalities and powers over entire continents or cities because they think they can.  We never read of Peter, John, Paul or the other apostles performing such an actions.  Neither did Jesus.  If the servant is not greater than His master, what makes you believe you have more authority than they? A Performance-Based mentality is what is causing these misconceptions and false teachings.  It lies and twists the scriptures to "empower" people falsely.  It encourages Believers to depend upon the strength of their own arm instead of resting solely upon the Grace of God. Ultimately, it leaves them hanging and helpless to deal with real spiritual problems. 

The only way out of a Performance-Based mentality is through Grace.  Christians usually like to say they accept Grace, but many of them are literally working for their salvation or working to maintain it but just won't admit it that way.  What we need is to cultivate a Grace-Based Mentality of the Gospel where Believers know they cannot add to Jesus' works by their efforts.  Believers cannot help God's keep His promises. God is faithful all by Himself to keep His promises.  Additionally, nothing Christians do can subtract from Jesus' work.  Even when Believers are unfaithful, Jesus remains faithful (2Timothy 2:13) to perform the good work He began in them. (Philippians 1:6).

No matter how we color or label it, any time we are depending or relying upon ourselves, we are not relying on Grace.   The Truth of the Gospel of Grace preached throughout the New Testament states simply, Jesus did it all.  Jesus does it all, and Jesus will forever do it all. 

When you rest in the finished works of Jesus and your new identity in Him, there is no need for any self-effort.  You do not experience spiritual warfare in the sense of you being required to complete a "To-Do or Don't Do List" to avoid being attacked by the enemy or to obtain "protection."  As you rest in the promises of God, you operate from a place of peace and strength that are supernaturally imparted to you. When necessary, you can speak or move knowing the all authority was given to Jesus, and He, dwelling inside of you, has your back.  Unlike Sceva's sons, you are a Believer.  The demons openly admitted to knowing Jesus and Paul. They know those who truly belong to the Lord because the Lord is in us and with us. 

That's why we never read about a demon physically attacking Peter, John, or Paul.  I'm not counting the thorn in the flesh given to Paul to keep him humble because he was walking in resurrection power daily.  I'm talking about the the kind of attack the lady in part 1 reported.  The apostles were major leaders of the church, big targets of the enemy, far more than most Christians today. Yet, they did not experience demonic attacks on this level, and neither should we, not because of who we are, but because of who Christ is in us.  This is the knowledge that stems from the foundation of the Grace-Based mentality the apostles lived and taught.  It's the knowledge many Christians need today: to know Christ, your identity in Christ, and trust in Christ's finished works alone. 

Our strength and authority come solely from the Lord.  Do not rely upon an religious ritual or work to deliver or save you.  The enemy has no power over a Believer in Christ.  Satan tries to get people to jump through hoops, use religious ways to deal with him, and seek comfort in acts we can do. Yet, in reality, when we focus on Satan or seek to defend or protect ourselves by our own strength, we only empower the enemy in our lives. Our attention should be 100% focused on Jesus.  Believers need to know His word and promises.  Only there we can find rest, knowing Jesus protects us from every evil.  In fact, Jesus prayed specifically for God to deliver you from Satan in John chapter 17.  A prayer that was fully affirmed by God, I might add. 

Nothing can touch a Believer that God doesn't allow. If your Heavenly Father has allowed something to come into your life, then it is for your good and being used to refine your faith.  Even if you don't understand it and especially when it's painful, trust in God's character and promises. Do not lean on your own strength or understanding to deal with the situation. 

On Facebook, I joined a group many years ago about prophecy, where people shared about dreams and supernatural encounters.  Ultimately, the group was designed to help people who have experienced a vision or encounter that has left them confused receive interpretation and guidance.  Ideally, people responding were to provide Christian feedback to those posting a dream, vision, or encounter.  Yesterday for the first time in ages, one of the posts from that page popped up on my news feed.

This particular post was about a demonic encounter a lady had while trying to nap.  In her encounter, she reported being physically attacked and choked by two evil spirits.  The episode left her shaken and her throat hurting.  During the attack, she called out to God to help her and the spirits instantly stopped and left.  With her throat hurting, she continued praying and fell asleep.  When she awoke the second time, all the pain in her throat was gone, but she reported feeling physically sick and believed she was experiencing spiritual warfare complications.

Obviously, not every person experiences a demonic attack to the level this lady reported.  What was disturbing about the entire posting wasn't what the lady experienced, but how fellow Christians responded to her.  Five people replied to her post before I saw it.  After me, another seven also commented.   Sadly, with the exception of my comment, the majority of replies initiated from a Performance-Based Mentality instead of a Gospel-Based Mentality.  It made me realize the degree to which Christians have become ingrained in the depths of wrong theology.  Our human nature thrives on our ability to do works for salvation.  Yet the finished works of Jesus are completely contrary to a performance based mentality. 

Here are just a few examples of the comments/advice given to the lady seeking understanding or a word from the Lord on what happened to her and what it might all mean, as well as asking for prayer.

• [The evil spirits were] a python spirit.
• Read Psalm 91 out loud before going to sleep. Then repeat Psalm 91 aloud when you wake up for protection.
• Plead the "Blood of Jesus" over you, your house, your animals, etc.
• Pray spiritual warfare prayers often.
• Someone said, "I loose you in Jesus name."
• The experience was a backlash from the enemy.
• Make sure the enemy doesn't have a legal right to attack you.  You will need to pull down any strongholds in your life [granting the evil spirits access].
• Have people from your church come and pray in your home.
• Plead a hedge of protection around you and your home.

WOW! I sat and stared at the comment list and thought to myself, "there was a time when bad teaching like this was fed to me in at least two different churches." My heart broke for the countless Believers trapped in false dogmatic mindsets where their spiritual protection, deliverance, or salvation rests primarily upon their own shoulders and works.  Jesus might have gotten them in Heaven's door, but now they have to work to stay there and keep the enemy from causing them to fall. 

Read the above list again, only this time see where the focus or faith is really placed.  Too many Christians believe they must do this or that, pray just right, close a doorway, break a curse, cut a soul-tie, call for an elder, use oil, use holy water, carry a physical cross, plead the blood, and even use Jesus' name in order to experience spiritual deliverance and freedom.  Sadly, too many Believers honestly think there's this HUGE "To-Do/To-Don't Do List" to perform before they achieve their desired results. They look to everything and everyone but the Author and Perfecter of their faith.  It's all so reminiscent of the Seven Sons of Sceva in Acts chapter 19. 

For the record, I'm not dismissing the power of the blood of Jesus, for by it we are completely delivered from our sins and raised above all the enemy to sit with Christ in the Heavenlies (Ephesians 2), neither am I underestimating the power in the name of Jesus for Believers.  But, there is little power in "Pleading the Blood" of Jesus over your home like it's some sort of talisman you can pour out to cover you to keep the enemy from seeing you.  Scripture clearly teaches all who walk with the Lord will suffer persecution, trials, and tribulations.  There is even less power in using Jesus' name without an intimate relationship with the Lord, as the sons of Sceva learned.  There is only power when you abide (rest, live, and move) in Christ. 

The overall theme of the Seven Sons was they had head-knowledge of Jesus (knew who He was).  They had even seen the power of Jesus operating through the Apostle Paul.  They knew and believed Jesus' name held power, but their understanding was extremely limited by one major problem.  Sceva's sons were not genuine Believers.  They had never been reborn and indwelt by the Holy Spirit.  The Seven Sons had no true faith in Jesus in spite of their knowledge of Him, His name, or His power.  Thus, the Sons of Sceva had no authority backing up their words or actions when they used the name of Jesus to cast out demons.  The results were disastrous for them and should be taken as a warning to all who would advise anyone dealing with demonic activity to invoke the name or power of Jesus without first making ensuring the person using Jesus' name had been born again and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 

Without the Lord as one's personal savior and indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, no amount of using Jesus' name, pleading His blood, or anything else will deliver you from evil.  Often times, such actions without salvation result in evil spirits physically harming people, which happened to Sceva's sons.  Other times, evil gives an illusion to acquiesce to human behavior, words, or rituals to reinforce the false belief in self: one's ability to do something to rid himself/herself of evil's presence.  This is often seen in pagan rituals, but can happen to anyone at any time not operating from genuine salvation in harmony with the Holy Spirit's leading.  The enemy's goal is to convince Believers to put their faith in their own actions, words, and ability to "spiritually" fight.  Unfortunately, the moment anyone falls for the lie there is strength in self or self-efforts, that is the moment he/she is defeated.

To be continued in part 2.

For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house.
Matthew 9:5-7

I woke up this morning thinking about medical diagnoses and how many are given to us at times.  A particular friend was on my heart, who has a listing of so many diagnoses that she could make alphabet soup.  At that same moment I was pondering the list of disorders, I heard the Word of the Lord repeat the scripture of Matthew 9  in my mind, "Which is easier..." 

It got me wondering, why is it easier for us to believe the magnitude of our sins are forgiven, or that we have eternal peace with God and a new home in Heaven when we die, but we get stuck at believing in Jesus' redemptive work of healing for our physical bodies here on Earth?

Which is easier to believe?  

Probably it's easier to believe our sins are forgiven, because we often do not emotionally or physically feel the weight of all those sins in our body the same way that we feel pain or disease.  It's easy to feel the difference between your healthy body and an unhealthy body, or know when an illness or injury affects you.  With the physical body, we can measurably experience the difference between our good health and a negative health.  With sin, people don't immediately feel disease impacting their souls.  The eternal effects of sin are more intangible than say a broken leg, diabetes, or a stroke.  Because humanity is more experienced with the physical realm via our senses (touch, sight, hearing, taste, smell), our spiritual plane of existence is more easily theorized than practically experienced.

Yet, if scripture is to be understood as true, than the healing Jesus offers to all who come to Him in Isaiah 53 is a package deal with the forgiveness of our sins.  The fullness of Isaiah 53 is explained just one chapter earlier in Matthew (8:16-17), where it states all of Jesus' ability to heal disease and broken bodies and offer deliverance from demons was accomplished as fulfillment of Isaiah 53, by Jesus' stripes we were healed.  Healing and salvation are two parts of the same coin.  Isaiah 53 intertwines Jesus' ability to physically heal people with His ability to be the vessel for our forgiveness of sins. 

Which is easier to believe?

If only we could see and experience spiritually the way we understand and relate to our physical world; it would transform our minds.  Many of the roadblocks to healing for our bodies would fall away.  Our willingness to embrace disease would be eradicated, and our ability to believe the Word of the Lord would grow and overcome the world. 

Scripture states forgiveness of sins is just as easy as the healing of a paralytic body, and Jesus has the power to offer you both!

I enjoy reading books about pioneers and great men and women of faith.  One of my favorite men of faith is Smith Wigglesworth.  The following is an excerpt from God-Given Faith, written about Smith Wigglesworth upon a house and encountering a woman who was in extreme need of deliverance.

" 'I knew something had to be done, no matter what it was.' He said, 'then with my faith, I began to penetrate the heavens, and I was soon out of that house. I will tell you, for I never saw a man get anything from God who prayed on the earth. If you get anything from God, you will have to pray into heaven. That is where it all is. If you are living in the earth realm and expect to receive from God, you will never get anything... I saw in the presence of God the limitations of my faith. Then there came another faith, a faith that cannot be denied, a faith that takes the promise, a faith that believes God's Word. And from that presence, I came back again to earth, but not the same man. God gave a faith that could shake heaven. And in that faith there was total deliverance for that young woman.' "

May we all learn how to expand our faith off the earth, into the Heavens, and back again to help others.

I'd like to see a bible where the words that God speaks are all in RED.  We have a similar concept for putting the words of Jesus in red in the New Testament, but too often are the spoken words by God in the Old Testament neglected.  While every word, be it black or red, was inspired to be written down by the Holy Spirit, seeing how much God spoke in the Old Testament to believers would be a valuable insight.  Probably, it would be just as important to believers today as the first coloring of red words were for Jesus' speaking in the New Testament.  

Psalm 91 is perhaps my favorite psalm, particularly because of its personal miracle displayed in my life when leaning upon these words.  With the thought of Yahweh speaking in red, I've taken Psalm 91 and revised it.  What do you think?

We cannot live in Christian community without transparency.  Yet, too many of us go to Sunday church or meet with other Christians with a mask on.  We come smiling, ready to put forth a positive face and attitude.  Unfortunately, entering a world of smiling faces may not be an honest reflection of our walk with Christ.

Sinners entering into such an atmosphere may feel rejected, like we cannot understand their pain and struggles.  If we fake joy or happiness to appear what we are not, we  build barriers between us and those needing Jesus.  Saints may also feel insecure about admitting their failures or struggles to other Christians.  This insecurity leads many to put on a mask to appear that Jesus has completely fixed their life.  Sometimes, all these masks look like everyone else has their act together and you're the only one failing.  As a result, you might fear judgement should the truth be known you don't feel much joy right now or you are struggling with a sin.  If we create an environment where everyone is allowed to wear masks, we undermine the power of the Gospel. 

The Gospel is for our darkest hours, our trials and temptations, and even our complete and utter failures.  Christians must be able to safely express the darker side of life with each other without fear and rejection.  In order to grow in our walk with God, we must be free to express the not-so-nice things of life without condemnation, in a safe environment where we are protected by love.  Fear of not wearing a mask prevents many from experiencing the freedom that comes in true Christian community.  Freedom where we can ask and receive help at any time, for any thing.

Every person has faults.  We who are spiritual should be in the process of edification and restoration for everyone around us, especially the household of God.  And we must be willing to work from a humble place of remembrance that our own sins have been forgiven.  Operating from love and humility, we will avoid the temptations of gossip and pride and fulfill the Love of Christ.  When we create a culture of love, humility, and acceptance each other's areas of strength and weakness, the family of God will pray for each other and experience unimagined victory together! 

 Masks may be comfortable, but the rewards of living mask free are SUPERIOR. 

A mask free life can:

• Demonstrate the power of the Cross
  
• Increase your witness for Jesus
  
• Edify your brothers and sisters in Christ
  
• Give you boldness to walk in truth
  
• Give you freedom from fake expectations
  
• Allow you to openly express your needs & receive edification from others
  
• Increase your joy in the Lord
  

This Sunday I had the pleasure of worshiping together with my friend, Scott.  Scott was saved by the Lord a few years ago in a miraculous way.  He literally met Jesus after dying on the side of the road in Alaska and was brought back to life by Him.  As a result, Scott is so full of the joy of the Lord that he is contagious!  You can't help but smile and feel the genuine love of God in Scott's presence.  He radiates it. 

While at church, we experienced a technical difficulty when the speaker system fell over and became unplugged in the middle of worship.  The song, "Ever Be" by Aaron Shust, was playing when the speaker disconnected.  Scott caught up in worship never noticed at first and continued to sing.  When he did notice the music had stopped, he continued to encourage the congregation to keep praising Jesus.  It was an interesting experience to witness.  Most of the congregation remained silent, unsure what to do next without the official music playing.  Many seemed reserved or perhaps even embarrassed by Scott's continual praise.  Me?  I was completely jealous.  I envied the way Scott was totally unashamed of Jesus, and his joy of the Lord spilled over in uninhibited praise.  I asked the Lord right then and there to give me such a love and passion for Him.  I want to praise Jesus uninhibited in the middle of a silent congregation.  I want to praise Jesus without fear or reservation at any and all times.  

This past Sunday was a great lesson for my soul. I finally understand the deeper meaning of Romans 11:11.  When God said salvation came to the gentiles to make Israel jealous, I believe Scott's exuberant worship of Yahweh was exactly what Paul had in mind.   Let us all live and worship Jesus in such a manner that we make others jealous of our love for God and His love for us.

"...salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke Israel to jealousy."
Romans 11:11

While it's simple to notice a lack of quality teaching from most pulpits, it's also too easy to place blame on any particular pastor or leader in a local church when the fact is the entire Body must bare the guilt as well.  Seriously, we (the people of Christ) are the Church.  The Church is not a place or building; it is fluid and living according to the Bible.  Every person in the Body of Christ is supposed to study the Scriptures to be able to rightly divide the Word of Truth (2Timothy 2:15).  We are also to be able to give a reason for our faith at any time (1Peter 3:15) to anyone.   Not only should pastors leading the congregations be able to explain the validity of God's word and the teachings within it, but every mature Christian should be able to do the same... which brings us back to Joe. 

Joe has been surrounded by Christians in the church over the past 10 years.  Many of those Christians I know personally, and several are considered leaders and mature Christians within that particular local church.  I truly wonder why they would feel it was wise to not speak to Joe about God in order to help make him feel comfortable.  I understand the concept of "relationship evangelism," but after 10 years, enough opportunity for relationship had been given.  What was lacking greatly was the actual sharing of the Gospel message with Joe from those he considered his brothers in the Church. 

The Holy Spirit inside a Christian is an enemy of the Spirit of the flesh inside a nonbeliever.  The two are at war spiritually, and the conflict is felt in the physical plane.  Most people are either repulsed or attracted to the Spirit of God after spending time in the presence of God's people.  I'd never met anyone like Joe, who had spent 10 years around the family of God as a nonbeliever and came away believing he was part of the family.  Obviously, the Church has failed Joe!

The Truth of Scripture was never been spoken clearly, because Joe had never been told Light has no fellowship with darkness.  Joe cannot be in darkness retaining a hostile spirit of anti-Christ and think for a moment he is our brother, an equal heir in Christ.   Why we would even allow him to do so is absurd!  Unfortunately, Joe was deceived by the Church as a whole in a most grievous way.  We allowed Joe to believe the delusion that another commonality in life was a foundation for fellowship with us and God.  Each Sunday, we encouraged him to believe he was safe with God, welcomed to be one with us through our ideal social chit-cat and talk of subjects that had nothing to do with God.  It was only natural Joe would think he had a "home church," even though Joe never was part of THE Church and never a member of the Body of Christ.

Joe's rational was logical.  He should not be blamed for coming to his conclusions about the Church or his position in it.  After all, we treated him as a brother, as an equal, and had no real relationship or deep conversation with him to understand his spiritual deprivation and need.  We gave Joe the appearance of fellowship and the lingo of Jesus without ever truly knowing Joe or trying to help Joe grow in Christ.  We expected if Joe was interested, he would save himself, feed himself milk from the Word, and grow up.... all without a mentor, without a guide to help him.  

So the next time you greet someone at the church door, in the foyer, or are directed to greet your neighbor in the pew beside you, don't be satisfied to simply shake their hands or say hello.  Ask yourself these questions: 

• Are you content to stay on the social fringes of people's lives in your local church when it could cost them eternity? 
  
• What if it were you, your son, or daughter drowning with a sea full with lifeboats all around and no one on board those ships even noticed your desperate spiritual need?  
  
• How will you react when you get to Heaven and find out you're standing beside Joe before the Judgment Throne of God, and he is being sentenced to eternal damnation because Joe never knew or understood who Jesus was because he never had any connection from a Sunday sermon to his personal life; then the Lord turns to you to give account for why you never noticed Joe, never truly talked to him while he was hanging out in your circle of church friends socializing after service?  Joe was someone you could have possibly helped to know Jesus better.
  

The Church is called for more than silent witnesses to those on the Highway to Hell.  We are called to boldly proclaim from every aspect of our lives the Love of God, the Truth of God's Word, and salvation from sin.  Never be content to withhold the gospel, because you don't want to make someone uncomfortable.  I guarantee you, there is no comfort in Hell!

While ultimately the decision of whether to reject God in Jesus rests squarely upon Joe's shoulders, the Church as a whole plays a big part in how Joe experiences God.  The bible is clear... "How then can they call on Him (God) in whom they have not believed, and how can they believe in Him (God) whom they have not heard, and how will they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14)  I challenge Believers everywhere to understand that "preaching" is more than a Sunday sermon, falling solely on the shoulders of one man in a congregation.  Preaching the Gospel includes your living example.  It includes your discipleship of unbelievers into the family of God and mentoring of new Believers.  It's your life: your actions as well as the words you speak from the Bible.   We are the living love letters of God (2Cor 3:2) for Joe and the world to read as a witness.  What's your letter really saying?

Wondering how to improve your witness?
Here's a good book to learning how to witness.