Colossions 2: 13 - 15 NKJV
I'd decided that I'd had enough. The truth needed to be put out there. I'd been following the facebook posts of a very good pastor and friend. Now, this man knows and loves God without question and leads a pretty successfull congregation. However, I've noticed that lately he has been engaged in a sudden flurry of activity aimed at urging our heavenly Father into healing and blessing. Really? Now, those who have read this page will know by now that this writer is by no means a fan of the institutional church system and its practices. For I believe that organized church, which was the creation of man and not God, has a way of keeping people in spiritual bondage. Here I was faced with its ugly head once again. So, what are we to make of a system that sets forth requirements for our Lords presence? If there are trying times in our lives, somehow we must pray harder, read more bibles or tithe till it hurts in order to "Break through" to our Lords blessings! In fact, I've heard the phrase "Break through" so many times in my church life that it makes me want to barf! Where was it that we veered away from expecting our Lords intercession and provision for His children to buying His favor? I even grew weary of the passage in Malachai which claims the Isrealites were robbing God! For this passage has also been misunderstood in terms of our modern day tithe practice. See, the Isrealites had a tribe named the Levites, which was tasked with the priesthood for the people. Because of this, the Levites were required not to work, but to devote themselves to the priesthood. So, how did the Levites survive day to day without income? Well, the other tribes of Isreal contributed "Tithes" into the storehouses to support the priests. It is when the Isrealites fell short of this obligation that they were accused of robbing God. It had NOTHING to do with our modern day tithe practices!
8Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all gprincipality and power.
Colossions 2: 8 - 10 NKJV
Yet there they are each and every Sunday, pulpit pounders exhorting their flocks that they somehow need compell God into action. I've seen everything from corporate prayer to 30 days of prayer and fasting all designed to somehow urge our heavenly Father into action on our behalf. I've also heard a few parsons speak of a tithe "Money back guarantee" which staked the claim that if one were to give till it hurts and did not receive our Lords blessings, that they could request their money back from the pastor! Now be honest, how many of us would ask a church pastor for a refund on a tithe? Do we, as Gods children, indeed need to compell Him into action on our behalf? He who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He who has promised to provide our every need. He who loved us first. It is these very requirements given to us by the man created church which Christ has already done away with. It is these practices which the apostle Paul warns us about in Colossions 2 as the traditions of men. The truth is that we could never buy our Lords favor. What could we possibly give He who created all that we see? Has He not created all? Instead, we should be resting in the blessed assurance that our heavenly Father delights in providing for His children at every turn. We should rest assured in the knowledge that we need not buy our way into His presence. For through the finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross, we now live each and every day as Christ who is within us {Galations 2: 20}. We could never get closer to our heavenly Father than those who have accepted Christ Jesus are today.
~Scott~
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