- Aug 10, 2006
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“The oracle which Habakkuk the prophet saw.
How long, O Lord, will I call for help,
And You will not hear?
I cry out to You, “Violence!”
Yet You do not save.
Why do You make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me;
Strife exists and contention arises.
Therefore the law is ignored
And justice is never upheld.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
Therefore justice comes out perverted.” (Habakkuk 1:1-4 NASB1995)
These words of Habakkuk could be said of our world and much of the Christian community of today, as well, for he was speaking of his own people, the people of God, most of whom had forsaken the Lord to go after what is evil and what is not of God. And so Habakkuk was grieved over the moral and spiritual deterioration of God’s people. He was distressed that wickedness, strife, violence, and oppression were rampant among his people, and that God seemingly was remaining silent, and was not acting.
And that is a lot like where we are today, at least here in the USA where I live, but most certainly not confined only to my nation. But this is not a matter of “the churched” versus “the unchurched,” or those who profess the name of Jesus versus those who don’t. This is about the spiritual and moral decline which has taken place within the church (the body of Christ) and within the gatherings of what are called “churches” but which are just businesses being marketed to the people of the world like any others.
It appears as though the majority of those professing faith in Jesus Christ here in America are not much different at all from those who make no such professions of faith. So many are still living worldly lives, doing whatever it is that they want to do, charting their own courses, planning out their own life choices, without regard for what God has planned for their lives and for what he has for them to do. Their hearts are not surrendered to the Lord to walk in his ways, for their lives are still being much controlled by the flesh.
So, a gathering of “Christians” might not look much different from a gathering of non-Christians. And a “fellowship” of “Christians” may not differ much at all from a fellowship of non-Christians. There may be less cussing and swearing, and there may be less vulgarity and raunchy subject matter (or not), but the conversations may be all or primarily based in the things of this world and of doing what is pleasurable to us with no mention made of Jesus or our walks of faith in obedience to him. He may be totally left out!
So, how did “the church” of today get to this place? I believe it has a lot to do with the altering and diluting of the gospel message. The gospel message has been going through a slow moral decline for all of my life until it has now reached the point to where so many are teaching a man created gospel that has nothing to do with Jesus Christ and his gospel message. For so many are teaching a Godless gospel which is intended to appease human flesh and to not offend the ungodly who they are trying to attract to their gatherings.
For the majority appear to all be teaching that we can make professions of faith in Jesus Christ with our lips and now we are saved and bound for heaven, done deal. No repentance (death to sin) and no obedience to God required. And still they are promising them salvation from all sin and heaven as their eternal destiny, but regardless of how they live. Some are even teaching that God can’t even see when you sin anymore, but all he sees is Jesus. And if you feel guilty for your sin, you are to claim who you are “in Christ,” off a list, regardless of whether or not you are biblically “in Christ.”
And so we have a whole generation of people claiming who they are “in Christ” while they do not meet the biblical qualifications of what it means to be “in Christ.” And we have a whole generation of professers of faith in Jesus Christ for whom that confession makes no difference in their lives. For they are not being taught that faith, which comes from God, which is not of our own doing, results in us dying to sin and now walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in practice, or it is not biblical faith which saves.
So, this is a call to all who profess faith in Jesus and all who do not, as well, to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Die with him to sin, and now live to him and to his righteousness in holy living and in walks of obedience to his commands, by the Spirit, by the grace of God, in the power of God. No more let sin have mastery over your lives, but now make Jesus Christ your Lord and Master, and follow him in his ways in truth and in obedience to his New Covenant commands. And keep on in those walks of faith to the end, and you will have salvation from sin and eternal life with God.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]
Living Water
An Original Work / November 21, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Based off Various Scriptures
My people have forsaken Me,
Their Savior, who died on a tree;
Made idols, and they worshipped them;
So empty, they will ne’er fulfill.
Lord, You are the hope of Your chosen ones.
Those who turn away from You will be shamed;
The Spring of Living Water left behind.
Living Water satisfies.
The thirsty, let them come and drink;
Believe in Jesus as their King;
The gift of Jesus given them,
So they will never thirst again.
Indeed, the Living Water flows within.
It springs up like a fountain cleansing sin.
Eternal life in heaven promised them.
Living Water glorifies.
Oh people, won’t you come to Him?
Obey Him and repent of sin.
Let Jesus come and live within.
Surrender all your life to Him.
My people, won’t you turn your hearts to Me?
Forsake your idols and then you’ll be free.
Won’t you come now to Me on bended knee?
Living Water sanctifies.
God’s Commands Being Ignored
An Original Work / June 8, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love