He Was more Religious than Real

Back in the days when I was a gospel messenger out on the streets of my local community, rarely would too much time pass before I would get to experience the practical reality, revelations and power of the Lord Jesus Christ as He ministered in some-one’s life.  It was always an awesome thing for me to experience – so much so, that I regularly could not wait to share with my fellow church members what it was that the Lord said or did.  In that church, we had an early-morning men’s prayer meeting every Wednesday.  It was a time when men were strongly encouraged to be prayer-warriors for the church.

One morning, just before prayer-time began, I was sharing what had happened so dramatically in a person’s life and (just like in these posts) the word “I” was frequently used by myself.  It was not my purpose to draw any attention to me, but unless that little one-letter-word was used, the testimony would not have had the desired impact for God’s exaltation.  Three or four of the younger men were delighted with what they were hearing.  A couple of the older one’s gave similar appearance – but not one man.  He sat upright in his chair, closed his mouth, took a long, deep breathe in through his nose and said, “Let’s pray.”

It was not too long into his prayer when he began asking the Lord to humble “us.”  He did not mean “us” he meant me.  A very necessary gift of the Holy Spirit for ministry to others is that of discernment.  I was enabled to discern a couple of things about the man that morning.  One, he was more religious than real.  The other, he was going to personally experience God’s answer to that prayer whether he recognized the answer as from God, or not.  He asked the Lord to bring, “such humility to us” and “to test us in our faith.”

It is often said in Christian-speak, “Be careful for what you pray for, for you shall surely get it.”  Well, as the months rolled into a couple of years, he “got it.”  As far as I know that man has ceased going on for God.  He came out on the streets with me once, but he was most uncomfortable with the way I ministered to people.  One Sunday he gave me a hand written script, “of what I find works for me and I suggest you try it.”  The script was not originated by him, but taken from some popular “How to…” books on evangelism.

Personally, I have never been into methods of evangelism of any kind, unless the Holy Spirit has His stamp of anointing upon them.  I have found what God gives to one often will not be effective for another.  It is also my belief that if the church would stop seeking for “methods” and wholeheartedly seek the Messenger – for the benefit of those whom we want to reach, everybody would be much better off.  In the majority of churches throughout the western world it is clear that religious man prefers to lean on his own understanding, rather than God’s understanding Proverbs 3:5-6.

The result of that is: the carnal wins out over the spiritual; theology wins out over divine revelation; psychology wins out over divine discernment; humanism & reasoning win out over biblical faith and “the church program” has nearly always won out over Holy Spirit-supernatural direction.  God Almighty so dramatically intervened in my life that I wanted nothing to do with anything any man had to offer – religious or otherwise.  That religious man did not understand.  All he saw was a spiritually-proud person when he saw me.  He was later to become one of the devil’s tools in that church. 

Go into most churches today anywhere in the western world and you will find “the church program” running like clock-work.  There is the usual greeting time – smiles, handshakes, some kissing & hugging, some backslapping and lots of, “good to see you.”  Some dear people genuinely mean their every word and action.  Many do not – and it shows up later when they fail to get their own way – or, when they don’t like biblical truth that visits their innermost being.  That religious man was a perfect picture of this description.

Next item on the church program will be the “Order of the Service.”  These vary, but usually everyone comes together with an opening hymn (in the traditional church) or happy song/s (in the non-traditional church).  Then the pastor/elder or song leader will get up and the church members will all nod their heads and say, “Amen” to his/her, “It’s so good to be in the house of the Lord today, amen?”  The person who says that will then “bring the announcements,” that are already written down in the Church Bulletin and were placed in the hand of each member when greeted on the way in.

Following the announcements there will be a time of worship – anything from twenty to forty-or-more minutes.  Sometimes there is a wonderful blessing upon the church at that point, but too often this gets interrupted by the song leader working up a spiritual sweat and calling the Holy Spirit to, “touch us Lord, just touch us” or something similar.  And it can go on with each song.  In other words, the strongest emphasis is feelings-based, not faith-based.  The problem with seeking “feelings” over faith is that we are less likely to honor God in spirit and in truth, which can then disqualify us as true worshippers John 4:23.

After the worship, next on the list is the Communion “celebration” or Lord’s Supper.  Usually this is a time where deep solemnity is expressed by all as we remember what Jesus did on the cross for us.  Depending on who brings that communion message, it can be a time where great condemnation is brought upon all (just after we’ve been “touched” by the Spirit) as we are reminded to reflect on our sinful selves – or, it can be a time when (still solemn) we are constantly reminded that Jesus’ death for us means we are forgiven – but no further reminder to seek peace with our brothers and holiness for God Hebrews 12:14.

On the list, after the Lord’s Supper, the offering bags or plates are passed around and everybody is asked to give liberally, because, “God loves a cheerful giver, amen?”  It’s true too.  God does love a cheerful giver.  The problem is too many of His people are manipulated givers, but they fail to discern the difference.  A prayer of blessing & thanksgiving is then made for the money “to be used wisely for Your Kingdom, Oh Lord.”  After that comes the minister’s sermon, perhaps followed by an altar call for all in need of prayer and last of all on that Order of Service is the final hymn/song and benediction.

What is the problem with all this?  There is none – if God is in it from start to finish.  The question is, is He?  I do not believe so.  It is religious man working his methods.  Religious man loves methodology and he is wary of anything that threatens this.   It is true that God wants things done decently and in order 1 Corinthians 14:40, as many will quote in their defence.  But they defend themselves in ignorance of the context of that Scripture.  Religious man’s order of service in church meetings is an anaemic caricature in comparison to God’s order of service.  Even a brief study of 1 Corinthians 14 will confirm this.

1 Corinthians 14:26-31 shows it is, “each of us” who has a psalm, a tongue, a revelation.  Some have the gift of interpretation of spiritual language and others have the gift of prophecy.  We see a calling for some who would judge wisely any prophecy uttered, making the church sure what was of God and what was not; the whole purpose being for our edification.  It is not the one or two “gifted ones” that are so boringly predictable in the institutionalised church, but rather, for “all to prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be encouraged.”  In other words, God wants reality for all, not religion. 

It was God’s reality, being so clearly demonstrated in our midst on those streets which was the reason I was so excited and could not wait to share.  That religious man was not the only one to respond in the manner in which he did.  In sharing testimonies with other Christians down through the years, many have responded similarly – even if more covertly.  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be witnesses to Me……”  Acts 1:8.