Fore word to Danny's new book coming later this fall.

I Find Today’s Church Lacking

Two thousand years ago Jesus asked his disciples, “When the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8 NKJV)

It should be evident to the Church today that we are in the last days before Jesus returns to bring our salvation. But, if he came today he would find today’s Christian Church lacking in comparison—to the First Century Church of Peter, John, and Paul.

There are three key areas Jesus would critique today’s Church on, if he visited us today:

One:

The Good News Message about, “Jesus Christ” that today’s Church is teaching—is not the same message as what Paul and Peter preached to the first century Church.

Two:

God is not pleased with our motives and attitudes of our heart. The problem God has with today’s Church is not in what we are doing, but, in the attitude and motive we have, in seeking him.

Three:

The False Prosperity Message that has manifested itself world-wide and ruined countless relationships between God and humanity, is not part of the Good News Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven that Jesus taught his disciples. Please don’t be lead astray by today’s eloquent false prophets.

The key message of salvation for the Saints of the First Century Church was fear.

Fear from being separated from God.

Fear of being an enemy of God and.

Fear of spending eternity in hell.

To the believers back then, it was all about preparing where they would spend eternity. You might be thinking isn't hell eternal separation from God the Father and Jesus? Yes, indeed it is, but you should fear separation from God now, today, not after you die.

You are separated from God today, therefore, if you die today you will be separated from God for all of eternity.

In fact, if you want to go to heaven but do not know and understand how separation from God is affecting your life today, then you are embracing God’s plan salvation with no understanding of what you are being saved from.

We should fear being enemies and separated from Jesus now while we are alive on earth.

We should fear spending eternity in hell, because of what Apostle Paul told us, “for all have

sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” ... “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 3:23 and 6:23 NLT)

Jesus told us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” ... “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”(John 3:16-18 and 36 NKJV)

The plan of salvation that many Christian Churches are preaching today is not the same message that Jesus taught to his eye-witness disciples. 2000 years ago, people were saved out in the streets. And then once saved, they came out of the world, into the Church to fellowship, pray, and grow from pilgrims into my mature disciples. Their purpose was to make disciples of all peoples and nations. 

Today, many of us have lost our faith and purpose. Instead of teaching and making disciples to walk as Jesus walked. Our eyes are focused on making our Churches popular and exciting. We want our Church’s to be entertaining so more people will come and become members. More members mean—more money for our Church treasuries. Making disciples of Christ, is way down on our Church priority list; written in invisible ink.

Many of today’s Churches have compromised God’s plan of salvation to the extent that it is not offensive to the un-believers in the world. The people of the world like our entertaining lukewarm plan of salvation. It makes them feel good, because there is no harsh talk of sin, hell, or being enemies of and separated from God. The teaching of fearing God and his judgement and wrath against sin has been removed from our message. In its place we are teaching a watered-down message of salvation with love, but without true repentance. The results are millions of people do not know why they are saved. 

Today, people come to the altar for salvation with no regret, no remorse, or sorrow in their heart for the sinful life-style they lived against God. We come to the altar, to receive the advertised—Good Life plan of salvation—being taught in most Christian Churches today. We spend an emotional moment telling God were sorry and profess to change, but it’s just words being uttered from our mouths. We by-pass true repentance. The truth is wee confess, so we can possess. As soon as our confession is over—we begin asking God for stuff and declaring and claiming things that don’t belong to us.

It’s our sins and sinful nature that causes us to be born into this world as Sons and Daughters of the Wicked, the Devil. (Reference Matthew 13:38-39) This is why the Bibles says we are enemies of and separated from God, thus dead to God—while in a state of sin—alive on earth.

But, God sent his Only Begotten Son, Jesus, to put into effect his perfect plan of salvation that will separate us—from our sins—and save our soul from Hell and Satan.

Today, for a true revival of God to happen there must be a call for repentance and revival to take place in Church Leaders and people professing to be Christians. It’s time to repent and come back to our first love and establish our relationship with God the Father—through Jesus, the Messiah.

When we start teaching God’s true perfect plan of salvation, then, God’s glory will be released in us and we will fulfill all the promises that Jesus gave us.

The true uncompromised Gospel message about Jesus—the Messiah becoming our Lord and Savior, was the key message of the First Century Church. People were saved because they feared being enemies of God and separated from him, while they were alive on earth. They feared spending eternity in hell, with the Devil, after they died. That was the message of the First Century Church.

But today, millions of Christians come for salvation because they want something from God. This is happening because in most Christian Churches the teachings and messages are centered on divine providence in and about our earthly life. I am not saying that some of their messages are not biblical if and when spoken in context. However, because someone is speaking from the bible, that does not make the words they speak truthful and part of God’s perfect plan of salvation.

Prosperity teachings are a sign that today’s Church is living in fear. But it’s not the same fear the first Century Church had. Today’s Church fears the same things the people of the world fear.

Fear of the future;

fear of what might happen;

fear to lose what you have worked so hard to possess;

fear that you will not see your dreams and goals come true.

Many people who profess to be Christians are focused on finding their happiness from the wealth of this world. That's why many Churches have given up preaching about Jesus and his coming kingdom as the ultimate hope.

Instead, many are preaching a hope that this declining world will get better. But, that is a not true. They have forgotten or don’t believe the words our Messiah, Jesus, spoke regarding God’s wrath, which is soon to come and will fall on this world.

Many of us come to Church because we want God to do something for us. So, we try to established a relationship with God the Father, through Jesus, based on an attitude of what we want from God. Many of us come to God with a motive of salvation for our personal problems. We think we have a problem with a shortage of money. We need a better job to earn more money, so we come to Jesus to fix our money problem.

But God see our problem differently—than we do. God see’s sin—as our problem. It’s as if we are trying to have an affair with God the Father, through Jesus. But God is not interested in our flirtatious affairs. God is committed to us having a true loving and obedient relationship with him! And to do that the rebellious, sinful, proud nature, that is in our heart must be removed, by true repentance.

The First Century Church did not behave the way we do. They were hot and on fire for Jesus. Their hope and expectation was alive. They waited, looking, and longing, for Jesus return. The measurement of their faith—was hope. Hope that was alive! 

They were obedient to the teachings that Jesus demonstrated and taught, and because they obeyed—God’s love was perfected in them. An explosion of love fueled the fire of the first Century Church—all because they obeyed and loved Jesus. Disciple John told us, “Anyone who says, “I know Him, but does not obey His teaching is a liar. There is no truth in him. But whoever obeys His Word has the love of God made perfect in him. This is the way to know if you belong to Christ.The one who says he belongs to Christ should live the same kind of life Christ lived.” (I John 2:4-6 NLV)

The Holy Spirit poured the love of the Father, out into their hearts—it was like pouring gasoline onto an open fire. They were flames of fire

We are not on fire. We are lukewarm at best. There is imperfection in our knowledge and understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation. We think we know and understand it, but we don’t.

We are not obedient to Jesus teachings.

We are not seeking to please Father God and do his will.

We are trying to accomplish our own will—by using God.

We are trusting in ourselves, our money, our own wisdom and understanding, and the ways of this world. This is not of god at all. Disciple John told us, ^“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (I John 2:15-17 NKJV)

Because we desire to do our will and please ourselves, many of us who think we are saved, are not! We must remember what Jesus told us, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV)

Today, many Christians cannot understand why signs, wonders, and miracles, are so rare in comparison to the routine miracles the First Century Church experienced. One of the reasons is many people don’t believe that Jesus is the same today as he was 2000 years ago. They believe that signs, wonders, and miracles, expired with the deaths of the Apostles. 

But that is not what Our Lord Jesus told us. He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matthew 28:1-20 NKJV)

The author of Hebrews tells us, “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So, we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:5-8 NLT)

The only expiration date we need to be looking forward to and hoping for is—Jesus coming on the clouds—to rapture His Church. 

We must believe that signs, wonders, and miracles, are not an option for Christ Church today, they are a promise from God the Father. Just like they were in the first Century Church. However, the bible says these promises will be manifested—when the true Gospel Message about Jesus Christ and the kingdom of heaven, is preached and taught.

Today, whenever and wherever the true Gospel message about Messiah Jesus is preached, signs, wonders, and miracles, will follow.

If signs, wonders, and miracles, are not occurring in the Church you are attending then, something is out of alignment, because they are promised to us—by God.

If Jesus visited his Churches today, I believe—he would tell us we must remove the prosperity teaching that has slithered its way into the hearts of thousands of Christians and is spreading like a wild raging forest fire all over the Earth.

Thousands of Church Leaders are teaching a false prosperity message of, “Quid Pro Quo,” “giving to receive.” This is a scheme promising you and I, because we give, God will give you something in return, for your giving.

“Quid Pro Quo,” is a Latin term meaning; something for something; something given or received for something else;

This teaching is not the way God ask us to give. Giving for the motive of receiving something, is a sinful deed. Because our attitude and motive in our heart for giving is for us to receive something, and not because we love God and want to please him by being obedient.

This makes our sacrifice of giving worthless.

We might as well go ahead and spend the money on ourselves. God told Jeremiah to tell the Children of Israel, “Take your burnt offerings and your other sacrifices and eat them yourselves! When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them. This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’ “But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward. (Jeremiah 7:21-24 NLT)

God doesn’t want our sinful sacrifice of money. Giving to receive, produces the same sinful attitude that the Children of Israel had in Jeremiah’s time when they gave their sacrifices without an attitude of worship.

If the motive and attitude in our heart for giving is to receive something from God, or if we feel God owes us something because we gave, then, this is a sinful motive and harmful to our walk with God.

Todays “Message of Prosperity,” is causing millions of us Christians to lose focus of our spiritual walk and relationship with God. It causes our eyes to fall back into the physical realm and pleasing ourselves with the treasures of this world, instead of pleasing God, by doing his will. The Apostle Paul warned us about this when he said, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. “A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8 NIV)

Unless our love gift, tithe, or offering, is accompanied by a sincere joyful obedience of giving from our heart, we are missing what God wants from us, a true attitude of worship. This is what the First Century Church had.

We should not be talked into giving. Give from a cheerful heart, or don't give. Apostle Paul told us, “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”  (II Corinthians 9:6-8 NLT)

Our offerings, tithes, and love gifts, are extremely important, but they are only accepted by God, when given with an attitude of love, obedience, and worship.

God looks at the attitude of our heart. We should never give to receive. Give because you love and worship God. And, because Jesus says, “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, we are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.”  (Luke17:10 NIV)

The message of prosperity is not a new teaching. The Christians from the first century Church wanted money and worldly possessions just like we do. But, Paul told them, “true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So, if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” ... “For the time, will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (I Timothy 6:6-10 NLT and II Timothy 4:3-4 NIV)

Jesus performed many miracles during his ministry on Earth. He healed people from physical diseases, sickness, injuries, and death. On two different occasions, he fed more than 9,000 men from 12 loaves of bread and a hand full of fish, and had 19 full baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish left over. (Reference Matthew chapters 14 and 15; Mark chapters 6 and 8)  

But of all the miracles he performed, there is no scripture recorded in the New Testament, where Jesus performed a miracle of making a poor person—rich with earthly possessions, wealth, and the riches of this world, during his ministry of teaching and demonstrating his Father’s Will here on earth.

Jesus did not come to earth, to suffer a horrible death of crucifixion, be buried in a borrowed tomb for 3 nights, rise from death back to life, and then ascend into heaven alive—so we could have an abundant rich life enjoying the wealth of this sinful and fading world.

God is a generous and rewarding Father.  But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him, for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 AMP)

God will provide all we need to perform our kingdom work on earth. Jesus told us, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:31-33 NLT)

In addition to everything we need here on earth, Jesus also promised us that when he returned, “great are your rewards in heaven.” In essence Jesus is saying, when you stand before me in heaven, I will pay you back in return for what you do for me and my Father here on earth. We truly are not citizen of this world. We are citizens and servants of the Kingdom of heaven.

Remember in the Garden of Eden, when Satan asked Eve, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” After Eve answered, Satan lied. He told Eve, “You will not certainly die,” “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5 NIV)

Satan’s message to Eve was, “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”  This twisted message deceived Eve.  When Eve made the conscious decision to accept and believe Satan’s words—in place of Gods command, she lost her spiritual focus on God. The bible says, “She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So, she took some of the fruit and ate it. (Genesis 3:6) Eve focused on the physical realm of this world and ate the forbidden fruit. Eve’s eyes were opened to the needs of the flesh and pleasing the flesh.

Today’s eloquent false prophets of prosperity ask questions similar to Satan’s questions to Eve. These wolves, who disguise themselves as sheep, ask us, “Do you really believe God wants you to be poor?”  Before we can answer them with God’s Holy Scriptures, they answer the question by selecting bible verses out of context, twisting the meaning and intention of God’s Word. They tell us, God doesn’t want you to be poor. He wants you to be rich and enjoy the more abundant life that this world has to offer us.

Their message of prosperity is comparable to Satan’s message to Eve, in that it deceives us and causes us to lose our focus on God, and shifts the focus onto pleasing ourselves. Instead of soaring on the wings of eagles doing spiritual kingdom work and pleasing God, our spiritual eyes shift to become physical eyes and focus on the pleasures of this world, pleasing ourselves, and the pleasures of our flesh. We act like turkeys strutting around on earth seeking earth food, clothing, and shelter, and all that that this world has to offer us.

Many of God’s Servants are using the Church pulpits to quote Jesus words in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” They use this quote to support their message of prosperity and teach us that Jesus died on Calvary’s Cross to provide salvation for us, and, a more abundant and prosperous life of worldly treasures, while you’re alive on earth.

But that is a twisted and torqued misquote of Jesus Holy Teachings! When Jesus told the Jews in Jerusalem, “I am the door.” “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:9-10 NKJV)

Peter was a poor man by the worlds standards when he was crucified upside down in Rome? Apostle Paul lack financial support and died as a martyr, by being be-headed? We could go on and on telling how the apostles suffered and were killed because of their belief in the Messiah. Jesus did not die so people could become rich. People were rich and poor before, and, after Jesus died.  Jesus did not die so people could be physically healed by his stripes. People were physical healed and brought back to life, before Jesus was born as a human. Jesus died and by his stripes we are spiritual healed—Saved!

Jesus did not die so his believers could live a rich and more abundant life, enjoying all that this world has to offer. The Devil, is the prince of this world. We cannot take our worldly possessions with us, into eternity.

Jesus died, so that the blessings that he promised Abraham in Genesis 12:3 and 18 that, “all peoples and all nations on earth will be blessed through you.” This blessing is not a promise of a more abundant life of worldly possessions.

Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:14 NLT)

Before Jesus came to Earth, peoples of all nations were separated from and enemies of God. The bible says without Christ, we are dead to God.  

Jesus came so we could be saved and have life and have life more abundantly! The life Jesus gives us is more abundant, because it is eternal life. So, there would be no misunderstanding what Eternal life is, Jesus defined eternal life by saying, “and, this is eternal life, that you may know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he sent.” (John 17:3 NKJV)

Theabundant life Jesus promised you and me is; our opportunity to establish a relationship with God the Father, through his only Begotten Son. Jesus told us, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly”

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”  (John 10:9-10, John 10:27-30 NKJV)

Jesus did not die so we could become rich with earthly treasures of this sinful and fading world. He died so that the Gospel Message of Jesus and the kingdom of heaven could be preached to all nations beginning in Jerusalem. Jesus died to remove sin’s power and penalty, so when we trust Christ Jesus for our salvation and repent—confessing our sins, Father God removes the penalty of sin from us, and gives us the power to overcome sin in our lives.

The difference between today’s Church and the First Century Church is an attitude of repentance and worship.

The First Century Church came together in the name of Jesus, to give thanksgiving, praise,and worship to God. They were a house of prayer. Theirministry and mission was to save souls and make disciples of all peoples and nations.

Today many of us have lost our purpose, our vision, and our focus of Jesus. Instead of doing the Father’s Will of teaching others to become disciples of Jesus and walk as he did. Our eyes are focused on making our Churches popular and exciting, so we can entertain more people and gain more members. We desire more members who will give—more money to increase our Church’s treasury. Making disciples is no longer a vision of the Church of Today.

Hope and expectation in the First Century Church was alive. They waited looking, longing, and hoping—for Jesus to return. 

Today’s Church needs the belief, love, and obedience, that the First Century Church had. We need to display the faith that the first Church displayed. We must seek and find the attitude of worship, that the first Church had.

We must preach the un-compromised Good News Gospel of Messiah Jesus—and the Kingdom of Heaven, just the way Jesus taught the First Century Saints to preach it.

True revival and fire will return to, “The Church of Today,” when we fall back in love with Jesus. It is Jesus desire that we seek and establish a real loving and obedient relationship with Father God, through him.

In order for us to love, obey, and do the Father’s Will, we need to believe that Jesus is who he says he is; the only Begotten Son of God, the Father.

We must also understand the 5–R—Gates of God’s perfect plan of salvation.