Just Tell Me What Makes Me Feel Good!

by | Nov 8, 2019 | American Church, Christianity, Discipleship, Evangelism, Persecution, Podcast | 2 comments

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“Please, pastor, tell me what I want to hear. Make me feel good. No hard truths, no tough topics, just love and grace and encouragement. Don’t get too deep. I just want to enjoy my life and not to be challenged in my faith.” Sound extreme? People may not admit it, but we might be surprised how common this attitude is among churchgoers in America.

Since when did church become about us? Yes, people need hope, but since when does Christianity have anything to do with our worldly comfort? When did it become about avoiding messages of repentance, holiness, God’s wrath, judgment, and righteousness? Too harsh, you  say?

Ask a persecuted brother or sister in Christ in another country how comfortable they are. Compare their tested faith with those who merely profess to believe. Is your pastor and church making disciples, preaching the whole counsel of God, and equipping saints or is it affirming and coddling and entertaining sinners? Big difference.

Here’s the thing: churches are growing in nations where there is hostility toward Christians, and the gospel is spreading. How are we doing in America?

Today’s guest is evangelist, pastor/teacher, and former Muslim, Elijah Abraham.

DISCUSSED:

2 Chronicles 18:1-22

Then the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?” The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil. He is Micaiah2 Chron. 18:5-7

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them and speak favorably.” 13 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.” 2 Chron. 18:12-13

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But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:3-5

“It was not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her success. America is great because she is good, and if America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” – Alexis De Tocqueville

ARTICLES

“…Over the last few decades, Americans have seen the destruction of the institution of marriage between a man and a woman, the removal of God’s Word in several areas, and the blatant murdering of millions of babies. This is an indictment against America and the pulpit is partially responsible – our silence speaks volumes.

The pulpit regulates the spiritual condition of God’s people which affects the nation. A lukewarm, sex-saturated culture (and church) simply reflects the lack of conviction in the pulpit as well as the pew. Sadly, many pastors are exchanging truth for passivity, boldness for cowardliness, and conviction for comfort…they are not aflame with righteousness. We aim to be motivational speakers rather than preachers of righteousness.” -Shane Idleman

An Open Letter to Pastors and Christians – Stand or Fall

What does it mean to be Lukewarm? – John Lysaught