Scribes, Pharisees,
Hypocrites All!!!
We stand, filled with pride at our "christianity". But pride goeth before a fall. Our pride is an abomination before the Lord. We are no better than the "lost". We, the "elect of GOD", are just as wretched and miserable as they. None are righteous, no not one. All have sinned and fall short. We are filled with our own righteousness when we should be on our knees, before GOD's righteousness.
There are many these days who want to trash the "church" because of its apostacy, but Jesus said remove the beam from your own eye. And those who scream at the lost because of their fallen state, but Jesus said judge not. We "Workers in His Kingdom", are nothing but workers of iniquity, our works are as filthy rags before His Throne. We who proclaim ourselves as the "saints" need to humble ourselves before our Maker.
Where are we headed, when men call themselves blessed? They proclaim their own righteousness and the power of their gifts and authority. They boldly claim the power of GOD's Holy Spirit as there own. Rarely do you hear "GOD did this or that" but more often it is I, me, mine. You hear men proclaim "I rebuke the enemy", when even the Archangel Michael properly stated "the Lord rebuke you" when he contended with the devil. Such arrogance, i have even heard men proclaim "I bound the devil", yea right. So i assume there is no need for Jesus to return now, since men have already bound our advisary. Christianity needs a reality check.
It is not "your gift" but the manifestation of the Holy Spirit within you. It is not you that work but the Holy Spirit working through you. We are but vessels of clay in the Hands of GOD. If we are to truly be Warriors of Christ, we must abandon our selfish pride, and be Slaves of Christ. The enemy laughs when you stand before him in your own strength, or try to wield the Holy Spirit as a tool. He has no fear of you, christian, you are stubble beneath his vial feet. It is the Lord he fears, it is the Lord that overshadows His children. You can not prophecy, the Lord speaks through whom He wills. You can not caste out demons, it is the Lord they flee from. You have no power to heal, Jesus heals.
Remember the source of your salvation, and repent of your arrogance. You have no stature except in the Lord. He is your shield and sword. When we grow comfortable with the gifts of the Spirit, and begin to act as if they were our own, our advisary can easily decieve us. He easily convinces us that our desires and emotions are the moving of the Spirit within us. Soon we are tossed by every wind of doctrine and offended by the true Word of GOD. We create in our selves a doctrine of comfort, that which pleases us. Many rail against the church for its apostacy, but there is personal apostacy as well.
GOD is judging His Church, that is not just buildings and congregations. We are the church, whether we are part of an assembly or not. And the scripture tells us in First Peter 4:17-19 "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."