American Christianity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cncEhCvrVgQ&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

This was not one of my devotionals, but it was a video one of my friends had posted on their wall. It's an hour long, so you probably won't have time to watch it. I had a Sunday afternoon to spare, so I watched it. I do not cover nearly as many points that he made, but I do cover a few. This man was asked to speak at an annual christian conference, just once. What he said, he knew that he probably would make people mad, and he probably would not be asked back. He talked on how "American Christianity" is way off than what was taught even 50 years ago. I have quoted some of the things he said in this blog. This man, Paul Washer, is a preacher who doesn't do alot of his work in America, but in other countries. He has seen people die for their religion. In America, you do not have to necessarily worry about being shot because you are a Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Buddist, or any other. But, this man did realize that we are being taught wrong. I watched and listened to him talk, and I am still trying to fully understand what he was saying. This is probably because I have been told my whole life that if I asked Jesus into my life, even just once, then I would go to heaven because Jesus died for my sins and he has forgiven all of them. Part of this is true, He did die for my sins, and I am forgiven. But, I have to daily walk with Him and I have to constantly be working on my relationship with Him. God says we were born sinners, we were born dishonoring Him, that even our greatest works are dirty rags in His eyes. It is not a one time thing where I ask God into my life, and it is not something that I should do again and again every summer at church camp or at a revival. You know you have God in your life when there is a supernatural change in your life. Your whole thinking is turned around. We have to want to be like Jesus Christ, not like the world or like the celebrities. The Bible tells us to examine ourselves and test ourselves to see if we are in the faith. Paul says that everyone claims to be a Christian. 85% of them do not go to church or worry about pleasing the Lord, but they are saved because a preacher somewhere told them they were saved. Many people acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, Satan acknowledges that Jesus is Lord, but the devil is unholy. The only way that anyone will be saved is through Jesus Christ. In Matthew 7:14 is says, "But small is the gate, and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Only a few find it, so of everyone who claims to know Jesus, only a few are known by Jesus and allowed to come in. In America, we like to think that anyone and everyone who has asked Jesus into their hearts, even if they did it 40 years ago, will go to heaven. But the case is, does Jesus still know you like he did 40 years ago at Bible School when you asked him to come into your life. You may know who Jesus is, but what matters is if Jesus knows who you are. Matthew 7:22 "Many people will say Lord, Lord did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons, and perform many miracles. And then I will say, 'I never knew you, away from me you evildoers!'" You have to have a personal relationship with Him. You can't go through the motions, or conform to the world and expect to get into heaven. Most of what we know to be "Christian" is what we hear in songs, or read on t-shirts, but we don't get it from the Bible. All Christianity in America is cliches. In America, no one tells us we are wrong. We just conform and want to be accepted by everyone else. "The person who loves you most, will tell you the most truth. A false prophet will tell you what you want to hear, he will never rain on your parade and keep you so happy that you won't think about if you are truly saved or not, because he told you you were. You don't tell men they are saved, you tell men how to be saved. God tells them they are saved."
 "One of the greatest evidences that you will be born again is that God will NOT let you talk as your flesh might want to talk, God will NOT let you dress as the sensual world and the sensual church will allow you to dress, God will NOT allow you to walk like the world, talk like the world, smell like the world listens to the things the world listens to. God will make a difference in your life."