Gimme some of that Feel Good Religion!

I am so tired of Christians spouting this verse from Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." They are "claiming" that no harm will come to them because God promised. They are doing more than claiming too, they are "standing firm on the Word."

Not only does God have only wonderful things in store for them, but if anything at all bad happens, it is because of the "evil one" or not having enough faith. Or maybe because of the whole original sin thing. Thanks, Eve.

There is no difference in these Christians and the people who say crap like, "My god wouldn't allow so-and-so to happen;" or, "My god wouldn't punish blah-blah-blah." It's a pretty paltry reason to not be a Christian, but I guess they have to have some excuse, apart from their own responsibility, of course. God is forcing them to not believe because he is so mean. Whatever.

 Of course there is the wonderful prosperity gospel!

"We are children of the King! We don't have to dress in rags and drive old beat up cars! God wants you to prosper! God wants you to have that Rolex! That new fur coat! That house with 8,000 square feet! The world needs to see that you are the child of a King!"

Yep. That's why John the Baptist wore camel hair and ate locusts and wild honey. That's the way the rich and famous lived it up in the ancient days.

Where to people get this stuff?

I'll tell you where they get it. From generations of self-centeredness. We are so absolutely spoiled rotten in America that we have forgotten all ties to hard work and going without. If we have to save for a few month to be able to buy something, we think we are going without. And we can't stand it. We have to charge it and pay on it monthly so we don't have to wait. Americans don't even know what saving IS anymore. We spend, spend, spend all we make, then spend whatever banks will lend us on credit.

 So now, in addition to "stuff", these popular preachers are telling audiences that God wants us to be fulfilled and happy. If you aren't fulfilled and happy, you are going to the right church. You should be completely entertained during worship. The songs are for you, not merely to glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Worship is about YOU, and how YOU feel afterward. That's why we have big screens, videos, bands and little plays. The Gospel is just not exciting or compelling on its own. Thank goodness for lighting and sound. I don't want anyone to put forth any effort at all once they walk into the church doors. If they have to engage without first being engaged, they may not come back, and may even go !GASP! to the church down the street. We come to God for His PRESENTS, not necessarily His PRESENCE.

Lights!!  Camera!!  Action!!

 At the end of the day, I think we forget that God made us to fellowship with Him. God made me to worship HIM. He didn't make me to give me stuff, to make sure I smiled all the time, and fill my world with sunshine and rainbows. God is not Santa Claus. He is God. Loving, merciful, gracious, faithful ... yes! All of these things, but he is all just, righteous and jealous.

He does give us some very specific promises in the Bible. He promises that we will suffer, be persecuted, tempted to the point that we can no longer stand up under it, feel pains like a woman in labor. Yes, all of this is promised. He never promised to make life easy, fun, and worry free. He does tell us to count is as joy when we have trials. Not only is there an assurance that we will have trials, he wants us to be happy about them! THAT is God.

He wants us to work in order to show our faith. He wants us to give away not only our shirt, but our coat, as well. What did he tell the rich young man about how to get to heaven? Sell all you have. Not because he wants us to be poor, but because he DEMANDS that He be first.

He doesn't care if we have a car, nice clothes, and a huge house. He doesn't care. He looks at our hearts.

What does he finally guarantee more than all else? Eternal life for all those who believe in him. Our treasure is in heaven. Our mansion is in heaven. Our hope and our future is in heaven.

So, get your head out of your butt and get it in your Bible.