There are three areas where Christians have become stuck
regarding God's will, desires and purposes. In no particular order let us look at them. The frst American idol is support for the state of Israel. Israel is fnished with respect to eschatology and has no contribution for God's redemptive plan for the world. Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "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; Christians have a clear mandate and purpose for this age. and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Moral, economic and political support is not included in these plans and wastes God's resources which should be used for the advancement of God's kingdom. The Hebrew today is the same as he was 2,000 years ago. They reject the key, they reject the messiah. Jesus is the key. Jesus is the door to our Father in heaven. You don't get to your Father is heaven except through the Son from the Father and the son proceeds the Holy Spirit. Jesus said of the Hebrews of his day, John 8:47-49 He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?" Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. In this dialogue Jesus is accused of having a demon, being a son of the devil. Jesus replied that only those who were of God could hear God's words. The Hebrews could not hear Gods words, John12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: John 12:40 "HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HARDENED THEIR HEARTS, LEST THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, LEST THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN, SO THAT I SHOULD HEAL THEM." John 5:22-24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Of course, the Hebrews did not honor the son, therefore they were not then nor are they now honoring the Father. John 14:6-7 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Here the Messiah tells the Hebrews that no one can come to or know God the Father except through the Son. Then as now the Hebrew reject the Son, therefore they cannot come to the Father in heaven. They have no point of contact under the new covenant administration. Their father then as now is the devil. As Jesus said in John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abide not in the truth, because there is no truth in him, When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it. 1Jn 5:10-13 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. Jesus himself kept the majority of Hebrews from coming to him. John 12:40 He (Jesus) has blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 2Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Does the new creation, the Christian help the old? Yes, with the Gospel. Beyond that they do not receive our support. God himself rejected them. The spirit of God lives in the Christian. Is God diferent now than He who rejected them? No. same person, same God, same purpose. The Hebrew have a death culture along with others who reject the son. The Muslims, Mormons, the Jehovah witness, all reject the son as Deity and Divinity, therefore their Father must be the devil. What has darkness to do with light? To support Israel or any other anti Christs is to support death. 1Th 5:5 You are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Ephesians 5:8 For you were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 2Co 6:14 Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Christianity was established in America when the Pilgrims arrived 400 years ago. In contrast Christians live and have lived in Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Israel for over 2,000 years. The international Christian church is one body, one life form, the Presence of God on the earth. International Christians deserve our support. We are eternally co-heirs with them. They are the body of Christ, the Bride of Christ as are we. Because we are one body they deserve our support. Our support should not go to the enemies of light. To bless Israel is a sin. God does no bless sin. Support for Israel is a sin. Luke 10:16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." The second American idol is the worship of the state. Governments are temporary the church is eternal. Isaiah 40 says that the nations are but dust. In contrast to the dust we call the state, the church is Gods body, his temple, his bride, his dwelling place. The church is the Presence of God on earth. The church is permanent the state is temporary. Our energies should be to protect the church. All governments are appointed for a season by God. The book of Daniel clearly tells us that all states are created by God. They rise and fall under his authority. The USA has a shelf life as do all other nations. They exist at His leisure. Dan 2:20-21 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Dan 2:45 Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the goldthe great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure." Jesus is the cornerstone of the Kingdom of God which was established over 2,000 years ago and which can never be defeated. It is God's body, the church, the Presence of God on the earth, The Word made fesh. It is interesting to consider that the God of the Bible who appoints governments is also the Spirit which indwells all believers in every generation. You can be sure that His church is equal to the appointed tasks of each generation: victory over the world. 2Co 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us difuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. The third American idol is the KJV bible- onlyism. Do American Christians not know that most Christians in the world don't speak English? How can they be expected to understand 17 th century English? Don't most Christians know that God speaks with one voice in every language under the sun? There are many Bible translations to meet the many needs of Christians at diferent levels of maturity, education and understanding. God's voice speaks through all of them. While it may be true that some translations more accurately refect some Christian doctrines, which does not mean the discerning reader cannot learn to walk in faithful fellowship with our Redeemer. Consider two men. One is a King James only guy who reads, studies, hears but does not obey what he reads, studies and hears. The other man is a NIV reader who obeys and tries to live up to what he reads, studies and hears. Who is more righteousness? The one who hears and obeys. It is not the Bible version it is the response to the Word which matters. James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James 1:25 ...this one will be blessed in what he does. Blessings always follow obedience. Understanding follows obedience. Another KJV only issue is the walls it builds. It creates a false standard of righteousness. The KJV only crowd claims that those who do not use the KJV don't have the word of God in its purity. This is a form of Phariseeism which is a false standard of righteousness. 2Ti 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is proftable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. These words were written by Paul. The Scripture he is referring to is the Old Testament, Septuagint Greek Bible. If one really wanted to follow the 'pure word of God' it seems the diligent study of Greek might be the right direction to pursue. The Scripture is inspired not the translation. 1John 2:27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. The Spirit of God which dwells within us is He who is Truth. The word of God, the Bible is truth. The subjective Spirit meets the objective Bible and our spirits know (understand) Truth. These three American idols are brackish pools in the side streams of Christianity. To remain focused on side issues robs the church of the vitality of the living Presence of the living God. 2Co 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2Co 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us difuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.