STOP THE MADNESS

​STOP THE MADNESS!
Before all the corona virus debacle I felt the church in America was working themselves to exhaustion. I observed people who meant well, but working, working, working by the sweat of their brow to implement projects, dreams, events, dinners, meetings, banquets, productions and whatever else would bring people to the church, instead of relying on the power of God. I understand the objective was a good one, which was to bring the unsaved to church to hear the good news of the gospel but it became too much. If one church started a new program, then others had to followed suit, in order to compete.
In the meantime, the church became passive to destruction outside their own walls. Babies killed at an alarming rate, baby parts being sold, ungodly people in our government (local and national), ten commandments out of our courthouses and government offices, school shootings, sinful marriage legalized, pornography addicts working in the church and homosexuals in the PULPIT. Churches turned a blind eye and were too busy to combat the full-on assault against God.
And the family.... well, they might see each other, briefly, on the drive to church.... that is, IF the family even rode together. I had never seen people so busy as before this virus. Both parents working fulltime jobs, running children to sports, dance, hosting elaborate birthday parties (each one more outrageous than the one before), playdates and on and on it went. They were so busy, they hardly had time to stop to be kind, have a conversation or even smile at the person at the grocery store or their next-door neighbor. There was NO TIME to slow down and God’s people were over-extending themselves at church too.
Maybe these are reasons for the drop in church attendance in America... exhaustion outside the church and exhaustion inside the church.
STOP THE MADNESS! It’s just too much! I don’t believe it’s what God had in mind. I don’t assume to know God’s mind, but I spend time with him and my heart has felt the heaviness of exhausted people, many months prior to the Corona Virus.
The unsaved can see it too. Maybe they see Christians with tunnel vision, thinking the more they serve, the more Christ-like they will become. Sometimes quality suffers at the expense of quantity. If we, as born-again believers don’t slow down to hear from God direct, (not just from the pastor) but hear for ourselves directly from God, we are simply SPINNING OUR WHEELS.
I’m THANKFUL for the wonderful churches I’ve attended and served in over the years, they were my lifeline but instead of being a refuge and hiding place, it can become another duty.
Where is the time spent alone in God’s word, prayer, fasting and confessing sins (our own and others’)? Nehemiah prayed for the sins of the people and said “we” have sinned against you oh God. Have we become too tired to fight with prayer, fasting and groanings?  The world needs to see genuine people who spend quality time with Jesus, having anguished over the things that break God’s heart. The CHURCH is NOT the answer to everyone’s needs; JESUS is! Let’s direct them to HIM and intercede!
I’m sorry to see churches close, but I think it’s a time to REST, REGROUP and seek God’s objectives. Dreams, projects and plans are not necessarily bad, BUT DID IT COME FROM THE HEART OF GOD? Maybe I’m right and God felt the same way and it’s why He STOPPED THE MADNESS. We’re ordered to ‘stay home’ like a parent grounding a child. I urge you to REST IN THE LORD during this time and afterwards.
Luke 10:38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with [q]all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
 
The church in America became MARTHA. Please, let’s be MARY. Sit at the savior’s feet and receive rest, revelation and power!
God bless you.