Religious, Not Spiritual

The following message is from Pastor Zac Poonen.
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Three Examples of Men Who Were Religious but Not Spiritual 

Jude speaks in his epistle of three people who were religious, but not spiritual - Cain, Balaam and Korah (Jude 11). Let us consider them one by one.

1. CAIN

Cain was not a godless man. He was a deeply religious man who believed in offering sacrifices to God (Gen. 4:3). Abel also offered sacrifices to God. But the difference between the two sacrifices and between Cain and Abel was the difference between hell and heaven, the difference between religiosity and spirituality. Cain and Abel symbolise two ways in which people have trodden - the way of religiosity and the way of spirituality. Cain is a type of those who offer external things to God - money, services, time, etc. Abel, on the other hand, symbolically laid himself on the altar when he killed the lamb and laid it on the altar.

Religious people can give gifts, pray, and do many good works - but they do not understand what it is to offer themselves. They may pay their tithes exactly, but they will not put their self to death in the moments of temptation. That is the difference between the old and the new covenants. You could enter the old covenant without dying to self. But it is impossible to enter the new covenant without dying to self. Jesus did not come to offer tithes, but to give Himself as an offering acceptable and well-pleasing to God. Cain and Abel symbolise the broad and narrow ways of approaching God - the way of religiosity and the way of true spirituality. You can be a servant without death to self. But you cannot be a son without it.

God answered Abel's sacrifice with fire from heaven. But nothing fell on Cain's offering. When a man consistently dies to self day after day, there will be a fire from heaven on his life and on his ministry. This is the genuine baptism of the Spirit and fire that John the Baptist said Jesus would give to those whose roots He had first axed. On the other hand, a brother who merely does the right things externally may have a good life, but the fire and the anointing of heaven will be missing from his life. Satan's counterfeit 'baptism' which tickles the emotions (which is what most are enjoying today) is worthless garbage compared with the genuine baptism of the Spirit and fire that Jesus sends upon His disciples who choose the way of the cross.

2. BALAAM

Balaam was another religious man. He was a preacher who wanted to serve God, but who was also interested in making money and meeting great men in the world (Num. 22). He sought honour and financial gain for himself in the name of the Lord. There are many, many false prophets, like Balaam today.

Their doctrines are all fundamentally right, according to the letter of the word. But undiscerning believers cannot recognise that they are motivated by the spirit of Balaam (loving money and honour). These are the ones about whom Paul writes in Phil 2:21 saying that they all seek after their own interests. There were people in the church in Pergamum who lived by this doctrine of Balaam (Rev. 2:14).

There is no difference between seeking for honour and seeking for money in the church. Both are but different variations of the same spirit of Balaam.

3. KORAH

Korah was another religious man. He was from the priestly tribe of Levi (Num. 16). But he was dissatisfied with the ministry allotted to him by the Lord. He desired to be more prominent, like Moses was. This covetousness (cloaked with a religious garb) was what proved to be his destruction finally. He and his co-rebels, Dathan and Abiram, and their families, are the only ones recorded in Scripture who went alive into hell (Num. 16:32,33). So seriously did the Lord take this sin of rebellion against the authority that He Himself had appointed over His people.

Most elders, preachers and pastors today are self-appointed. To rebel against them may not be serious. It may sometimes even be necessary! But to rebel against one who has been appointed by God would bring upon one the severest judgment of God. A spiritual man would never even dream of doing such a thing. But religious people will. Such is the spiritual foolishness that accompanies religiosity.

Korah symbolises those who are in an unhealthy competition with others in the church. When you find it difficult to praise and appreciate a God-fearing brother, it is an indication that you have something of the spirit of Korah in you. When you criticise him, then you are full of the spirit of Korah. If you can listen to others criticising him, then you are like the 250 rebels who joined Korah, and who were also judged by God.

We can never become spiritual if we do not discern between religiosity and spirituality. It is the need of the hour.

I Found the Answer

Verse 1
I was weak and weary, I had gone astray,
walking in the darkness, I could not find my way.
Then a light came shining to lead me from despair,
made all my sins forgiven, and I was free from care.

Chorus
I found the answer, I learned to pray,
oh with faith to guide me, I've found the way.
The sun is shining for me each day,
I found the answer, and I learned to pray.

Verse 2
I was sad and lonely, all my hopes were gone,
days were long and dreary, I couldn't carry on.
Then I found the courage to keep my head up high,
once again I'm happy, and here's the reason why.

Chorus

Verse 3
Keep your Bible with you, read it every day,
always count your blessings and always stop to pray.
Learn to keep believing and faith will see you thro',
seek to know contentment, and it will come to you.

Chorus

From the Mouths of Babes

"And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" Matthew 21:16

Lord, I pray for young Jayna who is featured in this video below.  I pray for all young people, who have been blessed by You with undeniable gifts.  Let them understand that the gifts of the Lord are given without repentance...but that they are given for Your glory alone (Romans 11:29; Matthew 25:14-30).  It does not take long for Satan to try and put out the light in our young people or to send the world (including religion) to try and pervert/misuse their talents.  Please give these younger generations Godly wisdom Lord, so that even as the world may try to lift them up in pride for Satan's purposes, that they will remain in humble appreciation of the Master who has so blessed them.

Father, even the most precious gift is but a ring in a pig's snout if it is misappropriated for our own use instead of Yours (Proverbs 11:22).  It is time Jesus for a Godly heritage in the Lord to be seen in the earth, and quite honestly Lord, I am sick of the "church" pimping our young people.  I am not speaking God about this particular young lady, but in general.  The church should not be our ticket into the world as exemplified by many "Christian" artists today.  Lord, I am asking for a Godly standard to be seen, for pure praise to come forth, for coming generations to be saved and not turned out to be abused by the world.  I am asking for Your hand of protection and the Holy Spirit of power to rest on these young ones to lead and guide them in these evil days.

No matter the gift you have bestowed upon them, let them operate in that gift with a heart that is sold out to you, with a desire to please and honor you.  Place within them a burning fire to be wholly yours - spirit, soul, and body - so that when the gift is on display it brings about a manifestation of Your awesome power and love.  Let them be beacons of light to the lost, helping to draw all men unto You, and not unto themselves.

I thank you for the wonderful children you have given us, including this little one below.  Bring people into their lives who truly know You and are able to speak life to into their souls.  Keep us in remembrance that they are Yours first & foremost, and that we have been entrusted to guide them in Your ways (Psalm 127:3; Ephesians 6:4).  Let us not take this likely and neglect to be that witness of Christ before them.  I ask you to bless them continually with more of Your presence and to be a swift judge against all who would seek to bring evil into their lives.  Amen.

A Precious Word of Encouragement

The following was sent to me by a Sister in the Lord and I wanted to share it with you all.
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Be encouraged.

I am reminded of the end of a poem entitled Footprints In The Sand which says:

"You promised me Lord,
    that if I followed you,
      you would walk with me always.
         But I have noticed that during
           the most trying periods of my life
              there have only been one
                 set of footprints in the sand.
                   Why, when I needed you most,
                      you have not been there for me?"

                                 The Lord replied,
                          "The times when you have
                  seen only one set of footprints,
          is when I carried you".

When Jesus was hanging on the cross still clinging to life, His ultimate reason for coming to earth had not been fulfilled. But when he gave up the ghost, was buried and got up out of the grave three days later, our avenue of escape was created.  I call that a ULTIMATE BREAKTHROUGH (The veil was not just penetrated, but it was torn from top to bottom).

Lets rewind just a little.  When he realized that he was scheduled to be crucified, He pleaded with his Father three times for another way (perhaps a easier and less painful way), but as always not His will but the will of His Father.  The road to the ultimate breakthrough became harder and more unbearable.  His words became even fewer.  The only hope Jesus had was His Father meeting Him in a place that even He had not been before and resurrecting Him. 

We are going through trying times, not understanding why or how we are going to make it trough. The Lord's Word is true and His hand is unchanging - He will never leave us or forsake us.  So even when we can't hear Him, we must trust that He is still there.   Praise and worship has always been key because we know that He abides there.

Below is the last verse of a song that ministers to me often in tough times.

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear you answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering that your love put you through
And I will go through the valley if you want me to.


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This week, immediately after posting the article on Giving Up, a spirit of depression came upon me that I have never experienced before.  It was a heaviness so profound that I couldn't even begin to describe it.  I went to bed in tears, spent the night in tears, and woke up in tears only to continue crying through each day.  In the midst of this, God gave me the previous message called Labor Day, but I did not post it.  Why?  I was angry with God.  I was frustrated due to certain circumstances I was facing.  I was discouraged because I felt like God was simply not hearing my prayers.  "God, why aren't you hearing me? Lord why are you not doing something? God, don't you even care?"  I was inconsolable. My attitude towards God was wrong, and it was sin.  However, even after repenting, I could not turn the tides from this depression.  Instead of fighting through, I was going ever more into a downward spiral each day.  It was a Hell I have never experienced before and it was supernatural.

I thank God for my husband who prayed with me continuously during this time.  Also for the Sisters & Brothers who sent words of encouragement and correction, not even aware of what I was going through.  One Sister shared how she was going through something similar and recommended that I listen to the message below, which I had missed.  Why did I miss it?  I was too busy feeling sorry for myself to have tuned in.  This whole experience taught me a few things.

• Satan is launching supernatural attacks against true believers to make them grow weary...because we are close to a breakthrough. 
  In my earlier article on Giving Up, I stated that a main reason why people are giving up was due to the fact that they did not understand - and perhaps had never entered into - salvation.  While this is true, Satan is also trying to crush those who do believe by creating circumstances so dire they seem unsolvable. This is being used by God for a specific purpose (as discussed in the video message below).
• God gives us the power to always stand and not crumble under pressure...but the choice to stand is our own.
  As I listened to the message below, I could tell this was a word from the Lord specifically for me.  Had I not given in to the the storm which was trying to crush me, I could have experienced my deliverance a lot sooner.  For 3 days I didn't study the Scriptures, refused to play praise & worship, didn't tune in to Bible Study, etc.  As God told me, I was having a temper tantrum, but wallowing in my misery was only serving to hasten my decline. 
  
  Don't be your own obstacle to your deliverance.  Press on no matter what it looks like or how it feels.  Refusing to use the God-given resources of prayer, fasting, praise, worship, study, and fellowship when you are weak (and even when you are not) only hurts yourself.  Don't turn into a baby when things get harder (note to self).
• God's work will not be stopped.  If you do not obey what He has given you to do then He will simply find another who will.
  Much of what God gave me in the previous Labor Day post is reflected and expounded upon in the message below.  It reminded me of my personal and favorite Scripture, which has also been the impetus behind this blog, "For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14)  Who is destroyed if we "hold our peace" when God tells us to speak or act?  We are. Our disobedience does not affect God; His plans are Sovereign and His will shall be done.  Yet, we will pay the price.
• Do not think you are alone in your struggle or that some strange thing has happened to you in your trial.
  Many brothers and sisters are facing struggles, even ones which seem as if they will overtake us.  It is times such as these where we need each other even more.  True fellowship with God and with the brethren will help us easily thwart the fiery darts of the enemy as he speaks lies to us and tries to undermine our faith.

Are you asking God why you are going through a particular struggle? Have you wondered what is necessary to break into the presence of God and see Him bring about supernatural deliverance in your life and the lives of others?  Please listen to the following message from the Omega Church & Ministries Center entitled, "The Magicians of the Matrix".

Labor Day

The Birthing Position 

"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." Romans 8:19-23

I am not one for holidays typically.  They come and go without much notice or fanfare.  However, this Labor Day did in fact hold meaning for me. For one, it is the day I completed a book which I had been collaborating with my pastor to produce.  It is a project we have been working on for almost a year and it certainly has been a 'labor or love' unto the Lord.

Secondly, the book itself addresses the purpose of the Gospel and the objective of salvation in having the nature of Christ formed within us (which I must say with a heavy heart most professing Christians do not understand).  This process is also described in Scripture with the analogy of giving birth.

"My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you." Galatians 4:19

Every believer - indeed the Body of Christ as a whole - is to be travailing together so that Christ is formed spiritually within us and manifesting out from us so that those in the world may see Christ.

travail: ōdinō; to feel the pains of child birth, to travail; from the Greek word ōdin meaning "intolerable anguish, in reference to the dire calamities preceding the advent of the Messiah"

Travail is not a pretty word. It is not a word which immediately invokes a sense of joy and peace.  "Intolerable anguish".  I cannot speak for any others, but that is certainly an accurate depiction of how I have been in recent years. The pressures of life, the degradation all around, increasing satanic attacks, the yearning for the power of God to deliver souls, the heartache over those who are lost, the whorish condition of the church at large, the malignment of the character of our Lord Jesus Christ - even by those who claim to know Him, etc.

While the situations may be different, I have spoken with many other believers who likewise are under tremendous and crushing stresses. What causes this travail and why is it necessary to go through it?  Because as one life is being 'birthed' within us, another one is being mortified.

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." Act 2:22-24

Jesus said that if we desire to be His disciples then we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. On the cross, Jesus dealt a death blow to that fallen Adamic nature. The word "pain" above is again the word for travail. There is anguish in the cross because the flesh is being put to death. While Jesus did not have a fallen nature with which to contend, His pattern for us to follow in the cross is the way we put our old man to death. The pressures God allows in our lives which cause our travailing is to mortify that old nature so that we may become partakers of the divine nature (II Peter 1:4).  He is purging us, cleansing us, to be molded into the image of Jesus Christ; and this is painful for the flesh.  However, we have this hope which is sure: if we be dead with Him, then we will also live with Him in resurrection life as manifested sons of God (Romans 6:4-11; Colossians 2:12; II Timothy 2:11).

What do we have instead?  Hundreds of thousands of professing Christians claiming God's promise of resurrection life, but devoid of any evidence (fruit) of the life of Christ within. According to these persons, you are not a son of God because the nature of Christ has been developed in, and manifests from, within you.  You are a son of God because you say so; and everyone is just supposed to believe it.

It is very much like the whole issue of gender confusion currently running rampant.  Yes, I may be biologically and anatomically a male, but I say I am a female...and YOU must accept it. I have no evidence of being the type of life I claim - and the life I do possess testifies that I am not what I claim - but because I claim it, you must believe it is so.  You must ignore all of the tangible signs which tell you what I really am, and simply take my word for what I proclaim to be. You must believe my lie.

That is a fitting description of the recent religious histrionics displayed at the MegaMess between T.D. Jakes and Tyler Perry.   When a cross-dressing man (Deuteronomy 22:5) lays hands on an effeminate man caught up in his "hemotions" (I Corinthians 6:9), what type of birth is being pushed out?  Each seed produces after its own kind; a seed of perversion only yields that which is perverse.



This is the delusion sisters and brothers.  Most professing believers are transgenders (spiritually).  They are people who are yet carnal and have not been born again, but are dressing up as Christians.  They have all of the right code words and phrases, they know what the Bible says, they may even have false spiritual gifts, but they do not have the life of Jesus Christ within.  It is all emulations, a work of the flesh.  Yes, they name the name of Jesus, but it is another Jesus (II Corinthians 11:4).  These persons must be born again. Unless you have spiritual eyes to see, you will never be able to tell the difference.

What was this entire charade about?  Money (I Timothy 6:10).  I didn't post the entire Tyler Perry clip because I just couldn't bear it, yet the testimony preceding this show was about giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to the MegaMess ministers. Remember, Babylon can do nothing but pimp you (II Peter 2:3); these agents of Satan transformed into angels of light merchandise in men's souls (Revelation 18:12-13).  It is foolishness such as this which confuse those who do not understand what faith in God really is.

In response to such shenanigans, there was a recent discussion on the Internet about how ministers are encouraging their congregants to get into the "birthing position" in order to "birth something in the spirit"...usually of course as it relates to some monetary increase.  Those in the discussion were saying how unbiblical this terminology was; that it was an effort to feminize men and the concept of birthing something spiritually should never be applied to men.

One of Satan's most devious tricks to derail those who seek after God is to get Babylon to mimic that which is true. There is an entire movement in the churchworld of people who define what is Godly based upon what Babylon does or does not do. If Babylon is erecting buildings, then buildings must be unGodly.  If Babylon has church services, then church services must be wrong.  If Babylon has pastors, deacons, and elders, then we must not need pastors, deacons, and elders.

Never let that which is false dictate to you what is true.  The Scriptures must be the foundation of truth for all who believe. Apart from the perversions going on in Babylon, it is Biblical for every believer in Christ to undergo a spiritual birth whereby they produce a manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world. Neither is this just a concept applied to women.  Both male and female believers are after all the "Bride" of Christ, who is our Bridegroom. If the very nature of Christ is not being birthed within you, then you just do not belong to Him (Romans 8:16-29).

The "birthing position", as the carnal church has phrased, is not some religious position you must assume; it is nothing more than the cross.  The cross is not just a place where your sins are forgiven or where you can lay down your burdens.  The cross is your entryway to life in Christ, but only if you are upon it. Via the cross, we die to the old life and are raised in new life (Matthew 10:39).  You don't have to give millions to Babylon, go through religious histrionics, or contest everything the false church does.  Just put yourself up on the cross and don't let that old man come down, no matter how much the world (or the flesh) taunts and tempts you to (Matthew 27:40-42; Mark 15:30).  God by His own power will raise you and claim you as His own, providing evidence of this transformation because He is signing off on the presence of His Son (Mark 16:17-18; Act 2:22; I Corinthians 2:4).  The sacrifice whom God has ordained is Jesus Christ and unless you have the nature of Christ within you, you will not be received by Him.

Every single person is bringing to manifestation whatever life is within them.  Yes, even the false church is 'birthing' something in the spirit, but it is a nest of demons and the very nature of Satan himself. As says the word of God, such truly will have the mark of a beast.

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:5-6

The false church sows in joy, having their 'best life now', but they will reap in tears. Believers in Jesus Christ sow in tears, but we shall reap in joy.  It is all based on what seed we carry; is it the precious seed of truth or is it one of lies and delusion?

"For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." I Thessalonians 5:3

There is much going on in the world right now and soon the cry for world peace will become deafening.  Anyone who is seen as a threat to that peace will be seen as an enemy.  The only threat to the Devil is Jesus Christ.  It is He who has already overcome and defeated Satan.  Likewise, the only threat we pose to the Devil is Jesus Christ in us; being made over into His image and manifesting His life to the world. Once that happens, we can expect Satan to be true to form.  If Satan cannot stop us from bringing Christ into manifestation, then he will try to kill us after we have (Revelation 12:1-18). YET, the Lord will always protect His own and we shall overcome the evil one just as He has...even if it costs us these temporal lives (Revelation 12:11).

All of God's children are laboring, travailing to see the promises of God fulfilled in us.  Pray for those who labor and pray that God will send forth more laborers.

"Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." Matthew 9:37-38