SAND CASTLES

7/25/03

We are living in a fantastic time. Fulfillment of our hopes and plans is a constant process, for we see dreams fulfilled every day in the lives of those whom we know and love, and also in our own personal lives. We can recall the plans we made maybe years ago that were like dreams to us then, and now we see then finished and marvel at the successes they represent. Our plans continue year after year by faith knowing that if our previous plans were successful, then our present plans will be also, and who doesn’t want successes in life, and the more the better.

It’s not only individuals and families who make plans and see them fulfilled, but businesses and governments. As we see businesses succeeding, we also see businesses failing, likewise with governments. So there are times of rejoicing and times for dejection. The well being of any person or group depends upon how reasonable or practicable our dreams and plans are. Foolish dreams lead to disaster if they are carried to fruition. Fools build their hopes and dreams on sand that has no stability. But the rock of truth in relationships and love in purpose will hardly fail when used as the foundation for our plans and aspirations.

We can see major failures all around us because of foolish foundation builders, but the greatest failure is that of the churches of this present world. These have placed their plans and dreams on social acceptability coupled with watered down money-making programs that have no Christ-centered Gospel, but rather a gospel that bespeaks of happy hour for all, meals for convenience and saving on the cost of food, electronic ‘music’ led by paid song leaders to fill the auditorium with concert sounds nonstop, hired help to provide sermonetts to soothe the moral delinquents, and Bibles (so-called) that deny the deity of Christ. The whole plan or dream, as it were, being to fill the auditorium hopefully with tithe payers and good, self made moral people.

The worst part of this situation is that these churches are being totally successful in their quest for bigger and better. The reason it’s so bad is that our nation and other nations build their ordinances and laws upon the religion of the land. These nations, including America are being influenced by the successes of the world-church at large, from their members in Congress to the White House and the committees beyond.

God’s true Word tells us in 2Thes. 2 that in the last days, before the coming of the Lord, there will be a great falling away and the Son of Perdition (utter destruction) will present himself in the Temple of God claiming to be God. The true Church of our Lord will be gone to be with Him before this time, but the world churches will still be in business, and will welcome the imposter. Why? Because the hirelings of the modern churches are themselves destroyers, knowingly or not they are destroying the souls of men by supplanting their gospel for that of our Lord. What remains of the true, visible Church of our Lord today is a mere shadow of what it was in the past. Altars can still be found where tears once stained the prayer benches. The echoes of the cries of remorse and repentance that filled those sanctuaries are still heard in the corridors of time in the memories of the elders gone to Glory.

Those old days were without kitchens and servers, even though their worship extended to fill their Sabbath days; the children sat with their families and behaved themselves; there were no basketball courts, no gymnasium, no paid preachers or music directors, no visiting entertainers, and no powerless preaching. There was all that was needed, the presence of the Holy Ghost and the fire of the Lord. These churches were built on that rock of Truth and the pure purpose of love.

The establishments of today’s churches are reminiscent of the “high places” built by God’s people for the worship of idols and to appease their lustful ways during the time of the major prophets who warned the kings and leaders of the wrath of God against them because of these covetous excesses. Like them, today’s “high place” churches have been built like sand castles with their foundations nothing more than the love of money and the lies of their doctrines and preachments. Like them. also, the prophets of God are hated and would be killed in spirit if not physically were it not for the law of the land.

So, are these ‘Sand Castles’ any great problem in our society? Certainly so! It is evident that our social system has moved from a faith based people to a fear based people. There is the constant display of helps to keep a person alive, whether medicine or life style, it is in front of everyone day after day. God says that without faith it is impossible to please Him. (He 11:6).

People have faith in their dreams and ambitions, but their dreams are based upon their prosperity expectations and their position of power, money and prestige. But, the time is running out for this sand castle church system. Over the past several years in Europe the churches have fallen into disuse. Large, beautiful Sanctuaries which could easily hold close to a thousand souls are attended by a mere handful of worshippers, the State having to foot the bill for their maintenance and staff.

How it goes in Europe is how it will go in America. This has been evident in history, and will continue to be so. However, America does not support its churches as do the Europeans, therefore the American churches, as they fall into disuse will have to depend upon their denominational structure to support or to sell the properties off. There will be rejoicing in the streets when this happens, and it will unless God’s people demand that the leadership of these sand castle churches be re-founded upon the rock of faith and truth as it was intended to be. And that rock is the true Bible used and believed by the true Saints of God. Will this ever happen? Not until the cost of the present system has become too heavy to bear.

All things are possible with God except for Him to deny His Word. His Word predicts this ‘Falling Away”, and so it will be. The great question is where will we all be when our faith is questioned by the One who shall judge us all? Will we be weeping over the fallen sand castles or weeping over our lack of faith? Neither one of these tears will save us then. It is time now to separate ourselves from these sinking, dying establishments called “churches” and cry out to the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy and forgiveness as we repent of our foolish ways of self service and corporate corruption. He will hear if we will but call upon Him for salvation, then take up our cross, as He said, and follow Him in selfless service, dying for others so that they might live as we see them struggling to have food enough for their young and other needs too many to list. God is waiting; let us not wait, but move into His will so that we can rejoice in Him and not in our dreams fulfilled that were only sand castles.

Way Truth Life Ministry 7-25-2003 www.wtlministry.org