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Special thanks to Nuwwine4u for his post on the forum.  Please read my note at the end of the post.

Act’s18:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

       Our Lord Christ stated in the gospels that “as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be shortly before His return. Idolatry is practically as old as mankind itself. It has and always shall be an abomination unto God. It is a favorite ploy of the enemy because it causes man to defocus his allegiance and loyalty from the true and living God unto self, the world or false deities that can provide no redemption.

Unlike our passive perspective today regarding the moral sewer we must incessantly wade through. Paul took  genuine exception to an entire city having been seduced by the spirit of Idolatry!

1.)Paul discerned both natural and spiritual the obvious degradation in the land!
              Where is the discernment in the body for the Land?
2.)His spirit was stirred(repulsed and quickened) by this spiritual tragedy! The regenerated God consciousness in him could not be at peace while witnessing others in bondage!! He was truly disturbed!
              How long can we be “cool” with the staus quo in America? Woe unto them that be at ease in Zion!
3.)The Power Of One man when he operates in his Purpose, Destiny and Assignment! Without the Gospel prep team to “set the atmosphere for his type of annointing” he presses his way! Hmm…, without a flock of armor bearers to ward off potential groupies or possible foes he trods onward.
4.) The Whole City Steeped In Idolatry….daily we witness entire neighborhoods engulfed in addictions, whole communities buried beneath alternate lifestyle.  Countless hamlets swept way by Islam and New Age Deception!
5.)Being aware of these situations and the ability to mouth off deep theological and social ideas concerning their origins means nothing. Even being stirred in our spirits as Paul was goes for naught unless the “Stirring” is a literal stirring to arms, a stirring to action, a clarion cry to take back what the enemy has stolen or what we have so cowardly allowed him to run roughshod over and handed to him on all but a silver platter!

                                                 America’s 3 Biggest Idols
1.) Self Will Run Riot!- Me, myself and I! I’m accountable to me and me alone! When the Gospel is watered down there is an explosion of immorality. Where there is no vision the people perish! No regard to human life, no regard for innocent children and no shame for ungodly behavior. Men now openly boast about their sins! A majority of men are doing whatever they deem right in their own eyes. Perhaps Jeremiah stated it best “The harvest is past, summer is ended and we are not saved”…this has got to be if not the saddest, one of the grimmest scriptures in the entire Holy Bible! 

2.)Mass Entertainment & Sports Media!-Wow, we  truly love  and enshrine Hollywood and Pro Athletes when entertainers and  jocks can easily command 10 million a movie and 120 million dollars over several season’s.  It’s very apparent that a vast majority of Americans have no life at all, other than that which they attempt to live vicariously through these small gods known as “stars”. “Surely we’ve hewn out cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water”!

3.)Mega Ministry Super-Stardom!- I thank God for the multiple ministries he has extended to the Body and the tremendous audience and worldwide sphere of influence is a testimony to the glory of God!
What is appalling in the sight of God is the sickening level of “Spiritual Co-Dependency rampant within the body of Christ! Millions claim they cannot get breakthrough unless this prophet, this man of God lays his mitts on em, prays for them, speaks a word into their life! They regularly drive great distances to hear, see or just be in the presence of their particular spiritual giant.  Often times sowing enormous “seeds” into their ministry all the while the Pastor of their church has a difficult time keeping the lights on!  The vessel of God now has become the object of idolization and reverence! This known as “Improper Enthronement” almost likened unto “Be my Holy Spirit”!  Just remember this “God will never allow another individual to become God in your life”!!! Perhaps if more Pastors and leaders would begin to defer from themselves and their names and in turn refer them to the “Name that is above all names”  the likely-hood of so much Spiritual tyranny/dependency would be greatly reduced. The Bible says “Like Priest, like people! Maybe then we will begin to see wholesale dismantling of this Shrine called “America’s Idols! “If I be lifted up I’ll draw all men unto me”!

Be Blessed,
Elder R.L.Turner

 Webmaster Note: I’m normally highly against people that preach against “mega churches,” specifically Joel Osteen.  I think it simply causes strife and division within the body.  I don’t agree with Joel’s lack of focus on repentance and the fear of God, but I do think that he is clearly winning souls for the body.  To paraphrase Paul, “As long as Christ is preached, it’s all good.”  But I think Mr. Turner has given an excellent discernment of this section of the body.   It is not the preacher(Joel Osteen) but the lukewarm and man pleasing Christians that follow him who are to blame.  Ultimately, no amount of “God loves you” or “Fire and brimstone” preaching is going to get anyone saved or closer to God.  It is the very people themselves who are accountable to “work out [their own] salvation with fear and trembling.”  The preacher is only accountable to God to preach as he feels led and to be faithful with the flock that has been trusted to him.  I’m done.

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Again with the cheesy title.  Read the previous blogs first.

(Continued)
This kind of power is not power as we may think that can be exercised at will.  Power that can be exercised at MY will is called witchcraft.  Evil stuff.  But power that is excercised at the will of the Spirit is miraculous, always giving glory to God.  But this power is not really power as our society defines it.  A better word would be responsibility.  If God can trust you in such a way as to be able to cause miraculous things to happen by your word then you have a GREAT responsibility.  You are responsible for the faith of many.  God has called you to build other’s faith and set people free.

Put yourself in this scenario:  You have this great power.  With this great power comes fame.  Sadly, it is inevitable.  Many will know you and many will have seen your works.  What if one day you miss it and tell some wet rocks to catch on fire or a mountain to be cast into the sea, when it’s not the will of the Spirit.  Nothing happens.  The faith of possibly millions would be damaged.  Because like it or not(and though it may be ungodly) many of those people have based a portion of their faith on you.   Now, consider a worse scenario.  You are tempted and sin.  People find out.  The taller the tower, the greater the fall.  It has happened a handful of times where someone who was given great responsibility was caught in sin.  Churches destroyed, people turning from God to sin, people questioning God’s existence.  Do you think you’d feel a little guilty?  I know I’d feel guilty enough to consider killing myself, like Judas.  I wouldn’t go through, but the temptation would be strong.

This is the meaning of the verse: For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required. - Luke 12:48

You: Then how do I receive this power?
Me: Do Nothing.

To paraphrase one of the previous verses: “I do nothing, unless the Father tells me to.”

Nothing… ‘I do nothing’ doesn’t mean I go to church on Sunday; it doesn’t mean I read my bible everyday; it doesn’t mean I have a Jesus fish on my car; it doesn’t mean I pray alot. It means I do nothing. Jesus didn’t know if He was going to wear a red shirt or a yellow shirt for the day until He’d prayed about it. In fact, He didn’t even know if He was gonna wear one at all, til He prayed. He ate when God said ‘eat.’ He slept when God said ’sleep.’ He prayed when God said ‘pray.’ He preached when God said ‘preach.’

The real answer isn’t nothing.  The real answer is you must die.  Die to yourself.  Too many of us (myself included) make the mistake of thinking that taking up our cross daily means to put on a necklace with a cross on it every morning, which (lets be brutally honest) half the time we hide under our shirt.  Again, we must die to preach the Gospel, physically if need be.  This is the ultimate act of humility.  Humility is to act for the highest good of another(in this case God) regardless of personal cost or sacrifice.  The greatest sacrifice is to die.  Again, physically if need be.

Brace yourself, a description of perfect humility follows.

And when God said ‘you are going to take the sins of the entire world upon yourself, be beaten, crushed, hung on a cross, mocked, ridiculed, die, then be separated from Me for three days, and tormented in the flames of hell.’ Jesus’s reply? “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Got Humble? Then you got power.