II Samuel 1:27 - How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
Jeremiah 46:12 - The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they are fallen both together.
Another pastor falls - this time, it is 3 strikes, you are out!
But I am even more tired of hearing how the 'mighty have fallen' again.
Baloney - mighty men have NOT fallen.
We are not even suppose to consider having "mighty men."  That is a physical kingdom claim!

It is NOT a physical kingdom issue, yet we have men who are claimed to be:

• Great church starters (planters to the GC bunch)
• Ones to build big works for the Lord
• Great preachers
• "Come with us and listen to _____________."
• "Come with us to "see" Dr. _______________."

We have been led to always seek a 'BETTER' life, etc., to the point where we 'expect God' to 'be there for us,' etc. ...!

As I have counseled a few folks these past years, I have to think most just want BETTER, but not right!

• A better CHURCH!
• A better HOME, HOUSE, CAR, CLOTHES, ETC.
• A better EDUCATION
• A better JOB / INCOME / PROFIT MARGIN
• A better FAMILY LIFE
• A better LIFESTYLE
• A better type of ENTERTAINMENT
• A better VACATION
• A better BUNCH OF KIDS
• A better SPOUSE

• Better has replaced Right!
• Church has replaced God!
• Church has replaced the Book!
• Music has replaced the Spirit of God!
• Physical has replaced Spiritual

• It appears that most folks are more upset about what is happening to their church addiction than what is happening to truth!
• They are more concerned about the physical falling apart of America, etc. than they are of the spiritual apostasy taking place more and more today!

The local church seems to have:

• made men appear to be "mighty" - or to feel worthless and guilty!
• supported and encouraged teenage rebellion
• hurt our little children in proper biblical knowledge
• made people spiritually miserable
• confused people about truth, doctrine, etc.
• robbed folks of their money - (million dollar 'budgets' now)
• deceived people
• put folks under bondage - spiritually as well as physically
• stolen the word of God away
• replaced the word of God with words of men and words of the devil, music, programs, buildings, numbers of attendance, etc.
• cast doubt on the folks...

As the physical (men - churches) fall, so does people's faith!

• Err from the faith (from love of money - I TImothy 6)
• Depart from the faith (from seducing spirits and doctrines of devils - I Timothy 4)
• Turn from the truth (itching ears after their own lusts - II Timothy 4)
• Never able to come to the knowledge of truth (ever learning - much learning - endless books makes them weary in the flesh)- Ecclesiastes 12:12: And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

• We must look it up - believe it - understand it - deal with it - get it solid into our lives, then you will see and only THEN!
• If not, then the 'educated' and 'modern' book reading scholarship crowd will set you up to be looking for BETTER, but not right!  I mean, "What do you know?  You - you - piano player!"

• Cults do "better" physically, but are not right!
• Religion does "better" physically, but is not right!
• Bigger churches do "better" physically, but are not right!
• Education makes things appear to be "better," but not right!
• Flattery makes you feel "better," but it is not right!
• We teach "better" to our children, but 'better' is not always right!

• in a wrong world!
• in a wrong body!
• with the wrong people!
• from a wrong education!
• from a wrong childhood!
• from a wrong religion / belief burned into us
• with 'wrong goals!'
• with a house full of wrong things.

Our flesh has been spoon fed!
Ezekiel 16:49 - Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

PRIDE
FULNESS OF BREAD
ABUNDANCE OF IDLENESS
NOT STRENGTHEN the hand of the POOR and NEEDY

This isn't going to change!

By the way, we have NOT escaped the pollutions of the world! - that is the tribulation - they will HAVE TO!  We can't always!  (See I Corinthians 5:9,-11)
II Peter 2:20 - For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
If we try, we are often miserable - following Peter, etc.

P.S. - Those who think they have, they are seeing that their children choose to go to it when they can 'get out' of the family!

• They become our little Demas's to the world!
• They learn to follow Peter, John & James in their sailboat!

Keeping the faith to love His appearing!
II Timothy 4:6-8 -  For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Philippians 3:13,14 - Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

I Corinthians 9:24 - Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Remember Nehemiah and his issues as he wanted to do right?

• Mock you
• Conspire to Stop You
• Sneak in Amongst the Rubbish
• Fuss over Finances
• Try to get you to Compromise
• Threaten you with Slander
• Try to get you to 'fall'