The Great Exchange

Jesus said to him, "You shall love the LORD your God from all your heart and from all your soul and from all your power and from all your mind." This is the great and the first commandment. And the second which is like it is, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

If you love me, keep my commands.

Two rather straightforward commands were given to the first man:

1. Of the fruit of all the trees (including the tree of LIFE) - Thou shalt eat!
2. But of the fruit of tree of the knowledge of good and evil - Thou shalt not eat!

And the LORD God commanded Adam and said to him, "From all of the trees that are in Paradise you shall eat: And from the tree of knowledge of good and of evil you shall not eat from it, because in the day that you will eat from it, you will die the death".

A wealthy nobleman had come to Jesus, asking Him, "Good teacher, what good deed should I do to gain eternal life?" He said to him, "Why do you call me good? There is none good except God alone ... "

Jesus stated that God alone is good, and asked the man,"Why do you call me good?" Was the man unwittingly acknowledging Jesus to be God? Was this the “Who do you say that I AM?” moment in this man's life? Perhaps. But there is so much more to this good issue than most men know. You see, only God is good. Therefore, “good” is God's domain, not man's.

Do you fully understand the significance of adam's partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Let's walk through this, slowly.

God is good. God created the heavens and the Earth, looked upon His work and saw that it was good. God commanded man not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (it's a package deal: good AND evil). Adam disobeyed God and ate of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Along with the knowledge of evil, Adam gained the knowledge of good. But only God is good. Adam did not suddenly know God! Neither was he suddenly able to recognize God's version of good and evil. You see, the knowledge of good and evil was a newfound ability to decide for oneself what is good and what is evil. If it were not so, all men would be in agreement over everything!

For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Good and evil, right and wrong, clean and unclean, important and unimportant ... instead of relying completely upon God, God alone, for these things, each man, woman and child could now decide for him or herself.

Man experienced the original “gain of function” as he discovered the capacity to divide on the basis of his own opinion, pitting wives against their husbands, children against their parents, family against family, neighbor against neighbor, community against community, state against state, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom and, most significantly, man against God. This was the beginning of the grand idolatrous replacement.

Are you aware of what was actually established in the Earth that fateful day?

And when the woman saw that the tree was (1.) good for food, and that it was (2.) pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to (3.) make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

For everything that is in the world: the (1.) desire of the body and the (2.) lust of the eyes and the (3.) pride of temporal life, these are not from The Father but these are from the world. The world is passing and its lust, but he who does the will of God continues for eternity.

The world, defined:

1. good for food → desire of the body
2. pleasant to the eyes → lust of the eyes
3. make one wise → pride of temporal life

For a more in-depth look at this topic, see my article titled, "The Origin of Man".

Do not love the world, neither the things that are in it, for whoever loves the world does not have the love of The Father in him.

Adulterers! Do you not know that the love of this world is hatred toward God? Therefore whoever chooses to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD

The Way of God is not the way of man. All men go their own way.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way ...

... children of the curse, when they abandoned the straight way, they strayed ...

And whichever way they go they justify it in their own mind.

All the ways of a man are right in his own eyes ...

But there is another way:

In those days John the Baptizer came and was preaching in the desert of Judaea. And he said, "Repent, return and be converted to God, the Kingdom of Heaven has come near." This was he of whom it was said by Isaiah the Prophet, "A voice that cries in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the LORD and level his paths'."

I was shown a lone path through a vast wilderness. It was most certainly not a paved highway, replete with markers, signs, reflectors and lights. It more akin to a trail; something that you had to pay attention to in order to stay on, lest you lose sight of it. I was taken to a camp situated at the outskirts of that wilderness, a great distance away from the path I had been shown. The camp was so well established it resembled a small village. People bustled about, busy with their routines, and no one paid me much attention. After a time, I suddenly heard the sound of a distant horn, like a bugle or trumpet. I first looked up to determine the direction of the source of the call, which seemed to be coming from the direction of that path I had seen, earlier. I then looked about to see the reactions of others. There was none. It was as though no one had heard the call. I was compelled to set out in the direction of the sound, and I don't believe anyone noticed me leave.

I walked a great distance through the wilderness, with not a soul in sight, until I began to hear the sounds of people again. I came up over the crest of a small hill and looked down upon what looked like a circus troupe. There were large tents, people dressed in colorful costumes, animals with their trainers, the smell of food, and the sounds of music. As I approached, several people came to greet me and invited me to join them at a buffet dinner. I ate, had great conversation with happy people, and got a good night's sleep. At breakfast I met someone who claimed to be an heir of a former member of that small village I had visited, previously. After breakfast, I suddenly heard the clarion call again. This time it was obvious to me that others had heard it, as well. I asked, “What is that sound? I feel it is beckoning me.” Someone nearby informed me not to worry. They would hear it from time to time, but I was assured that there was no cause for alarm, and no reason to feel disturbed. After all, it would be lunchtime soon. I left that camp in the direction of the sound, much to the chagrin of my hosts, who thought me rather ungrateful.

After a short time I came upon yet another camp. It was massive and comprised of several well-organized mini-camps. Much like a market or bazaar, there was something of interest for everyone. The music was so LOUD! People were extremely friendly, and seemed genuinely interested in my journey to their destination. I was introduced to those who told me they had also come from other camps, as they too had heard the sound of the clarion call. Everyone was eager to get me signed up for one activity or another. Time passed and I was thoroughly enjoying myself. It was easy to see myself fitting in here ... and then I thought I heard the sound of the call again, though it was difficult to distinguish over the din of the music. A watchful shepherd of the camp had noticed my expression change upon hearing the call, and immediately took me aside to counsel me, warning me of the dangers that lay outside the camp. When I heard the call a second time, I told others I must leave, asking if any wished to join me. I was accused of proselytizing and of being delusional, unfit for membership. I was escorted out of the camp.

I walked and walked. There were no people and no trumpet sounds. There was nothing around me and at times I wasn't certain of the direction I was walking in. I began to wonder if I was delusional, as I had so been accused. Had I imagined the call? And then I came upon a lovely billboard. It read, “Welcome to the Way” and an arrow was pointing up a hill in front of me. I climbed the hill and there I beheld that very path I had seen and passed over at the beginning of my vision. It wasn't a wide path at all and, while I could easily identify it from the ground surrounding it, it contained no deep ruts, tracks or noticeable footprints of any kind. It didn't look like anyone had been on it any time recently, if ever. On both sides of the path, as far to the left and as far to the right as I could see, stood inter-connected two-story buildings with stunning facades and balconies that overlooked the path. Covered overhead walkways spanned the path, and were filled with people who moved with a purpose. The buildings were all occupied, but definitely not overcrowded. The people, the kindest and most generous I had yet encountered, were from all walks of life, from all over the world.

I was greeted by a group of people that identified themselves as members of the “Welcome to the Way Ministry.” After a brief introduction and a short tour, I was shown to my very own accommodations. The sense of community and of family was very strong. There was a palpable hope for the future in the air. Everyone was so happy and so content, yet no one was idle. If people were not busy schooling, or attending well-organized events, they were hard at work. In fact, the number of employment opportunities was staggering, and the pay commensurate. There was little or no crime. Rather than wait for the weekend to get together, all the people would gather on the balconies each evening. A massive construction project was underway at the outskirts of the camp, and I was informed this would be home to the new sanctuary, as the burgeoning population had outgrown the old one. The days were filled with activities, and everyone was enthusiastic. I had never seen anything like it.

After a time I heard the call again. I was completely confused. Hadn't I arrived? Wasn't I already at The Way? The people around me definitely thought so, and they cheered at the sound of the call. They told me that hearing this sound meant that there would be new arrivals, soon, and I saw familiar faces from the Welcome to the Way Ministry assemble in preparation. But something powerful stirred within me. I suddenly knew this, all this around me, was wrong. For the first time since I had arrived, I stepped out of the buildings and set foot upon the path. Immediately an alarm sounded and I could hear the shouts of the Path Patrol telling me to get back, to step away, to return to the safety of the camp. As I began walking along the path, several people on the balconies began shouting harsh accusations at me. A group of onlookers were throwing things at me, some even uttering obscenities, while others were mocking me, asking me if I thought I was special, if I was better than they. A confidence began to rise within me, a “knowing&lrdquo; that, for the first time in my life, I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I began to plead with all within earshot to come to the path and walk it with me. The robed class gathered their most devoted members together on the balcony as I passed by. Pointing directly at me, they loudly shouted warnings to the others about the dangerous “lone wolf” that was passing beneath them. I continued walking and the vision faded.

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Consider this incomplete listing of so-called “official” world religions, displayed in descending order based on the number of reported followers/adherents:

1. Christianity/Christian-ism - 2.4 billion
2. Islam (-ism) - 1.9 billion
3. Hinduism - 1.2 billion
4. Buddhism - 506 million
5. Shinto (-ism) - 104 million
6. Sikhism - 25 million
7. Judaism - 14 million
8. Taoism - 12 million
9. Confucianism - 6 million
10. Satanism - unknown

Source: World Atlas 2022

But there are countless more “un-official” religions, belief systems, philosophies, practices, etc.

• atheism
• socialism
• secularism
• communism
• intellectualism
• capitalism
• journalism
• education-ism
• democracy (-ism)
• healthcarism
• nationalism
• globalism
• the justice system (justice-ism?)
• and so many more!

Perhaps the largest religion in the Earth today is that of scientism, better known as “The Science.” Its widespread popularity appears to be due to its ability to supply an alternative answer for every question man asks, including, “What is truth?”

Science is the study of the creation of the Living God. Scientism, on the other hand, does not acknowledge God. The delusion of scientism is so powerful that its most ardent followers willingly admit that they are not seeking The TRUTH. The goal of the disciples of scientism appears to be to publish the analysis of data accumulated via an approved (translate: financed) process. Notoriety, honor among peers and, most importantly, additional funding may accompany the publishing process, so we understand its importance.

All of the "-isms" are religions.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

God did not start men's religions, men's "-isms", nor is He trying to reform them. They are the domain of the Prince of this world, and that includes all of them. What they share in common are doctrines (teachings) of the commandments (opinions, interpretations, beliefs, rules, precepts, policies, etc) of men. And these all stem from the knowledge of good and evil. Regardless of how “close” you may feel your particular religious camp is to The WAY, your camp is but a feeble attempt at a replacement. All of the religions of men are products of the great exchange.

So, God has clearly told us what “religion” He approves of. What role does Yeshua (Jesus) play? Let's hear it in His own words:

For it is not The Father who judges a man, but he has given all judgment to The Son, that everyone should honor The Son as one honors The Father. He who does not honor The Son is not honoring The Father who sent him.

In case you missed that, John, an apostle of the Messiah, wrote:

Everyone who lays hold of The Son lays hold also of The Life, and everyone who does not lay hold of The Son of God does not have The Life in him. These things I have written to you that you will know that you have Eternal Life, you who believe in the name of The Son of God.

Who is a liar but whoever denies that Yeshua is The Messiah? Such a person is a false messiah. He who denies The Father denies also the Son. He who denies The Son also does not believe in The Father; whoever confesses The Son confesses The Father also.

It is my hope that this issue would be clear for you. No Son = no Father. No Son, no Father = no LIFE! There are many who will insist that they acknowledge The Son. And yet, sadly, instead of walking the Narrow Way, they have become residents of that camp that overlooks it.

I know this may be hard to hear, in direct proportion to what you have invested in it, but the religion of christianity with it's temples, cathedrals, church buildings, services, programs, charters, tax exempt status, employees (staff), bible schools, mission programs, etc. is NOT God's holy habitation, His body, His assembly, His church. It is a replacement! It is a product of the great exchange!

• Question: Might real, true, born-of-the-spirit children of God, chosen for Himself be found among those who call themselves “christian,” or associate with the religion of christianity? Or any religion of men, for that matter?
• Answer: Of course!

You may also find God's own children working or shopping in grocery stores, or on a soccer team, or working for a bank, or as members of a motorcycle club, or rotary club. None of these organizations are God's holy habitation, either. They are not His body, His assembly, His church. Learn the difference: God's own children, as appendages and organs, are added into His one and only body in each generation. The body already exists! You're the one who is added to it. You are not the one God is impatiently waiting on to "get something started" in the Earth, to build something new, something that you can put "Jesus" stickers all over. God's own children, as living stones, are carefully fitted into His one and only temple by master builders in each generation. And this is entirely independent of memberships, and dedicated facilities, and rituals, and such. But the delusion continues.

It is not given unto any man to bring the delusion to an end, as it is God Who has sent it. Why would you pit yourself against the Living God? Men have rejected the love of The TRUTH, and God has responded by sending them the activity of delusion, for them to believe lies. For those who are born of spirit, born from above, hear this: Come out from among them! Throw yourself before the throne of grace and ask Him to reveal to you His work in your generation, that which He is already doing. And what He is already doing is not Christianity, or any other religion! Again I say: fun factsYou needn't START anything! Be added into what He is already doing!

Yeshua answered and said to him, "You are Blessed, Shimeon Bar Yona, because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven."

Revelation, the opening of our eyes by God Himself to His eternal TRUTH, is so very precious! Words fail to express the significance of the moment. No amount of bible study, exegesis or hermeneutics can compare to that moment when He opens the eyes of our understanding, be it to a passage, verse, phrase or a word that He has spoken.

Beware of the false belief that bible study, exegesis or hermeneutics IS revelation. Learn how the pursuit of knowledge, even knowledge about the bible, can be the replacement. Unlike knowledge in general, including data, statistics, information, quotable quotes, fun facts, etc, the knowledge of God is NOT obtained through intellect and reason. We don't educate ourselves upward and into God's glory. He opens our eyes. He unstops our ears. Or we remain blind and deaf, regardless of our so-called intelligence, or learning, or education.

For the wisdom of this world is nonsense to God, for it is written: "He has seized the wise in their craftiness."

Much of christianity teaches that only through much study can one be approved by God. This is based on a lone verse translated from a Greek text:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Let's look at that same verse translated from the Peshitta:

And take care of yourself, that you present yourself perfectly before God, a laborer without shame, who preaches the word of truth straightforwardly.

In place of “Study to show yourself approved to God ... ” we read, “Take care of yourself, that you present yourself perfectly before God ... ”

Another translation reads, “Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God ... ”

Yet another reads, “Be careful to establish thyself perfectly before God ... ”

Brother Paul exhorts young Timothy as a laborer, a servant, NOT as a student! Timothy's task is to rightly preach, to correctly announce, to properly herald The WORD of TRUTH, NOT to “rightly divide” it! Our LORD Jesus did not teach classes at a newly-constructed Bethlehem Bible Institute, nor did He instruct His disciples to “Go forth and make good Bible students of all people!” Instead, He preached (proclaimed, announced, heralded) the good news of the Kingdom of God to young and old, alike, and He instructed His followers to do the same.

For more on this topic, see my article titled, "Knowledge".

Revelation, the revealing of that which is evident but hitherto unseen or unheard, is not equivalent to “figuring something out.” Nor is it the product of devoted study, extensive research, or years of experience. Becoming convinced of something due to an overwhelming supply of so-called evidence is not revelation. One can have both eyes and ears yet be unable to see or hear the things from above.

But these which are on the good ground are those who hear the word with a pure and good heart, and they hold onto it and they yield fruit with patience.

God, Who is spirit, communicates with His own seed; namely, us. Specifically, He Who is spirit is interacting with His own children via the spirit that He has birthed within each one. This is eternal, outside of the limitations of space and time. This is our reality in the Messiah. The world which we were born into via our mother's wombs, when we were born of water, is passing away along with all its desires. And yet it is this passing world which we are constantly tempted to replace God with!

From where is war and contention among you? Is it not from the lusts (desires) which war in your members? You lust and you do not possess; you murder and envy and you have no power. You fight and you do battle and you have not because you ask not. You ask and you do not receive, because you ask wickedly so that your lusts may be fed. Adulterers! Do you not know that the love of this world is hatred toward God? Therefore whoever chooses to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.

Everything that is in the world: the (1.) desire of the body and the (2.) lust of the eyes and the (3.) pride of temporal life, is not from the Father.

Having seen that which is true, that which is eternal, that which is not becomes readily apparent. Having heard the voice of the Messiah, we are not confused by the voice of another. Having seen and tasted of those things that are His makes the recognition of those things that are NOT His very straightforward.

En route from Judea to Galilee, Jesus had stopped to rest at a spring in the city of Sychar (sha' kar), Samaria. A local woman came to draw water. Jesus asked her for a drink and a conversation ensued. He told the woman,

" ... the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth, for the Father is seeking such worshippers as these. For the Spirit is God, and it is fitting that those who worship him worship in the Spirit and in the Truth."

Prior to coming to Samaria, Jesus had been in Jerusalem. One particular night a Pharisee, a leader of the Judeans named Nicodemus visited Him. Jesus told the man,

"Timeless truth I am telling you: "If a person is not born from water and the Spirit, it is impossible that he shall enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born from flesh is flesh, and that which is born from the Spirit is spirit."

I am hopeful you are recognizing the theme emerging here, that of spirit. Flesh and blood is NOT spirit; in fact, they are opposed to one another.

" ... flesh and blood cannot inherit The Kingdom of God ...

The spirit is God. God is the spirit. Only those born of the spirit can even see God's kingdom, let alone enter in. Flesh and blood cannot.

Do not approach revelation in the flesh, as though it was a concept, precept, or doctrine to be acquired via mental gymnastics. Revelation is a spiritual action, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians,

As it is written: "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, and upon the heart of man has not come up that which God has prepared for those who love him." But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit, for The Spirit searches into everything, even the depths of God.

Beware of the great exchange! Do not for a moment suppose that rituals or religious practices are an acceptable replacement for Revelation. Who, exactly, does the revealing?

Shimeon Kaypha answered, “You are The Messiah, The Son of THE LIVING GOD.” Yeshua answered and said to him, “You are blessed, Shimeon Bar Yona, because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.”

“My Father Who is in heaven!”

It would be beyond naive to think that whatever God has said, is saying, or will ever say is immediately understood by all within earshot. It would be just as naive to think that an event foretold by God would be recognized as that which God foretold by all who were experiencing it. It has never worked that way.

When God speaks to a man ("My sheep hear My voice"), and that man speaks the words he has heard, God calls that prophesying. When you come together, you may all prophesy (one by one, to avoid a cacophony). Today, men suffer from a juvenile understanding of prophecy, associating it solely with the foretelling of future events, including forewarnings. Prophesying may or may not include details regarding a future event or events.

Predicting the future has always been big business among men. It makes perfect sense that some people would hope to profit by speculating about what is going to happen, and others would be happy to pay for quality speculation(s). Getting it right typically results in stardom for the skilled guessers, and high yields for their most ardent disciples.

Others are quick to acknowledge spiritual sources for their information. Skilled seers, soothsayers, fortune-tellers, tarot card readers, diviners, mediums, witches, etc, the world over have intrigued and enthralled the masses for millennia with their ability to look into the unseen. For a small fee, of course.

It shouldn't be a great leap, therefore, to recognize that same business model at work in so-called Christian circles. Study bibles, bible study guides, books, film, conferences, cruises and ministries galore are a seemingly never-ending wellspring of financial opportunity for those willing to speculate about the future. By combining any of the above-mentioned skills with some social media technology, and pasting some "Jesus loves you" stickers on top, you too can have a prophetic ministry up and running in less than an hour.

Christianity has long promulgated the teaching that prophecy is essentially the foretelling of the future (except, evidently, for the case of the myth of lucifer where, allegedly, Isaiah and Ezekiel each interjected a brief history lesson into their prescient (and completely distinct) forewarnings, kind of a reverse-prophecy). For more on this, see my article titled, "Lucifer".

Has God ever told mankind of things to come, including certain details, warnings and/or instructions? Of course! He has, at times, spoken directly to men, and those men have declared to others what they heard Him say (which rarely results in any change of behavior - see for yourself). At other times He has given men dreams while giving others the correct interpretation of those dreams. Still others have seen visions. There are sufficient examples to be confident that God, if He so chooses, is perfectly capable of telling men of things to come.

Without revelation, those events can come and go without a soul ever acknowledging the fulfillment of prophecy. Perhaps prophecy's most significant purpose is that of after-the-fact recognition, a recognition that comes as the direct result of revelation. It works like this: God will make statements that appear, on the surface, to pertain to an immediate or imminent timeline. He will also insert words and/or phrases into those declarations that either make absolutely no sense whatsoever at the time, or are so well camouflaged that they are overlooked entirely. Later, as a prophesied event unfolds, He will open the eyes of His own to behold His words in action, alive, occurring directly in front of them! Revelation is what allows a few to see while others do not.

To witness the unveiling of a "this is that which was written ... " moment is precious, and it causes those to whom it is revealed to worship God. You can read more about this in my article titled, "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse".

Men, women and children gathering together whenever and wherever they can in order to worship the LORD and to be built up into Him is not replaceable with the activities of scheduled event attendance at designated facilities. These are not one and the same!

I fully realize how shattering it can be, how shocking, even chafing, to hear me point out that our LORD Jesus did not start up a new religion called christianity. Sadly, much (most, if not all) of what is associated with christianity has nothing whatsoever to do with Him! If you have ears to hear, please read on.

Within an hour of being apprehended by the Messiah in March of 1981, I hurried to a local, so-called “church,” a facility I don't believe I had ever set foot in prior, to satisfy a burning desire to share what had just occurred with what I assumed might be people of like mind. I had just encountered the LORD Jesus, He Who was alive from the dead, never to die again! The building in my neighborhood used the word “church” in its business name, printed in big letters for everyone to read. Naturally that HAD to mean:

• The facility was not just another building; it must be God's house! At the very least, it must be special.
• The organization that ran the facility could not be just another business; it must be some kind of God franchise.
• The “church members” (all of the people affiliated with that particular facility) must be “The Church,” just like I read in 79 verses of my KJV New Testament (or it might have been the 64 verses in my New American Standard Bible).
• The pastor of the facility must truly be a shepherd of God's sheep. I mean, he had to be, because that was what he went to school for, that is what he was currently being paid for, and that is what people referred to him as.
• The elder board must map directly to the corresponding word “elder” found in 9 verses of my KJV New Testament, as did deacon, choir, piano, organ, pulpit, baptismal, vestibule, altar, hymnal, services, Sunday School, offering plate, missionary, non-denominational, Bible school, etc. (Okay, so most of those words aren't in my Bible, but they should be, because christians everywhere use them so frequently!)
• Oh yeah, and everyone would be ecstatic to hear my story, about what had happened to me.

I quickly discovered I was wrong about everything listed above, but I did not yet understand why I was wrong. Where had all this nonsense come from?

When I encountered the LORD Jesus I immediately became active in my local church, threw myself into Biblical exegesis, joined a mission organization, traveled to foreign countries, met my future wife, married, had our first child, all the while desperately attempting to reconcile the religion of christianity with the reality of the new life inside of me and that of which I read as I searched the Scriptures. I met masses of christians and non-christians alike, and attended services, or sang, or preached in loads of “churches.”

Note that during this same time, I would meet with an individual here or there, in a parking lot or a hospital, or meet with two or three more at someone's house or at a jail or mental institution, or sit in field or stand in a public square or enter a bar, pub or cantina playing my guitar while singing psalms, and suddenly be surrounded by dozens or even hundreds of people, all eager to listen. These were always astonishing events. But I (or others around me) discounted them as extra-curricular, because they were not properly organized or officially sanctioned, nor did they take place in costly, authorized facilities under the auspices of state-chartered religious enterprises.

When I compared what I saw in the Scriptures with what I saw among christian organizations, I increasingly likened the obvious difference to either a drug-addled, sickly prostitute or an expensive call girl/escort who was attempting to pass herself off as a wife. Those who defended her (what I called the harlot), the aged and jaded crowd, repeatedly told me I was being judgmental, and that my attitude was attributable to what they called “excessive new believer zeal,” something to be wary of. Evidently, too much of a good thing isn't good, you know. I was told ad nauseum in those days that what I needed was “balance.” In naïveté, I considered “being consumed with zeal for my Father's House” to be a good thing, and remember telling my accusers that I intended to never lose it! Spoiler alert: I have never lost it; it didn't fade.

At this point, being a zealous, but immature disciple with one foot in the kingdom of God and the other still firmly planted in the kingdom(s) of this world, a gut-wrenching, emotionally exhausting, time-wasting exercise ensued. Arguments over whether or not she, the whore I referred to above, should dye her natural hair color, or wear makeup, or get breast implants, or wear dresses or pants, or wear jewelry, or correct her speech or behavior all completely overlooked the fact that she was a still a whore; she was NOT the bride! NOTE: I was looking at the wrong woman!

In just a few short years I had visited hundreds of different churches in various countries. I grew increasing discouraged with what I saw around me. I saw a common pattern that did not match with that which was first established by the apostles of the Messiah in the first century and recorded in the Book of Acts. The rituals and practices that men adopted and branded “of God,” or “christian,” activities that were all-encompassing and all-consuming of everyone's energy and time, had nothing to do with anything God had ever said to anyone.

“Thus saith the LORD” had been brilliantly replaced with the notion of so-called “biblical principals.” This permitted men to pursue their own devices, brand the effort as “christian,” further sear their consciences, expand their business enterprises and, by slapping Jesus stickers all over their activities, convince others that this was the real thing!

According to the theology du jour, this massive discrepancy between what was written and what men had replaced it with was due to something called Dispensationalism. This was a clever teaching from the 1800s that sought to justify the massive discrepancy between how men wanted to live and how they were instructed to live by insisting that God had various programs going on with various peoples at various times. Coupled with Cessationism (Paul was the last apostle, etc.), the effectual replacement of God's often unfathomable design with that which man can easily and readily explain and control, the teachings and practices of modern western christianity were the apple of God's eye. I wasn't falling for any of it, not anymore.

Embrace this: God is not trying to reform christianity ... churchi-anity ... religi-anity! All that anguish spent over how far God's people have strayed, while not wrong in itself, becomes rather pitiful once you realize you are not even looking at God's people. You are staring at a replacement, a mere business enterprise.

Not ready, yet.

More coming, soon ...