Day 203 "Everything that looks like God is not God, yet He never changes–He is forever the same."

Day 203 Matthew 24:23-26 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.” My Christian heritage has deep roots in the Pentecostal movement of the Sixties, as my grandparents were both ordained pastors in the denomination. Attending their church was a rather exciting experience; you could always count on the fact that it would be very emotional. You really never knew how things were going to go; there could be dancing, crying, people speaking in tongues, miracles, and some things that were, well, just beyond explanation. Yes, I believe with all my heart that God was there and the people were, for the most part, being influenced by the Spirit of God. I believe that their reaction was more than partly due to the human fleshly body being encompassed by the power of a Holy God. The night I personally met the Lord I had come to watch the show, so to speak; however, I had not planned on participating, yet He had other plans. The Lord drew me forward, filled me with His Spirit, and I joyfully accepted Him as my Lord and Savior, all the while never doubting that He was there and that this experience was genuine. I share this brief glimpse into my past for the purpose of making it very clear that I believe with all my heart that the gifts of the Spirit are for all of us and that the Spirit of God fills all believers. In addition, I believe that everyone who believes has their own way of approaching and celebrating the Spirit of God in their lives, some more expressive than others and none less important or significant than the other; each complete in its own way. What does this have to do with the preceding passage, you ask? There are many out there who seem to be looking for the next great move of God; their focus seems to be on seeing in order to believe. There is not, nor has there ever been, a shortage of opportunities for people to be led astray by the next great movement or man of God moving in the gifts. This is not to say that all revivals are demonic or false, yet they should never be the primary focus of any believer. When believers are constantly looking for affirmation and emotionalism in order to validate their relationship with, or the existence of, a Holy God, they run the risk of forever being left wanting. Addiction to God can be a very healthy thing; however, addiction to being supercharged by emotions is not a healthy act for believers. People who are truly seeking God will find Him, fellowship with Him, and have peace with Him. They don't look to conjure Him up; they simply enjoy His presence–it's all about a healthy balance. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the falling upon a believer of the Holy Spirit is not wrong, in my opinion; however, again, in my opinion, chasing after the next great move of God is a very dangerous lifestyle. The greatness, power, or joy of God should never be weighed against how one feels–how we feel has nothing to do with God's power or faithfulness. If the elect can be deceived by false teachers, then all of us should truly be very careful about what we believe, who we follow, and how we react to things. God is faithful, just, and true to His word, so be watchful and careful to test every opinion, movement, and teachers’ words against the written Word, and when they match, we can participate; when they don't, we don't. Sound good? Daily Prayer: Father, we desire to be in the closest and most intimate worship possible with You at all times. Show us how, Lord, and keep us from deception, we pray. In Jesus’ name, Amen. "Everything that looks like God is not God, yet He never changes–He is forever the same." Gene Burroughs, Pastor