Sacred Shrines of a Powerless Religion

It has always been hard for me to watch movies of war, well mainly movies of the battlefield. Not sure why, because once I watch one, I usually find it was a good movie and that I like it. I believe it started when I was young and went to see the movie “Green Berets” starring John Wayne. I enjoyed the solider aspect of the movie, but the killing part was hard to watch.

There are and have been several older men in my life that served in the military. My father served in Korea during the Korean Conflict, my brother in law Rick served in Vietnam, My Uncle Mike served in WWII during the cleanup of Germany after the war. My Uncle Paul served in WWII in the Pacific and has stories of snipers and foxholes. My Uncle Emmett served also in the Pacific and was on a ship getting ready for the big invasion when the Atomic bomb was dropped in Japan. I also know some in the younger generation that has fought in the Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The way wars are fought and the ways we engage the enemies have changed a lot through all those years but the one thing that hasn’t changed is to win the war, you must know your enemy and have clear resolve to defeat them.

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
Mark 9:2-4

In the New Testament both Matthew and Mark present a story that is somewhat strange and difficult to comprehend. The story of Jesus on the mount of transfiguration, Peter James, and John, accompany Jesus to the top of a mountain where they see Jesus Transfigured before them, they also see Moses and Elijah. The way the Bible describes it is a very glorious time for the disciples basically leaving them speechless. Peter reacted by saying “it is good for us to be here, let’s build a lasting shrine and just stay here” (Paraphrased). Then the voice of God is heard saying “This is my beloved Son, hear Him”. Then the story quickly moves to their decent down the mountain. Where they are confronted with a man that has a boy with a demon spirit. The disciples were powerless to help the boy. Some of them was returning from the mountain after having the greatest church service in history, others had followed Jesus from the beginning seeing miracle after miracle, yet all were powerless to drive out the demon or dealing with the issue before them.

Jesus, of course, confronts the boy and cast out the demon, leaving the disciples in a total quandary as to why they could not cast out the demon. Jesus then states “This kind comes out only by prayer and fasting” in some of the modern translations it states this kind comes out only by prayer. So, whether it was just “prayer” or “prayer and fasting”, the disciples were unprepared for the encounter. Jesus laments of their lack of faith and understanding.

I grew up hearing stories how old-time Christians had all night prayer meetings, stories of preachers that fasted 40 days. How some revivals would reach the lost souls and continue for weeks at a time, birthing new churches in their wake. How generations of people were touched by what seemed to be spiritual giants in the faith. My mother and aunt both shared a story of when their brother left, going off to war, several women of the church (including their mother) would come together every Friday night and pray all night. People would bring a photo of their sons or loved ones to be placed on the wall for prayer. They both stated that every soldier that was posted on that wall returned home.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

Being a preacher’s son and leading music for 30 years plus, I spent more time in church than most. In all that time, as they say, “I have seen it all”. Recently I attended a small church homecoming that brought a lot of my experiences of church and religion to mind. There was a segment in the service where anyone could stand and talk about church memories. The first time I had experienced this “free to speak time” was at a funeral where anyone could get up and talk about the deceased. There was little difference in the way the people at the homecoming talked about the church or the people at the funeral talked about the deceased. Each person that stood up talked of the past times, some were laughing some were crying. The ones that stood out at this church were the ones that told of their salvation and healing experienced through someone’s prayers or at the altar. They were in tears as they shared how being part of the church had transformed their life. Each family and person that stood up told of great things that had happened in the past and how that local church had influenced generations of their families.

Now this church just like many churches is on its last breath while the past members of the church show up once a year for the extended funeral/ homecoming. This once vibrant community church is now on life support. I am not writing this in condemnation of the people of this church. There are a lot of reasons why this small church is dying, the last few generations moved away to find better jobs, families left for better schools etc. I only share this because this story could be repeated for numerous churches across the North American landscape.

In one of the past churches I attended there was an elderly lady that would come almost every Sunday morning before anyone else arrived, she would always inspect a sundry of items her family had donated, these items were always set up on display at the front of the church. She would reminisce about how things were in the past and the “good ol days”.

There are in just about every church sacred shrines, sometimes it is things left inside the church, sometimes it becomes the church itself. Like Peter at the top of the mountain wanting to stay there and build something to memorialize the transfiguration, we have become comfortable in just remembering the past and when there was power.
Anytime we place a thing, a church, an idea, a movement, a preacher, over the worship and mission of God we are building comfortable places or shrines on the mountain.

And he gave them their request but sent leanness into their soul. Psalms 106:15

G.K. Chesterton tells the story of the time that St. Francis of Assisi visited Rome and the pope of the day proudly showed him all the wondrous treasures of the Vatican. Referring to a story in the Biblical Book of Acts in which St. Peter spoke with a beggar in Jerusalem and told him he had no money, the pope pointed to the treasures around him and said, “Peter can no longer say ‘Silver and gold have I none.’”
St. Francis’ response: “Neither can he say, ‘Rise up and walk.’”

Today we would probably have taken that demon-possessed boy to the Doctor, he would have to get in line, wait to be referred to several different specialists, who knows when he would finally get treated or if the diagnoses would be correct. He would most likely live out his days on medication never being fully free. We debate in religious circles whether there even is an enemy or if demons still exist. The enemy we face has lulled us to sleep and has built such a wall of delusion around us that we have become blinded by our own abilities and accomplishments. Do not misunderstand I believe there is a place for medicines and treatments, and not every mental disorder is a demon but if demons still exist, and they do, then we are not seeing the enemy for who he is.

You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich, and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful
nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Revelation 3:17,18

Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? Jeremiah 8:22

Come now, let us reason together, “says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

So how much prayer and fasting are enough? How do we get the salve for our eyes? How do we reason with God? Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there any hope for a church that instead of changing the world, has changed to become more like the world? How can we confront a problem we don’t see? How can we face an enemy we deny exist? We have become so self-sufficient in finance, talent and influence that we have reached the point that we need nothing, we have it all. What is our purpose, and where is our resolve?

…for apart from me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5

Church has lost its salt; the focus now is on the entertainment value of the Sunday service. Sermons have developed into life lessons, we have the capability of having the greatest church services in history, yet we are powerless when we walk outside. If we are living in our shrines on the mountain the issues of the valley are out of sight and mind.

’cause he brings people to your door, and you turn them away
As you smile and say, “God bless you!
Be at peace!” And all heaven just weeps,
’cause Jesus came to your door, you left him out on the streets
Keith Green “Asleep in the Light

When it’s all been said and done it is not the church service, not who the preacher is, it is prayer with fasting and bringing our issues to Jesus. Unless we can somehow bring Jesus into our lives, our homes and churches we will continue to be powerless. The way spiritual battles are fought and the ways we engage the enemies have changed a lot through the years but the one thing that hasn’t changed is to win the battle, you must know your enemy and have clear resolve to defeat him.

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