For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:5-21
Awake O sleeper. Don’t just sit in a building for an entertaining religious hour. Know Him. Learn to hear His Voice for yourself! Determine within yourself to have real ekklesia / church with other members of the Body of Christ. It is NOT a liturgy or ritual or building — it very much involves deep koinonia / fellowship. It is NEVER a performance. Real fellowship within the Body of Christ happens when the Holy Spirit is deep and intimate within each member. When the Holy Spirit is illuminating Christ among you. When light, love, and ALL the fruit if the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is being manifest through the members together in relationship. How does a religious performance and ritual do that? Answer: It doesn’t. The current institutional system of Christian ‘religion’ does not serve the people. For the most part it props up a type of system that was actually going on when Jesus was ministering on the earth. A top down human authority institutional system that have the “spiritual experts” that tell the people what God wants. They basically usurp the Holy Spirit’s role in people’s lives.
But you have a choice. God has given you a will that can choose — whom you will serve, and how. Are people leaving the institutional Church system because they have lost their faith? Or are people beginning to realize that there is no real meaning there? That in reality their Church is just a ‘club’? That there is very little depth or value of listening to another sermon on love or grace for the 542nd time. Without the Holy Spirit illuminating the knowledge to you personally and directly — what good is it?
Be brave. Ask the hard questions. Really brave? Pray dangerous prayers for yourself. Dangerous as in… asking God to show you the real, and to take you deeper into a relationship with Him. Ask Him to work on planting and building the Fruit of the Spirit in your life: like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Ask God to help you with humility. Ask God to explain the prophetic to you. Ask God to help you understand His ways. These kinds of prayers He definitely will answer, but most likely not the way you think or expect. Be brave enough to ask the hard questions of your fellow believers. Have deep meaningful spiritual conversations with them. Don’t regurgitate old ‘phrases’ that you think you have to — to be a ‘good’ Christian. Be bold with the Holy Spirit and ask Him to show you, teach you, reveal things to you, around you, in your family, in your friends, about your own wrong beliefs, and which ones are right, and to help you understand the scriptures.
Wake up!! Don’t be a drone or zombie. Be alive in Him! Live in His life!
Father — help us to SEE! Jesus we need your eye salve! Holy Spirit speak to US!