On a few days, specifically on August 17, I will be celebrating two years since I arrived in Alaska. It has not being easy at all. As I meditated in those two years, I felt this word in my spirit.

         For some time the teachings coming out of the church focused on “doing” for God. These were the days of people “going” to church almost daily. Getting involved in a million ministries to the point of burning out. They spend so much time in church and doing ministry that they had no time for anything else.

         Then, the focus changed to signs and wonders. People focus so much on the signs and wonders of revival that they also forgot about family and more tragically, they forgot about God and the sound doctrine of God’s Word. The drunk in the Holy Ghost, bam, bam!, fire, people falling and the laughing everywhere generation, but very little fruit after the One-Week-Revival was over.

         Today, the focus is on what we can get from God. Yes, these are the days of the prosperity gospel and the gospel that focus on us. These are the days of the church trying to look so hip that they are gradually minimizing the authority of God’s Word and maximizing feelings and wants. These are the days of hyping denominations; some people speak so much about their denomination, that you can’t see Jesus anymore. This is also the church of titles as if those can give you the anointing to break yokes. A lot of image, but no power!

         These are the days of the politically correct and corrupt church that is in bed with the secular ideologies of the days for the sake of power, money and prestige. This church does not talk about sin and leave out anything in the Bible that could be offensive. Not all they are teaching is false, some is actually very good; but that is actually a part of their strategy. They mix truth with lies; but to this church God is giving Revelation 18:1-4 to consider,

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (KJV)

         What about focusing on surrendering ourselves more and more to Him? What about enjoying the simplicity of true fellowship with one another? I say, let us embrace our cross and die daily; let us rejoice in our afflictions and let us prosper as our souls prosper. But beyond all that, let us love God above all things. That is the first commandment and the one we violate the most.

         Let us love God above what we can do, above what He can do and above what He can give us. Beloved, is about surrendering our lives to Jesus and is about listening to Him.

         I have fallen in these categories of doing and of placing the emphasis on the sign and wonders of revival. Have not really care on what I can or cannot get, I feel that God has given me more than enough. But doing and seeking signs and wonders became an obsession to me. I even joined a church because I felt that it was connected to the Azusa Street Revival, only to find out that it is filled with so much heresy and lies, that all they have is an image and a form of godliness that is leading people astray. People are so far away from the truth that they don’t even have an understanding of the foundational doctrine of salvation. I am not looking for a black church, a white church, a Baptist church, Pentecostal or whatever church, I am looking for people that are seeking and honoring God’s truths.

         Today, I try to focus on doing what I see the Father doing (John 5:19). If Jesus was subject by what the Father was doing and not His own will, why should I? The reality is that I have jump on some things thinking that it was God and quickly discover that it was not; it was my own desire. These were good things, but out of timing and out of God’s blessings. So I step back and wait and try to enjoy my Heavenly Daddy every day.

         I am not going forward with folks that do not understand foundational doctrines and others who only want to complaint about the church, but have no desire to change. In these things I am free, I do not have pressure to perform, my daily living does not depend on ministry. Like Paul, I make a living with my own hands. My next meal does not depend on your offering. I stand and wait, but always ready to minister to a family member, to a friend, to a coworker, the stranger on the street and the thousands who still follow this blog. If that is all I am called to do, I am ok with that; I am at peace.

         Two years in Alaska, about to start my own business and coming together with my brothers and sisters at The Church of God in North Pole. So help me God!