Have You Abandoned The Lord?

“Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;

For the Lord speaks,

‘Sons I have reared and brought up,

But they have revolted against Me.’”

“Alas, sinful nation,

People weighed down with iniquity,

Offspring of evildoers,

Sons who act corruptly!

They have abandoned the Lord,

They have despised the Holy One of Israel,

They have turned away from Him.”

“How the faithful city has become a harlot,

She who was full of justice!

Righteousness once lodged in her,

But now murderers.

Your silver has become dross,

Your drink diluted with water.

Your rulers are rebels

And companions of thieves;

Everyone loves a bribe

And chases after rewards.

They do not defend the orphan,

Nor does the widow’s plea come before them.” (Isaiah 1:2,4,21-23 NASB1995)

The city of God in our world today is the church, the universal body of believers in Jesus Christ (Jew and Gentile) who by faith in Jesus have been crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as servants of God and of his righteousness. The term “The Church,” is also a reference to the gatherings of these believers in Christ, which is to be for the purpose of mutual encouragement in our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord, in practice, and for prayer, the teaching of God’s word, and Christian fellowship.

But so much of what is being called “the church” today is not the biblical body of Christ gathering together for mutual encouragement in our walks of obedience to our Lord, but they are businesses of human origin which are being marketed to the people of the world (to the ungodly). And so they have altered the meaning of “church” and the gospel message to make them more acceptable and appealing to human flesh, and less offensive to the ungodly who are still living in sin. And so many of these gatherings have been turned into stage productions in order to attract the world.

I can remember, when I was growing up, that the teaching I heard in the gatherings of the church was strong on biblical repentance and walks of obedience to our Lord and to his commands, as were the teachings on holy living and submission to Christ as Lord, and being faithful to God and to spouse. But so much of what I hear being taught in so many of these institutional “churches” today are soft on sin, giving people permission to keep on in deliberate and habitual sin, while promising them salvation from sin and eternal life with God. So much has changed in the past 76 years.

The change has been gradual, which is of Satan and how he works, with little alterations being made and accepted, one small step at a time, cleverly presented by charlatans and “wolves in sheep’s clothing” who know how to charm the people and how to slip in the lies cleverly and discreetly to where the alterations of truth are barely noticeable as they are being presented. And little by little so many people have adapted to the lies and have rejected the truth, which they are convinced is “legalism,” which is the gospel message taught by Jesus and by his New Testament apostles, in reality.

So God today is calling out to the rebellious, disobedient, and unfaithful people who claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but who are living to please the flesh, and not God, for they have bought into Satan’s lies and have rejected the truth. This adulterous and idolatrous “church” of today is this harlot being spoken of here and in the book of Revelation, too. But it isn’t the church by itself, but it is the church in a marriage relationship with the world and with the government. And God’s word teaches that we must come out from among them so that we do not share in their sins and punishment.

[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5] 

Now, I do see in many of these worldly and flesh-driven “churches” a desire to minister to people’s physical and emotional needs, as good deed doers. But so many of them have now become partners with the world and with the government, and they have turned their gatherings into marketplaces to be marketed to the people of the world. And so they have diluted the gospel message to make it more appealing and acceptable to human flesh, and they have turned their gatherings into performances to attract the world, and so there is no place among them for the church to be the church.

So, for some of us, God took us out of those worldly gatherings, and he put us on the internet where we have been able to serve him in the way he intends for us to serve him. Here we have been able to use our spiritual gifts in the areas of ministry to which God has called us. And here we have been able to encourage the body of Christ in walks of faith in obedience to our Lord. And here we have been able to share the truth of the gospel with the people of the world for their salvation. Here we have been able to function in our body parts, assigned by God, to help each other grow in Christ. Amen!

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:31-38; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Acts 26:18; Romans 10:14-15; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:11-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20; 1 Peter 2:9,21; 1 John 2:6]

Fit for Service 

 

An Original Work / October 5, 2011

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Holy Spirit, come within us.

Cleanse our hearts, 

and from sin free us.

Make us holy vessels fit 

for service to the King.

Fill us with Your love and power.

Anoint us within this hour

To be living witnesses 

For Jesus Christ, our King.

Our praise to Him bring.

Father God, our heart’s desire,

Come and speak to us in power.

Revive our hearts to obey You;

Live for You always.

May we love and serve You only,

Walking with You; 

Not a phony.

May we always tell the truth,

And show integrity.

Your true servants be.

Jesus, Savior, sanctify us.

Purify our hearts within us;

Be transformed into Your likeness,

Holy unto You.

May we always listen to You

Speaking Your words 

Now within us.

May we heed Your counsel to us;

Follow You today.

Do all that You say. 

https://vimeo.com/113979906

Have You Abandoned The Lord?

An Original Work / January 5, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love