Give me that old time religion
give me that old time religionGive me that old time religionIt's good enough for meMakes me love everybodyMakes me love everybodyIt's good enough for meIt has saved our fathersIt has saved our fathersAnd it's good enough for meIt was good for the prophet DanielIt was good for the prophet DanielAnd it's good enough for megive me that old time religionGive me that old time religionIt's good enough for meit was good for Hebrew childrenIt was good for Hebrew childrenAnd it's good enough for megive me that old time religionGive me that old time religionIt's good enough for meIt was tried in the fiery furnaceIt was tried in the fairy furnaceIt's good enough for meIt was good for Paul and SilasIt was good for Paul and SilasAnd it's good enough for megive me that old time religionGive me that old time religionIt's good enough for meIt will do when I'm dyingIt will do when I'm dyingIt's good enough for megive me that old time religionGive me that old time religionIt's good enough for meIt can take us all to heavenIt can take us all to heavenIt's good enough for megive me that old time religionGive me that old time religionIt's good enough for meRead more: David Houston - Old Time Religion Lyrics | MetroLyrics When I sang that old hymn at Scripture Union gatherings in the mid 70s I would never have imagined that the old time religion was catholicism or that Paul and Silas were catholics (as we know it today).The story of the Rich fool (Luke
12) contains many lessons:13 Someone in the crowd spoke to Jesus. “Teacher,” he said,
“tell my brother to divide the family property with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge or umpire between
you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against
wanting to have more and more things. Life is not made up of how much a person
has.” 16 Then Jesus told them a story. He said, “A certain rich man’s land
produced a very large crop. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What should I
do? I don’t have any place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is
what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones. I will store my
extra grain in them.19 I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain
stored away for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink and have a good time.” 20 “But
God said to him, ‘You foolish man! Tonight I will take your life away from you.
Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “That is how it
will be for whoever stores things away for themselves but is not rich in the
sight of God.”· Lesson 1: “Watch
out! Be on your guard against wanting to have more and more things. Life is not
made up of how much a person has.”· Lesson 2: “A certain
rich man’s land produced a very large crop” compare with; “a certain church has many followers,
who contributed a very large sum”· Lesson 3: He thought
to himself, ‘what should I do? I don’t have any place to store my crops.’
Compare with: “What shall I do
with all these offerings and money? I do not have any place to store them?”
There is no meeting ground between these two interpretations of suffering and
as a result, I now believe that very many churches hold nothing but false hope
for the yearning huddled masses of this great country who yearn for truth – a
truth which should set them free to fly and achieve the dreams in the heart of
God foe their lives.
They serve a goodly purpose - helping many break loose from the snares and
rusty iron chains of the satanic kingdom no ifs, no buts….
True, absolutely true. But the provisioning of our needs shouldn't be contingent
on the impoverishment and ever increasing despair of our neighbors, brothers, or
church members!
Makes me love everybody
It was saved our fathers
It was good for the prophet Daniel
Give me that old time religion
It was good for Hebrew children
Give me that old time religion
It was tried in the fiery furnace
It was good for Paul and Silas
Give me that old time religion
It will do when I'm dying
Give me that old time religion
It can take us all to heaven
Give me that old time religion
With so many false prophets - self serving Sophists
who superintend over large church organizations -
deceiving the masses through their stupendous wealth and the size of their congregations we need to consider prayerfully the followinmg:
·
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll
do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones. I will store my extra
grain in them” Compare with: “I will
build bigger church auditoriums…. (Jus’ saying!)
·
Lesson 4: 19 I’ll say to myself, “You
have plenty of grain stored away for many years. Take life easy. Eat, drink and
have a good time.” compare with “I
will say to myself: take life easy – eat and drink…. buy bigger more expensive
cars. Stop flying first class, buy your own plane… not second hand planes….?
Revelation 3:17: “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…”
The
bible makes it clear: Only the truth shall set us free.
If
Nigeria isn't free as we know she isn't, then perhaps the truth is not at work
in our innards…. and if the truth be absent, it will not materialize unless we
enthrone it – and we will not enthrone it by hoodwinking at those who have
enthroned corruption…
As
Christians, we should be at the forefront of holding Goodluck Jonathan to
account - not the opposite!
The
antics of the local Rolls Royce-driving, private jet-owning superintendents is
disheartening. Especially when compared to the past behavior of orthodox
priests and clergy.
Whereas
orthodoxy preaches that we are never more like Christ than when we are faced
with daunting challenges, when we look to the heavens, the saints, to God for
help and find none, that in seasons of great doubting about our mission, our
lives… times when we wonder about the very faith we have professed all our
lives. That it is in those seasons we are MOST like our Lord and redeemer Jesus.
Pentecostals preach the exact opposite – that it is at
those times when we suffer that we are furthest from the will of God – and so
must recalculate our tithes, check our lives for sin…
Sadly
they receive in stead, gold chains that bind them to the church
superintendent's selfish unwarranted love for filthy lucre.... and this, sadly,
they are made to believe, is the new spirituality which will take them to
heaven - helping the church leader(s)
build big bigger barns to store riches for himself and for is family they
posit, will take them to heaven!
Do
the Pentecostals have a message? Of course!
And every Sunday, these superintendents give a fresh
reason to justify their own wallowing in the pigsty of materialism, and why it
is the duty of their followers to keep them there!
It becomes a race of bigger better, louder, brighter,
flashier, more colorful, more miracles – the net effect of which is this:
The simple uncluttered
message of our redeemer is lost……
Pentecostal scholars weave with ease between the old
and new testaments, extracting hidden nuggets of truths – explaining why the
prince of the demonic realm still plague the church – totally neglecting the
power of the blood of the lamb slain at Calvary! Almost as if we have to keep
learning more about demonology in order to reach the foulness of our stature in
Christ!
What
about marching forth in confidence according to the holy words of God
incarnate: "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me
you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have
overcome the world."
These never preach the Eucharist – it is always about
God satisfying their material needs – not about satisfying the Lord’s need
which is to have more truly free – imbued with the power of the Eucharist and
thus able to be ministers in their own rights – raising other sons of God – a
Christian atomic reaction, where freed slaves free even more slaves until all
the earth sings the praise of the one true God…..
"The Lord shall
provide my needs according to his riches in glory..."
Also disconcerting is the
cavalier manner in which Pentecostals in the fight of their lives are treated.
Their material lack is placed right back squarely at their doorsteps! Hey how
about a bob or two to sort my immediate needs? I did give a few bobs myself in
my time!
They are always in deficit of: tithes paying: “O no!! You pay tithes net of your income tax. It
holds you BACK! You must base your tithes on your gross income”
They never preach that neither Jesus, nor Peter, not
any of the original disciples, nor the 120 more after the Pentecost, not any of
the disciples who came later – St. Paul (notably) asked or endorsed the payment
of tithes under the new and eternal covenant!
Yes Our God (Jehovah) is a rich, but Jehovah is
INTEGRITY. He is neither deceived nor mocked. Not by any other or me.
After we have been admonished with compelling
sweetness in Hebrews 12: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great
cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that
so easily entangles” We must remember that The same chapter states unequivocally in the last
verse that: “God is a consuming fire”
He is a jealous God and warns in Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate
the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
What is
Mammon? Mammon /ˈmæmən/, in the
New Testament of the Bible, is material
wealth or greed, most often personified as a deity, and sometimes included in
the seven princes of Hell.
Brethren! We must beware of those who follow their own
hearts – making God in their own image.
Tithe paying: Neither Jesus nor the
apostles mentioned even once that we pay tithes; but they insist we do!
Women in the Clergy: Apostle Paul advices in Timothy 2:11 “Let a woman
learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 pI do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise
authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.
Matt
Slick throws some insight into the age old, contentious issue of women being Pastors
and church Elders:
“In a social climate of complete equality in all
things, the biblical teaching of only allowing men to be pastors and elders is not
popular. Many feminist organizations denounce this position as
antiquated and chauvinistic. In addition, many Christian churches have adopted
the "politically correct" social standard and have allowed women pastors
and elders in the church. But the question remains, is this biblical? My answer
to this question is, "No, women are not to be pastors and elders." Many
may not like that answer; but it is, I believe, an accurate representation of
the biblical standard. You make the decision after reading this article.
First of all, women are
under-appreciated and under-utilized in the church. There are many gifted women
who might very well do a better job at preaching and teaching than many men.
However, it isn't gifting that is the issue but God's order and calling. What
does the Bible say?
We cannot come to God's word with a social agenda and make it fit our wants.
Instead, we must change and adapt to what it says.
Indeed… “We cannot come to God's word with a social
agenda and make it fit our wants. Instead, we must change and adapt to
what it says.
I could go on – but I stop here – I must rebuke in
love.
Dk
