Getting Our Hearts Right About Y2K

8/31/1998

Aug. 31, 1998

Some more Y2K thoughts? I’m asking, in these two notes, that we not make a “spiritual” mania out of Y2K—often speaking, thinking, planning, and spending God’s money around it. This is much like those that have made “home school” and “health food” equal to Jesus by the amount of attention and “passion”, and the amount of conversation on those subjects. This would be idolatry, of course. WHEN did Paul or Peter or John or Jesus Himself EVER devote themselves to great energy levels and frequent discussions about the things “pagans run after”? A good portion of the christian world has made this a “spiritual” issue and talk MUCH less about Jesus, love, self-sacrifice, confession of sin, and the REAL issues of CHRIST-ianity... than they do about the latest dramatic issue. Many have made total fools of themselves, time and time again, to the detriment of the TESTIMONY of JESUS (“which IS the spirit of prophecy”), by chasing after issues and weirdness. And then they are not even honest enough to say, “I’m sorry” after they have believed or touted the false prophesies. There’s always some excuse and mind-blocking denial of their misplaced “convictions” once they are proven a hoax. Ever heard an apology on TBN, or from a big name drama-creating prophet, for a false prophecy? Noah had specific instruction from God about what his family was to do, and alone was righteous on the earth. Not much of a parallel in most cases today, is there? I don’t have any problem (as you noticed in the original letter) with some preparations, if need be. It is the very evident seduction going on, sapping the focus and vitality of Disciples of Jesus, that is grievous to the Father, that I am addressing. No one that is watching the reaction of this segment of Christendom can deny the blinding mania that is going on. As measured by the content and energy of the conversations and teaching, Jesus is not the passion of the heart and mind. Being self-sufficient, right-winged, conservative politically, reactionaries against sugar and schools.... All of these and 100 more have usurped Jesus historically from the throne, and replaced him with “stuff”. No matter how much I might agree with some of the “stuff”, it is a tragedy that this is what DRIVES so many, and excites them. A sister from another state admitted to me recently, after having a similar discussion, that her “knee-jerk reaction” to seeing a mother with some unruly children in a restaurant, is to be “fired up” to give her an amish child-rearing book! That’s how much of her HEART was given away to issues, robbing her and others of REAL Truth. How pitiable that JESUS, the Truth, the Life, wouldn’t be the first thought in her mind, she was ashamed to admit. Look inside of yourself, and SEE if there is ANYTHING like that in there? Wash yourself of it, if there is? Humbly, on your knees, tell Jesus of the distraction from His Radiance, and ask Him to cleanse you? The woman I mentioned did just that (though idols don’t want you to kill them!) and would tell you of the joy and freedom it has brought her to come back to apostolic focus and Jesus infatuation.

Our ISSUES, no matter how “right” in one sense, can easily distract us from Him who demands to be our “all in all.” Know what I mean? THAT’S what I am addressing, and will continue to address. I’m committed to a world-wide all-encompassing love affair with Jesus. We’ll have time for the other stuff when we get halfway to that! Right now, there is a world-wide lack for corporate Christ-Life: folks laying down their lives for one another DAILY, open to the core, dealing with sin together, drawing each other up DAILY in practical life situations, into Jesus’ great love. And, because of this lack of true God-Designed Life, most folks aren’t qualified to even know how to avoid the latest titillating “christian” issue. “Children” get excited about all kinds of things, and are very sure of themselves, but from GOD’S perspective, children are “tossed to and fro.” Until we are living the BASICS of true Christianity, it’s really unreasonable to think we can be clear on the secondary issues. Again, regarding “apostolic focus”? PETER, PAUL, JOHN, JUDE, LUKE.... NONE of those guys, with all of their opportunities to address the saints about all of the “stuff” of THEIR day.... NONE of these men of God spent their energy on these kinds of issues. Any non-Apostolic EMPHASIS is as wrong as it can be, EVEN if there is a grain of truth to it. Misplaced EMPHASIS and ENERGY, non-Apostolic emphasis, is dangerous—even if there is some grain of truth to the “issue”.

So, again, here’s the deal. Let’s together “shine like stars in the universe” as we exalt the Messiah, rather than Masada.

For His Sake,