Most of our main line denominations began as an act of the Holy Spirit. Such was the case with John Knox and the Presbyterians, and John Wesley and the Methodists. One can discover that our evangelical fundamentalist churches began as a sovereign act of God through the Holy Spirit.

By the 1930's, a trend had begun to develop within these churches. In my humble estimation, the trend was an attempt to compromise with the flesh. Churches that had once been anointed, known for prayer, soul winning and numerical growth began to compromise. As the congregations grew, pressure increased to make provision for the flesh - carnality.
The first step was to move away from protracted meetings to meetings of fewer days. The second step was the elimination of Sunday evening services. The third step changed the midweek service to an all-family affair. These services, though well planned, lacked spiritual substance. Today, in the majority of mainline churches, education for the ministry has been substituted for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. A "social gospel" is preached rather than "the Gospel." A "social gospel" always caters to the flesh.

Sad to say, but sixty-five years later the trend is once again in full bloom, only this time within our ranks.

Across the nation, Full Gospel, Charismatic and Word of Faith Churches are catering to people's flesh. Compromise is the order of the day. Pastors seem not to be the least concerned as long as they have a full house on Sunday Morning and the income holds. Sunday morning services are often multiple services, which is wonderful, but is it enough?

Many churches have discontinued Sunday evening services. Mid-week as a family night is good, but often times lacking in anointing and substance of the Word. Too often the messages tend to appeal to one's carnal nature rather than the Spirit man. Among ministers, there is a strong temptation to preach subjects pleasing to the ear that make no demand for holiness, purity, obedience to the Word or soul winning.

I ask a serious question. Have we developed our own brand of social gospel'? I've watched congregations get very excited about "prosperity and the transfer of funds;" however, too often the true reason for prosperity and the transfer of funds from the sinner to the Saint is totally left out. Also the spiritual condition one must be in to be a candidate for prosperity isn't mentioned. All too often all that seems to be required is to have faith for it, claim it and expect God to drop a million dollars, any day now, into unholy hands. Wow, what a message for the flesh!

Now, follow me carefully! If one eliminates Sunday night service, then add another night during the week. Make certain all church activities are pleasing to God and anointed. The priority of everything the Church does should be soul winning - not just increased numbers. Preach the whole purpose, plan and counsel of God, that your believing followers of Jesus might become mature. Do not forget, the word and the Spirit make demands on us, against which the flesh rebels.

The Apostle Paul states, "For I never shrank or kept back or fell short from declaring to you the WHOLE PURPOSE and PLAN and COUNSEL of GOD," Acts 20:27 Amplified Bible. Paul, by the Holy Spirit, strongly advises, "Make no place for the lust of the flesh." Read carefully Paul's statement found in Galatians 5:16-21. It is to the point. I am not convinced that our people are deeply spiritual, mature or capable of resisting the devil when only one-third show up for Sunday evening service. Men work forty hours a week. Women spend that much time or more at housekeeping or on their job. Children spend an average of thirty to thirty-five hours a week in school. Often, hours are spent by family members watching television, most of which is unadulterated trash. HOW MUCH TIME DOES GOD GET?

The flesh (carnal mind) is appeased and God is expected to understand.
People say, "I have to work." "I must clean house and cook." "Our children have to get an education." Besides that, "We all need a little diversion from the stress of the day." I ask, WHERE IS TIME FOR GOD, HIS WORD, PRAYER AND SOUL WINNING? Much too often all God gets from the majority of our people is the "crumbs that fall from our tables." God have mercy! It is time for repentance within the Body of Christ.

Holiness is demanded of us, 1 Peter 1:15-16. To be ready for the catching away of the Saints, one must be pure, 1 John 3:3. Jesus declares, "Blessed is that servant (person) who is found doing what he or she has been assigned to do, when their Master returns," Matthew 24:45-51.

One cannot compromise with the flesh and please God. Many of our people act as though having been saved, attending church on Sunday, bringing in the tithe and trying to be good are sufficient. Sounds to me like someone with "religion" rather than a dedicated and consecrated follower of Jesus! Cornelius had all the above characteristics with the exception of being born again. Perhaps many of our people take too much for granted.

Notice in Genesis 5 and Hebrews 11, that Enoch pleased God and was raptured bodily. What caused God to remove him to heaven'? He had faith enough to walk with God consistently for three hundred years. Think about this. Enoch was not born again, neither was he Spirit-baptized and the Holy Word had not yet come into existence. He had been taught to "walk uprightly" before God. Finding the relationship to be a blessed one, Enoch dedicated and disciplined himself for daily fellowship with the Heavenly Father. God was so pleased with their relationship that Enoch was called to heaven as an example for all of us today. A large percentage of our people seem to cease their commitment to God once they leave the church building. Some have difficulty walking with God from one service to the next.

God changes not, neither does His Word. "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever;" therefore, any compromise on our part is absolutely unwise. Compromise by yielding to the flesh is deadly.

God deliver us from religious trends is my prayer.