One of the signs of the times we live in is that we as believers in Jesus the Christ have become comfortable with contradictions. We believe you can be homosexual and Christian; we think it is OK to be having sex outside of marriage and still believe we are on fire for God; we can go to movies about zombies and attend bible school; we can preach about and pray for revival, but never die to ourselves or make room for God in our services; all with no thought that these things may be contradictions that we are comfortable with but God is not.
Revelation 3:14-19 says, “To the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: ‘The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says these things: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth. For you say, “I am rich, and have stored up goods, and have need of nothing,” yet do not realize that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments, that you may be dressed, that the shame of your nakedness may not appear, and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.'”
William Branham, a well-known healing revivalist, says the seven churches in the book of Revelation are seven church ages. He believes we are living the seventh church age (the church of Laodicea). Many known and unknown prophets today are declaring there is a remnant of people who are entering into the promised land of the kingdom age. According to Branham, this would be the Revelation 4 age, when His voice is like the sound of many waters. This aligns with the many prophetic words that have been seen and spoken about as a tidal wave of God’s glory that is coming to the United States and the world. It also confirms what I have seen as a much needed reformation in the body of Christ.
Many are comfortable with contradictions; but some are ready to move into the unknown with Jesus as the head. They have learned obedience through suffering, they have met with Jesus outside the city gates, they have been tested and tried in the fires of affliction and they are still standing. Many have been stripped of everything they once thought valuable, only to find the pearl of great price. They have a fierce love for God and people, but zero tolerance for lukewarm Christianity; they may not be understood, but they have understanding; they live with mystery, because they have a history with God. These ones are not comfortable with contradictions, both obvious and obscure. They have learned to discern the wheat from the chaff; the light from the darkness; the truth from a lie. They are not popular, but they are faithful and they are ready to cross over.
Saul and the army of Israel was comfortable with the contradiction of being dressed like soldiers, but scared of a short-sighted man named Goliath. Samson was comfortable with contradictions, so he lost his vision when the enemy poked out his eyes. Solomon was comfortable with contradictions, because he was the wisest man on the earth at that time, but fell prey to the lust of foreign women. If these once mighty men of God could go from humble, hungry and teachable to comfortable with contradictions and not recognize it, how come we think we can’t become the same and not recognize it?
Paul wrote a strong letter to the church in Corinth, confronting them for being comfortable with contradictions. This is not anything new, but it is just as dangerous. I am pleading with you, because the time is very near for God to sweep across the earth with His glory, and for some, it is going to be a day of weeping (repentance), while for others, it will be a day of rejoicing (rewards). You decide what kind of a day it will be for you. As for me and my house, we will not be comfortable with contradictions, no matter how unpopular it is.
Lisa Great is an author, speaker and blogger with Mouthpiece Ministries International. She has been in ministry for over 25 years, she has a B.A. in Youth and Family Studies, a M.A. in Education. She can be reached at mouthpieceministries.net;