An Armed Camp

Here in the nearest town there is a National Guard Armory like their is in many places. I have never been inside one, but I can see from the things that are parked outside of it that they have a lot of serious equipment intended to deal with any serious situation that might come up.

Imagine that there was some sort of genuine national crisis situation. The unthinkable had happened, and some enemy of ours had mounted an armed attack against our country. People were fleeing the enemy, leaving their homes behind and taking whatever they could carry. Bodies are scattered in the streets and in people's yards. Families are separated and frantic. Children wander wounded and hungry searching for their parents. Overwhelmed policemen are falling back under fire, taking casualties while trying to provide some protection for the citizens they serve. Order has completely broken down. (It's not as impossible a scenario as some of you might think.)

National Guardsmen rush to the armory to obtain the equipment they need to carry the fight to the enemy and protect the people. But instead of hummers and equipment trucks they find jet skis and pontoon boats. Instead of hand grenades they find fireworks. Instead of M16s they find grilling tools and really nice outdoor grills. Instead of communications equipment they find MP3 players.

The Ekklesia of God in the Bible is an armed camp, but the 'church', made by men, is just a religious themed social club. And guess what? An armed attack really is taking place on our nation. People really are fleeing the enemy. Families really are scattered and frantic. Children really are wounded and hungry, searching for their parents. Overwhelmed policemen really are falling back under fire, and order really is breaking down. Look around. The enemy is spiritual – the forces of darkness under the control of satan – but real nonetheless. And the damage is real. And when they have accomplished enough spiritual damage to tip the glass over, actual physical chaos will be poured out on our streets. It's not a joke or a some fairy tale.

And America isn't somehow immune because we're so special and God loves us more than all other nations. He has blessed us like this for a purpose, for His own reasons.

And the so-called 'church' really is the Armory filled with entertainment and foolishness.