There is a young man named Cameron. I care a great deal for him. The first time I met Cameron I told him, "You're not going to make it". He was very shocked.
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More: Cameron had been a missionary in Africa and knew less Bible than anyone I've ever met. I finally asked Cameron what he did as a missionary and he said mostly he tried to find parents for orphans.
Cameron's mother has a bad cancer. A few months ago I heard from God to go lay hands on her. Cameron went with us to the hospital in Denver. I really liked his mother. I was surprised when she began quoting scripture. She quoted many scriptures.
Cameron and wife (whom I've never met) have 4 children. I spent about an hour with the eldest daughter this summer. She was approximately 9 at that time. I really loved her. She told me about being baptized and she was so excited.
Then no more communication at all, except for a few emails.
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One day our next door neighbor, Edward, asked if he and his wife could come to one of our Bible studies. (I haven't heard that type of reference in years, Bible Class.)
We told him we didn't have a Bible study but if they wanted to gather as the church we certainly could do that as Paul said in I Corinthians 14:26. How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
I told them to pick out a day and time and let us know and I would talk with Cameron and invite his family to join us ... so I sent Cameron an email telling him about the plan and asking him what day would work for him ...
Edward did not contact us at all. We had also invited him and his family to come have pizza with us and he said he wanted to do that and would have his wife call to set up a day ... His wife talked with Pam but no date came forth. Two or three weeks past and we heard nothing from them. I think Pam tried to email them.
No word on the date to meet as the church and no day for the pizza
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Several weeks past and no word from Cameron.
Then this week on Thursday an email from Cameron. He said how wonderful it was I would do this for the neighborhood ... but they would not come because their church has it's own Bible class which they attend.
"I didn't read the rest of Cameron's email." I was devastated.
I talked a lot to God about what had happened and asked God what was going on.
I realized several things during these days. God showed me when I speak or write, I'm like a "parable" ... they know it's of God but they can't understand a thing I write or say, therefore they see no value.
And churches in general are this way. They set them up for themselves and they are blind to the real thing that can help them.
When the devil hits, they will not stand though they think themselves to be spiritual because of their church meetings and Bible studies but they are getting worse and worse spiritually speaking.
I was so sad. It was the way Paul spoke in Romans 9:2-5 ... That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
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If they read what I write they see that I am godly but they only see me doing something. They don't see God doing anything. They don't see I show them the way of God. They don't see God. They see something but don't understand and they see no real value to themselves. They have their own churches... who teach "about" Bible ... and they don't realize they don't live Jesus.
I teach living God and Jesus.
When I attended Word of Faith church in the 1970's, our Bible teacher told me I wasn't like anyone else at that church. "They spoke about faith. But I lived faith."
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Matthew 13 Jesus said
12 And the disciples came, and said unto HIM, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
I'm like one who plays well on an instrument and makes a beautiful sound:
Ezekiel 33
32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
33 And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.
28 But let a man examine himself (How?), and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die).