CommunionFire in Baltimore MD

From our dear brother in the Lord, Bob Taylor: He shares his thoughts about the recent "Olatry" series. Bob and I go back to the 1970's and for several years had the pleasure of praying and worshiping together. He is a brilliant guitar player and inspired song writer and we hope to feature some of his work in the near future. He is surrounded by his beautiful wife and family and his mother Madeleine was one of my very early pillars of support and a constant source of inspiration. 

Thanks for sharing Bob! 

"I read just the beginning of this post earlier today and got excited - I couldn't wait to read the rest of it. This so nails it! In reading your descriptions of Bibliolatry and Ritualolatry, I had to laugh. I have seen people immerse themselves in the study of the Bible to the point that you had to wonder if, after all their reading, anything had actually sunk in. In fact, a lot of times its just head knowledge. Same with people who strictly adhere to rituals as if it buys them a seat of favor. 

I remember as a young Christian, studying fervently all the types, signs, and allegories of the old testament in foreshadowing Jesus. Then I was reading the scriptures one day through 1 Corinthians 13 and the book of Hebrews and it hit me square in the face that Jesus was the end of all the foreshadowing, the temple, the types, the descriptions in the old testament. All these things stood with a hand outstretched pointing toward the coming of Jesus. We don't need them anymore, the REAL thing has arrived and made Himself available to us through His Blood. When He came, there was no more need for those "childish" things because we have the better covenant - direct face to face relationship with God himself!

The bigger question is, why don't we enter in? Well that was answered back in John 3:18-20 when it was stated that...

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that does evil hates the light, neither comes to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." 

Back in the Garden, Adam and Eve hid themselves, the people of Israel shunned Moses when he came off the mountain with the glory of God on his face and told him "Moses, you go talk to God for us", they begged Samuel for a King rather than let God lead and guide them. Bottom line, they loved the control of their own lives and didn't want to have to deal with God. By the time Jesus came to round up His people, the Pharisees and Saducees had the game all rigged and they were going to let no one mess that up. 

But this is the gospel. God restoring man into a one on one relationship with Himself - face to face. Our nature apart from God is to run away because it is not born of Him. So we build "Olatries" as walls to hide behind. In the end, it is not the (*power mongers" I call them) healers of the sick, those who cast out demons, the miracle workers who will find peace with God (Matthew 7:23) but rather only "those that He knows." All that He accomplished was for relationship. Nothing else matters. If we don't avail ourselves of that, then we squandered the gift of eternity. If you are looking for something OTHER than that, they you have missed it. We have yet to scratch the surface of the fullness of God. 

* Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (THAT YOU HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH ME - RIGHT FOCUS) ...every communion fire is a feast!