The Church Walking With The World

This is an old poem.  I do not know who wrote it.   I have had it for years and years. 

The Church Walking With the World

The church and the world walked far apart

On the changing shores of time,

The world was singing a giddy song,

And the church a hymn sublime.

"Come, give me your hand," said the merry world,

"And walk with me this way!"

But the good church hid her snowy hands

And solemnly answered, "Nay,

I will not give you my hand at all,

And I will not walk with you;

Your way is the way that leads to death;

Your words are all untrue."

"Nay, walk with me but a little space,"

Said the world with a kindly air;

"The road I walk is a pleasant road,

And the sun shines always there;

Your path is thorny and rough and rude,

But mine is broad and plain;

My way is paved with flowers and dews,

And yours with tears and pain;"

"You give too much to the poor," said the world,

Far more than you ought to do;

If they are in need of shelter and food,

Why need it trouble you?

Go, take your money and buy rich robes,

Buy horses and carriages fine;

Buy pearls and jewels and dainty food,

Buy the rarest and costliest wine;

My children, they dote on all these things,

And if you their love would win

You must do as they do, and walk in the ways

That they are walking in."

So the poor were turned from her door in scorn,

And she heard not the orphan's cry;

But she drew her beautiful robes aside,

As the widows went weeping by.

Then the sons of the world and the sons of the church

Walked closely hand and heart,

And only the Master, who knoweth all,

Could tell the two apart.

Then the church sat down at her ease, and said,

"I am rich and my goods increase;

I have need of nothing, or ought to do,

But to laugh, and dance, and feast."

The sly world heard, and he laughed in his sleeve,

And mockingly said, aside,

"The church is fallen, the beautiful church;

And her shame is her boast and her pride."

     When we don't go along with what's going on, we sometimes find ourselves outside looking in.  My best friend fears I'm losing my faith because I am questioning and re-thinking a lot that we were taught through the years in church.  Aren't we to test the spirits?   Aren't we to measure truth by scripture?  Aren't we to pray for discernment?   Isn't wisdom learning to know what is really of God and what is not? 
   For quite awhile now, I've noticed a lot of stuff that just didn't add up.  I have been seeking and finding some answers to my questions, ultimately leading to more questions.   For instance the "binding and loosing" of demons and even events began to  feel all wrong but I could never put my finger on the why of it.   Yet, in Jude: 9-10 says: "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, 'The Lord rebuke thee.'  But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves."  How foolish are we to think we can do what the angel Michael feared to do?  I'm reminded of the saying, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."  
    There's too much going on these days in the Name of Jesus that isn't scriptural.   There are a whole multitude of wolves in sheep's clothing fleecing the sheep!    
   When I was first baptized in the Holy Spirit and on fire for the Lord, I prayed often that I would not receive anything that was not of God.  If it was of the devil, I didn't want anything to do with it.  I believe God has protected me from many things over the years.  I am so thankful!  I still pray that prayer along with praying for God to draw me ever nearer unto Him.  I want to abide in Him continually and always. I long for holiness, purity and righteousness.   I long for fear instead of flippancy, reverance instead of casual interest and foolisness.
   I believe that persecution is soon to bear down hard and heavy on Christians.  It will be the "feel good"  falsely taught crowd who will be the first to fall away.  Only those who truly know who they are in Christ will stand in that day.  I pray that I will stand fast, never deny my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and suffer gladly whatever I have to for His glory and honor, to reject the fake phony-baloney and cling to Jesus Christ, the risen savior who is seated at the right hand of Father God making intercession for us, His children.    amen and amen
   A site I have found that gives a lot of good information concerning the false teaching so rampant these days is:  "Let us Reason Ministries".  I am doing more searching of the scriptures, too, endeavoring to find what is right and what isn't.   I am so grateful to others in the family of God who are diligent to point out these things.  They are faithful watchmen, sometimes misunderstood and unappreciated.   God bless them all!