Not in its totality of course, but in a large part, one of the main reasons for the apostacy that the church now finds itself in is because many have determined within their hearts that not everything they own and everything they are belongs to God. We hold back much more than we used to, health, wealth, peaceful times, these all, although they are great blessings, are the main factors of why the believers slowly begin to hold back from the Lord what is rightfully His, namely everything.
By most estimations less than ten percent of the people that attend church on a regular basis tithe, and that is just on the financial end, much less than that of their lives is given over to the Almighty. It has almost always been the path of the people of God, good times are the best advantage of the adversary, and most generally the lowest place that most believers find themselves in when remembering His blessings. Apostacy means falling away, it is found in the Book of 2 Thess. 2:3, and it is here where we are at this time in history. But the Lord is beginning to change that, those who truly serve Him are being called out to prepare serve Him well, and in many cases they will be allowed and blessed to be used as examples for those who have determined to hold back, as it were, what rightfully belongs to Christ.
Whether it be time, money, resources, it matters not, the cup that once overflowed has ceased to do so, the men and women of God that will be called out by Him long ago left all they own and are to Christ, their last will and testament, as it were, was hung on the cross at Calvary a long time ago. Do not think of these as “Super Christians,” for they are not, they have the same fear and trepidations of these final days as the rest of His children, they have not any special blessing from the Lord, they have simply believed in faith that His promises are true.
These individuals who have determined that the Lord is only love, that He would never allow trials and tribulations to come upon them, that even their nation will be spared do not know the Scriptures well, and have envisioned a God that does not exist. They have decided that material blessings are the proof of His love, that health and wealth are His greatest blessings, and they will hold on to all for their own sake, doling out only the most minute for the Almighty. You cannot have a falling away unless there is first a holding on to, a grasp that refuses to let go. All belongs to God, everything is His, “The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1)
What has happened is the lack of need, true need, food available is taken for granted, clothes, running water, heat, all these basic necessities provided have led to a forgetfulness of the blessings of them. Now it is the comfortable home, two vehicles, internet and television service that are seen as needs, in times of plenty, in times of material blessings, and lack of needs, when many needs are expected, man has always chosen the same path, the one that leads away from the Almighty. To put it in the secular terminology, “what you own begins to own you.” And the effects of this action has always been the same from the Lord, plague, pestilence, famine, and war.
The falling away is evident, the question is, is it evident in your life. What is in your possession that you would not give up for anything or anyone, do not think only in the materialistic here, think also within your own self. What part of you are you holding onto for yourself, what is it that you have refused to give over to Christ, and then try to convince yourself just how you plan on keeping whatever it is. I do not believe that there have been very many people down through the ages who could sit beside Job and say, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21) I do not believe there are many who have integrity these days.
Lose it now, give it all to Him right now, willingly, do not allow yourself to be caught in the trap, the consequences for those who will not could be dire indeed.
