Living in the Last Hour

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A voice from the past-the late, great Rich Mullins

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Irm

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One criticism I would make of evangelical Christianity, is that it is marked by movements. You know, we had back in the Seventies, the Time Management Movement, that became very important. Then there was the Spiritual Gift Movement, and everyone got really interested in spiritual gifts. Then there was the, you know, Jesus Is Coming Again Movement. You know, we just hop from one new fascination to another, and never really get into the depths of any of them, and pretty much obscure the real meaning, and certainly, empty the real power of all these things that suggest greatness. Does that make sense? And I think that what we like, I think because, maybe more than ever before, twentieth-century people live without any identity. We live without any sense of being anything other than a consumer, other than something that needs. Other than something that has wants. I mean, many of us define ourselves in terms of sexual preference, we define ourselves in terms of recreational preferences, you know what I mean is? Yeah, so who are you, what do you do, what do you like. We talk about ourselves in those kinds of terms. And I think that it’s largely because we live on sensation, and we very seldom get beyond sensation, into anything that’s really essential. And I think it’s because we’re afraid if we ever get past, if we ever get past this little shallow thing that we’re playing out, that we’re gonna find that there’s nothing under it. I find that what parades itself as piety often is nothing but pure doubt. That it’s really agnosticism dressed up in a lot of religious jargon.

R. Mullins [Soul 2 Soul: The Jesus Record Special, 1998]

“Someday we’ll be called to give an account. And I don’t think our crown will be the music we wrote, I don’t think our crown will be the words we wrote. I think it will be how we have built up the body of Christ, how we have torn down walls of suspicion and walls of fear. How we have shed light on false doctrines, how we’ve been encouraging, on truth, those are the things I think – and how that affects lives. And how we made Jesus visible.”

R. Mullins [Soul 2 Soul: The Jesus Record Special, 1998]

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Hello,

I’m Irma

Welcome to my little corner of the blog world. Here, I share my thoughts on Christianity, the things of God, and the ways He has shaped and guided my path through life. My journey with the Lord has been long and transformative, marked by moments of peace and joy and periods of uncertainty. I write, first and foremost, for myself—to process what the Lord so graciously reveals to me in Scripture. Sharing some of these truths has become a mission of sorts, via blogging. His word urges us to bear witness and encourage one another.

As I reflect on my own transformation, I can say that the church itself has transformed over the years and not necessarily for the good. I speak about my own experiences with the church. One lesson the Lord impressed upon me this year is that “truth is not always truth.” What do I mean by that? There have been times when I’ve shared a biblical insight, only to realize that other faithful believers interpret the same passage differently. In that instance, I find that the Lord reveals according to our understanding. When I share the need for a Damascus experience understandings diverged sharply. Believers that have been raised in the church do not feel that such an extreme experience is necessary for spiritual maturity. Our faith is truly shaped by our backgrounds. Spiritual journeys are not for everyone. This taught me that early socialization deeply colors our grasp of faith; what’s true for me may not resonate in the same way for someone else.

Similarly, lately I considered how “ignorance of Scripture was its own blessing,” I remembered my early walk with Christ. I had a blind faith. I knew little of doctrine or debate. I trusted the pastor. In those days, my faith and trust in the church and church leaders was simple—I accepted what was taught from the pulpit without questioning. I did not have the knowledge needed to question any teaching. There was a peace in not knowing all the controversies or complexities. As I grew and studied the scriptures, and did some additional research, as the Lord gave understanding, I found myself questioning everything I had been taught. I did not question my faith, or the existence of God. That ignorance, while limiting, protected me from confusion and doubt, allowing me to rest in childlike faith.

The church itself has seen many changes over the decades. Self-proclaimed prophets have introduced new doctrines, some bordering on heresy, while believers wrestle with their flesh and what it means to follow Christ in a society with so many freedoms. I remember a time, more than thirty years ago, when I trusted every word spoken in church. Now, I understand how easy it is to accept teachings that stray from biblical truth. The Scriptures warned us this would happen in the last days.

2 Timothy 4:2-4 (NKJV) “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.”

Current events—like the 2024 Election—have exposed deep flaws in American Christianity. Yet, through it all, Scripture assures me that God is sovereign. No wall built by human hands can withstand His judgment; no scheme crafted in darkness escapes His light. These lessons have become more real to me as I look back over my journals, filled with stories of God’s faithfulness during trials, tribulations and abundant grace. By sharing I hope those the Lord leads here will desire to seek God wholeheartedly, to find comfort knowing that He is always at work in our lives—often in ways we never considered.

Check out my books on Amazon for the Kindle App or in print.

Check out my latest title: Where are my Sheep? Available in Print & Kindle

The Diary of A Christian Woman

A Father Takes All: Four Generations of Growing up in Single Mother Homes – Grace Abounds

I Will Not Be Afraid: Living in the last Hour – Reflections of a Christian Woman

The Journey Endured: The Path to Meet God

Praise the God of the heavens!