A leadership strategy from Washington to Beijing, is to keep the masses entertained - fill their lives with frivolities, whether amusement parks and recreation or movies and TV shows or music, anything at all, sports for example,  to keep them happy and distracted from the truth. People won't mind as much losing their freedoms, one by one, as long as they're comfortable,  well-fed and have plenty of pleasures "IN THE LAST DAYS PERILOUS TIMES SHALL COME FOR MEN SHALL BE 

1) LOVERS OF THEIR OWN SELVES- everything else that follows on this list is a result of this: keeping self on the throne of their hearts instead of Jesus.

2) COVETOUS - "greedy, desirous of wealth or possessions". After all, what is the "American Dream"? Isn't it to have a nice home and a nice car? Filled with nice things? When self is who we're serving, we want to be pampered, spoiled.  We pay lots of time and attention to ourselves. Not only must "self" vacate the throne of our hearts but we must crucify Christ daily. 

3) BOASTERS - When we're full of ourselves,  when we love self above all,  we become prideful or "full of pride", in it's number 4 on the list -

4) PROUD -  We end up thinking more highly of ourselves and less highly of others. "Be not highminded but fear". We end up boasting of ourselves and our accomplishments rather than boasting in the Lord. We seek and accept the praise of men.  We seek ourvown wealth instead of the wealth of another 1 Cor:10:24. A deadly result of pride is that it leads us to become

5) BLASPHEMERS- "To speak irreverently of God or sacred things" Of course the worst form of blasphemy is to speak irreverently or impiously of the Holy Spirit.  This will be a common denominator among those pronounced unworthy at the Judgment throne of Christ,  for if we reject or mock or deny the Holy Spirit we cannot come to know Christ intimately as a bride should. The Holy Spirit truly is our "Bridal Attendant" preparing us to be with our God-groom forever. When we do not reverence God but choose to reverence ourselves or our pastors our religion ends up replacing our relationship with God through Hus wonderful Spirit. 

     All that follows - "DISOBEDIENT TO PARENTS, UNTHANKFUL, UNHOLY, WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION,  TRUCE BREAKERS, FALSE ACCUSERS (boy have i encountered this in my time), INCONTINENT (lacking in moderation or self-control, especially in sexual desires), FIERCE (as opposed to gentle and meek), DESPISERS OFVTHOSE THAT ARE GOOD (think Trump - a good man, widely despised), TRAITORS,  HEADY (rashly impetuous), HIGHMINDED, and, back to the beginning of this lesson - LOVERS OF PLEASURES MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD.    

     The leadership knows the people love pleasures above all else because they themselves are that way, in fact, the reason they become leaders is often so they can pursue pleasures. They exalt themselves so they can become rich in this world's pleasures and that includes goods and things. They want to ensure they have all that their hearts desire, so they convince people the people that they (the leaders) are their (the people) servants when indeed the people are serving them . "Public Servant" has become an oxymoron. This practice of convincing people to give them their money and attention is just as prevalent in churches as it is in the halls of Congress. 

     Today's typical church leadership use the same tactics as worldly leadership does - a combine of fear and fun; threats and rewards to maintain their iron gripbon leadership "I'm essential to your spiritual health," they lead us to believe. They threaten us with eternal damnation if we do not submit to them, while placating us with entertaining music and sermons, and plush carpeting and air conditioned seating, making surevour flesh is comfortable. The people feel like they're at a concert or Broadway show, the set up is the same, why not pay for it! For the people (in the flesh, not the Spirit) love to sit and watch, just like they do at a concert or a movie, or in frontbof their televisions for that matter. Watching others do (sports for example) is the model forblife the world embraces. The churches too, ever watchingvthe pastor deliver his sermons, never giving one themselves. The people are happy to honor and exalt men who will gladly do "THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY" for them, so they can be considered special, set apart from the rest, chosen by God, though most often chosen by man, not God. The ones God choises are told to sit and be quiet, or, if faithful enough TO THE CHURCH, LOYAL ENOUGH TO THE PASTOR, they might get to usher. Everyone has a call from God but few are chosen by the pastor to pursue it. In the religious churches they end up diluting the call, compromising it, or abandoning it altogether. The people ever hear but never do, endlessly watching a select few do all the work. All of this is carnal, of the flesh, from "you only matter in the context of this church - on your own, apart from us, ypu are nothing. Only by following our pastor can you be safe and perhaps become someone of importance someday.  You are a true worshipper and saint because you come here every Sunday. True worship is not done to be seen of men. True worship is done heart to heart, from our heart to God's. 

     Leadership from Washington to the local pulpit doesn't care what you do with your life as long as you keep them in power, with your approval based on the money you give. Never challenge or question them, just blindly follow (Mt:15:14), Never become displeased with them fir anything,  this is rebellion. Leadership in your average church is a good gigvif you can get it. Just jump through all the hoops,  go to Bible college,  etc. Thank God Jesus didn't call his disciples by saying "come and folloq me, but first go to Rabbinical school for six years, then getvthe approval of a rabbi, then intern at a synagogue for four more years,  then you'll be ready to follow me". Good gig? NOT!

The preceding was written in December of 2018. It is published here for the first time.

- Christopher Michael Tripp