Not so many years ago, almost all little girls enjoyed playing dolls.  It was amazing how realistic some of them looked!  With the boys, the thrills didn’t come with frills; It was war, and army men were expendable!  Today, child’s play happens on the little screen, with animated characters who are programmed to promote sensual fashion or heroic gore.

  Adults are no different.  Millions of dollars are invested each year and hundreds of millions of hours are spent thumbing a cell phone or controller to advance from screen to screen in a supernatural world of make believe. 

  As harmless as it may seem, our let’s pretend mentality is detrimental to our spiritual lives.  The prophet Isaiah penned a timeless warning when he expressed God’s displeasure in play religion.  God said,“Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. (Isaiah 1:13).”

  Our own repetitious prayers before indulging in a delicious meal, reading our Bible only to boast of finishing in a year, fasting to lose a few pounds rather than for fervent fellowship with God, are all a version of let’s pretend that is an abomination to God.  When we hold office in a church only for the prestige, or attend church only to prevent others from thinking less of us, or present our offerings to earn the praise of man, God is sickened.  The sin of pretend christianity destroys divine fellowship!

  Thankfully Isaiah also provides a remedy.  He writes, “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17).”  Confessing and forsaking our sin is paramount in maintaining fellowship with the Almighty.  With our Lord’s forgiveness and a new beginning, you can have victory over let’s pretend in your relationship with God.

  Quite often I hear someone say, “I don’t watch the news any more; it only depresses me.”  Truth is, nobody watches real news anymore because what the world calls news these days has morphed into, at best, a politically motivated commentary on the news.  Those who still indulge, simply connect with the news darlings that make them feel good about their own perspective of our ever evolving geo-political environment.  Watching or reading most news media is like attending a pep rally for the mob.

  Perhaps it is this same disdain for anything contrary to what we think or feel that has caused many to despise the church.  To save face and fill the pews (and the coffers) many churches have become the venue for religious pep rallies that make every effort to “scratch where it itches.” Those who have become disheartened with “religion,” either don’t attend, or attend where they are encouraged to feel good about themselves and the contorted philosophies that they have chosen to live by.  Again, like a personal pep rally that makes me feel good about who I am and what I choose to do.

  Let’s imagine being able to make both the news media and churches, places where only unbiased truth is reported without the spin.  There would be good news to cheer the heart, and happy events that cause us to feel good about the prospects of our future and that of our children.  There would also be the clear presentation of unbiased facts pertaining to what is wrong in the world.  We would be made aware of what is required of us to reverse the trends that lead to destruction and effectively clean up our act.  The truth encompasses both the positive and the negative, the happy and the sad, the encouraging and the challenging realities of life on earth.

  God never intended for His church to dispense the truth with a spin.  He desires for us to know the untainted truth, which sometimes serves as a rebuke and at other times encourages us to keep up the good work.  Either way, it IS the TRUTH, and as Jesus said, “The truth shall make you free!”