Are your ears being tickled?

Is Christianity in decline? Yes, at least according to this source:

"The percentage of people who call themselves in some way Christian has dropped more than 11% in a generation. The faithful have scattered out of their traditional bases: The Bible Belt is less Baptist. The Rust Belt is less Catholic. And everywhere, more people are exploring spiritual frontiers — or falling off the faith map completely."

"These dramatic shifts in just 18 years are detailed in the new American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), to be released today. It finds that, despite growth and immigration that has added nearly 50 million adults to the U.S. population, almost all religious denominations have lost ground since the first ARIS survey in 1990."

There are not enough genuine Christians."Genuine Christian" means a person's faith and belief is founded on the life, death, resurrection, and Gospel of Jesus Christ. It bases its doctrine and teachings on the Bible and only the bible. Too many people are lukewarm. This is something the bible tells us will happen in the end.

A news article from last week states that LDS one of nation's largest, fastest growing churches in the US. Unfortunately, Mormonism is not a true Christian religion. The second fastest growing religion is Jehovah's Witness. Unfortunately that is not a true Christian religion either.

It is also true that 'spirituality' is on the rise. This is not a good thing however. A few weeks ago the Chicago Tribune wrote a piece about witches:

"Occult hit: Witches bucking religion trend". In the article the author wrote,

While most other major religions lost ground, Wiccan -- whose members, Wiccans, sometimes refer to themselves as witches -- and other so-called "New Religious movements" grew by more than a million members since the last ARIS survey was published in 2001. They're now an estimated 1.2 percent of the adult population.

Any doctrine that tickles the ears will be sought by the faithless and weak. It is hard to accept that one is a total sinner, no better than filthy rags. There is none righteous, no not one. It is hard to offer one's self wholly to God and do only His will. It is hard to set aside fleshly lusts and devote one's self to Him. It is hard to walk His path and stay within His commands. Hard. Christianity is not for wimps.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 2 Timothy 4:3"

See, doesn't this sound just great to a confused person: "You are about to set out on a remarkable journey . . . a journey that perhaps may end in another world; for you are a Seeker of the Light, who has chosen to walk the path of Wicca. So, child of Light, follow me, and I will endeavor to guide you to your destiny.” Morwyn, Secrets of a Witch's Coven"

Are your ears being tickled? Are you in a false religion? Are you in a Christian church but enduring unsound doctrine from a false pastor? There is Hope! All you need to do is repent of your sin, and ask Jesus to forgive it. Ask for discernment and wisdom. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1John 1:9).

Don't we serve a great and mighty God! Let Him restore you to the faith. Otherwise, remembering His promises are true ... "This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD." (Jeremiah 17:5).