One third of the angels fell for the temptation to join the wild idea of one ...proposing to put a throne above God.

We humans were created as humble creatures, and we don't aspire to be above the throne ...the temptation for us is to want to be above other believers: more blessed, more gifted, more recognition.

We should want to constantly become closer to God, but that's why so many religions are so inviting ...they offer something false, but it's something we don't often see or experience, so we don't see it as false.  We just see it as something extra that we can obtain, that other believers don't have. Yes, even churches that are looking for more growth are tempted with this. 

Consider why it was wrong for King David to number his people?  

And a mom of a couple of the apostles, asked Jesus, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” Jesus said that it was not to be asked.

Many churches try to offer things that not all churches offer ...such as activities and events. It is good, especially for youth, to have some fond memory of church, or something they remember as fun and interesting.

But, it is not good to offer compromise ...as in compromising the truth, at the expense of keeping the membership from going through seasons of famine.

If we need to compromise the truth to make something interesting, then are we sort of saying that believers don't know how to have fun?  Or perhaps we need to consider whether we have forgotten.

Yet, we should also keep in mind that this refusal to compromise the truth, should not prevent us from ministering in various loving fashions ...to those who make up the population of our communities.  We seem to differentiate too much between the unbeliever in our neighborhood, and those unbelievers that our churches sponsor missionaries through.  Anyone who is a non-believer has an equal disadvantage.  So, why do we appear harder, at times, on those who live within our own culture?  

We often give much grace and understanding to all those lost souls who live overseas, who desperately need to accept Jesus into their lives ...who do not daily create a stir in our own neighborhoods.

Yes, churches are made up of people ...so this is much a people problem.

There are good things that draw us ...and there are problematic enticements.  One of my family members was going to school ...and there was a difficult and important test coming up.  This family member was asked  by other students, if she was on drugs.  Of course, she admitted, "No."  They asked, how is it that she is always so calm, and relaxed ...and seems able to retain information so well.

No, we don't need drugs, hollow promotions, or promised pretenses ...we have much confidence in the way of truth.  And we have genuine strength of purpose with the Holy Spirit ...not for lifting ourselves up above, but for guiding us down here on earth, & to help guide others here on earth.