Thursday, October 30, 2014

Those Who Trembled At God's Words.

     Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me. and I sat appalled until the evening offering.
                                             Ezra 9:4 NASB

     Oh that people would tremble at the word of the Lord today as we see the unfaithfulness of so many who profess His name. If only people would take God's warnings to those who turn from Him, seriously, if only they would weep and sigh over the evils being committed and tolerated by those who claim to be Christians (Ezekiel 9:4).
     If they would only weep and cry out to God like Ezra (Ezra 9:5-15), or like Daniel (Daniel 9:2-19), He would remember us, and heal our backslidings (Malachi 3:16; 4:2).
     If we would see revival, we must pour out our hearts to God. 

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

When Will We Pray?

     I read in the news today of a ten year old boy who beat a ninety year old woman to death in a fit of rage. This just happened in Pennsylvania.
     This is a shocking reflection of the moral decay that has permeated every area of this nation we live in. We have chaos everywhere we turn nowadays.
     Race riots, injustice, violence, drugs, theft, murder, lack of respect, abortion, pornography, broken marriages, no marriages, and gay marriages, to name a few.
     Tragically this nation is on a collision course with judgment unless someone gets down on their knees in brokenhearted sorrow and cries out to God on it's behalf.
     However, who will do this? Sadly much of the professing Christian church mirrors the world around it. We are accepting the same sinful lifestyles in the church that we see in the world. The church has become a place of blind tolerance, where people are made to feel safe and comfortable in their sins rather than a place where Holy Ghost conviction changes lives. Holiness has been abandoned for happiness. Like the church in Corinth, we too have become arrogant in our refusal to deal with the sin in our midst (1 Cor 5:1-2).
     If we would desire to see this nation brought back from the brink of ruin, if we would desire to see real biblical Christianity lived out in the lives of those who claim to follow Jesus, we must get on our knees in godly sorrow. Judgment begins with us who call ourselves Christians (1 Peter 4:17). The Lord God calls out to His people to humble themselves and pray, to seek His face and repent from their evil ways (2 Chronicles 7:14).
     Church, it is time that we hear the cry of Joel to consecrate a solemn assembly, to call for fasting and weeping as we humbly seek the face of God on behalf of His backslidden people (Joel 1:14-15, 2:1, 12-13, 15-17).
     We must cry out to God like Daniel as He confessed the sins of his people before the God that they had spurned (Daniel 9:2-19).
     God is a merciful God who hears the prayers of His people as they humble themselves before Him. He forgives and heals those who turn from the sins in their own lives. He will hear their cries for their loved ones, their communities, and their nation, but let them deal with their own sins first.
     Church, we must wake up and heed the warnings we see around us before it is too late! When will we humble ourselves and seek the face of God in desperation? What will it take to get us off of our recliners and on our knees on our behalf, and on the behalf of a lost nation?
     It is time to seek the Lord while He may be found (Isaiah 55:6-7), and to call upon Him while He is near.
    

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

When Zion Travailed.

     History shows us that every past move of God has been birthed in prayer. Past revivals, and times when God's Spirit has come upon individuals and communities with powerful conviction leading them to repentance and faith, have been preceded by deep earnest prayer. Someone somewhere spent earnest time wrestling with God for the souls of men.
     It is much like giving birth. It requires effort, in fact hard painful effort. Just as labor pains become excruciating, and the process of labor becomes more and more intense in the effort required to give birth, so it is with bringing sons into the kingdom of God (Isaiah 66:8). 
     It is no wonder that few individuals can ever be found to truly pray for souls, for revival, for the Spirit of God to be poured out in abundance. It takes too much effort, and most are too busy with other things.
     To prevail, one must be empowered and led in prayer by the Holy Spirit of God. This is what Paul means in Romans 8:26-27. This is what is meant in Jude 1: 20. Praying in the Holy Spirit. 
     This is a work that is not for the weak, faint or timid. It requires focus, a sober spirit. Those who would prevail in prayer must have no "fleshly" desire, but be moved by the very heart and compassion of God.
     Like labor, it is a long drawn out process. We are too used to doing everything quick and easy. We want it now with little effort on our part. This is not how it works with God. Unless we seek Him with the whole heart (Jeremiah 29:13), unless we pursue Him, and His will with a whole hearted, relentless pursuit, we will see no answer. God means business with those who mean business with Him. You are either serious about Him and His kingdom, or you are not, and our earnestness, or lack thereof is a good indicator of how much we truly desire to see Zion bringing forth sons into the kingdom of God. 
     This is why we see so little of the power of God in our world today. The people of God do not have the passion and fire that it takes to grab hold of the horns of the altar and prevail with God.
     God help us to come to grips with our lack of power, our lack of desire, and our feeble praying. God give us repentant hearts, and fill us with His Spirit, so that we would rise up to the occasion, and see revival sweep our land.
     God does not bring to the point of birth, and then close up the womb (Isaiah 66:9). He is looking for someone who will lay down their life and seek Him in earnestness. Will that be you? He will give you the passion and power by His Spirit. Just let Him fill and use you!