PROPER RESPONSE FOR TODAY

PROPER RESPONSE FOR THE CHURCH TODAY IN THE MIDST OF THESE DAYS OF EVIL, SIN AND UNBELIEF

I am left in a full state of emotions on these uncertain days.  There is much that hangs in the balances for today, for tomorrow (the Lord permitting) and definetly for all eternity for the souls of men.  An improper response between man and God will lead to God's proper response.  God does not make mistakes, nor false judgments or justice.  Understanding this truth is needful in our day, God is right in all His choices and actions.  He is holy; He is without sin; He is perfect, there is no folly within Him or about Him; His ways are just and correct, and He judges by His Own righteous ways and knowledge. 

Men cannot say this of themselves.  Men's ways are full of rebellion, mistakes, missed moments, blown opportunities, sin, great evil, dire circumstances, darkness in wisdom and this all leads to regrets.  Vance Havner once said in a sermon, 'the 4 greatest tragic words in the English language: "What Might Have Been"'.  We are there brethren; we are at the tipping place for our nation, for the state of the church and for the hope of our children and grandchildren's future.  The day of our calamity is at hand. 

The hope of revival is always present.  Revival is God's soveriegn act of mercy upon a wicked people.  And, just as today, where there is so little light, in days gone by when such darkness covered the land, God came down.  Yes, that is exactly what is needed today, for God to come down in mercy and quickening of His people once again.  Without revival there is no hope for the future.  REvival deals with sin as is proper in the sight of God.  Real confession, real repentance, real yieldeness is the fruit of revival.  It is the verse, 'godly sorrow that worketh repentance.' 

If this does not happen, then the sin that is rapidly multiplying is continuing to mount up and face the full wrath of God.  God in His justice must meet the sin of the land and the failure of the church to deal with it.  As one preacher said it, 'If God doesn't judge America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah.'  And that was spoken over 30 years ago.  This is why we need a PROPER RESPONSE TODAY FROM THE CHURCH.



This is designed to address these things and teach and set the mandate for a proper response here and now.  Without it, we are destined to bring a fit of wrath and judgment unparalled upon us.  Everything is at stake; every souls is in jeporady; and we are left to give heed to these words for His glory to be borne to the nations. 

Now before we address the issues at hand and set the 'Proper Response' from the church, we will look and examine the opposite side.  Many times the opposite response gives a clear definition of what is being explained and declared.  Let us look first at what would be classified as 'An Improper Response' of His people and the land.

Improper response is that which should not be considered or done by the church.  It is false in its response to sin, and failue to meet that which God has spoken as acceptable.  The action may be right, but the intent or motive by it,  could be considered by God as improper.  IN such times, this is God knowing the heart and intent of the person or people.  For example, Israel would pray, offer sacrifice and declare His ways.  YEt, God found, that those these things were proper in their response, their hearts were not right in it and that voided it; made it improper unto Him.  'You profess Me with your mouths, but your hearts are far from Me.'

IMPROPER RESPONSES FROM GOD'S PEOPLE:
- apathy; distractions away from God; roaming eyes during service; yawning/bored/uninterested; callous; children playing (in revivals even the youngest of children were attentive and partaking of the worship); rolling eyes in response to truth and biblical principles (an outward response of the inward acknowledgements); sighing out of disgust; a spirit of unbelieving; a spirit of the world;

These are descriptions of reactions and responses to such times of gatherings, preaching and congregated for worship. 

A few verses reveal an improper response by the people to the man of God:
Genesis 6 - Noah is called to foretell the destruction; the people in seeing after days and months that nothing was happening, they settled down and continued a state of wickedness;  Not that there was ever any indication tthat they ceases.  But I would imagine that some sat around in wonder and curiosity to see if anything would happen.  But when nothing happened they quickly returned to their folly. 
Numbers - the children of Israel rebel against going up to take the promised land, due to the evil report by the 10 spies;  and after God says they shall not inherit the land for their unbelief but remain in the wilderness for 40 years, they further disobey God and say they will go up and take it.  Moses tells them that God is not with them, nor for them and that they will be destroyed.  They refuse to listen and go on and get defeated by the enemy.  An improper response here is the rebellion and disboedience when God is clearly speaking.
Amos 6:6, '. . .but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph';  no sorrow or anguish over the sins of the people;
Amos 7:12, 'they tell the prophet to leave and the result follows in verse 17;


Addressing the current problems:
Sin - our first understanding should parallel Daniel 9;  In this passage of Scripture Daniel identified the reason of Israel and Judah being removed for Jeremiah's prophecy of 70 years away in captivity.  He reveals this in verse 5, 8, 11, and 15: "We have sinned against You, O Lord". 

the state of the church



the state of the family


the state of our nation - we see a nation with the greatest of potentials to be the supreme, dominated nation in the history of the world if only it would surrender unto the way of Christ.  Christ first, Christ last and Christ always!  However, we see a nation that was rooted and founded upon Christian teachings and Biblical knowledge and application, now having forsaken that way and embracing the evil of humanism, love of self and greed.  Seeing the truth of our present condition and what the future is shaping up to be, may be the response we need to say, 'we can't travel this road any more'. 

I believe that there are more people looking to the near future and are very worried about it.  It seems for a long time we had blinders on, and it was only about here  and now for many.  the majority of the population is still submerged in this way of life.  The root cause of this for many is 'busyness'.  Schedules, appointments, calendars are filled with day to day inventions.  And these are not church, spiritual activities, they are vanity and rule the time God has given and granted to us.  It is in a huge majority of percentage about self and not God. 

But there is a voice of some that you hear making the cry about tomorrow and especially the all-importnat issue, eternity.  'Only one life, twill soon be past and only what's done for God will last. . . .and then my Lord to meet. . . '  And what was yesterday?  what is today?  what about tomorrow? except steps towards eternity forever.