We are in crisis and these are a few of the issues at hand that must be addressed and labored over in prevailing prayer.
Are we in crisis, as a nation, in the church, in our homes? Almost all will agree that we have never seen it this bad before. For the most part, we understand why this is happening. Some will no doubt, remain oblivious to it all, but it is happening regardless whether men give place or thought to it or not. But the church, and we as individual Christians, have a responsibility to understand these things. It is our warfare and we are not to remain ignorant of his devices. Let us examine these issues and the response that the church & prayer leaders should be actively engaging in, in this crisis hour.
I. What is the crisis?
Quite simply put, we are falling apart as a nation. Our future is very limited. We are no longer rising upward, nor have we plateaued, but we are disintegrating. Evil is multiplying and sin is increasing. And the one group of people that can turn it all around is the church. But Christians are very much apart of the problem. They seem unaware of what is happening in relationship of why we are headed this way. And if they are aware of the problem the resolve is not there to address and deal with it properly. The absence of the church in the midst of this free-fall of our nation is only accelerating the rate of our destruction.
The crisis comes from a pattern of decades that has led us away from what is described as 'the good and right way'. This 'good and right way' is spelled out to us and demonstrated in Scriptures and days gone by where communities, nations and people practiced it. When we obey God, God blesses and takes care of us; when we disobey God, we open the flood gate of curses and there is nobody there to take care of us. Satan seizes the opportunity when men decide to disobey Him and he takes full advantage of it. Satan has done this in our present condition. With a lessening of the 'good and right way', laws, decisions and practices of many in every day life are set against God. Thus, provoking God to respond to the choices, laws and decisions that we have made and allowed. When God sets Himself against a people there is immediate descent into chaos and destruction.
Some may ask, "then why haven't we been destroyed or 'removed from the earth'?" Because God has had mercy and restraint. His desire is not to destroy us but to redeem us. He has done everything to make us to be reconciled with Him. And there is a remnant, a faithful remnant that continues to labor in tears, anguish, prayers, and pleadings with God to hold back His wrath. 'In wrath remember mercy'; God hears and answers that prayer. Thus we have some time left. Identifying and addressing these issues at hand must be brought before the body of Christ; it must be anguished over by the church; and we must in unity fight the same warfare that God 'in wrath would remember mercy'. Failure to identify and deal with these issues allows for the sin to remain and it yields to the reasonable conclusion brought on by our sin, which is judgment and annihilation.
All points of life are impacted by these decisions and choices. Thus, God touches each aspect of our life in these points. These points are wide and broad that impact us: government; education; family structure; family; military; time - present and future; businesses; friends; nature and communities. And when rebellion against God is the source of the problem, these impacts are of wrath, judgment, destruction, death and annihilation. It occurs at a slow rate, because the Lord God desires for the people to repent and turn away from their wickedness. But if they refuse then the judgments and punishments increase reaching deeper and deeper to impact the people. At some point, the resolve is not met and thus God declares to a people, 'You are finished'. And once God pronounces it, it may be too late to reverse it or stop it.
Several examples of this crisis reaching its climax and both ends of mercy and wrath:
--when Sodom and Gomorrah reached their point of offence toward God, He annihilated the cities with fire and brimstone;
--when Israel sinned in provoking the Lord to anger, Moses interceded and God did not consume them;
--when Israel sinned in provoking the Lord to anger, and God said that after Josiah was gathered to 'his fathers' in death, He would send them into captivity, and He did;
And what shall we say of the other examples of Noah and the flood, due to the evil of men's heart continual to practice evil. Or of Nineveh and how if Jonah had not preached the word of the Lord, that city, which was wicked and evil would have been destroyed. But they heard and responded rightly and humbled themselves before the Lord, finding mercy in their repentance.
The purpose of this letter is to prohibit us from reaching this point where God cuts us off. And in order to do that, we must be aware of our plight. We must respond to these things and labor to reverse course before we reach the point of annihilation.
II. Where is the crisis to be found
It is impossible for me, yea I have no desire, to lists all the infractions against the Lord that has caused the crisis. I would rather seek that we be made aware of the most impacting issues that has led and continues to be used of Satan to destroy us. These 5 points are huge impacts on our society, generations and way of life. As I said, these are not the only ones, but the ones that I would argue is the most contentious of our crisis issues. For it is found in these 5 points the greatest and far reaching impact on the multitudes.
A lists of great evils of our nation:
1. Alcohol
2. Abortion
3. Drugs
4. Sexual Sins
5. The Absence of the Presence and Knowledge of God and Christ
1. ALCOHOL
This is an evil that has done much damage to families, individuals and the church. It is practiced in the church and out of the church. It used to be a great debate as to whether alcohol was truly sin or not. And of course, the argument for allowing it is founded upon two Scriptures, which even those not in church seem to know: 1. Jesus made water into wine; 2. the Apostle Paul told Timothy to drink a little wine for his stomach. These are the two illustrations used to couple with 'let everything be done in moderation' to justify the use of alcohol. I believe that the church has surrendered the argument simply because of these two issues to be considered:
1. too many of the church members are engaged in alcohol and have never seen any evil in it;
2. they do not know the Scriptures well enough to explain the sin of it.
What is the Scriptures for not using alcohol?
There are two things to be discussed in this for those that are willing to listen. The very fact that someone ask about alcohol use as a Christian generally is because everyone else drinks and they want to drink. They are looking to do what the world does. This is not Christianity, this is all about self. But in the hopes that they are inquiring because they sincerely want to know what evil is, here is the following considerations:
1. Reason with them, rational thinking
Have you ever been around an alcoholic? Have you ever buried someone from a drunk driver? or from those that excess drinking and their liver was gone? Have you ever dealt with those that have had huge affects from drinking and drunkenness? family abuse? emotional, phsycia and sexual abuse from its use? All these things are enough to say, 'none of this glorifies the Lord'. The first rule of the catechism is that in all things we are to glorify the Lord. None of this glorifies the Lord in drunkenness. Every alcoholic and drunk began with a first drink. So how do you prevent drunkenness and alcoholism? You don't take the first drink.
2. This Scripture is enough for me. Leviticus 10:9,10, 'do not drink wine nor strong drink. . . when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die. . .And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean'.
It is declared not to drink wine nor strong drink and then come into the Presence of the Lord. There is a difference. Many are accepting of carnal, casual, social drink. That is their choice and their preference. But if we desire revival, the fullness of God's Presence, then there is no place for this evil of drink. Whether it be one drink or numerous, it defiles the mind, the body (temple of the Holy Spirit), and it leads to far worse evil. 'A drunkard' shall not enter into the gates of heaven', that is pretty clear. But then carnal men want to fall back into what is drunk? And that is a very thin line for each one is different. What is the best resolve? If you don't take the first drink, then you don't have to worry about being labeled a drunk. And if you don't have that first drink, then there is no restraint about being in the Presence of the Lord.
To me, these things seem straight forward. But there is a fleshly, carnal religious group in the church that must legitimize and justify their socially, preferred use of alcohol. And again we fall back on to a clear command, 'come out from among them, and be ye separate'. The world has legalized alcohol consumption and enjoyment of it. The world indulges in this everyday. Look at how much money is wasted on this excess of drinking alcohol each day. The church has even give place because so many of them indulge in it. We are commanded as Christians that whatsoever we do we do for His glory. 'Whetehr therefore ye eat or drink, to it to the glory of the Lord.' But when you ask church goers why they drink, it is not the glory of the Lord, it is for selfish reasons. In other words, self over Spirit. And the church is called to separate from these patterns of living worldly and fleshly, but the church has not done this.
2. ABORTION
The legalizing of abortion in our nation is the main issue here. For when leaders, especially a government or rulers permit and give allowance for that which the Lord God said is an abomination, you stand in jeopardy of provoking Him. Abortions had been done long before 1973. But the reasons why it was legalized and what has been the aftermath is most important for us.
One of the most prolific reasons for this push was that women's rights to choose what they wanted to do is at the heart of this. If the woman didn't want the pregnancy, for whatever reason, they would have the right to abort. And the Supreme Court agreed that life of a baby is not life, and could be aborted. This was a double standard of course, for where they gave women the right to choose, it gave no right to the innocent baby, who cannot speak for themselves.
As a result of this, 55 million babies have been aborted. This is an entire generation that has been murdered and removed. The ramifications of this truth have not been fully disclosed or known at this point. But this much we do know, God holds a people, a person responsible for the shedding of blood. IN the Old Testament Cain slew his brother Abel, and God said to Cain, 'thy brothers' blood calls to Me from the ground'. The Lord set it up in the law of Moses to the children of Israel, that if a man was murdered near a city and the murderer was not found, that the rulers and elders were to atone for the blood spilled on the ground. God declared that the blood which King Manasseh shed in Jerusalem was still accountable by the children of Judah long after Manasseh was dead. Innocent and shed blood is required to be atoned for by God.
The reason of this is found also in Scripture. Why does God deal with shed blood on the ground as a sin? In Leviticus 17:11, that answer is given, 'For the life of the flesh is in the blood'. If the blood holds the very preciousness of life from God within it, then as a part of God in man, it is precious in His sight. When it is shed, it is to be atoned for. In the Old Testament it was life for life, blood for blood. When sin was committed, atoned by the blood of animals. But the New Testament offers us a greater atonement by the blood of Christ being shed to atone for our sins and the sins of a nation.
But when innocent and shed blood is not atoned for, then the Lord holds them guilty for shedding blood and defiling and contaminating the land, as He did with Manasseh. Now consider how much blood is spilled on the ground that defiles our nation and communities through murder, murder-suicides and abortion, how great is our evil. A mass of blood that is required by this generation due to the fact that there is no atonement for the shedding blood, because men do not care or think about these things. Yea, where is the church in all this? Do they know the high accountability of blood spilt on the ground and its need to be atoned? There is much political, legislative and judicial wrangling, but that will not resolve the true issue so 'the life of the flesh is in the blood'. Herein is the call to prayer over this most filthy abomination that has defiled our land, our generations, and has left blood on our hands that must be answered for before a holy, just God.
3. DRUG USE
This has been a crisis slowly advancing and increasing. It was always 'other' people and places that had to deal with this. But now over the years, we see in the church, in our families and across our nation, the sin of drug use is so prevalent. And it has become a destroyer of our society, loved ones and way of life. We have that verse where Paul says, 'but we are no ignorant of his devices'; meaning that we should know what Satan is up to. But could anyone see, the destruction, the legislation, the consistency of people to allow, favor, and use this which they know to be destructive.
the crisis for drug us for the church is two-fold. One is that we can see the drug culture for decades has been the illegal use of drugs like marijuana, cocaine and heroin. It was always taboo and scorned by society and the church. However, the twist now is the second issue facing us, the church has become hooked on drugs through prescription drugs. And the two issues are now one, illegal drugs and prescription drugs are blending into one issue. The terminology of this phasing together is found in the drug choice of marijuana being used for 'medicianl purposes' vs. 'recreational purposes'. And with that twisting of the meanings and words you have a society that embraces the use of it and then legalizes its use.
Over all the government sees an opportunity to tax and make money on the destruction of its own people, just like prohibition. They can't control or stop it, so they will legalize it and govern that way. And herein is our dilemma and problem, a nation that is legalizing sin. What is the sin? 'Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?' Christians are not to waste their money on buying drugs, when that money is the Lord's and should be used for His kingdom. Drugs are to be used that alters, destroys and attacks our minds, wills and physical bodies.
Again, as alcohol, it is a luxury, a practice, and way of the world. 'Love not the world, neither that which is within the world. For all that is in the world. . . is sin.' For too many it is a routine, habit and addiction that possesses them that they cannot stop, nor quit. As a cancer, it eats them alive and destroys all their life and those around them. It destroys that which cannot be replaced: health, money, opportunity and time. Tell me the family that has not had a loved, a near loved one that they have not intervened, prayed for, hoped for to deliver them from this evil. But alas, it took them and destroyed them.
It is the most irrational thing that we can watch unfold in our nation with drug use. For those that are on illegal drugs, their main source of medically helping them, is to put them on more drugs (other drugs). So that our means of correcting this is fighting drugs with drugs. How hell must laugh at our inventions and ways. There are creative measures of breaking dependence, there is withdrawal methods used and promoted. But as we should know, unless the Lord heals the sinful, addictive appetite, it is only a matter of time before it is right back to where it was in drug use. 'The dog returns to its vomit.' We must come to understand what is happening, why it is happening and how it is happening that Satan continues to gain ground through such sins as drug use.
this is an evil in the homes, in the churches, and across our nation. Left unaddressed by proper means of prevailing prayer, holiness, condemnation of its evil, this will only continue and grow.
4. SEXUAL SINS
There are numerous sexual sins in the Bible that is to be taught and made known. One excuse of sexual sins elevating in our society may be ignorance of what is right and wrong. But for the most part, it is not ignorance, it is the will of the people to saturate themselves with this evil. Let us examine 5 areas of the greatest damage of sexual sins today:
1. Adultery
2. Fornication
3. Homosexuality
4. Lasciviousness
5. Abuse
ADULTERY- 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' is one of the 10 commandments given to the children of Israel. Its relevance has not changed in all these centuries. Christ goes beyond the very act of marriage vows being broken and teaches that if a man/woman even looks at another women/man with intent to commit adultery, there heart is guilty and they are found guilty before the Lord. This is the clear teaching for us, 'that out of the heart proceeds these evils'. 'Adulters shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven'.
The condition of our nation is a clear reflection of this sin, adultery. Twenty years ago for many school rooms, it was 95 % were unbroken, traditional marriage of a man and a woman. Now, there is multiple parents from divorce, multiple ever changing partners due to new relationships and to find a traditional marriage is less than 5%. For the most part of these broken relationships and multiple partners is due to the fact of adultery. It seems in our day and age, married couples cannot stay faithful to one person. The rampage of lusts in the hearts has caused the sin of adultery in and out of marriage. It is a gross epidemic.
The range of this sin is what is amazing. Everybody knows the pain, betrayal, and I do believe they know the sin of it. Yet, it is not shamed, it is not rebuffed, it is not scorned; but it is practiced, embraced, and chosen by many. In the church and out of the church it is found; old and young; all walks of life are embracing of it. The acceptance of it may have many contributors from the practices of movie stars, the story lines of soap operas and movies, found in that planted seed the 'grass is always greener somewhere else'. But at the root of it, there is only one sin that drives this evil of adultery, it is the selfish lusts of men and women that hear God say, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery'; and they reply, 'Well I guess I will, because I want too.'
FORNICATION - 'Flee fornication' I Corinthians 6, that was taught by Paul, which the first church in Acts declared to be a foundation for them. When discussing the issue of circumcision, the elders of the New Testament church declared to two points: 1. do not eat the sacrifices offered to idols; and 2. do not commit fornication. It seems that they saw the evil of lustful flesh and commanded them to stay pure and undefiled. As the other sins listed, 'a fornicator shall not enter into the gates of heaven'.
Another sin of great epidemic proportions across our land. Defining fornication is two-fold, if adultery is sin of a married couple, then fornication is sin of single people. It holds forth the cause of lusts in individuals that they defile and commit unclean acts among each other. And as it is practiced among unmarried, and especially younger people you would be hard pressed to find pure virgins in this day and time. Not that there isn't virgins, praise the Lord for those that have maintained and kept themselves true to the Lord. But in so many confessions and accounts of teenage, college life and young adult life, too many have said that they had multiple partners and engaged in it much. And again, there is no difference, Christian or not, they have committed the sin of fornication.
The results have led to unwed mothers, increase of bastard children, sexual diseases due to multiple partners and an increase of sexual sins. For once this appetite has begun it seems to grow and increase leading to other sexual sins of perversions. A few years ago, there was a huge movement for abstinence. But like most movement, it came, peaked, and now everyone is looking around saying, 'what happened to that?' In this sin as well as the others, it seems the church becomes so infiltrated with it that they must compromise with it, they stop preaching and teaching rights and wrongs, and it has become the norm, because 'everyone does it'. But the responsibility and the role of our prayers is to keep Satan from defiling and causing this sin to spread and destroy our generations. This is probably one of the most unconfessed and unrepented sins of our day in the church.
HOMOSEXUALITY - 'If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination' Lev. 20 'Men leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet' Romans 1 Too many try to defend this abomination that homosexuality is only condemned in the law. We see it has always been around, 'men with men, working that which is unseemly'. But God, Who does not change, has not changed from Sodom to today in His stating that this sin, perverted from the lusts of men and women, is an abomination in His sight. It is that which is not to be done, spoken of, and definitely not to legalized by a government. It is and has been the ruination of empires, nations and kingdoms.
The problem today, is that 20 years ago it was taboo. Many laws against the practice and there was all but no public admission or practice of it. Ah, but today, how Satan works, it is on TV, movies, open confession, and now legalizing of its rights and practices. And even so far as to say, that the church cannot speak against it. And how far does one sink, when the church allows, permits and performs same-sex marriages all to the same edict from the Lord God, 'it is an abomination'. Why would the church, Christians, ever promote, endorse, or practice abominations?
LASCIVIOUSNESS - 'Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. . .' Galatians 5 'Who being past feeling gave themselves over unto lasciviousness' Ephesians 4 We define this sin as lewd and lustful. And at the root of all these sins of adultery, fornication, and homosexuality is the layering of this sin over the root of lusts.
The love of selfish, humanism opens the door of lusts and refuses to shut it. WE have gone from a society that such things were only shared or spoken in secret, dark places. But not now, now they are open, public, and embraced by all to see.
Technology has advanced this to some degree. Accessibility to pornography, illicit movies on TV and access in computers, phones, etc. all allow for all to have access to view and be subverted by it. Just as in alcohol and drugs, where the addict all began with one sample, one trying of it; so lust and satisfying of selfish desires started with one view, one thing to enter the eye and into the mind and set a blaze to the spark of lusts within. And where Christians have a bucket of water to douse out the flame, too many don't or won't. And thus, it grows and consumes more of life, time and impact to our way of life.
ABUSE - 'Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand." Deuteronomy 28 In coming across this verse, which is found in the chapter of blessings and curses, that due to the sin of adults, God allows for the children to reap also in the punishment and judgment. The innocent are touched due directly to the irresponsible choices, life styles and ways of those that should know better. Thus, the parents sin are affecting the children to the 'third and fourth generation'.
It is an alarming reality for our present day of the abuses that children must endure in the home, by adults that have the oversight of them. We see constant headlines that reflect the abuse of our children sexually, mentally and emotionally. Scars and abuses that last a lifetime and often cause repeat offenders in the behavior that they have had to endure. The breeding of such sins cuts deep into our way of life and society. The complete functioning ability of children to be innocent and naive is gone. Almost all children have been abused in some way in this wicked society. It is such a mounting problem, that the current trend by the government is that since they can't stop unlawful deeds, they legalize it. And many fear and are forecasting that these children abuses will be legalized. What a damning reality for our sinfulness if this comes to fruition!
5. ABSENCE OF THE PRESENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND CHRIST JESUS
Now we come to the last point, and by far the root of it all. All the other previous sins mentioned are due directly to this one. For if the presence and knowledge of God were upon us and with us, sin would not rule and reign over so many. But alas, due to the absence of God in our nation, lives, families and even in churches, sin multiplies and rampages across the land side. These 4 impacts on our society has been legalized, embraced, practiced and made a normal way of life for decades. But there is no way that any one could argue or say that had God been first in our lives, these things would have ever become the norm. We are truly living in a nation that now 'calls evil good, and good, evil'.
Did the church, did our nation, did we, as individuals simply wake up one morning and decide to forsake the Lord? literally to betray the Lord? No, Satan in his masterful way, has waited for a long time to chipping away at the framework of our nation to bring us to this point. But somewhere in the last 5 years, his chipping away caused an avalanche of evil to now be embraced and impacting our nation in a major way. But the only way he could have done damage, is if the Lord's people allowed and permitted it. This was done, when Satan bided time for us to leave our first love, walk away from holiness in pursuit of happiness and utterly become bankrupt on spiritual disciplines that cannot be replaced that taught us how and implemented us to 'grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ'.
Without Him we can do nothing and have done nothing. Yet everyone continues to speak and state, the opposite of this. We cite, 'I can do all things through Christ, ' and Christ echos back, 'you left Me along time ago to work through you'. A return to His Word, to prayer, to intimacy, to a knowledge of His holiness and attributes is the need and should not be counted as our sin for failing to do so. Realization of the church's crisis issue is set before us. For out of this absence from His Presence, these other evils have found day-light and opportunity to grow. While we were sleeping, Satan found opportunity to expand his kingdom.
WHAT IS THE RESPONSE OF THE CHURCH AGAINST THIS CRISIS
Let us look at 4 responses that the church must do in order to combat and defeat these issues of impact. I do not believe that just one of these 4 will resolved our problem. Nor do I believe it is limited to these 4. But in order for us to grasp our responsibility in the midst of this crisis, I put forth these 4 responses that should be embraced and maintained among God's people.
The Four Responses - prayer; repentance; intimacy with the Lord; and tears/anguish
1. Prayer
And I know that many when I write and say this, so many are prone to jump to a defensive position and respond, 'But we are praying'. But whatever prayer that we have been doing for the last 50 years, has not touched the impacts of this crisis. Therefore I explain that prayer is to be made, but it must be prevailing prayer. People do pray and they pray everyday. I believe they do pray sincerely, and they may pray daily. But just as the disciples had cast out demons before, and then the demonic boy in Mark 9, they could not cast out. They asked Jesus, 'why could we not cast him out?' And Jesus replied, 'only by prayer and fasting'. There was a greater response needed from them against this greater evil. Prayer may have prevailed before but with increased evil and sin, there must come a greater response of prayer by God's people. We must learn to go from walking in prayer to wrestling in prayer for victory over this crisis. I have labored pain-stakingly to address this and will give no more time to it here. Prayer is not enough; prevailing prayer that is birthed in importunity is the prayer needed to gain victory over these crisis issues.
2. Repentance
It has always been a basic Biblical, Christian response. However, somewhere along the way the church lost it. Great volumes were written on it, great testimonies reflected it and God was glorified. But there was a season that it seemed lost to the vocabulary of Christians, churches and few bore the testimony of it. We became and continue in a practice of those that have never repented, but seem bent on always returning to their folly and sin.
The definition of repentance is to turn away and not return to the state from which they left. A born again Christian turns away from their sin and does not return to it. Those in the light do not go back to darkness, those in bondage do not return and there is great deliverance and victory over the sin that ensnared them before. But in the church today, there is a continual process of those that supposedly repent and confess on Sunday and by Monday they are back to the same sin. There has been confession, the pronouncing of their sin, but truly one can say that there has not been any repentance. John wrote of Christan's, that even though we may sin, Christians repent and do not 'continue in sin'.
Too many have forsaken this truth and lessened the impact of sin on the church and babe in Christ. The depth of this folly goes deep and once again the church must be consistent, bold and authoritative of this Biblical Christan principle, 'repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'.
3. Intimacy with the Lord
Although we covered this response at #5 of the crisis points of impact, there is other directives that should be presented for a proper response of the church to our Lord in relationship to the Presence and intimacy with our Lord. The relevance of prevailing prayer and repentance comes from those that spend much time with the Lord. The less time one spends with the Lord, the less prayer and the less moving of the Spirit upon them to repent. Yea, they cannot even recognize what is to be repented of if they do not spend much time with their Lord. therefore it is reasonable to assert that intimacy with the Lord builds with spending more and more time with Him. Yea, the old hymn says it best, 'More about Jesus would I know; more of His love to others show. . . More, more about Jesus'.
It is a test of how much time we spend with our Lord. And when that time is 'daily' happening, and yes it must be daily, that there is growth of our love for Him and with Him. To be absent from Him leads to decay in our relationship with Him. For if you are not spending time with the Lord, then who are you spending time with? Yourself? family? others? world? Someone is occupying your time with Him. The absence of intimacy with the Lord leads to sin; therefore a proper response for us is to restore our intimacy with Him and in Him. Andrew Murray said it best, 'Alone with God will make one wholly for God.' See to it brethren that you are much alone with Him.
4. Tears/ Anguish
"Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me" said Jeremiah upon watching the dismantling of the city of Jerusalem and the people of Judah into exile. He had warned, had told them exactly what would happen if they did not deal with their crisis, but they would not give heed nor place to him.
Then we have Jesus gazing upon the city of Jerusalem and seeing the people that had heard and seen His miracles, His teachings and wondrous works, and 'Jesus wept'. Beholding their opportunity, that He had told them and their rejection of Him, He wept.
Upon hearing of these things about Jerusalem being burned, the walls tore down and the city desolate, Nehemiah sat down and wept. An entire people removed, destroyed because of their wickedness and sin.
And even now, upon our nation, upon our families, we see the wretchedness of sin, the embracing of it, the impact of this crisis. Where are our tears? where is the brokenness? do we not know that He is coming in wrath and anger?
Begin: 2/4/14
Edited: 2/5/14; 2/6/14; 2/7/14; 2/8/14; 2/10/14; 2/13/14; 2/14/14; 2/15/14
Finished:
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