Greetings,
The Great Crossroads for the church and our nation is on us; and the choice we decide may very well determine REVIVAL OR JUDGEMENT.
"Take heed what thou doest" - Acts 22:26
Found throughout the bible is this little phrase that captivates me, 'Take Heed'. I believe it was Stephen Olford preaching II Timothy text to the SBC that led me to this convicting phrase. Deep piercing as I saw it more and more as the warning to my soul, and walk with Christ day in and day out. Spurgeon's devotional, Morning & Evening, also taught and brought it before my heart, mind and soul. But it also a warning to my brothers & sisters in Christ, the church and their conduct and choices for holiness. the choices of our nation, and not taking heed to that of historical lessons, of which we should know better and do better. Yet, our nation has not taken heed and continue to provoke the Lord God to wrath.
Take heed what thou doest - It is the lesson of sowing and reaping; choices matter for what we do and what we do not do. "if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me'; 'to him that knoweth to do good, but doeth it not, to him it is sin'. Two verses depicting that what we do matters, and what we do not do matters for the sake of our relationship with God. What are we doing? for the Lord or against the Lord? Here in is the issue of our day for the nation, the church and our own hearts.
What are we doing? not doing? in taking heed to the ways of the Lord. I see the following issues happening:
1. The Spiritual Disciplines: Bible reading, prayer, fasting, witnessing and church; I call them the '4 pillars' of our spiritual walk with the Lord. Each one we are to take heed in what we are doing or not doing here. Each one, as I quote all the time, is found within Scripture to make us holy and righteous with Him when we are doing them. But I see a church that has abandoned these spiritual disciplines as optional, pick and choose what you want to do. Obedience to the Lord is taking heed that we are doing these things. And if we are not doing them, then we are in disobedience, which is sin. Take heed to what you are doing in the spiritual disciplines.
2. The Progression of Evil: evil is rampaging through our society, nation and homes of our land; Each day another act of evil on the streets, homes, schools or individuals. From the issues of drugs, murder-suicides, cops being shot, other acts of abominations with LGBT advancement, all are set as the advancement of evil on our nation. The church has failed here. The church not taking heed to the signs of the times, to the evil happening, apparently no gift of discernment or understanding of why these things are happening shows the church has not taken heed to what we are doing or what they are doing. Although there are numerous reason and places to blame for the progression of evil, the root of it all is found at the feet of the church. Not the government, not the education system, not even the home, but the church is to blame. For we did not care, for we was to busy seeking our own ways and selfishness. Even when evil falls on our communities, on our families, we care for a moment then quickly go back to our life. We did not see these things linked, against our Lord's kingdom, detrimental to our future of our nation, families and souls. bottom line, the church did not take heed to what we were doing while the flood gates burst and the progression of evil covered our land.
3. What are doing in regards to our priorities as Christians, as the church? Number one priority is to be holy, as He is holy. IN this one act of taking heed to be holy, we bring honor and glory to Him. As Ravenhill said it, 'How God can take an unholy vessel out of an unholy world; make it holy; put this holy vessel back into an unholy world and keep it holy until the end is an act only God can do". But where is the conversations, thoughts, direction to be holy? I see and hear, how to be happy, how to be relative, but these both genrally go against being holy. For this compromise with the first priority. We must take heed to what we are doing to keep the main thing the main thing.
Allowance and compromising with evil, with the things of the world are destroying our walk with the Lord. We quench and grieve the Holy Spirit from our midst because we are not taking heed to wha we are doing. No correction, no rebuffs, no reprimands, no repentance.
So we are now at a tipping point, I believe. In these last 10 years, the rise of prayer and conversation of revival has drastically risen. Now many seek this only to 'get out of trouble'; for they do recognize how far we have fallen. But their purpose of revival is to restore the days of old where we was better off, so to say. But revival is about restoration of the church to its first love, pure holiness and purposes of God's kingdom to reach the world. This rise is also upon us. For in our life time, it may be in the next 30 years that all people groups can be reached with the Gospel to conclude this age. And with the added interest of motive about prayer and revival, there is the greatest of hopes for 'God to suddenly' come upon us. but revival may come to another land, another people, where God sees fit that they will not blemish His glory and purpose. Only God, in His sovereignty knows these things. But the remnant in the US, are seeking for such. but if revival is to occur, it will be the remnant that obeys these words in Acts 22, 'take heed, what thou doest'. And in all their ways, they will and do take heed to please the Lord and be right with the Lord. No matter what it costs them, they will obey and serve Him with all that they are. And in this God has found a vessel unto honor and is able to work through to bring revival.
But if the remnant, much scarred by humanism, and the worldliness of the flesh and lusts, refuses to take heed to what they are doing, then it is certain, by God's past actions, He will judge us. He will come and bring wrath and fury upon the nation, our hopes of a future, upon our families and streets; and even upon His Own people for their neglect in not taking heed to what they were doing. But this much is certain, it all hinges on the church and whether or not they will take heed to what they are doing.
Brethren, take heed to this warning while there is still time.
PRAYER TARGETS
--world issues; refugees are literally by the millions, especially in the 10/40 window; mass graves discovered in Burma region; Kurds are being targeted and systemically removed by Turkey, no protection or restraint; ISIS & Boko Haran continue evil; North Korea & president continue evil; persecuted church;
--drugs; numbers are being tallied and recorded for 2017 overdoses and deaths; most reports that I have heard or seen are still reporting record numbers; estimating 70,000 deaths; legalization of drug use continues to be the lunacy of our day;
--Supreme Court ruling in June; although already decided, the ruling will impact the future of the nation and the church in Colorado vs. Cake business;
--murder-suicides & homicides; continued spiraling downward in our nation against the evil that Satan is inflicting on our evil nation; each week, each day this impact is felt near and far across our nation; Evil minds affected and led by Satan our prayer battle is against such evil.
--police officers shot and/or killed; 5 so far dead this first month; not counting the numerous wounded and engaged in shootings;
--LGBT agenda; definitely the church's greatest enemy and the means hell is employing to destroy our future generations, nation, families and lives; the greatest abomination which is being touted, enabling, to continue this progression of evil; laws, judicial edicts, TV/movies, all to advances this evil on our nation to destroy from within; Where is the spiritual warfare against such things int he church today? Silence is all I hear on this.
--mass shooting, school shooitng church shooting - the norm of our nation now, is that these mass shootings have become greater and greater; Without the church leading toward repentance of sin and correction of our forsaking the Lord, no doubt these mass shootings will continue; Who knows where the next public venue, school or church shooting will take place? But this much is certain, records will be broken in the near future.
Updates:
--bible readings - up through Job 25; on course to finish in April;
--word/phrase study - my most exciting moment right now; 134 pages to go, Acts 28; should finish in March;
--A Word; was able to do some work here; continue to near end of Isaiah 49;
-- 24/7 [prayer chain new sign up for February; http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090945a4aa2da75-2471
-- Praying the "P"s - was able to get some more done on this;
--sermons uploaded to youtube page;
Started: February 3, 2018
Continued: 2/4;
Finished:
No comments:
Post a Comment