This morning i found myself in tears as i sat and looked out over the valley below us. I was thinking of the people out there lost in the midst of life. The struggle seems more profound with the economy in the state it is. I hear people speaking in fear of what is coming, and they do not know what that is. People are running out of unemployment benefits, selling what they can, cutting back on pleasures and travel.
Christians are upset with gay rights laws being passed here in Washington, the lack of christian influence in our society. Many are upset with the direction of our country and the present administration (politically correct verbiage). Talk is of disasters to come and many are putting away food and supplies expecting the worst. Prayers for protection and provision seem to be on the increase.
As i thought on this, sitting looking out at the beauty spread before me, i began to wonder, “what is Father thinking about this morning”? That is when the tears appeared. His heart is for the lost, the lame and the blind–the condition of the world and His Church. I realized that seldom in the past few months has the main focus of our prayers been for souls, and Father’s desires to be fulfilled. We talk a lot about end times and laws, trials and such things. We pray for souls for a bit, but most of our attention seems to be focused on “our” needs in some way or other. I had to apologize to Father and redirect my attention and focus to His desires.
As a result of my time with Father this morning, my thoughts went toward some questions like: Why do we expect the world to conform to the laws of God and His agenda? Why do we get upset when they move closer to lawlessness, (sex, money, permissiveness, perversion, etc)? Instead i believe the Lord would have us broken, filled with tears and pain for the condition they are in. Yet, we continue as we have for many years with our own agenda, meeting in our buildings, complaining about how the world does not realize that they should be in the building with us. We blame the lack of souls being added to the church daily on those who need saved and the hardness of their hearts rather than look at our lack of obedience to the gospel commands individually. We continue to ask for more money and protection from the darkness instead of asking for a way to give more, go more and bless those without.
The world and the direction they are headed is not the problem we need to focus on — “we” are our problem. We have not presented the Gospel in a “demonstration of Spirit and Power” as Paul says it should be. We have not made disciples like Jesus “commanded” us to. We have not taken on Jesus’ heart for the lost, nor Paul’s passion for the world. We have not become what those in the world are looking for or need– help in the time of trouble. We have not accepted the responsibility of the Gospel and our position as children of God in the world. Leaders in God’s church have not trained the average Christ follower to minister the Gospel in Love and power. 97% of the body of Christ is sitting, who is going to be willing to change that? Who will stand before God and answer for that statistic? The answer to that is the one you see in the mirror daily.
Where are the prophets of God who should be standing, declaring the truth of our position and condition? If we continue to stand where we are and refuse to change and become who we are supposed to be, we will be judged and found lacking. The fruit of our condition is evident here in the USA, churches are closing at an alarming rate, divorce, greed and lust are very evident amongst the body of Christ. Our moral statistics are much the same as those “without Christ”.
We need to cry out to God in repentance and plead for a passion for the lost. We need to ask to be broken and filled… WE NEED TO CHANGE !
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