Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Revelation 3:19
As a believer are you appalled at what you see around you? Are you even phased by all the sexuality that our society accepts as "normal" or at the flagrant disregard for the Word of God and at the constant drumbeat of the world against God?
This world is in its present trouble and distress because men and women have rebelled against God. They have blurred the lines of Christianity's exclusiveness between other world religions and are reaping the fruits of their own evil deeds. I believe God has already started pouring His punishment down upon this corrupt world in an effort to weed out the wheat from the chaff. His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Luke 3:17 His anger grows at the rebellious world, a world that we as Christians have failed.
We've grown fat and happy in our ways, which unfortunately are the world's ways. 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, Revelation 3:17 Ask yourself, are you really any different than your unsaved neighbor? What makes you different. I'm not just talking about being a redeemed sinner, I'm talking lifestyle.
Growing up people would always comment on how there was something different about me. Those who were believers knew what it was, they would always say (not ask, but affirm) "You are a Christian". Brothers and sisters in the Lord should be able to know each other by sight. It should take no more than the 30 seconds of contact I had with people to know if they are saved or not. This isn't supposed to chastise anyone, for I am now just as guilty of being lukewarm as you are. This is a call to arms, a desperate cry from my heart for revival from the Lord.
We believers have become rich here in America. I know many will say "I'm not rich, I can barely afford my house". It's an argument I've heard for a long time. Let me tell you something, even our poor who live on the street have it better in America than some well off people in many other parts of the world. We are rich, we are fat and need for nothing, and this includes Jesus Christ.
In this country rebellion against God has reached a level never seen before in Christian history. In the past twenty years I have personally witnessed an unholy exchange in America. A large part of humanity has rejected God as their Divine Creator. Everywhere you look God's sovereignty has been exchanged for the fatalism of Mother Nature or the deception of oneness.
Our dependence on God has been exchanged for dependency on man and man made government programs. The absolute truth from God has been exchanged for tolerance. The only way to God has been exchanged for religious pluralism. Dying to self has been exchanged for increasing your self-esteem and making you feel better. Obedience to God has been exchanged for lawlessness. A heterosexual relationship has been exchanged for same sex marriage.
When the Church also follows this same path of unchecked rebellion against God it becomes the lukewarm church spoken of in the book of Revelation. I can't tell you enough that our witness is dying. No more revivals, no more saw dust trails, and fewer crusades have weakened the church. Watered down preaching and the introduction feel good theology has lessened the effectiveness of gospel preaching. And as the world slips deeper into the abyss of gross immorality the church, sadly, is not far behind.
God has no choice, He must come soon to put a stop to this. We as believers aren't doing what our Lord has commanded of us. We aren't out there witnessing to the lost. We aren't living for Him. When was the last time you spoke to someone about the hope that is in you? Why aren't you out there witnessing and sharing the joy that is in you? Do you feel the joy that is in the Lord? I'm afraid many today who call themselves Christians don't feel it.
I've heard the excuses, "but I'm afraid" well so was Moses, but He went and guess what, God used him to work miracles. "But I don't have the knowledge or the strength to stand up like that", well have you even tried? God is our strength, He is our refuge. On God my salvation and my glory rest; The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Psalm 62:7 The more honest will simply tell me "I don't want to". Really, all the excuses fall down to this one fact. I don't want to. Let me ask you something, do you have faith in God? Before you answer yes, I want you to think about the first thing that came to your mind, the first thing you felt when I asked you why aren't you out there witnessing and sharing the joy that is in you. If you are anything like me, and I'm pretty sure most of you are you felt terror, your heart dropped in your chest and you thought "I can't do that". This my friends, is a lack of any real faith in the Lord.
It is by faith that we go out and share the Gospel of Christ. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 Faith is not blind, it must be built on a foundation. Is the foundation of your life that of Jesus Christ? If so, what is your excuse for not being the man or woman of God He wants you to be? Again and again in Hebrews 11 we read the phrase "By faith". It is by faith that we understand God created the worlds. It was by faith that Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain. It was by faith that Enoch was taken up. It was by faith that Noah build the ark when there was no sign of rain for years. It was by faith Abraham obeyed going to a place while not knowing where he was going. It was by faith Sarah conceived. It was by faith Abraham offered up Isaac. It was by faith that Moses was hidden for three months by his parents. It was by faith that Moses chose to endure the ill treatment the Egyptians inflicted upon his people instead of the momentary pleasure of sin. By faith Moses left Egypt with the children of Israel, they passed through the Red Sea, the walls of Jericho fell and they conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in was and put foreign armies to flight. BY FAITH. Do you have faith? And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 It is through faith that we do these things. No excuse will do when God is on your side. I know that sounds cliché, but it is the truth. BY FAITH.
There is good news for us, the lukewarm Christians. God loves us and wants to forgive us. The threshing of this world is only just beginning. It's going to get worse, believe me. Now, not later, but now is the time to wake up. God is going to reprove and discipline His church, don't think all the judgment is going to fall on the lost, no, it is going to fall on us, the lukewarm. God wants a revival in our hearts. He wants to stir up a zealousness in us. It's time to repent and turn back to our first love. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent. Revelation 2:4-5
God wants to restore your faith and all you have to do is repent and go be God's people for God's glory.
