When Christ returns, and He will, what will He find? Faith or frustration? Peace or war? Love or hate? The evangelizing church or the church that is dead spiritually? These are hard but important questions.
When the church is led and controlled by man not the Holy Spirit, she will die. Oh, there will be groups of people who call themselves the church, but they are not Christ’s body. They have abandoned the doctrines of salvation. They have built large buildings and gathered thousands, but they are not Christ’s body. False teachers under the flag of Christianity are leading thousands to damnation.
How could this happen? Man is rebellious by nature. He wants to be in control of his destiny. Strong teachers and good speakers have deceived the people into believing lies. These teachers and preachers are liberal in their convictions and ignore the authority of the Bible. They are not Spirit led but flesh led.
Our generation is not the first to stray away from God. History records time and again that nations obey God and prosper, or disobey God and perish. But now we are in the end times. The end of the ages is near. God has to be getting impatient with a world of rebellious, unthankful, unholy, disobedient, sinful people who call themselves the church but deny God, who is our creator.
We, the church are in denial. And, the American church is the one that should be leading the way of salvation, instead, we are sin-ridden and spiritually barren. Our prosperity has blinded us to truth and we have lost compassion for the lost. Church to most Americans is just a Sunday thing with no strings attached. We have grown cold and indifferent. The gospel no longer convicts us of sin and the need to evangelize the world. We have become man-worshipers not God-worshipers.
But, I believe it is not too late. When the people in the past cried out to God with repentant hearts He responded and forgave them. He is still a loving God who loves His creation and wishes no one to perish. He has done His part, now we Americans must do our part for reconciliation.
Like Nineveh of old, we need revival. The whole nation must repent and return to the authority of God. Without true revival our nation stands condemned.
The churches must take the lead, or we are doomed. We must reach with Holy Spirit power, supported by honest prayer and repentant hearts. Our preaching has become weak because our preachers have more fear of the people than God. My prayer is for God fearing men to be raised up in our churches who have only one mission. To lead the people back to God.
The Christians today are no different than our pagan world. There are just as many divorces, as many abortions, as much unfaithfulness in marriage, premarital sex, youth pregnancy, and the list goes on and on. Where is the separation and holiness? Where are the transformed lives?
We will not change directions until we admit failure and repent. The time is now and the time is short.
See ya in church,
Bud
Someday some way I would like to see the American people come to their senses. Now I am addressing this to us as a nation, people of America.
I would like to somehow in an article, a sermon, in public somewhere, to be able to impress on our minds just how far from God we have strayed. We were a God fearing, God obeying, God glorifying nation at one time. But we have strayed big time.
Daniel Webster put it best; “If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering and to prosper. But if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury our glory in obscurity.”
It will take more than 9-11 to wake this country out of our coma. We are so success-driven that our common sense is deadened by our selfishness and sinfulness. Any nation or people in all of history who first knew God and obeyed Him, and rebelled by ignoring His authority, was soon destroyed.
Moses said it best in Deut. 30:15-17.
“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and keep His commands, decrees and laws, then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
But if your heart turns away and you are not confident, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.”
And we know from history this is exactly what happened. After Moses and Joshua died, the people became rebellious and became idol worshipers. It only took one generation for this to happen.
Now what about America? Are we stupid or what? Do we not know the truth? What has happened to our faith that we are so easily deceived? Have we not become idol worshipers? An idol is anything that you love more than God and it separates you from God.
The way to conquer a nation or people is to destroy its value and belief system. God will not honor or bless a nation who does not honor Him. We, in America, are doomed with all other nations in history who rebelled against God. It’s time we wake up before God shakes us up.
The hope of America can and must start in our churches. Not until our preaching produces conviction of sin will change come. We are more concerned about money and numbers, than salvation. The politicians and Hollywood are not destroying America. (They are being used by the devil to help do it.) But it’s the lukewarm, non-convicted professing Christians who are living lives just like pagan America.
Unless, America as a nation repents, she is lost. Oh yes, there are still faithful Christians in America, but they are becoming fewer and fewer. It’s time for a national revival, a spiritual awakening, a Holy Ghost convicting movement, calling America back to God. I pray God will raise up someone, somewhere with a voice from God, to the sinful, pagan, people who will repent before it is too late!
See ya in church,
Bud
1. Joy Robber:
Taking too much emotional responsibility for
other people’s burdens.
Joy Restorer:
Surrender them to God. Don’t take them
back.
2. Joy Robber:
Not seeing the answers we are looking for.
Joy Restorer:
Praise God for who He is and what He has
done.
3. Joy Robber:
Focusing too much on what the enemy is
doing.
Joy Restorer:
Find out what God is doing and join Him in it.
4. Joy Robber:
Worrying about what tomorrow will bring.
Joy Restorer:
Focus on your blessings today.
Bud Yoder
Christian Church at Cogan Station