A Prophetic Word: The Book of Jeremiah speaks directly to our day for anyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear. Most of the people in Jeremiah’s day listened to the priests (false pastors) and (false) prophets, rather than listening to God’s true prophet. Most professing Christians today listen to famous, prominent ministers, or ministers of their Christian religious tradition, rather than seeking out and listening to God’s true prophets. Pastors emphasize what their denomination or group emphasizes, rather than seeking out a true prophet to see what God is emphasizing.
It is especially hard for a person’s family, friends, and hometown people to accept and recognize who the real prophets are in Christ. It was a problem for Jesus, and it is a problem for His prophets. People may accept someone as being a pastor or an evangelist to a degree, even though they downplay it if they are not of their group. But a prophet, many do not believe they even exist anymore!
Well, let’s see who will listen to this!
It is the Church that is the primary problem in the United States, or anywhere else for that matter. The healing of the United States begins with the Church in the United States. Because of the internal problems and division within the Church, she is adding to the problems, rather than being salt and light to the lost around her. The Church must repent first! Repentance, true repentance, will not take place unless there is true godly sorrow and humility. There will not be any real change in our country, or any country, until the Church changes.
The issues to be addressed and the work to be done require a unified effort by enough true disciples. For there to be true unity of faith, there must be sanctification by truth. The Church is primarily divided and not up to the task at hand because of doctrinal differences. Doctrinal differences are the main culprit for the Church not being and doing what Jesus wants of her. Doctrinal differences exist because people have changed the Word to fit their desires and purposes.
Most professing Christians are not dedicated enough to learn truth and identify the errors in their part of the Church. Most who do identify errors are not concerned enough to do something about them. Christian religious tradition is a powerful force, but it must be reckoned with by true disciples. Cheap love and cheap grace have captivated the minds and hearts of many, and they simply overlook things in the name of grace and love.
The doctrinal differences must be washed away by truth. It is a deceptive thing to talk about agreeing to disagree and agreeing on the essentials. These are all strategies to prevent repentance, humility, and the necessary sanctification of truth and real unity of faith. Spiritual pride and stubbornness are often at the root of these strategies.
Although it is a popular teaching, the chance of God rapturing the Church out of the mess she has primarily created is something to be prayed over. God can do what He wants, but if He raptures the Church out before she matures and does her assigned work, it doesn't speak well of the Church. How can that be done and the Church still fulfill Revelation 19:7, which says “… the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready”? (Note: False teaching has changed the meaning and/or timing of this to prevent it from happening.) I want to be ready at all times, but I would like to be what I should be individually, and I would love to be part of a corporate Church who is doing the same.
To the natural mind It seems like an insurmountable task, but if we can be what we should be individually and then join with enough like-minded disciples, then the Holy Spirit can work through us and for us to do great and mighty things, all to the glory of God.
I personally am willing to spend and be spent, but I need not only the Helper, I need faithful disciples with whom to work. Who has ears to hear and eyes to see? Who will open their eyes and see beyond their Christian group and private interpretations?
I end by saying we still have time to change, but the time is short and grows shorter with each passing day. There will be godly restoration, or there will be things you do not want for your loved ones.
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2 comments:
Hi Pastor Wayne,
There are too many "profits" and not enough prophets. (I mispelled it on purpose).
These "profits", false teachers and preachers are part of the problem of "greasy grace" and "testalying" in the church today.
I see the same thing going on now in the US as in the Old Testament/New Testament with the Israelites. They disregarded God, worshipped false gods, and did not acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah and were not satisfied until they were removed from their land.
(Pastor Wayne, I know that you are not like that, I'm just seeing the similarities)
This country has been blessed greatly by God, but we have not honored Him. Instead we have removed Him from the schools, the government and every area of this country. As a result, our schools are in shambles, our families are in shambles and we have reaped the worldwind behind these actions.
I am in total agreement with you. If we do not repent of our nonsense, we will find ourselves worse off than the people of old. We have no excuse, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Time is too short for us to be concerned with doctrinal issues, we need to be concerned with the Word being rightly divided, humility, repentance and holy living.
God bless you Pastor Wayne,
Your sister in Christ,
Carol
Hi Carol, if we can just get across the message that many problems in our society are the result of the Church not being salt and light. We need to become the Church that the Lord desires us to be. There will be opposition and persecution, but we won't be part of the problem any longer. We will have Christ formed within and we will be doing His will and advancing His kingdom. We will be real salt and light.
Your brother in Christ,
Wayne
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