The Great Need of the Hour

The Great Need
The great need of the hour, the great need of the time in which we live is the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ. The greatest thing that can happen to any of us is to be born again so we can spend eternity with the Lord. In order for things to be put in their right perspective, however, we must understand the importance of the Church being and doing what Jesus has always intended for her.

If Jesus Christ had not come to earth or if He had come to the earth without fulfilling God’s will, we would be hopeless. He is God, and we are His Church, but we simply must come to understand the implications of being what He called and ordained the Church to be. It is in that spirit that I tell you the great need of the hour, the great need of our time is the restoration of the Church.

We have all heard the song that says “Let the Church be the Church.” Jesus Christ needs the Church to be the Church on the earth. He needs the Church to be what He has revealed her to be in His Word; He needs her to do what He has called her to do. Some Christians are falling away; even some in the Church are falling away. Many others are proudly and stubbornly stuck in a man-made religious rut, of which there are many.

I have been asking some questions recently to help awaken Christians and bring forth commitment. Here are some more questions. Where are you? Are you falling away? Are you stuck in a rut? Do you want to be what Jesus Christ wants you to be? Do you want to do what He wants you to do? Do you want to find and fulfill the purpose for which He created you?

Committed Disciples
It takes committed disciples to be and to do that which Jesus wants. Are you a committed disciple? Are you living daily as one who has denied self and taken up your cross to follow Jesus Christ? Do you understand that part of following Jesus is aligning yourself to be equipped by His true and mature ministers? Do you understand that part of following Jesus is becoming part of a local church that is being totally led by His Spirit and living only by His Word rightly divided?

Do you understand the seriousness of the need for the Church to be restored to Jesus Christ and His Word of truth without any part of man’s private interpretations and traditions? No, it is not going to be easy! It takes real commitment. Jesus was committed to making a way for us to be redeemed to the Father. He went to the cross! He has made His Spirit and His truth available to us. He does have true and mature ministers, including true and righteous prophets. They are committed to equipping committed disciples.

Jesus went to the cross, and He is asking you to take up your cross daily and follow Him. Who has the commitment to pay the price to follow Him? Who is committed to doing all you can to bring about the restoration of the Church? Will you find a true and mature minister, join with him, and help bring forth a Church that is in line with the glorious Church described in Ephesians 4:13-16 and Ephesians 5:26-27?

Prophetic Prayer
Our Father, we look to You. We trust You; we must obey You. There is no other way. Awaken us, O God. Awaken disciples throughout this earth. Speak to our hearts and minds. Help us lay aside every weight that has beset us, every weight that has prevented us from being what you would have us to be, and every weight that has prevented us from doing what you have called us to do. So much is at stake, Lord; lives are at stake. Eternity is at stake for many people! Have mercy, O God. Give us time.

We ask You to cast down the strongholds that have bound so many people in their minds and in their lives. We ask you to free people in the Church all over this earth from the religious ruts, the man-made teachings and traditions. Remove the pride and stubbornness; bring humility. Bring unity of faith.

Some have been hurt. They believe in You, but they don’t believe in the Church. Lord, forgive your people! Let a restored Church come forth on this earth. Let truth be ministered in love from that restored Church that will heal people’s memories of former pain and hurt, whether it is someone who was hurt in a Christian church, or a Muslim, or a Hindu, or a Jew, whoever it is with plenty of evidence to show how the Church has not been what she should be.

The unrestored Church has even given people a clouded picture of Jesus Christ. Lord, as I have looked at Jesus recently, He is amazing, and He reveals You and Your love and Your care. Let us understand You and awaken others to understand You. Give them time, O Lord. Show them Your love and compassion, and draw them to you. Speak to them in dreams, in circumstances, in visions. Send laborers, true laborers, to them. Heal their hurts.

Lord, this prayer is endless. We say, so be it, in Jesus name. Amen!
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This message was taken from Jesus and Prayer, a three-part series that is available in audio MP3 format on our website. To listen to the series, click here:

http://jesusandhisword.org/Sermons/Sermons.html