A Time To Grieve

When I began this blog, just a few days ago, my purpose was to address some of the critical issues that Iobserve in the Church, and to challenge the people of God to pursue Him and His will with a passion.

Frankly, after stepping out of a senior pastor roll in January of this year, my wife and I have have had occasion to visit quite a few different churches. I would like to be able to give a glowing report on the "state of the Church", but, in all honesty, my heart is heavy and my spirit is troubled by what I have seen!

Here is what I have observed: The Church has become so much like the world that there is precious little difference to be found. Psychology and counseling have replaced "praying through". Music is polished, power point presentation are first class, the atmosphere could easily make you think that you are the friendly environs of a coffee house; but there is no POWER to change lives!

Why?

Because so few are seeking the Lord today! People go to a Sunday morning, sixty minute gathering, where the music is designed to make you believe that God loves you and that His greatest desire is to give you more "stuff" to help you to be happy. The the "sermon" (if one can truly call it that) is more feel good, self empowering, "all about me" verbiage; and those who came in the door with deep spiritual needs, especially with the need to repent before a holy God, are sent on their way with an assurance that God loves them, and this could well be the best week of their life!

Brothers and sisters, the Church of the Living God needs a revelation of the holiness of God once again! A vision of His awe inspiring Personage that will penetrate to the core of our beings and show us our need to repent before His majesty!

I cannot go on listening to "pastors" drawing illustrations from ungodly movies and TV programs without responding! I cannot silently sit in the background and bite my tongue while Jesus is, again and again "wounded in the house of a friend"!

For those who genuinely love the Lord, it is well past time for us to once again "contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints".

Truly the Lord will return for His own. We do well to keep in mind the parable of the ten virgins found in Matthew chapter twenty five. The foolish and presumptuous were excluded when their lord finally arrived

May His coming find us faithfully waiting.