GOD: THE FINAL JUDGE A Christian response to Obama victory

A Christian response to Obama victory

Exclusive: Joel Richardson notes
'There is a day of justice' for corrupt leaders

Published: 12 hours ago

by Joel RichardsonEmail | Archive

 

In light of President Obama’s re-election, it is essential to briefly detail some of the reasons why Christians should rise above the depression and hopelessness that has gripped so many American conservatives.

In the afterglow of Obama’s victory, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Ayatollah Khamenei, Vladimir Putin and Chris Matthews, as well as millions of pot-heads, sodomites, pro-aborts and all common moochers, are sharing a collective thrill. The American people by a clear majority have rejected fiscal responsibility, energy independence, national security, border security, traditional family values, and worst of all, standing with the most defenseless and innocent among us. Barack Obama’s re-election is a complete political, economic, moral, social and spiritual catastrophe.

But despite the very real implications of America’s downfall, Christians have far more substantial hope and reason to remain joyful.

In pondering which portions of Scripture might be encouraging for American Christians at this moment, I was immediately reminded of Hebrews 11, where believers today are encouraged to consider the lives of several faithful saints of old. Some of these men and woman lived very blessed lives and experienced great prosperity. Others suffered terrible hardships. What they all shared, however, was a vision, a hope of “a better country,” a heavenly “city.” Consider what the Bible has to say concerning Abraham:
“By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” [Hebrews 11:9-10]

As sad as it is to watch this great country take such a harsh turn into irresponsibility and outright godlessness, we are reminded that our ultimate and even eternal citizenship is not here. Christians are to live within this corrupt and perverse age as mere aliens, foreigners, whose eyes are ever fixed on our true and eternal home, as we imitate these saints of old:
“They admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” [Hebrews 11:13-16]

Before the election, I sometimes wondered if it might be good for American Christian to get just a slight taste of what it is like for so many of their brothers and sisters who live in nations where they are a minority, where persecution and overt hatred of Christians is common. This is after all, how life was for the early Church. Perhaps our hope has been too focused on this life, on our stuff, on our comforts. Perhaps if we are made a bit more uncomfortable, we might shift our eyes to the heavenly city, to the country that God is preparing for us. Who knows? Perhaps there is a providential and redemptive purpose behind this catastrophe.

What else will the coming of this new messianic kingdom entail?
In one of the most well-known prophetic messianic psalms, we read the following description of what Jesus will accomplish when he returns:
“The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. … The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.’” [Psalm 110:2, 4-6]

That’s right, one of the primary events that will accompany the return of Jesus as he establishes his messianic kingdom over the earth from Jerusalem is the judgment of the many unrighteous, self-serving and corrupt politicians throughout the whole earth. As the psalm states, when Jesus returns, before he establishes his kingdom, he will “crush kings on the day of his wrath.” While some may understandably feel uneasy with this point, personally, I take great comfort in this. Who among us doesn’t truly grieve at the degree of corruption, character assassination, slander, lies and deceit that so many politicians use to acquire and maintain power? The Lord will not allow this to remain unpunished. There is a day of justice.

For now, my country is governed by a man many of us feel is a truly unrighteous individual, a race-baiter, a divider, a liar, a destroyer. And while I would not suppose to truly know anyone’s heart, I do take great comfort in the fact that there is one who knows the hearts of all people and who has promised a day of justice for all of the earth. So while I will continue to stand and fight for this great nation, even believing that there is yet hope for repentance, revival and restoration, as I watch this beautiful country slip away and devolve into something almost unrecognizable, I take great comfort in knowing that a heavenly country lies ahead. I have been promised a kingdom, and it is on this kingdom the eyes of my heart are fixed. And even more than the coming kingdom, my eyes of hope are fixed entirely on the coming King. And for this reason, the present man in office will never have control over my emotions and will do nothing to steal my joy.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” [Romans 15:13]

They Chose Not To Listen

They Chose Not To Listen

By Donna Wasson

http://www.raptureready.com/soap/wasson76.html

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I am constantly astonished at the casual indifference the modern day church displays regarding end time events. Individuals who attend services, even faithfully, live their lives in some bizarre stupor, seemingly unaware of just how close we are to striking midnight on the prophetic clock. How can this possibly be? 

 

It’s not as if they’re bereft of information on these last days. Anyone interested in learning about where events on this earth are headed, can find loads of books or DVD’s in Christian and secular bookstores, outlining what prophets through the ages have predicted about the times in which we’re living. In addition, there are enough websites and blogs dedicated to the subject to quench anyone’s curiosity, so a lack of data can’t be the issue.

 

So, what’s the deal? Why the apathy? It must be human nature; a defense mechanism against the realization of impending doom. Let’s use a small group of fictional passengers on the RMS Titanic as an example.

 

Let’s suppose the ladies and gentlemen seated at table seven in one of the ship’s elegant dining rooms, chose to continue eating, enjoying their conversation and live music, while ignoring the announcement that the ship had struck an iceberg. Were they so dazzled by the gorgeous place settings, fresh flower arrangements, gourmet food and fine wine, they were numbed to the unimaginable disaster and death that awaited them within a few short hours?

 

As the waiters pled with them to don lifejackets, did they dismissively wave them away with a demand for more brandy? Why would they be concerned? After all, they were warm and comfortable inside the salon, enjoying an after-dinner cigar and playfully debating the politics of the day. They saw no imminent danger and failed to pay attention to the commotion outside on the decks, as the panicked staff frantically wrestled with the rigging on the inadequate lifeboats.

 

We all know the horror that followed. A short time later, those fictional passengers with their beautiful silk gowns and jewels, the handsome tuxedos, fine china and champagne bottles ended up on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, whose waters were so cold, most victims froze to death before having the chance to drown.

 

Why did this have to happen? After all, they were informed the ship was sinking with adequate time to make it into one of the lifeboats. A few hours of uncomfortable inconvenience, huddled with other passengers in a cramped little boat, wrapped in their furs to ward off the chill, and they would have been rescued by the crew of the RMS Carpathia the next morning. They could have lived. So, again, why? Why did they have to die?

 

Because they CHOSE not to heed the warnings they were given.

Oh, they didn’t form a suicide pact or anything like that. No, they chose to ignore the repeated warnings of impending disaster simply because they were having such a great time. Life was good! Staff members were no doubt tugging on their sleeves, begging them to listen. Unfortunately, they were too intoxicated by their luxurious surroundings and sensual comforts to give serious heed to the alarms, and as a result of their inaction, they died horrible deaths.

 

The very same disregard is happening today. Willful ignorance and hedonism are causing untold thousands of people in the so-called Christian community to shrug off the warnings given by the watchmen on the walls. Jesus saw these days coming and told the disciples about it in Luke 17: 26-33. In these verses, He detailed what life would be like when believers are instantly snatched home to be with Him.

 

He told us that society will be much like it was in the days of Noah and Lot. Before the flood, people in Noah’s time were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage. In the same way, life in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah where Lot resided proceeded as it had for years; its residents were also eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building.

 

However, on the exact day Noah entered the ark the flood came and destroyed Noah’s neighbors along with everything that breathed air on the whole earth. Likewise, the very day Lot and his family fled to a safe distance, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven, destroying both cities. ‘Just as it was in the days of Noah (and Lot), so shall it be when the Son of Man is revealed.’

 

People in both of these examples were absorbed with their day to day lives and plans for the future, despite receiving plenty of warning from Noah and Lot that God’s punishment would surely fall upon the corruption and sin of those societies. Did anyone listen? Apparently not. Most people don’t seem to be listening today either.

 

Heck, let’s face it. Life in the Western world is pretty sweet, especially in America. Our average welfare recipient enjoys a higher standard of living than many high class citizens in other countries. The U.S. lifestyle is second to none in the history of the world, so there seems to be little to worry about. After all, “God Bless America,” right?

 

Even though most of us are aware that human civilization, in general, is declining morally and economically, we find it difficult to believe disaster might one day strike our home. That kind of stuff happens to other people. The worst we expect to suffer is the occasional flat tire, or being laid off a job we never liked anyway, or the slight possibility our kid would break their arm on the playground. But nothing terribly serious.

 

People navigate through their days, happily yapping on their cell phones, arranging to meet friends for dinner or a movie. Moms busily plan the next carpool to their child’s soccer game, negotiating whose turn it is to supply the cupcakes. Dad’s mind is consumed with that pending sales deal which might just allow him to buy the car of his dreams.

 

Millions get up on Sunday morning, dress up nice and drive to the Disney Land sized parking lot of their mega-church. They enter the cavernous auditorium, walk on thick carpet under the warm glow of chandeliers, greeting friends and searching out that week’s bulletin.

They stand for what seems like hours, singing meaningless stanzas of ‘worship’ choruses over and over and over and over again, accompanied by screaming guitars and enthusiastic, rock drummer wanna-bees, while colored lights flash and fog machines obscure the monitors on the stage.

 

Up next comes the sugary-sweet sermon of feel-good, seeker-friendly theology, congratulating those perching in the pews on what ‘good people’ they are, how much money they raised for the new community playground and that Jesus loves them and has a good plan for their lives. A closing prayer to the god of tolerance and acceptance for all people and philosophies, and everyone runs like heck for the exits, hoping to beat the crowd to Red Lobster for lunch.

 

Because they’re satisfied this fulfills their duty to God for the week, they feel free to subtly boast to friends and family what wonderful Christians they are, while turning their entire focus back to work, school and social planning. When they watch the evening news, manufactured by the mainstream media, they try their best to rationalize the tsunami of societal havoc coming their way. If they don’t pay attention, everything will be OK.

 

Those mega-churches aren’t pulling on the sleeves of their congregations, advising them of the danger that will strike any day now. They aren’t sending the deacons or teachers out with critical information regarding the impending rapture of the church. The elegant ‘passengers’ of America, with their picture perfect lives, French manicured nails, tennis teams, golf clubs and business meetings, are facing certain destruction and they don’t even know it.

 

Their pastoral shepherds refuse to acknowledge we’re living in the last days because that wouldn’t be good for church business; it might scare away seekers or offend members. As congregational sheep, they don’t bother reading the Word of God for themselves; therefore the vast majority is convinced they’ll go to heaven when they die.

 

They figure God must be happy with them because they believe Jesus really existed and they go to church every Sunday. They also give money in the offering, volunteer in the nursery every other month and don’t cheat on their taxes. They are ‘good people,’ right?

 

Some of them have weirdo, conspiracy theory, nut-case friends or family members who constantly sound the alarm of impending doom, as if the sky is falling and the end of the world is near. Those people are always harping on the cross and the blood of Christ and the need for repentance, which they find offensive and boring, so they smile and disregard the admonitions.

 

After all, life is good in the here and now, and they aren’t ready for Jesus to come back, as if that would ever happen, which they highly doubt! They have dreams they still want time to pursue and children to finish raising, so they graciously turn down the offers of DVD’s or books outlining salvation and end time teachings. It’s just too depressing to consider and things are going to be fine anyway.

Besides, the new President will fix the economy so their happy lives can continue, carefree as always. But, just like our fictional diners on the Titanic, they are headed for death and destruction. After the impending rapture occurs, they’ll be left behind to face hell on earth.

 

Why?

Because they are CHOOSING not to heed the warnings they are being given. The good news is they still have time to get into the lifeboat, but they’d better hurry! Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

A hot wind did blow

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A hot wind did blow 

Reblogged from Elizabeth Prata´s:  the-end-time.blogspot.com

"At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them.” (Jeremiah 4:11-12)

The Lord sends the wind. He is the God of this earth and nothing happens on it that He does not cause or allow. Not even a sparrow falls to its death without the permission of the LORD. (Matthew 10:29).

So, He sends the wind.

That was the literal part of my essay. The verses in Jeremiah above are metaphorical. What He had instructed Jeremiah to say is that He sends the wind for different purposes. Firstly, the wind accomplishes His will. "Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word" (Psalms 148:8 )

He sends a gentle wind for winnowing. He sends a fruitful wind for planting. He sends a wind for cleansing (Job 37:21). In the case of judgment He sends a hot wind that doesn't salve, but agitates. It is a hot wind, a damaging wind, a full wind that scorches and destroys. Barnes Notes explains:

"A dry wind - literally, A clear wind. The Samum is probably meant, a dry parching east wind blowing from the Arabian desert, before which vegetation withers, and human life becomes intolerable. Not to fan ... - The Syrian farmers make great use of the wind for separating the chaff from the grain: but when the Samum blows labor becomes impossible. It is not for use, but for destruction."

We can ignore the wind, but that won't work. We can rely on the wind for planting and winnowing. The wind purifies and cleanses.

But woe to those who ignore the wind.

We cannot outrun the wind. It will catch us. The wind blows where it will. "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8).

When the wind is destructive it means it is of the judgments of God:

• "In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind." (Isaiah 27:8)
• "Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire." (Isaiah 29:6)
• "Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel." (Isaiah 41:16)

You can think of the wind as the breath of God.

When you read the bible, think on these metaphors. Yesterday I wrote of the light an the darkness. Today I write of the wind. The bible uses symbols for a reason. Symbols don't change. Words change, symbols do not. Planting is planting. Reaping is reaping, Lions prowl. Sheep follow.

As far as the wind goes, you should always let the wind of the Spirit move you as the wind moves a sail. The sail bows to the wind, letting the wind fill it, and gently guide and propel the sail to move the boat. It is all harmony, the wind and the sail and the boat and the water as one unit.

When you sail, and the wind is behind you, it is smooth and quiet sailing. Quite peaceful. If you try and sail into the wind it is called "beating". It really does feel like you're getting beaten. The wind is loud. The waves are choppy. The boat balks. The sails refuse to fill and you have to constantly adjust them. You're working against the wind in that case, sailing upwind as close as you can to the no-go zone. The boat heels over and the sails, mast, and people sailing it are stressed. The direction you go relative to the wind matters. The best thing to do when sailing into an upwind destination is to simply change your destination and thus go with the wind.

Pay attention to where the wind blows, and change your destination. If a person refuses to repent, all they will sow is a hot wind that destroys.

Much better to go with the gentle wind, allowing it to push us, purify us, cleanse us. Jesus is Lord, kind and good.
.

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Manhattan In the Dark

Manhattan In the Dark 

Reblogged from Elizabeth Prata´s:  the-end-time.blogspot.com

The lights off in NYC made me think of Amos 5.

Drudge Report screen shot, 10-30-12

Stay with me.

"Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light, as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?" (Amos 5:18-20)

First, the earthly hardships that go along with a storm of this size are incredible. Frankly, when the Tribulation hits, the last place you want to be is in a city. Bug OUT if you want to survive.

Anyway, as millions upon millions are discovering now, living on any floor above, say fifth, means a lot of walking up and down stairs. No elevators. No running water. That means you have to lug water up, if you can even find any. No flushing, unless you stored water ahead of time and can use it to flush the toilet. No food, or if you find some, you have to lug it up. If you go out on the street there are a lot of other tired, desperate, hungry, thirsty people. There were twitter meet ups planning a mass looting, so it is even more dangerous than usual to be out and about. Then cabin fever sets in. What to do with the kids for days on end inside an apartment with no internet, tv, or PlayStation? And where would you even go? The subways aren't running, along with bus and most likely, cabs. The streets are littered with tree limbs, flood sludge, dangling electrical wires, and debris. Even if you want to get out and about it is impossible and dangerous.

And then the rats arrive. The UK Daily Mail helpfully reminds us that "Rats are highly social individuals and live in a fairly stable social structure. If this storm disturbs that, rats could start infesting areas they never did before.' There are precedents for rats being displaced by floods and forced into buildings. In the UK this summer washed out rats began infesting homes. 'It's not just about the high winds and rain,' said Ostfeld. 'A rat disturbance is something we should be concerned about.' "

So the city is a bad place in the best of times. It is downright survival UNfriendly in the worst of times.

But what about spiritual survival? I pray that those who know Jesus have remained peaceful even in the face of terrible fear, adrenaline-pumping protection of your children, in evacuation, or even in the face of loss of all you owned. Jesus is the rock who will provide help to you spiritually to work through these hard times. (Psalm 9:9). What a Savior we have who promises help in times of trouble! Before I was saved I used to mock Jesus because I thought, wrongly, that if you were a Christian that meant you would never have trouble. So when trouble inevitably came to His believers, I thought he was powerless and ineffectual to protect them.

I know different now. Jesus said that in this world you will have trouble,

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”' (John 16:33)

The difference now is that my faith in Him has shifted my perspective from one of clinging to temporal, earthly things, like a house and clothes and a car or a job, to Him in eternity. I have an eternal perspective and the treasures I am heaping up are hopefully faith, patience, love, kindness and other fruits of the Spirit that point to HIM. If I go through trouble (and I do) I rely on His peace and His grace and His Spirit to get me through. He is my Light. Being in the Light is warm and safe and peaceful. Nothing can trouble me when I am in the Light.

But for those who do not know the Light and are in the dark, it is a dark place indeed. Having an earthly perspective means that we see only to the end of our lifespan on earth, 40 or 70 or 80 years. That is not long. Anyone who is over 50 knows how short life is! And when some of that is taken away, a job or a car or a house, unbelievers get frantic because it takes time to build back up and if all you see are a few short years of life then there is no time!

Back to Manhattan being dark. Imagine the lost people in New York in the dark as the people in Amos's verse, stumbling around in the dark during the Tribulation, AKA The Day of the Lord.

"Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light, as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him, or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?" (Amos 5:18-20)

They reel from one calamity to another, in gloom with no brightness.

The NYC photo of darkness is a real and scary event that is happening to millions right now. But it is also a spiritual metaphor for those who are stumbling around with no hope, they are in spiritual darkness. After the rapture there will be only darkness. Sin will have its day and the gates of hell will be allowed to prevail and overcome the world and the saints. (Revelation 13:7)

Repent now and be in His Light! In Him was the Light of men and in Him there is no darkness at all. (John 1:4-5). I'm not saying that if you repent of your sins and ask Jesus to forgive them, and become a born again (John 3:14) that you won't have a tornado slam into your house or a flood carry your car away or that other disasters won't touch you. Not at all. But you will be able to handle them with the Holy Spirit in you giving you strength, and the forgiveness and sanctification of Jesus giving you peace.

"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Please come into the Light, the Light of Jesus and His outstretched hand offering forgiveness of your sins. Repent and believe, for the time is short.

Audiology Of Your Church

Audiology Of Your ChurchLet Us Go Into The Next Towns

Reblogged from Serve Him in the Waiting.

Ron Maggard’s Baptist Evangelism news, views, commentary and mini-epistles.

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« Stir Up The Gift

 

Audiology is the branch of science that studies hearing, balance, and related disorders. Its practitioners, who treat those with hearing loss and proactively prevent related damage are called audiologists.

 

I am convinced that every church “i.e.” the members need to have an ear examination. Why do I say that? It is very evident that many are having difficulty hearing and therefore not doing that which the Lord has told them to do.

 

First of all, I think we need to establish the fact that “churches” have “ears”. Read Acts 11:22: “Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.” The persecuted believers driven from Jerusalem had traveled to Antioch. Upon their arrival they ardently preached and many believed. The report of these conversions and the success of their ministry reached the “EARS” of the church back in Jerusalem. Churches have ears.

 

We also read of the importance of having functioning ears in the book of the Revelation as Jesus writes to the churches in chapter 2 and 3. (Rev 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:29; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22.) It is very obvious in this communication of Jesus to these churches that hearing is vital for churches. Jesus says as much to each of these churches in Asia Minor. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” It is repeated 7 times.

 

The audiology of our churches is important. As we consider this subject lets make some comparisons between our physical ears and hearing and our spiritual ears and hearing. Our physical hearing can be affected in several ways and I believe the hearing ability of our churches / members are affected in a similar way.

1. First consider hearing problems that are congenital. Physically we can inherit hearing problems. Many churches today have no ability to hear. Some churches don’t hear because the churches they came from them didn’t hear. Their hearing problems were passed on from their churches and seminaries and their hearing disability grows more profound with each successive generation of churches. Think of the mainline denominations. Once many of them could have been recognized to at least have the gospel. But today, after many generations they are completely devoid of truth. Their problem is congenital. Inherited deafness. Loss of hearing.

2. Secondly many have hearing problems because of illnesses or diseases. Illnesses like meningitis, measles, mumps and the like are known to cause deafness or serious hearing losses. In a similar manner churches can have spiritual illness which cause them deafness. Think of the many sins of all kinds that are rampant in our society and unfortunately entering into our churches that cause spiritual deafness. Immorality with it’s adultery, fornication, pornography and every degree of sin that once would not have been even named in our churches are now adversely affecting many of our churches and even our leadership. These sins and many more are growing and therefore hindering the hearing of our churches.

Third, it can be noted that injuries can affect our hearing. When I was a boy you couldn’t keep me out of the water. I loved to swim. The problem was that from swimming I nearly always got “swimmers ears” or infections. Unchecked, these infections and those like them can affect the hearing as can a build up of wax. Those who have children also know that it is common for children to put things into their ears that could obstruct and do damage to the hearing. Sometimes things like these happen to churches too. Many suffer from a build up of poor or really bad doctrine. Other worldly junk can find it’s way into the ears of our churches and cause hearing loss.

 

Fourthly, we understand how that loud noises can harm our hearing. Those who work around loud machinery or listen to loud music are warned to cover their ears. The same happens in our churches. The devil started out filling the ears of our first parents with his lies and garbage. It worked then, and he is still doing this today. He and the world makes a lot of ruckus. The devil’s goal is to drown out the good word of God and fill our hearing world with the worlds trash. It can damage our ears.

 

Fifth, audiologists tell us that the most common ear ailment is otitus media. Some of the common symptoms of this ear infection are:
Inattentiveness, misunderstanding directions, listlessness, unexplained irritability and pulling and scratching of the ears. Let’s look at each of these symptoms and how they are applicable to the audiology of our churches.

 

*Inattentiveness: I wonder if there has ever been a time when people give less attention to the word of God as we see it happening now. Many churches have gone to “express worship” because they can’t keep people interested. One of the greatest problems that prolongs deputation of our missionaries these days is that churches, due to inattentiveness, have discontinued some of the regular services of their churches. Few have evening services anymore. Why? People are not interested.

*Misunderstanding directions: In many churches you would be hard pressed to even be able to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel. When it is preached and when the word of God is faithfully taught, few decisions are made. Very little dedication can be found. There is always only a small percentage who seem to grasp the need to serve and participate. It is as if our members don’t understand.

*Listlessness: When my children were small and suffered from otitus media we would notice that they were not as active, they did not have a good appetite and they did not want to play or do anything on their own. They wanted to be held and coddled. They needed a lot of extra attention. Isn’t it amazing how many of our church members have these same symptoms.

*Unexplained irritability: I got a phone call this past week and the caller left me a message. He wondered why I had not answered. (I was in a meeting when he called.) He wondered what had he done to me so that I would not answer his phone call. He couldn’t believe I didn’t care to talk to him an he went on and on. I was amazed. But I hear of these things all the time in our churches. So and so is angry. This one is changing churches. This one is angry and pouting.

*Pulling on or scratching the ears: Isn’t it amazing how many of these symptoms from physical hearing problems can be applied to our churches. Think about what 2 Tim 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” We are definitely in this time! So MANY in our churches today seem to have this – itching ears.

 

Now why is all this important? And why would I spend such time making these comparisons? Churches have EARS! Churches need to be able to HEAR! In Acts 13:1-3 we read these words: “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.“

If there was ever a time that churches need to hear, it is NOW, and it is when He is speaking to us about MISSIONS! This church in Antioch is our great example for world missions. What made them great? They had ears ready to hear when the Holy Spirit said to send out missionaries. Our churches need to hear the Holy Spirit. I believe that certainly ONE of the greatest problems in our churches today is that we do not hear. Consider Amos 8:11 – “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”

 

There IS a famine of HEARING the words of the Lord in our churches today! I believe that the Holy Spirit is speaking to our churches / members today as in days gone by and I believe probably even in a greater way. Think of the billions of souls. Think of the need for world missions. I believe He is speaking but I also believe we are not hearing, not answering.

 

What do we need to do? We need to go to the Great Audiologist, Jesus Christ! We need Jesus to do for us what He did for the deaf man in Mark 7:33 “And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 And straightway his ears were opened…” We NEED the Great Audiologist to work on our ears. Right now, ask Jesus to touch your ears, to help your hearing.

“He that hath an ear, let him hear!”