March 11, 2014
Last week I mentioned that I'd received a couple of articles from fellow Christians concerning the 'condition' of today's church and how their comments fit right in with my recent ramblings on how inadequate this once-solid 'shelter' has become. ... The first one was from Pastor John MacArthur, which I posted last week. .. It attributed the demise primarily to societal pressure and compromise. ......... This week I want to bring you the second article, which was written by Christian sister and close friend Marci Ehrhart. ... She basically sums it up by saying the church has simply 'gone to sleep' ... So now, without further ado, here's Marci's comments ..........
---- That Way-Too-Convenient Snooze Button! ----
"God is calling his church to wake up. Not only to wake up but to get up. Not only to get up but to get going. Too long have his children been asleep. Sure there have been some bad dreams during this slumber, but not nightmarish enough to wake us fromour sleep and want to get out of bed. We groan, flop over, pull the casual Christian covers over our head and go back to happy dreams.
"Of course like the human body needs sleep to renew itself and survive, so the church body needs this 'sleep' so to speak. But do we as humans sleep constantly and never arise? Of course not. The church body has been hitting the snooze button far too long. I believe God is about to rip that clock out of the wall and flip the bed over to get the church up and active! Just as a loving mother does to get her child off to school.
"Seriously though, we need to wake up and get out of our complacent lives. It has been pressed upon me pretty hard lately to revisit the ministry of my all-time favorite musician and reason that I started playing piano, Keith Green. That man did not sit idle and compromise to the 'times' or 'political correctness.' He was not afraid to speak what God wanted people to hear even though he risked hatred and really ticking off the church folk.
"God loves us so much. He is not a mean guy who is hoping we are miserable in our walk with him. But we are foolish to believe that it is okay to ho hum through this life he has given us awaiting the final hour to be taken to heaven to live forever. Praise God that IS what will happen as believers in Christ, but I can't believe that is what we are called to do.
"There has been a ridiculous fall in this world's morals, tolerance to things that God abhors, and, I hate to say it, but I see it happening in large numbers of churchgoers who claim to be living for the Lord. My thoughts are not meant to be a huge guilt trip, and I personally am just as guilty as the rest. We are human and will of course fall short over and over. Praise unto the God of grace and mercy who takes us back over and over!
"Where is the zeal? Where is the sold out fire for God? The devil is having a party right now because of the frozen state of God's people. He has put fear in many not to speak out for what we KNOW is right because we don't want to offend or make peopleuncomfortable. Friends, of course we must say all this in love and with compassion and only after we have prayed for God's wisdom on how to approach such things, but we have to do something. Time is short whether you want to admit it or not. Too much of what we call 'church' is manmade.
Loving our heavenly Father is a relationship that is personal and real.
"I have never been one to possess the courage to say things I feel because of the worry of things getting uncomfortable or hurting someone's feelings or whatever reason, but that is the problem. We have to stop apologizing for wanting to speak the truth. For wanting to call people out on things that are against what we know to be right. We cannot sit still any longer and let this corrupt world dictate what we 'should' believe and what we are 'supposed' to say and do. Society's standards are not ours. God's standards are. The alarm has sounded. Will you hit the snooze button again or get out of that bed? People are dying all around us. Many of them sit next to you in church. We need to help them." ..... Just some thought ..... Marci .....
Wow! ... I love this article. .... It has such a beautiful mixture of humbleness, honesty, plain talk, and an obvious desire to reach out to the lost. ... Her comments relating to the "man-made, comfortable church" could not be truer. ...Here's just a quick example ... drive by a ball field on your way to church some Sunday morning and you will see more people there that at church ... and when most folks do make it, one hour a week of God's Word seems to be plenty! .. Of course, the result of such habits lead to a dismal level of Scriptural knowledge. ... Hence, no spiritual protection against the wiles of the enemy ...
Jesus warned of such a condition that would exist in the final church on earth just prior to His return ... the Laodicean Church spoken of in Revelation 3:14-22. ... In this passage, he states this ... "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched , pitiful, poor, blind and naked." .... He goes on to say that "Iam about to spit you out of my mouth" because they were lukewarm and just 'going through the motions.' ....
Marci is also right on when she speaks statements such as "tolerance for things that God abhors." .... Look at our society today concerning abortion and homosexuality, and then how much of the church is following the world's lead so as to appease the masses! ... These are the things God abhors! ... Tragically, the pastors and teachers in the majority of today's churches are teaching the soft, watered-down versions of God's Word. ... 2 Timothy 4:3-4 refers to it as 'itching ear' theology.
Matthew 7:21-23 says this, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22) Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23) Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers."
In closing, I want to finish with this powerful statement from Marci ... "Will you hit the snooze button again or get out of bed? PEOPLE ARE DYING ALL AROUND US!" .... It doesn't get much clearer than that .... We need to ask ourselves this one question ... How can we NOT tell our loved ones .. our friends .. about the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?! .... To quote Charles Spurgeon ... "If you do not care about the person next to you being saved, then you too, my friend, are not saved." ...... Think about it ........
Until next time,
Red
Note: Sister Marci Ehrhart is an amazing musician and songwriter. ... I have had the honor of serving with her on several occasions. ..... She also just recently completed a CD of her music entitled "The Path Called Life" .... You can contact her at her website ... www.marciehrhart.com .... You won't be disappointed!