Urgent question:
Leaders and fellow Christians- Why wouldn't you listen?
- want to end school shootings?
- want to help fix our economy?
- want to sleep well at night without locking your doors?
- want to know that your husband or wife will be there through life, your kids will be
safe and raised correctly, and you will have help when you age?
- want to really impact drug addiction?
- want to know we have an eternal destiny that will be with the maker of the universe in
true peace?
- want to know we have eternity with Christ and we will see our friends and acquaintances
there?
If you really want revival to be given to our people, preach of the
fear of God, convict of sin and then tell of His grace and love that saves us.
We must be convinced we are as bad as we are. You were put there to point that out.
Surprise us with God's deep love that comforts those who fear Him. It has
worked in the past. God prescribes it in His Word. Our ideas do not override
His way and His direction. Cheap grace through marketing builds up false, perishing
kingdoms.
2Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God
as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the
word of truth..19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this
inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who
confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness." .
1Peter 5:2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under
your care, serving as overseers--not because you must, but because you are willing, as God
wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those
entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
Leaders!! Preach the Bible.
- Pray for conviction and a sense of urgency. People are dying. Time is short.
- Preach condemnation and conviction seasoned with love. Not cheap love. Love
that reflects the depth shown by Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Love that expects
in return, evidence of wanting and acting to please Him.
- Teach that we are all perishing and need mercy. Remember Jonathan Edwards and
"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" sermon credited for helping
begin a great revival.
- Judgment is here and will become more severe as we choose hardship rather than walking
with Christ in order that God will call us to Him. If we repent, He may answer.
If we don't, He will answer with great judgment and pain. From His
perspective, wanting us to repent and be saved, He would show great love by leveling great
judgment upon us- if we don't do it on our own. Which choice is better?
- Teach to Fear God. If we don't fear Him, if the people lack conviction that there
is such a thing as sin and they are captive to it, no one will accept the discipline of a
Christian lifestyle. Instead they may assume a shallow knowledge of God is
sufficient and may perish because of their failure.
- Teach the Bible. Nothing else is more important or really can add to the value of
the Word. Compel others to read it for themselves and to test every lesson heard
with scriptural truth. Never dismiss our confusion of the Bible as error.
Assume the scripture is true and test the claims with other scriptures. Then
question our understanding by searching the original language and meaning.
- Prioritize according to the way the scripture is prioritized. Warnings of judgment
are many. Why should we think we are different? We are especially at risk for
claiming to be a Christian nation!
- Never compromise the Word. Thus says the LORD. No apology necessary.
- Tie the Old and the New Testaments together. The scriptures are complementary and
great insight on the way God is and the plan of salvation is found throughout the Old
Testament. The scriptures validate themselves. Prophecy is incredibly
accurate, without error and in great detail, hundreds and thousands of years later, again
proving the truth of scripture and making more sense of God's plan.
- Interpret scripture through other scripture. There is no better commentary
of the Bible.
- Love those perishing. By pointing out sin, even when it is unpopular, you may save
some from Hell. Reach out to those who are hurting and overwhelm them with God's
love.
- Worship, not for our own personal, emotional benefit (which may occur) but only to
glorify Almighty God.
1Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with
the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not
obey the gospel of God? 18 And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what
will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"
1Timothy 1:5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good
conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Some have wandered away from these and turned to
meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they
are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. 8 We know that the law is good if
one uses it properly. 9 We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for
lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who
kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for adulterers and perverts, for slave
traders and liars and perjurers--and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine
11 that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
2Timothy 4:2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and
encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men
will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather
around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They
will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Matthew 24:50 The master of that servant will come on
a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to
pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and
gnashing of teeth.
Luke 12:54 He said to the crowd: " When you see a cloud rising in the west,
immediately you say, `It's going to rain,' and it does. 55 And when the south wind blows,
you say, `It's going to be hot,' and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the
appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this
present time?
Luke 12:3 I tell you , no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those
eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more
guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent,
you too will all perish."
You may not fill your pews. Despite this, you will attract
those who take God seriously. It only takes a few serious Christians to help change
the world through the Holy Spirit's intervention. Our failure at influencing our
people is an indictment on the status quo of Christians and their leaders today, basking
in comfort at the cost of holiness. At least when you follow the Bible, you will
have nothing to be ashamed of at the judgment seat of Christ. What is more
important?
We are out of time. Christ said we were in the last days, 2000 years ago!
Let us act like it. We are long past due for radical Christian faith. No more
touchy-feely stuff. First things first. People are perishing, only you are
equipped to help save them. Prioritize God's Word and the priorities laid out in the
scripture. No psychology.
Church Leaders
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