I sometimes think my messages are too hard and are not encompassing and cuddly enough for the hearers. The trouble is, to soften them would be to compromise the truth for the sake of the sentimental church-goers, who enjoy soothing stories and sweet little pep-talks on Sunday mornings. They don't want to go home with anything nagging their conscience, especially as they are looking forward to a nice lunch and a shopping expedition in the afternoon.
Some people tell me that I should not get bitter or disappointed when others do not act in the way I hope they would. However, I do not react from such futile feelings, that is not why I write, and rather than trying to analyze my motives, they ought to try applying the word to themselves and see perhaps if God is not speaking to them. 'If My people, who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and TURN from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven.' And until then, God will not hear. His ear is not blocked that he cannot hear, 'but your iniquities have turned his face from you that he will not hear.' (Isaiah 59:2)
As a young believer, I was privileged to have experienced something that this generation has never seen. I saw and understood the fear of the Lord and the reverence that brought the presence of God into the building when Christians had respect for God's word and knew what it meant when the gathering together was unto Him. We did not need smoke machines, dancers and prancers on the stage, or flashing lights and wailing guitars to create 'atmosphere'. We would have been shocked and outraged if the visiting preacher were to behave like a comedian and get all the people rocking and laughing like lunatics escaped from some asylum. We were not there to be entertained, but to meet with the Presence!
God came to visit us. He was all that we needed.
Maybe you think I am old-fashioned, and 'out of touch' with our technological culture; that the remedy I suggest is too dated and uncomfortable. However, 'to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet', says Proverbs 27:7.
If we really have an interest in seeking God and seeing his mercy come down from heaven upon the believers and the unsaved, then it cannot hurt to humble ourselves a little, and search our own hearts to find out what lurks within. The truth may be a bitter pill to swallow, but it has the remedy and antidote to all that is wrong in our lives. Most churches have completely lost their way in this degenerate age, and rather than stand uncompromisingly on the word of truth, they have succumbed to the modernism and status quo of a bankrupt 'religion' that has no power or reality of a God who is present and in the midst. Sweet songs and dancing musicians mean nothing. The congregation giggling and jiggling is evidence of the absence of the fear of God (and of course these days we do not like to speak of 'the fear of the Lord' because "He is our mate", according to the casual half-converted cowboys who by popular vote have replaced reverence with familiarity).
Our nation needs to repent just like Nineveh needed to, if it were to avert the judgments of an angry God. Jonah was sent to preach repentance to a nation that knew not God. It was the only hope for the people before destruction would come from the Almighty for its sins and transgressions. It began with the king, the ruler of the people, who humbled himself and covered his skin with sackcloth and ashes.
Through his repentance, upon hearing the words of the prophet, the entire nation was saved, the LORD having respect to the children and the cattle.
Note that it began with the ruler of the nation, the one who stood for the people, who led by example. And so it is within a nation where there is a church, for it should be the people of God that are ruling in a country and exercising the authority that God has given them to stand in the gap, to raise the standard, to cry aloud and lift up their voices like a trumpet. The church should be the first to truly repent for the sins of themselves and of the people of the land. 'For judgment must begin at the house of the Lord.' (1Peter 4:17)
I know there are calls from time to time for a national prayer gathering where some big names will lead the event and people from all sorts of persuasions will attend and make out they all love one another and are of the same faith. The bookstalls will be there along with all the other paraphernalia that attends all the conferences, and some elevated master of ceremonies will run up and down the stage making out to be all spiritual and prophetic.
Actually, every church along with its ministers and leaders should call on all of its members to pray and put things right, to humble themselves turn from all that is wrong (that is repentance). We do not need some fantastic gathering at Wembley or any other arena. Prayer should arise from all over the nation, in every town and village, and a call to all people (not just church-goers) to repent and turn back to God be plastered in every newspaper and on every social media network.
Our only hope in this troubled time is to turn back to the old paths, and return to God, and take with us words (Hosea 14) that might cause his face to shine upon us once more.
'Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.
But they said, We will not walk therein.' (Jeremiah 6:16)
