INTERESTING NOTE, in studying about the Great Awakening, which produced more missionary efforts than any other period of history, a time when bars closed and churches opened, people turned from wickedness to righteousness BECAUSE of the preaching of the gospel and the power of the Spirit. There were several waves, affecting every continent and opening up regions that had never heard the gospel. Some say this was the dispensation of the Philadelphia church. (There’s a certain line of study that argue the seven churches in Revelation are characteristic of seven time periods in the church age.
If this is the case, the last church of the ages is the lukewarm church. I tend to agree). Here’s what a worldly source had to say about that time, “The Awakenings all resulted from powerful preaching that gave listeners a sense of personal guilt and of their need of salvation by Christ.” INTERESTING. Sounds a lot like what Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”” Acts 2:36 “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus” v. 38 Where’s THAT message? It’s nonexistent. Preachers don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, they want to make everyone feel good about themselves and so a godless society reigns, churches are closing and Christians are lukewarm.
The fear of the Lord is lacking in our society and among the church. What the preachers during the time of the Great Awakening knew was that those who feared God were shown His covenant. The psalmist tells us this, “Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.” Psalms 25:12-14 These men honored and revered the Lord and their preaching displayed an awe of a holy and awesome God.
The false love gospel is not producing anything righteous or holy; but a lukewarm, complacent, selfish and self-centered, apathetic church. This church cannot overcome the world, but rather looks just like it. Where is the fear of the Lord? Where are the peculiar and holy, set apart people of God?In the books of Acts ch. 5 a husband and wife saw fit to lie to the Holy Spirit about money for the church. This was a corporate lie and affected the whole body. They were struck down dead. Luke records, “so great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.”
Then notice what happened after this event: 1) many signs and wonders were manifested, (2) the outside people esteemed the church, (3) believers were increasingly added, (4) multitudes were healed. Is this not the awakening the church needs? Giving God lip service will produce no good thing. Crying out to God without repentance produces only more death. Hyped up worship with no change of life is godless. Telling people that God loves them and wants their best life now is not working. (Well, it’s working for the enemy). Do I think the church can awaken again? I have hope that she can. But it’s going to take a miracle. It means preachers need to start preaching against sin and boldly proclaim repentance and remission of sins.
We need men and women of God who refuse the cancel culture mentality and social gospel and return to the old rugged cross. In the words of Caleb, “Let is go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it”. But are you willing to obey the Lord? Are you willing to repent in humility and cry out to Him? Are you willing to toss out your idols and tear out your earrings, those things of the world you’ve allowed to pierce you? Cleanse your hands and purify your hearts you double-minded. Return to the Lord and He will return to you. Let us have a remnant of God fearers who will do mighty exploits for the Lord! I am praying for a miracle. #runyourrace
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