Jeremiah
2:8, “The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle
the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and
the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not
profit.”
The
power of God’s presence requires embracing God’s truth! That is
the reason Judah was not experiencing God’s favor during this time.
The priests, pastors and prophets lead the way for Judah into
apostasy. Through the words of Jeremiah, God was revealing a pathway
to victory. But there is only one way to secure God’s favor. Judah
must acknowledge their defiance of God’s law and return to God in
repentance and submission. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God was
pleading with Judah to return to Him and to His Favor.
I
suppose that every Christian would say that they desire the favor of
God in their life. But, are we willing to embrace the truth of God’s
Word and submit our lives to its standard? What is the parallel with
our text for today?
Leaders
of the churches in America have led the way down the broad road
toward apostasy! The leadership of the churches in this nation must
bear the responsibility for the conditions in the churches. The
simple return to prayer and contrition before God could change the
course of our nation.
A
congregation will not rise above their leader. Then, it becomes the
responsibility of those leaders to represent God’s Truth in word
and deed. Godly leaders will lift up God’s standard which is God’s
Truth. True leaders are co-workers with the Lord Jesus Christ through
the abiding presence of the Holy Ghost. God said that He would lift
up His standard when the enemy comes in an overwhelming force. “So
shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory
from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a
flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.”
Isaiah 59:19
We
are experiencing now the onslaught of the dark forces released from
the Satanic abyss. The enemy is angry that the Church of Jesus Christ
would dare to rise up and oppose him. But now is the time for that
very thing. Every pastor, leader and congregation has been pressed
by the will of a carnal society to accept the unfruitful works of
darkness. Paul instructed the Church at Ephesus to have no fellowship
with darkness because we are children of Light. Ephesians 5:9, “(For
the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and
truth;) 10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11And have no
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove
them. 12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are
done of them in secret.” This external influence has pressed into
the churches creating internal conflict. The pressure of inclusion
and compromise has led to a deviation from God’s Truth by some.
However,
God has a standard for us to embrace, accept and model if we are to
name the name of Christ. God’s standard is Holiness. God requires
repentance and a turning away from sin to the holiness of God’s
Truth. Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ
also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having
spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and
without blemish.” Godly leaders must preach the glorious Gospel of
God’s Truth. Jesus is returning for His Church made ready by the
washing of the Word that His Church may be presented to Him Holy and
without Blemish.
The
power of God’s presence requires embracing God’s truth!
No comments:
Post a Comment