The church is being divided. Satan prowls around as a lion, devouring the church. Separating, dividing, distracting, and singling us out so we may fall into our weaknesses. The modern-day religion of Christianity is working. The Coexist and the ecumenical movements are working. The True Bride of Christ is not standing. We are compromising with this world. Unity is good until we start deviating from the truth.
The watchmen and the shepherds are getting scarce. The flame of the church’s candlestick is flickering. The church is not indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Instead, it is controlled by schedules, organizations, convention boards, false prosperity gospels, the spirit of dissension, etc. There is a season and a time for everything. God brought His people of Israel into Babylonian captivity when they turned away and rebelled. After 70 years, He fulfilled His promise of redemption. The call to return was given; the remnant came back.
Side note: Out of the amount taken captive and the large number of people born into captivity in Babylon, a large percentage decided to stay in Babylon. So too, not all Christians will come out of Babylon and the culture. They will remain in the world. We see this all around us. Check out this amazing resource that tracks apostasy.
When the exiles were brought back to Jerusalem, the temple was started. However, it was stopped when the opposition came. It stayed that way for years. That’s when Nehemiah was called to help Ezra. Nehemiah means Jehovah comforts. God is calling us to unify under one banner and conquer in His name. It is time to rebuild. There have been too many breaks in the dam. Repair the holes. The time to tear down has passed.
Recap: Israel rebelled and was given over to captivity. After they were called back home (although only some actually returned), they attempted to rebuild the temple. Nonetheless, they were distracted and persecuted for it. So a long period passes, and Nehemiah is brought to Jerusalem by God’s hand to aid Ezra in rebuilding it. It is a drawn-out process, with several interruptions in the program. But once Nehemiah arrives, it is finished in 52 days. When God wants to move, AND His people are ready, the outcome will pour out. These two were fitly joined together. Pursuing their God and delighting in Him, they followed His will until they were led to their assignment.
These two were raised to rebuild Israel. One was a priest; one was a governor. God will strengthen and grow you for His purpose. (By asking for growth, you sign up for chances to grow.) You are not alone in what He has called you to do. However, it may be a bit until you see how you fit into His plan and whether there are others in the fight.
Notice: FUN FACT. I just realized that Nehemiah had stayed behind the first time. He didn’t leave until he was burdened by the hopeless state of his homeland.
Moving on
Just as these men pursued God, the church must chase God again – the God of the Bible. Not the God of cultural Christianity. Not the God of loving everybody for their actions. Not the God of their imaginations. The God of the Bible. The bride of Christ is the temple of God. He is our Cornerstone. Being fitly joined together for His purpose, we become His temple. The members of the body must do what they are called to do. We cannot do this when we are suffocated by administrations. We must return to community and fellowship, showing the truth through love, becoming organic, not another religion.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34-35
We must stand for the truth. Jesus did not let things slip by. He flipped tables in the temple. He died for our sin debt. He called out the Pharisees for their false lies. He showed the world the TRUE nature of God: righteousness. We are not to make church about regulations. We should also not forsake the gospel of repentance. Without repentance, there is no salvation. The bride of Christ needs to wake up and stand firm. The apostasy is happening. The love of many is already going cold. People who wear the “Christian” pants are destroying the reputation of Christ. Ears are itching and people are not listening to the truth of Jesus. They are being driven by winds of culture. We must regain the organic structure of Christianity. It is not the assembled body of a mega-church, or even a small one, but the fellowship and growth with like-minded believers that we can feed on. What we have learned to call church is just a religious organization. Church has become a YMCA. From traveling our nation, that is what I see. Some churches are swelling in numbers; dead bodies swell too. If the Holy Spirit is not controlling a church, it is dead. An example is the institutional buildings which are not growing souls but only the amount of people who pay for the light bill. There must be spiritual growth. Quality over Quantity.
If a church is not built on GRACE, then it is fruitless. Grace comes from God alone. It is by grace alone, so no man can boast. That is the test: does it stand or fall? Is the American church built on the Rock or sand? Also, when I say the Rock, I do not mean any church fathers or figures like Charles Wesley, Martin Luther, the apostle Peter, or any other figure. I mean the ROCK. Jesus. The Cornerstone. If we reject the Cornerstone, it will crumble. No one is here in Christ’s place. If they say they are, mark them.
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Matthew 24:23-24
Bethel church claims to do miracles. Do they really? No. There is proof. Does the Catholic Pope take Christ’s place and substitute for His authority? Absolutely not. (I am currently extensively preparing for a massive post on this very topic. Will be a little bit though, knowing me.) Should we take the words of any pastor, preacher, or teacher and not check it with the Word? No. The only one we are to look to for anything is Christ. Everyone else is a lesson to learn from.
Out of the 12 spies that went into Canaan when the Israelites arrived, only 2 had the faith. There will be many who attend a church service that will not stand. That does not mean you are alone. Think of Daniel’s three friends. I would rather have the Son of Man stand with me than the whole nation of Israel. Stand for the truth. Abortion must be destroyed. Lies must be revealed. Truth must be upheld. Hearts must be freed. Souls must be prayed for. The church must first unify and REPENT of their patriotism, nationalism, materialism, idolatry, adultery, compromising, lukewarmness, etc. Who is willing to be the watchman and cry out for the destruction heading toward the American church? We have become Babylon, Egypt, Sodom, and Gomorrah. Our country deserves everything it gets. Nonetheless, there is hope. Over and over in the book of Jeremiah it shows God giving the nation of Israel time to repent right up to the moment of judgment. Intercede for the church with me! Only when we recognize our sins as the Bride of Christ will our nation fall on its knees. The foxes are running on the ruins. It is time to let the River of the Holy Spirit flow through the Bride of Christ. Clean the church. Pray for revival and purging. We must repent before the little things start to accumulate and the dam breaks open and the nation is flooded in devastation. There will be opposition. The enemy always does when he gets scared of losing his defenses. Make hell shake and scream in terror. Get on your knees and fight the spiritual world and the powers of darkness. That is when we will see change.
Stand Firm fellow soldier. Join ranks and prevail against the gates of hell. The church has wandered. The prayer of the righteous does more than we think. That is why Satan distracts us from doing the one thing that brings results: praying in the authority of Jesus’ blood.
If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for. ~ Charles Spurgeon
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
James 5:19-20
The Wanderer 