Dry Devotion

DRY DEVOTION

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” - Revelation 2:4

As I write this, certain areas of the United States are facing a mighty drought. This has created several challenges to the residents of these states. Without rain, crops will not grow and cattle can't be nourished properly. Water restrictions are typically enacted during such times. In spite of all of man's ingenuity, there are still crucial things that only God can provide.

Sadly, there is a spiritual drought in America. You would think that America would be a spiritual oasis that other nations would seek, but instead, our spiritual soil is dry and cracking. While millions of souls are dying of spiritual thirst, most churches have little to offer the thirsty.

The church at Ephesus had a great beginning. Paul's ministry there sparked a great revival. Souls were saved. Lives were changed. God was glorified. Eventually, Paul wrote an epistle to this church, which is in our New Testament. When John was commanded to write to the church a few years later, the Lord had several positive things to say about it. However, there was a great problem with the church at Ephesus. The Lord said, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” In other words, the Ephesian church didn't love Jesus like they used to. Their church was once a spiritual oasis, but now it was as dry as dust.

This is a major problem in our day. The reason for spiritually dry churches is because the members have left their first love. Churches may have impressive bulletins, numerous activities, various ministries and have impressive budgets, but spiritual passion is either superficial or noticeably absent.

What about your spiritual passion? Do you love Jesus more than ever before? Are you known as a person that knows and loves the Lord?  Are you a worshiper of God?  Do you love Jesus more than anyone or anything?  Be honest.

In Revelation 2:5, the Lord told the Ephesian believers: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.” God challenged the church at Ephesus to do three things:

1. REMEMBER

First of all, they were told to remember. The Lord said, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen.” I think it is healthy to remember what the Lord has done for you. It is good to remember the day you got saved. Remember the joy you had in your soul. Remember the early days after your conversion. Do you remember how excited you were to go to church? Do you recall how thrilling it was to talk about Jesus with others? Do you remember how much you enjoyed reading your Bible? Think about all the times that God dramatically answered your prayers. Remember how things used to be.

2. REPENT

Next, they were told to repent. Repentance is an unpopular message these days and yet it is the most healthy thing that can happen in a believer's life. Think of repentance as being an exit you use to get off a wrong road and on to the right road. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of direction. Why continue struggling through a spiritual desert when you can turn around and find a refreshing fountain that you can drink from?

3. RETURN

Finally, the church at Ephesus was told to “do the first works.” In other words, the were told to return to the things of God. There are former Sunday School teachers who need to return to the classroom. There are preachers who've given up, but God is challenging them to get back to preaching. There are church members who've quit attending church, but God is telling them to get back in church. Get back to reading the Bible. Get back to praying. Start giving again. Serve others once more. Return immediately. Get back to the life you once enjoyed.

There's nothing that will end a drought like a good gully washer. The spiritual drought in America is severe. I can't control the rain in other churches. I can't resolve the drought others are experiencing. But I know who controls the heavenly faucet.  Daily, I want to place myself under the spout of God's mercy and receive the showers He sends. Others may stay dry, but that doesn't mean I have to live that way.

You don't either.

Prayer Meetings

 PRAYER MEETINGS

“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.” - Acts 12:4

What ever happened to prayer meetings? Old timers fondly remember when prayer meetings were pivotal events at the local church. Historically, the origin of great awakenings are often traced to a simple prayer meeting or a series of prayer meetings. Sadly, these are missing from churches these days.

I know that some churches refer to their Wednesday night service as a prayer meeting, but typically it is more of a Bible study class or a shortened preaching service. Prayer is no longer a vital part of church-life. Sure, we have “prayers” in our services, but, for the most part, prayer meetings are no longer being conducted.

I need to make a blunt statement. Most church members aren't interested in prayer meetings. They aren't excited about prayer. If you have a concert or schedule a revival, many of them will attend. If you schedule a prayer meeting, only a few few core members will show up. That is the sad truth.

In the book of Acts, nearly every revival began with a prayer meeting. The Spirit arrived on the Day of Pentecost after believers had gathered in the upper room for united prayer. As we saw in last week's message, Acts 4 tells how the church responded to persecution by gathering together to pray. In Acts 12, the church gathered to pray after James was murdered and Peter was arrested. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas gathered near a river for a time of prayer, which led to the beginning of the Philippian church. Yes, the early church had prayer meetings. God moved as a result of these special times of prayer.

Why have prayer meetings vanished from churches? I suspect that one reason is that church members have a consumer mindset. People come to church to receive something rather than contribute. Prayer meetings require participation, which makes people uncomfortable. Secondly, many church members simply aren't on praying grounds. They are not right with God themselves. The private prayer-life of the average church member is more like an ember rather than a raging fire. Praying aloud among others terrifies some. Third, I think that most church members think that dedicating an entire service for prayer is a waste of time. They would rather be home watching television.

Tragically, Jesus is no longer a drawing card for most people. They will come if you have a well-known evangelist or professional quartet visiting the church. But if you intend to have a meeting with Jesus as the centerpiece, most won't find this appealing.

We need prayer meetings today. The only hope for America is for a spiritual awakening to occur. Revival is our only hope. Typically, revival comes as God's people gather together to pray. We need prayer meetings once more!

Let me make a few suggestions. First, get on praying grounds yourself. Get alone with God. You may never preach. You may never sing a solo. But you can pray. Start right now. Let God turn the embers of your devotion into a raging fire!

Secondly, get a prayer partner. Find someone of the same gender that you can pray with. Make a covenant to pray for each other daily. Also, meet with this person regularly. You may meet in person, on the phone or via the private messaging of social media. On a consistent basis, meet with this person. Share your burdens. Pray for each other.

Third, think about hosting a prayer meeting in your home or online. It only takes two or three people to have a prayer meeting. For more than ten years now, I've hosted a prayer meeting on Facebook every Thursday night. We use the private chat / messenger feature of Facebook to meet and pray. Consider doing something similar with a few of your friends.

Finally, if your church has a prayer meeting, support it by attending and participating regularly yourself. 

Look around. Our nation is deteriorating. Souls are going to hell. Churches sit empty. Don't you think it is time for God's people to gather for prayer? It is time we quit sitting on our hands and pretending everything is okay. We need God desperately.

It is time to pray!

Earth-Shaking Prayer

 

EARTH-SHAKING PRAYER

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” - Acts 4:31

The American Church needs men and women of prayer. There is a dire need for people who will get serious about prayer. There's too much wimpy praying going on in our churches. Instead, we need men and women who will really reach God in prayer. We need people who will grab hold of the horns of the altar and refuse to let go until an answer comes. We need saints who, like Jacob, will wrestle all night with God and then say, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” (Genesis 32:26)

Sadly, these days prayer is just a segment of a church service. That is not what God intended. God said, “...mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.” (Isaiah 56:7). Persecution drove the early church to pray. These days, concerts and potlucks are popular at church, but prayer is not. I'm certainly supportive of concerts and potlucks, but prayer is far more important.

It seems like the only time we treat prayer seriously is when we have a personal crisis. Our knees rarely touch the floor unless a situation become bleak. When a crisis is behind us, we tend to go about life as usual, void of prayer. How tragic!

Our nation is morally and spiritually bankrupt. To be honest about it, our nation is disintegrating before our eyes. Yes, we complain about the state of our nation, but few are praying about it.

I believe we need God's people to return to the prayer closet. We need prayer warriors to bombard heaven with constant petitions. Christians need to do more than simply repeat old stale prayers. We need to seek the Father's face. We need to pray and continue to pray until God sends the answers we need.

When the first century church faced intense persecution, they prayed. The Bible says, “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” It was an earth-shaking prayer! Notice three things about their prayer:

1. DESPERATION

First of all, they prayed with desperation. The believers had been commanded not to preach in the Name of Jesus. Desperate situations call for desperate measures. The church did not call a lawyer. Instead, they called on God. Like them, we need to be desperate in our prayers. When we pray with desperation, God really moves. We have many reasons to pray with desperation. These are desperate times. As I've already written, our nation is self-destructing. Churches are dying. Marriages are ending. Hatred is growing. Souls are perishing. Yes, these are desperate times. The reason we aren't desperate is because we slowly get accustomed to the dire situation we are living in. When we consider all that is hanging in the balance, we need to desperately cry out to God for help.

2. DEPENDENCE

Secondly, the first century believers needed God to help them in their trying hour. They prayed with dependence, trusting God for the breakthrough that they needed. They didn't pray for the persecution to be removed. Instead, they prayed for greater boldness to preach the Word. Our problem in America is that we are too independent. We think we can solve our own problems. We have mastered the art of doing church. We have padded pews, paved parking lots, expensive Bibles, great sound systems, impressive lighting, and polished musicians. We have much that the early church didn't have. Yet we lack the one vital thing that they did have. They had the power of God. We need that today. We need to pray with dependence.

3. DETERMINATION

Finally, they prayed with determination. They refused to give up, in spite of the opposition they faced. They sought God until the answer came. We need to pray with such determination today. We need to continually file our petitions with the Almighty. Don't allow discouragement rob you of a blessing. You could be one request away from seeing a breakthrough. Don't give up because revival could be right around the corner. The answers you've been seeking may be one prayer away from becoming reality. Pray with determination!

The place shook when the believers prayed in Acts 4. The place shook when Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God in Acts 16. There are times when things need to be shaken up.

We need earth-shaking prayer today! Our nation needs it. Our churches need it. Our homes need it. We need it ourselves.

Let's not be content with anything less.

Powerful Preaching

POWERFUL PREACHING

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” - 2 Timothy 4:2

Last week, I wrote about the problems facing American churches. In spite of the numerous churches that exist in America, our country continues its spiral descent into sin. Increasingly, our nation is becoming an anti-Christian nation. What has happened to the American Church? As I wrote last week, there are some vital pieces missing from many churches. Today, I want to address one of these missing pieces.

We need more powerful preaching in America. We need God-called men to stand in the pulpit and preach the Word of God with power and clarity. Sadly, this is missing in so many churches.

I am disturbed to see the number of “ministers” who try to be “cool,” “relevant” and “popular.” I'm convinced that some of these “ministers” are trying to act much younger than they really are, perhaps hoping to attract a younger crowd. They will wear tight jeans and a t-shirt on Sunday, groomed with a special hair-style, as if to let everyone know that they have a “hip” pastor. Other pastors want to be called, “Spiritual Coaches,” or “Spiritual CEO's,” rather than "pastor."  It's almost like ministers these days are ashamed to be known as preachers.

I am most alarmed about the message being presented in pulpits, on television and the internet. There is a growing trend of false teaching and heresy being proclaimed by “ministers” and embraced by people across America. Their messages seem to be more like self-motivation speeches rather than sermons. They have the message of Norman Vincet Peale and the enthusiasm of Tony Robbins. What a combination! Pop-psychology and New Age teachings are infiltrating our churches. Furthermore, extra-biblical revelation has become popular and has spread like wildfire. Adrian Rogers used to say, “After extra-biblical revelation comes anti-Biblical revelation.  Stay with the Book!”

The Apostle Paul advised young Timothy to “preach the word.” We shouldn't need to take a poll to determine what people want to hear. Instead, the preacher should proclaim the message that they need to hear. The message should not be taken from a Time Magazine article or TV Guide. The message needs to come from the Bible. Preach the Word --- not politics, fads or popular subjects. We don't need any more wimpy preachers! We need men who will boldly stand and preach, “Thus saith the Lord.”

Personally, I believe in expositional preaching. I believe in simply preaching the Biblical text. People don't need to hear a preacher's opinion or preferences. Instead, they need to hear what God has said. God has spoken to us through His Word. We don't need anything else!

Sure, a pastor can get a crowd with an exciting, entertainment-filled service every Sunday. In the 1800's, Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon said, “A time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the church will have clowns entertaining the goats.” We have seen this occur before our very eyes. Again, Spurgeon said, “If you have to give a carnival to get people to come to church, then you will have to keep giving carnivals to keep them coming back.” Yes, a circus can draw a crowd, but only the Gospel can transform lives.

Powerful preaching makes a difference! The wicked city of Ninevah is a classic example. The street preacher, Jonah, preached the message God gave him. He didn't sugar-coat the message, either. Yet in response to his preaching the entire city repented, including the king!  America needs such preaching today!  Lester Roloff used to say, "We need more porcupine preachers ... so that the people will get the point."

I want to challenge my preacher friends. We aren't called to impress crowds with our creativity, winsome personality, entertaining stories or funny jokes. We are called to preach the Word. As a pastor, you have the privilege and responsibility to feed your flock each week. Don't give them a “Saturday Night Special,” that is hastily prepared. Your congregation deserves more than a fast-food meal. They deserve a full course meal that is prayerfully prepared and graciously served.

Preach the Word and leave the results up to God. It is best summed up in this old quote: “Think yourself empty; read yourself full; write yourself clear; pray yourself hot; and let yourself go.”

We need powerful preaching!

Missing Pieces

“Why sit we here until we die?” - 2 Kings 7:3

It is discouraging to put a puzzle together and ultimately find out that some of the pieces are missing. You can try to force other pieces in the wrong place, but they simply won't fit. The whole experience is frustrating.

I can't help but think that the 21^st century American Church has some pieces missing. Well-meaning pastors and leaders are trying to force wrong items in place of the missing pieces. I think that even the most optimistic person would have to confess that there are things missing from our churches these days. Our churches lack the power that we read about in the book of Acts. Churches are not making the impact that they used to. Churches are shrinking. Influence is fading. Scandals are multiplying.  Souls are perishing. Yet churches conduct services weekly, as if nothing is wrong.

Are you content with the status quo? Are you satisfied with the results we are seeing? Do you honestly think that all is well with our churches? I can only speak for myself when I say that I am not satisfied. We can act happy about the current state of our churches, but deep down we know that things aren't right.

Here are some reasons why I believe American churches are in trouble. I'm old enough to remember crowds at churches being so large that folding chairs had to be used to accommodate the people. That is rare these days. It used to be rather common to drive on a Sunday afternoon and see a large crowd gather at a creek bank for a baptism service. What ever happened to those days? What ever happened to Holy Ghost conviction that would lead people to get saved or wish they had? Few people leave church wiping tears from their eyes. As I once wrote, dry baptistries are often due to dry eyes. It used to be that the biggest pagan in the community had a certain degree of respect for church, but not these days. Today, there are churches are nearly every corner, and many of them are nearly empty. Baptisms are few and far between. Even churches in larger cities aren't doing as well as expected. Sure, they have large crowds but they are only reaching a tiny percentage of their community. Sadly, for most professing Christians, attending church has been a low-priority option. Brothers and sisters, we have problems.

Our temptation is to blame our ungodly society. We want to blame politicians and celebrities for our woeful state. But the problem is not outside the church, it is an inside problem.

Some will hire consultants to study their churches and render suggestions. I am sure consultants mean well, but is that really the right thing to do? I propose that we go no further than our Bible to seek answers. I suggest we get on our knees and seek God for the help we need. He knows our situation better than we do and He knows how to correct it.

The first step in solving any problem is to admit you have one. We have a problem. Actually, we have multiple problems. Instead of pretending that all is well, it is time to get honest. The American church is anemic and weak.

Lord willing, over the coming weeks, I hope to share with you some of the pieces we are missing. Don't expect an earth shattering revelation. As I share them, you will probably admit that these things are truly missing in most churches, perhaps our own.

While Samaria starved to death, four lepers got desperate enough to ask, “Why sit we here until we die?” Their attitude led to action. In spite of their leprosy, God used them to bring food to the starving people of the city.

We need some people who will get desperate enough to say, “Why sit we here until we die?” Whether we want to admit it or not, the church's influence is dying here in America. Churches are dying. People are dying. Why sit we here until we die?

It is time to discover the missing pieces and beg God to put these pieces in place today.

The Ministry of Truth

"And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” - Acts 4:18

Currently, the President of the United States is trying to establish, “the ministry of truth,” in an effort to control information on social media and other platforms. Officially, its intent is to, “protect privacy, civil rights and civil liberties.” In other words, its purpose is to eliminate what the administration considers to be, “misinformation.”

I don't consider myself to be among those who spread conspiracy theories, but I really object to the government operating a “ministry of truth.” I have great concern about the Federal government's effort to police free speech in America. The feared consequence of such a “ministry of truth,” is the control of free speech. Those leading such a “ministry” would have political agendas and biases, making decisions based upon these prejudices. The regulation of free speech could ultimately include censoring the Church's effort to spread the Gospel.

In George Orwell's book, “1984,” a “ministry of truth” was established by the government so they could control information that would align with its purposes. Of course, Orwell's book was a work of fiction, but present-day news has made this a reality.

History should teach us that the government is a terrible administrator of information. It is the Church, not the government, that operates the ministry of truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, THE TRUTH and the life.” Our message is not a message tainted by political bias. Instead, the Christian message is a bold declaration of the truth.

To be rather candid, the enemy has been successful in silencing the church's voice in America. The Church remains mute while the world tries to redefine and falsely interpret truth. We don't need the government telling us what we can and cannot say. This happened to the early church in Acts chapter 4. Rulers declared it illegal to speak or preach in the Name of Jesus. Rather than becoming wimpy, compromising robots of the state, the early church huddled together in prayer and came out with greater courage, boldly preaching the truth. O, that today's church would rise out of its lethargy, repent of her apathy and return to preaching with boldness.

As believers, we have been divinely ordained with the ministry of truth. We don't need governmental approval to spread the truth. We have a commission from our General to share the truth. We don't need to water down the message. We shouldn't be ashamed. We have been COMMANDED by God to spread the truth.

As believers, let us believe the truth, tell the truth and spread the truth. It may be unpopular, but people need to hear the truth about sin and judgment. They need to hear about God's love, expressed through the coming of the Savior, Jesus Christ. We need to continually proclaim the message of the crucifixion and resurrection. Folks need to hear the truth that salvation is available only through Christ. People need to hear that they need to respond now by turning from sin and trusting Jesus alone for their salvation.

The ministry of truth is not a governmental role, it is the Christian's responsibility and privilege. Since we have been given this glorious ministry, we need to be faithful in sharing the message of truth with everyone we meet.

Spread the truth today!

Online Church

 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching.” - Hebrews 10:25

Covid-19 altered the normal activities of American citizens for several months. In spite of the fact that Covid still exists, Americans are getting back to normal activities. Ball games are conducted. Concerts are being staged. Citizens are shopping at the mall again. Walmart is full of shoppers. People are traveling once more. The beach is a popular destination again for vacationers. It's good to see Americans getting back to their normal routine.

One thing that changed drastically during Covid-19 was the ministry of the local church. Many churches conducted “online services,” for their congregation. Using social media, churches broadcasted their services for everyone to see and enjoy. Online church became a normal ministry for churches across the land.

Online church continues for many congregations. Although online church has become popular, let me share with you the positive aspects of online church and the problems with online church.

THE POSITIVES

First of all, when it comes to the positive aspects of online church, we must admit that there are several good things that such a platform offers. First of all, it gives churches a marvelous opportunity to minister to dear saints that are unable to physically attend. Some are bedridden and can't attend church. These saints are provided with the blessing of enjoying the hymns and hearing God's Word proclaimed. Whether they are in the hospital, nursing home or restricted to bed at their own home, these believers can worship the Lord from their bed of affliction.

Secondly, there are some who are required to work on Sunday. Firemen, police officers, doctors, nurses and others may be on duty during normal services. Whether they can watch or listen to a church service while it is streaming live or listen to it later, they can still hear God's Word proclaimed, via the internet.

Third, there are unbelievers who may never darken the door of a church otherwise, who may tune into an online service. Perhaps such an experience will lead to their conversion. Paul wrote, “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” Are we using “all means” to reach the lost? Online church may be a powerful way to globally reach unbelievers with the Gospel.

THE PROBLEMS

There are great reasons for churches to conduct online services. I applaud those churches that are using social media to minister to saints and reach the lost with the Gospel. In spite of the positive aspects of online church, there are problems with this ministry.

First of all, it takes social interaction away from our lives. While we can enjoy online fellowship, it isn't the same as in-person fellowship. Our society has become withdrawn from social activities. Of all places, the church should be a place for believers to gather and encourage each other. Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together …” While there can be an element of fellowship with others online, it is not a substitute for in-person fellowship. We are meant to grow through our relationships. This is normal. Seeking fellowship by sitting in front of a computer is not normal. We need to foster healthy, growing relationships. We need social contact with others.

Secondly, the local church is to be a place of public worship. Recently on Facebook, I noticed that someone in California was claiming membership in a church in Tennessee. This person had never visited the church in person and probably never would, yet claimed membership there because of online services. This is not what the Lord has in mind for us. We need to faithfully attend, contribute and participate in a local church. We need to minister to others and be ministered to through a local body of believers. The local church is a place to grow, give and serve. There is much you can't do online. Online church has made it convenient to stay at home. At home you don't have to be committed to anything. With online services, you can watch (if you want) or walk away at any time when something else prompts you to. There are no expectations or responsibilities for those who watch via online church. We need the fellowship, teaching and accountability that a local church affords. Don't be a hypocrite that expects a church to be available for your family's weddings and funerals, yet you never darken its doors otherwise. You need the local church and the local church needs you. Apart from a bedridden situation or work responsibilities, we have no excuse to stay home on Sunday mornings. There is something much better than online church … and that's in-person church.

As you've seen, online services have positive aspects. Online services can be a great ministry to many and should be encouraged. But for most people, it is time to get back in church. Show up this Sunday and continue attending every Sunday.