Standing in the Gap

”I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!” Ezekiel 22:30-31

God is looking today for someone in the church to rebuild the "wall of righteousness that guards the land". It is the righteousness of His people that keeps our nation from destruction. Do we fully comprehend this? There is a gaping hole in the wall of protection--the church is not doing its job! God looks to His people to stand in the gap for our nation. Are we living blameless lives so that others can see His goodness? Are we praying in desperation for a country that is sick and corrupted, or do we think that is someone else's job? Worse yet, do we think the patient's condition is hopeless? God is looking for just one person to stand in the gap for our country. What if no one answers that call? Will our nation be destroyed for lack of just one intercessor?

A Hard Message

“The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions.” Ezekiel 2:4-6

The messages that God gave prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel were not popular with kings or common people. No one wanted to hear what God really thought of them, but they spoke anyway. Because of his faithfulness to God, Jeremiah was imprisoned numerous times and even thrown into a cistern and left to die.

Aren’t we just like the stubborn and rebellious people of Israel? We don’t like it when we hear a message that brings real conviction—that requires us to stop doing what we’re doing and turn back to God. It will take real courage to be God’s spokesperson in this world today—the message will offend most. But God says the message must be delivered and, whether they listen or not, they will know that God has spoken.

Where Is Jeremiah?

“You must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and protect you.” Jeremiah 1:7-8

In the Old Testament, God often used His prophets to confront the nation of Israel with their sins. As I think about the Church, I know that God is not pleased with His people. There is little difference between the Church and the world. We no longer value marriage as a lifelong covenant, unborn children are not protected, we love money more than we love God, we are proud and refuse to forgive. And that’s the short list. 1Peter 2:11-12 says, “I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.”

My question is this: “Where is our Jeremiah?" I am praying that God will raise up at least one prophet in every nation that will speak for God. The sins of God’s people today are no less than those in the days of Jeremiah. Does God not see or care? Does He not speak today? Is there no one listening for His voice? Or if they hear His voice, are they not willing to speak out for Him?

 

The Holy Club

“But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’” 1Peter 1:15,16

In the year 1729, John and Charles Wesley, along with a handful of other Oxford students, formed a group which was known mockingly as “The Holy Club”. The members were devoted to holiness and serving others—many of them were used by God in significant ways. These are 22 questions the members of John Wesley's Holy Club asked each day in their private devotions. As we ask God to search us each day, why not ask ourselves the same questions?

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I'm better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass on what was told to me in confidence?

4. Can I be trusted?

5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying or self justifying?

7. Did the Bible live in me today?

8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?

9. Am I enjoying prayer?

10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

17. How do I spend my spare time?

18. Am I proud?

19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees ......who despised the publican?

20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what I am doing about it?

21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

22. Is Christ real to me?

 

Search Me

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139:23,24)

Psalm 139 tells us that God already knows everything about us—our thoughts, our actions, our speech. There is nowhere we can go to escape His presence, nothing in our lives that we can hide from Him. We come to Him humbly—He is the God of the universe and we are His servants. We can begin our prayer each day with verses 23 and 24 of Psalm 139, which is quoted above. Once we have asked God to search us, we need to be still and listen to what He has to say. How often do we ask God to show us something but don’t pause to be quiet before Him so that He can respond? When God shows us what is in our heart, we need to act on it. It’s not enough to just be sorry for our sin, we must turn from it and go in the opposite direction. Obey whatever He shows you, ask forgiveness if you have offended someone, make things right with God and man.

 

Can God Wake the Dead?

“The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley: it was full of bones.  He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.  He asked me, Son of man, can these bones live?”  Ezekiel 37:1-3

The churches of America are full of dry bones—people that are spiritually dead.  The bones are very dry—they have been dead for a long time.  But God is able to make them live again.  Verse 5 says, “This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones:  I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.  I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life.  Then you will know that I am the LORD.”   

It’s easy to look at others and think that they need to be revived.  The first question we must ask is “Am I dead or alive in Christ?  Am I just going through the motions or is Jesus actively living His life through me?  It all goes back to Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God…”  

The Wake Up Mission

"And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed."  Romans 13:11 (NIV)

Is there any sense of urgency in your church today? Do people you know recognize the signs of the times? Do they believe that Jesus could return at any moment? Is there concern that lost friends and family may be left behind to experience the horrors of the tribulation?  If you are like me, the answer to those questions, for the most part,  is "no". 

The church is asleep and does not want to be disturbed. We are happily pretending that things in our world are not at a crisis point--that it's okay to hit the snooze button. The early church believed Jesus could return at any time, but, since over 2,000 years has passed, we're not so sure about that. I believe the signs overwhelmingly point to the fact that Jesus could return today--will His Bride be ready? Will she be dressed in fine linen or in her sweats?

Many in our churches are living lives compromised by sin. Some love the world and the things of the world more than they love Christ. Others think they are going to heaven based on their knowledge of God and their good works. Some will be very surprised when Jesus says, "I never knew you". Millions of people don't know Jesus and don't want to know Him because the Christians around them are nothing special--in fact, they are downright offensive. It's not a pretty picture.

Time is running out. We are closer to eternity than ever before. The signs of Christ's return are everywhere. It's time for the Bride of Christ to wake up.