Joel 2:26-27
October 27th, 2006 by Stephen
“And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
“And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.”
Joel 2:26,27
I have said before that I am ashamed of the present day church. I am ashamed of the apathy which characterises such a large part of the church of Christ. I am ashamed of the fact that churches of all denominations are allowing unbelievers to take positions of authority. I am ashamed of the uncertain call of the trumpet which is heard when one group propounds liberal doctrine and another evangelical doctrine, both under the same umbrella of the Church.
I am ashamed of the lack of spirituality in God’s people. The lack of morality in His leadership. I am ashamed because we believe ourselves to be rich in God’s blessing when in fact we are poor and blind and naked.
I am ashamed that we can allow people to speak for so called “living christianity” and for “born again Christians”, when their letters contain such drivel as the following excerpt:
“As God’s servant”, writes a minister who wrote to me prior to holding a National Charismatic conference in London, “I can tell you that if you will obey God and prove him by giving me your sacrificial offering (an offering you cannot afford) then God will bless you financially”
This statement sums up his whole letter and every letter I ever received from this man. Here is a man who is twisting scripture (Malachi 3 talks of proving God by bring the whole tithe to the storehouse, i.e. the Church), telling us if we do not give to his “ministry” we are disobeying God, and blatantly preaching a “prosperity gospel” (If you obey God then he will reward you financially).
TELL THAT TO SAINT PAUL!
Tell that to Mueller, to Howell Harries, to Whitefield and Wesley.
Tell that to C.T.Studd, to Duncan Campell, to Evan Roberts.
In the cold light of history which of these will stand out as men of God? These named above or the servant of Mammon who wrote the quoted letter?
I am ashamed of the church today. I am ashamed that several mainstream denominations and interdenominational organisations have aligned themselves with this man in his forthcoming conference. I am ashamed at the lack of vital, living biblical Christianity in the church.
And I do not think only of the Charismatics. I am ashamed of the dead formalism in so much of the church of today. I am ashamed of a dead orthodoxy which has the words of life but the smell of death.
I long for the day when I will no longer be ashamed. I long for the day when God will again be in the midst of his spiritual Israel, his Church. On that day we will not be ashamed.
When the LORD our God is in our midst, then all of which I am ashamed will pass away. Personalities of men will fade away and Christians will be seeking to glorify God. Prayer meetings will be packed and people who may now look at their watches in church wishing they were somewhere else will no longer be aware of their watches at all. They will be lost in the wonder and the love of Almighty God.
In times past, in times of revival, prayer meetings have continued through the night and into the morning. In the 1904 Welsh revival miners in the pits of south Wales were holding prayer meetings in the pits themselves.
Is there any doubt that when God is with us there will be great rejoicing? Our churches will be full and the worries of the present age (falling congregations and lack of funds) will disappear as we once again learn that God will provide for us.
What of the world, too? When they see today’s sickly Church, are they not turned away? But when our God is in our midst how will they resist coming to him?
Lord, come quicky.
