For the love of money you have left your first love!

For the love of money you have left your first love!

This is what the Lord spoke to me about the Church at large last night when I asked the Lord, where is the Church? Please continue reading so that I may explain.

 If you don’t believe God will move in the midst of a political meet and greet, guess again, two weeks ago, as I attended one such event. He led me to lay hands on and pray for a woman who had relationship issues and a cataract in one of her eyes that prevented her from seeing, by the end of the meeting her eye had cleared enough for her to make out letters and she was excited to go home and tell her family about what God had done for her. The spirit will move where He sees fit.

Over the course of the Last few weeks I have been led into situations where I have found myself fellowshipping with and ministering to groups of men and women who are either elected officials running for re-election or those relatively new to the political arena campaigning to make a change. I have met men and women so passionate about the causes that have been laid on their hearts that they have been willing to drive thousands of miles away to join others and literally stand in front of the guns of bureaucratic oppressors in defense of peaceful families. From every one of these people and candidates I have heard a commonality of conviction, a great love of the Lord, a respect for His Law and a love for this country they know He began. Last night we attended a conference on the Bill of Rights, specifically the second amendment, in which many of these candidates and those from another state were invited to speak. The spirit was present and prevalent as each speaker humbly yet firmly explained their position on the issues and gave God the credit for their strength and perseverance and the glory for their victories. I found myself witnessing something God had told me some time ago.  “The Spirit of Truth is on the rise in this Nation”!

Afterward we spent some time fellowshipping encouraging and ministering. I was greatly encouraged to see the Godly people that were standing up and collectively saying enough is enough and seeking to bring sincere change. There was one man though who really captured my heart. As he heard me speak some scripture and found out that I was a pastor he struck up a conversation with me and began to express some anguish he was experiencing as a result of what he felt he was being pressured to do. You see, his conflict was same sex marriage. He is in a position where he his directly responsible for granting official recognition and enforcing the licensure of such. I listened as he expressed his deep concerns over the new Idaho laws and how he wanted nothing to do with it and how he believed it was contrary to what God would want and he asked for counsel. I simply agreed with Him and revealed that he was already receiving counsel from someone much greater than me. It is written, “We ought to obey God, not Man”.  As he continued to speak, I could tell he felt somewhat alone and his demeanor revealed a man fighting to remain courageous in the midst of this battle. I reminded him of the story of Meshach Shadrach and Abednego encouraged him to remain strong and listen to the Lord and the Lord would honor him. I told him of how God said to me one time, “Moses never had to ask permission from men to do what I asked him to do”. He, like all the rest needed to be lifted up and encouraged. Then he asked a question that pierced straight through me, “Where is the Church”?  as if to say, where is my help, where is my support. I could only respond by saying we are here and our church will be supporting you in any way we can but most powerfully, in prayer. These people are our voices on the front line in many aspects of the battle being waged against evil and they are in sincere need of prayer support.  It is written, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds”.

 I went home that night and tried to sleep but I could not get his concerned face off of my mind and his question kept churning in my spirit. “Where is the Church”? So I prayed throughout the night seeking God and an answer to this question. Father, I asked, where is the Church in all this? and this is what was laid on my spirit.

To the church at large, For the love of money you have left your first love, you draw nigh unto me with your mouth and honor me with your lips but your heart is far from me this is taught by the precepts of men. You hide and pray for this nation but your prayers are hindered because you regard inequity in your heart as you serve other gods in my house. Faithless in fear you take no action and are content in silence and complacency, seduced into a love of worldly things and the praise of men more than the praise of God. Stop being deceived stop portraying your fondness for emotional human energy as my spirit and stop attempting to prostitute my Holy Spirit. You who were once powerful in me have become ineffectual in the world. Faith without works is dead, end your rebellion and Repent!  

The evidence for this is clear. We have had people come in to our church who are obviously oppressed, suffering, lost, hurt and tormented, denying the power of Jesus in their lives, yet carrying baptismal certifications they acquired from somewhere that was completely ineffectual. All around us evil seems to be prevailing in its influence in all aspects of our lives and culture. Just because you refuse to acknowledge this does not mean it is untrue, earnestly contemplate what your families are facing and the influences guiding your children. You will be held responsible for your generations. Stop using end times doctrine to excuse your lack of movement it is sloth and laziness. Church rise up in your absence God is using influences like Hobby stores and Fried chicken food chains to do your work, they aren’t afraid to stand on the principles of God, why are you? Do not concede. God is on the move.  Repent, enough is enough. And because the truth was not delivered gently is no excuse to resist receiving it. We have already begun to see God create circumstances that work to reveal and remove people from church leadership. Soon there will be many Church leaders who, like Saul, are forever tormented in their spirit, because they simply would not obey what the Lord asked of them to, and opportunity to walk in His will and majesty passed them by.  It is not too late. It is written,

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”