SO, REPENTANCE: In the Old Testament:
So on page 53 there is a 'focus number 4'. One, two, and three were all melded into the last post...sort of :D SO, focus four: Repentance and Religious Leaders.
While most of my readers are probably not prophets or preachers { xD } it's important to hear this part of Repentance too. Because being a part of the church is part of our role as Christians. We have to submit, respect, and pray for our elders, pastors, etc. And so, I believe it is important to know about this part of Repentance. The section begins like this: All sin is an abomination in God's sight, but the sins of prophets and priests are singled out for particular denouncing, especially the sins of false prophets. So first of all, preachers of God have a great responsibility. THEY ARE SINGLED out he said.
30 “An appalling and horrible thing
Has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule [a]on their own authority;
And My people love it so!
But what will you do at the end of it?----Jeremiah 5: 30-31
Has happened in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule [a]on their own authority;
And My people love it so!
But what will you do at the end of it?----Jeremiah 5: 30-31
This verse caught my attention immediately. In his book, Mr. Roberts gives a longer version of this, starting at verse 26, but notice here these last TWO verses. THIS must be noted. While Jeremiah was talking about preachers of his day, I believe he was also talking about the FUTURE preachers. The verse begins with two big words: APPALLING and HORRIBLE. These are serious words, and we have to take them seriously. I'm not going to give the definitions, because I'm sure you can imagine them. Prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so! I believe he is talking about today, guys. And THAT is a scary thought. I have heard many holy men say that there are more preachers not saved, then SAVED! Is that true? Do you believe it? Unfortunately that issue is for you to find out. Think about it though. In the book God said, 'And My people LOVE it so! This also means that MANY of us are blinded! WE LOVE that our preachers aren't preaching God's messages, we don't even realize it!!!!!! WE BEGAN LOVING IT. You know why? Because we were born IN sin. But can we unlove this? Can we LEARN to love the TRUE word of God? The last part just gives me chills because it's BEAUTIFUL. But what will you do at the end of it? BUT WHAT will YOU do at the end of it? And notice: at the end. I believe these are end times. Whether they are the end times in Revelation, or whether they are just END TIMES. God said he was coming soon. "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" If the kingdom of God was at hand 2000 years ago, what is it now? ITS SOON. AND we must BE READY FOR IT. So I ask, what are we going to do at the end? Are we going to listen to what we want to hear, or what God's telling us? Are our preachers doing their job? WHAT CAN WE DO? REPENT, and BE FORGIVEN. Repent! REPENT. Listen to GOD. We're not preachers, no, but we can PLEAD with GOD that He will listen to our prayers. THAT OUR PREACHERS will Repent. Preachers take on the burden of preaching God's word, and they need our prayers. ALL PREACHERS have to Repent. Are our preachers REPENTING? Any prophet, priest, or preacher who claims to speak for God and says little of nothing about repentance in these DESPERATELY WICKED DAYS is certainly no spokesmen for God, nor ought he to be trusted in other matters. This just reveals urgency. URGENCY. That's what I love about this Book. It captures the urgency. And so the last part is this. The book says: Consider how extensively these ancient problem are found in today's church:
1. Men and women who claim to be servants of the Lord knowingly live in iniquity themselves. Some pretend Repentance, but many are indifferent to their own sins.
2. Hypocrites in religious robes watch like the fowlers to catch others in their nets of iniquity in order that they may grow richer and richer at the expense of God's people.
3. Prophets claim to speak for God and yet He has not sent them nor given them anything to say. Many of them are so spiritually ignorant that they believe their own lies.
4. False prophets give messages that are exactly opposite of the truth: they cry "peace, peace," but sudden destruction comes; they marshal their followers and rush ahead where angels fear to tread when it is time to be still and known that God is the Lord.
5. Wicked leaders in churches regularly strengthen the hands of evildoers and discourage the righteous.
This post took me longer than I expected, so we'll continue in chapter two at the next post. BUT REALLY, this matter is SO URGENT. We need to hear GOD'S WORD today. The world NEEDS to hear GOD'S WORD today. And if we aren't hearing it in Church, how can others hear it? HOW can WE reach OUT TO THE WORLD, if we don't even have it right in the CHURCH?? The CHURCH is crucial. MORE CRUCIAL than we understand. BUT IT IS FALLEN. Today, the church is fallen. SO, we must rebuild the CHURCH. BUT WHAT is the first step? REPENTANCE. Repent personally, Repent for the preachers, Repent for the Church, Repent for the NATION. We're all apart of the fallen Church. WE ALL have to repent. We must lift our preachers up through prayer and lay them at God's FEET. We must PRAY, until GOD hears, or until we DIE in the pursuit. PRAY the rest of your lives that the WORLD will hear REPENTANCE. It starts with God. It starts with you. It starts with the Church. Then it goes to the WORLD.
SO we must not only Repent of our sins, but PRAY for Repentance. Let God hear us today. Let him hear our desperate cries and pleas for him to give Repentance. Yes. We must be given Repentance. So PRAY. Praying is heard more than you think.
Repent, PRAY, and BE FORGIVEN.
{Hope your day is awesome}
And may everything you do be for His Glory}
~Hannah
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