My
Prayer Requests in 2013
I
would, if you permit me, like to take a moment and this post to share with you
what is on my heart and what my prayer will consist of during 2013. At least
for as much of 2013 that God tarries and allows us to participate.
I believe
that the gift of a “prophet” has been “lost” or programmed out of the local
church today. I do not mean “prophet” in the sense of one who receives direct
revelation from God and foretells future events.
Whether
you agree or not, my position is that revelation closed with the last words God
spoke through His Spirit to the Apostle John on the Island of Patmos. I do not believe that any man or woman
today receives direct revelation from God.
For
the record, I do not wish to discuss or defend that position in or with this
post. My comment goes to the fact that the prophet also was able with keen
discernment to identify sin, error, and heresy within the local church. I do not
claim to be a prophet nor the son of a prophet. A prophet was usually despised, unwelcomed, and disliked. Very few (only the wise according to Proverbs) like to have their faults, errors, or sins made known. More and more I am falling into the group of persona non grata. Is it because of "prophet-like" discernment? I believe my spiritual gift is “teaching.”
However, as I exercise discernment (Hebrews 5:14) and examine the local church
of today, I discern the following troubles:
- Evangelicalism
has become hopelessly contaminated and diluted with self-appreciating humanism.
- The
local church has lost her moorings and has drifted into sensualistic “feel-good-ism”
and has little or no impact on the paganistic unconverted.
- The
great commission has been replaced with hedonistic self-indulgence.
- The
local church has lost the sense of who and what she is resulting in confusion, disillusion,
and indifference.
- The
gospel has been “redefined” and has been reduced to a simple catch phrase of “try
God” or “Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.”
- The
element of repentance, mourning, and shame for sin has been removed from the
gospel message for a message of a gospel of hedonistic love.
- Doctrine
is despised as something that is divisive rather than to be cherished and held
to as the foundation of salvation and sanctification.
- “Unity”
is prized more than purity. God’s glorious and majestic character is maligned
in order to satisfy the “can’t we all get along” mantra of today’s
neo-evangelicalism. I actually read the following quote this past week; “why can't we agree on Love and then let
everything else just be a secondary issue?”
My
prayer for 2013 is very simple. I encourage you to think about including these
specific requests in your prayer closet this coming year. May God be moved by
truly repentant hearts and prayer and engineer cleansing in his “local church.”
…that
evangelicalism is moved towards a stronger biblical/doctrinal position
…
that the church’s greatest need, a true revival, a recovering of biblical
truths associated with the doctrines of grace be granted by a merciful and
relenting God
…
that a visitation of God through His Holy Spirit be experienced by His local
church thereby displacing organizational programs
…
that believers begin thinking of salvation in terms of the Holy Trinity and not
in terms of hedonistic self-indulgence of themselves
…
that the church would come to understand, practice, and preach the fundamental
basis of the Christian life as found and delineated in Romans 6
…
that the church would cease operating as if were Six Flags over Jesus and
become the organism God intended for the evangelization of this world
…
that sin would be once again be recognized as a hideous enemy that resulted in
the full wrath of God hurled at His only begotten Son rather than as something
almost inconsequential and to be tolerated
Praise God for the "exceptions that prove the rule." Thank God there are those pitifully few local churches that remain pure, true, and faithful to their Lord and Master and speak the truth in love. May God allow me to become associated with one of these rapidly growing minorities this coming year. If you know of a little group of believers huddling together someone who are waiting for someone to come and preach and teach without fear the truths of God's holy word, let me know. Have bible will travel.
