18/03/12

Looking at the state of our Church

Haggai 2:3 - Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?


In today's message the Lord is talking to all those who are really concern about His Kingdom, people who are depressed looking at the functioning of the Church today.

When we read about the early Church in the book of Acts and read about their faith and fellowship of those people with God and with each other, it looks far from what we see happening in our churches.

People have made churches into clubs and these churches have only two purposes one to entertain people and other to prosper worldly. Each Church leader is concern about his church membership growing and the money keeps pouring in the kitty. The functions, teaching sessions and topics taken at these sessions conducted not as per the spiritual needs of the congregation but according to the popularity of the subject to attract participation of the members. The Gospel is no longer the complete Gospel of the Lord but half eaten Gospel or a twisted gospel that is of the world.

Even if we are seeing more people coming to Christ, more Christians are participating at Church and more evangelization happening everywhere, yet when we see the spiritual health of these people as very sad and pitiful. There may be increase in quantity but not in quality. The basics of Christianity and its purpose are not understood and missing among its followers.

All those especially who came out from the false church and have come out of the deceit which had engulfed them and are crying out to the Lord when they see the state of the Church of God also not good; to them the Lord is saying be patient. He is telling them very soon He is going to do something amazing which will make the world wonder and stand in awe of the Truth.

The Lord is saying once more He is going to shake the world not like He did during the times of Noah which caused the great flood but this time He is going to shake all levels of creation that is the natural, the spiritual and the cosmic (understandings of the world).

The Lord has told us before He is the strong man of His House. The world, its sinful ways and death tried to bind Him before but He broke them and showed us that He is beyond their powers. He was bound temporarily for a period of 2 and half days, so also His House was allowed to be led astray for a period. Now the time has come for the world to see His glory fill the His House and know He alone is Lord.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, the people are suffering because they do not know You. They believe in You and are living in your grace but are far from living in your authority as your sons. They lack all because they do not know You have already provided, the corrupt understandings of this world blinds their eyes. Lord, we thank You for your words of encouragement that You give us today. We know Lord when You have spoken it, it has to come to past and we rejoice even at these depressing times because You will surely bring your Word to fulfilment...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Haggai 2:1-7
1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,
2 Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,
3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?
4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:
5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)