indifference to Revival -- part 2

Thirteen (13) kids every day ~ 5,000 per year, die on the street!  The actual number is probably much higher.  In searching for images for this post, I found so many pictures of homeless children and families, which pictures were so heart-wrenching I could not bear to display them here.  It has recently been reported that an estimated 2,500,000 kids are homeless in America!  Oh! what suffering is already here in America!  And what far deeper suffering is yet to come!  It calls to my mind the Scripture in Amos 5:18, which declares: "Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light."  But what does the issue of homeless kids have anything to do with God's judgment on America?  The answer to that question can be found buried beneath the ashes of ancient Sodom....

Of course God destroyed Sodom because of rampant homosexuality, which characterized that wicked city.  But in the book of Ezekiel we are told of some other reasons why God destroyed Sodom:

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.  And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good."  (Ezekiel 16:49-50).

Pride, fulness of bread, abundance of idleness: that sounds to me like much of contemporary American society.  Whereas it used to be the case in America that churches and caring neighbors provided most of the help which impoverished and otherwise needy people received.  Today, however, those channels of mercy have largely dried up due to numerous government programs which, in addition to helping some truly needy persons, those programs have become powerful disincentives to work--which has created a veritable generation of government-dependents.  In the process of the government's takeover of a comprehensive range of charitable services, many who might otherwise be inclined to give to the poor have been conditioned to believe that the government is essentially providing for all who may be in need of any kind.  In a very real measure, indifference toward the poor has resulted from America's longstanding experiment with Socialism.  

But such indifference is much deeper-rooted even than that.  In truth, indifference to human suffering is actually caused by indifference to Christ.  So, what we are really looking at in this essay, is not the cause but, rather, a symptom of indifference to Revival.  Which is to say, that the pervasiveness, in American society, of indifference to human suffering, is prima facie evidence of widespread indifference to Revival.  If churchgoers really were hungry for Revival, then their love toward Christ would, by extension, also be demonstrated in compassion toward the poor and needy.  

Oh! how it grieves and angers God, that so many professing Christians in America continue to support, in various ways, churches which have little or no commitment to provide for the material as well as for the spiritual needs of their own, respective members--much less do those churches exhibit any substantive care for the needy among their communities in which those churches are located.  While multi-million dollar church facilities sit empty the greater part of the time, and whilst the pastors of such large churches typically receive very substantial compensation; yet, in most cases, very little of the vast sums of money which is taken in, notably, by larger churches, ever finds its way back, in the context of funded programs, into those same communities which support those churches.  All of which is to say, that such churches--that is, their members as well as their leaders--are greatly deceived, supposing themselves to be doing God service.  

I do not intend this as a rant against worldly churches.  But I am seeking for Heaven-sent Revival.  And it seems painfully obvious to me, that it is hopeless to expect Revival to arise from dead churches.  To be sure, Revival--by definition--bespeaks divine grace which is effectual to renew and revitalize otherwise lackadaisical professors of Christianity.  But though Revival may be brought unto such Christians, yet Revival cannot begin with them.

Nor is it true that God arbitrarily (God's sovereignty does not mean that God acts arbitrarily) dispenses extraordinary grace--as in a move of His Spirit working "Revival".  For, the invitation of the Holy Ghost, in Scripture, is thus stated, in Hebrews 4:16: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  That verse of Scripture--and more also--tells us that there is something WE must first do, in order to experience an outpouring of God's Spirit in Revival.  Anyone who has seriously studied Revivals in history, will agree that every Revival must begin with earnest desire for Revival, expressed to God in prayer.  Lukewarm, indifferent souls are not motivated to such heart-searching and pleading with God for the cause of Jesus Christ.

"Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance" (Psalm 2:8).  Who on earth wants the "heathen" for their "inheritance"?  Only those who love Christ and who therefore love souls, for Christ's sake, will understand and appreciate the meaning of that great promise of God.  

Indifference to Revival is precisely why such dreadful Apostasy continues unabated in America!  Indifference to Revival is why America's backslidden churches are becoming increasingly hostile to true Christianity!  What value is there, after all, in nominal Christianity?  What is to be desired in a dead corpse of mere religious form?  Who should be expected to esteem any brand of 'Christianity' which is powerless to give peace, joy, hope--indeed, which is powerless to give life?  We ourselves ought to utterly despise such impostures of Christ!  The difference, however, between true Christians and apostates, is, that true Christians reject everything that is false--especially, imitations of Christianity; whereas, apostates (blinded by their own sin) are without the ability to discern between the true and the false--so, they are led further astray from true Christianity, by those same evil spirits which seduce them, until they find themselves more and more hating Christ.

There appears to be very little time remaining, wherein the consuming fire of a Holy Ghost Revival may--first, be received, and then ministered to others, namely, to: 1) those who, though they are 'believers' in Christ, yet, they have become complacent, by reason of their habituating spiritually dead churches; and, 2) those, everywhere, who know not Christ as Savior and Lord.  (In truth, there is really not much difference between those two groups, both of which consist of people who are comparatively blind to the reality of Christ.)

Indifference to Revival is deadly--immeasurably so.  Indifference to Revival leaves us without excuse before God.  For, God has provided all that is needed for Revival.  In and through Christ Jesus, God has provided us, firstly, with His Word, which instructs us in righteousness and equips us for spiritual battle.  Secondly, God has given us the privilege of prayer and, through prayer, access unto God's throne of grace.  When we will avail ourselves of that high honor and privilege, we may then be able to "obtain mercy" as well as "find grace to help" in OUR time of need.  Moreover, God has also provided us with the divine power of the Holy Ghost, "whom God hath given to them that obey him" (Acts 5:32).  And not least, God has provided Jesus Christ, to lead and to guide, and who himself "ever liveth to make intercession for [us]", according to the will of God (Hebrews 7:25).  The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are thus in full agreement with those who will come to God for Revival.

The hour is very late, indeed.  But it may not yet be too late.  Only God knows.  Nevertheless, the promise of Christ's blessing--and of deliverance--is to those who, well, I'll just let Jesus speak for himself:

Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.  Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.   (Luke 12:42-7).