We have been in the book of Nehemiah for the last several weeks on Wednesday night. The more I study that blessed portion of Scripture the more I see a distinct parallel to the day in which we live. Nehemiah was called of God to return to Jerusalem from Persia to lead the efforts in rebuilding the walls that had been torn down. Clearly you will have to admit that there are many walls (spiritual walls) in our day that stand in great need of repair.
The folks at Fellowship who read my blog may grow tired of this message, but God is doing a work in my heart as I study Nehemiah. Last night we began to deal with the survey that Nehemiah made in Chapter 2, verses 11 through 20. This was a crucial step in the rebuilding process. Nehemiah had to survey the damage; it was absolutley necessary. He also had to perform an accurate inspection. He didn't need a biased or political assessment of the damage. He needed to know exactly what he was facing.
There are few in our day who are willing to open their eyes and view the damage. Many of those who might venture into taking a quick glance are of the opinion that things really aren't that bad. I hear all the time that the times are changing; that is just the way life is these days. To that I will agree whole heartily. The times have definitely changed. Just to be honest, we are in a mess! The danger is found in the lack of concern for the needs of our day. We are the church. We are the current generation of believers. In essence, the buck stops here. If we fail to stand and seek the Lord for revival, this world will just continue to deteroriate at the break-neck speed it has been on for years. If the church doesn't wake out of sleep and open her eyes to the current situation, we will soon find ourselves in an unbearable situation. (In all reality that is probably what it will take to see real revival. We have been lulled to sleep by our own complacency. God may send persecution and adversity to wake us from our sleep.)
As I thought of our current situation I began to look within the pages of God's Word and found some interesting verses. This is not the first generation or society to reject God. The reason that Nehemiah was sent to rebuild the damage of a ravaged city was sin. The people of God rejected Him to the point of judgment. Consider these verses.
Jeremiah 6:15
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 8:12
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.
Did you notice the similarity in those verses? They are almost word for word the same. If God says something once we need to pay attention, but if He says it twice, we really need to heed His Word! Does that not sound like the society in which we live? There is no shame or remorse for sin in our day. Most, if not the vast majority, have cast aside the standards of God. His Word assures us that He will visit those that continue in their sin. This will not be a casual visit, but a visitation of judgment. Consider what Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 15:8
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Matthew 15:14
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Are there any similarities there? We live in an age where people want to use Christ for their advantage and will speak of Him in a setting that is beneficial, but their hearts are far from Him. Our nation is being led by those who are blind to the things of God and many who fall into that same category are more than willing to follow. We have a nation of the blind leading the blind. The sad part is that both will end up in the ditch. I think of the old saying: "There is no man so blind as he who will not see." Are we willing to open our eyes to the truth and be honest about what we see? It is time for the people of God to refuse to follow this path of apathy and out right ungodliness and seek His direction and His ways.
I want to close these thoughts with the words of the Apostle Paul.
2 Tim. 3:1-5
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
I don't know of a passage of Scripture that defines our day better than this one. We are in the midst of the perilous times that Paul spoke of. Much of what is being offered by the modern church is nothing more than a form of godliness. There is no conviction or power in the average Baptist church any more. When this corruption invades the church, and in many instances it has, we can rest assured that we have entered these perilous last days. How long are we going to pretend that all is well? How long are we going to wait to rise and be heard? Our children ought to mean more to us than that! It is past time that we open our eyes to the truth and seek God in repentance. America has not gone to far for revival, but it will only come through the church. America will not change for the better until the church seeks God in revival and determines to set His house in order first! The question is whether we will submit to Him and seek revival. If this generation does not see real revival, I shudder to think what waits for the coming generation.
Preacher Chris
The folks at Fellowship who read my blog may grow tired of this message, but God is doing a work in my heart as I study Nehemiah. Last night we began to deal with the survey that Nehemiah made in Chapter 2, verses 11 through 20. This was a crucial step in the rebuilding process. Nehemiah had to survey the damage; it was absolutley necessary. He also had to perform an accurate inspection. He didn't need a biased or political assessment of the damage. He needed to know exactly what he was facing.
There are few in our day who are willing to open their eyes and view the damage. Many of those who might venture into taking a quick glance are of the opinion that things really aren't that bad. I hear all the time that the times are changing; that is just the way life is these days. To that I will agree whole heartily. The times have definitely changed. Just to be honest, we are in a mess! The danger is found in the lack of concern for the needs of our day. We are the church. We are the current generation of believers. In essence, the buck stops here. If we fail to stand and seek the Lord for revival, this world will just continue to deteroriate at the break-neck speed it has been on for years. If the church doesn't wake out of sleep and open her eyes to the current situation, we will soon find ourselves in an unbearable situation. (In all reality that is probably what it will take to see real revival. We have been lulled to sleep by our own complacency. God may send persecution and adversity to wake us from our sleep.)
As I thought of our current situation I began to look within the pages of God's Word and found some interesting verses. This is not the first generation or society to reject God. The reason that Nehemiah was sent to rebuild the damage of a ravaged city was sin. The people of God rejected Him to the point of judgment. Consider these verses.
Jeremiah 6:15
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 8:12
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.
Did you notice the similarity in those verses? They are almost word for word the same. If God says something once we need to pay attention, but if He says it twice, we really need to heed His Word! Does that not sound like the society in which we live? There is no shame or remorse for sin in our day. Most, if not the vast majority, have cast aside the standards of God. His Word assures us that He will visit those that continue in their sin. This will not be a casual visit, but a visitation of judgment. Consider what Jesus said in the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 15:8
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Matthew 15:14
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Are there any similarities there? We live in an age where people want to use Christ for their advantage and will speak of Him in a setting that is beneficial, but their hearts are far from Him. Our nation is being led by those who are blind to the things of God and many who fall into that same category are more than willing to follow. We have a nation of the blind leading the blind. The sad part is that both will end up in the ditch. I think of the old saying: "There is no man so blind as he who will not see." Are we willing to open our eyes to the truth and be honest about what we see? It is time for the people of God to refuse to follow this path of apathy and out right ungodliness and seek His direction and His ways.
I want to close these thoughts with the words of the Apostle Paul.
2 Tim. 3:1-5
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
I don't know of a passage of Scripture that defines our day better than this one. We are in the midst of the perilous times that Paul spoke of. Much of what is being offered by the modern church is nothing more than a form of godliness. There is no conviction or power in the average Baptist church any more. When this corruption invades the church, and in many instances it has, we can rest assured that we have entered these perilous last days. How long are we going to pretend that all is well? How long are we going to wait to rise and be heard? Our children ought to mean more to us than that! It is past time that we open our eyes to the truth and seek God in repentance. America has not gone to far for revival, but it will only come through the church. America will not change for the better until the church seeks God in revival and determines to set His house in order first! The question is whether we will submit to Him and seek revival. If this generation does not see real revival, I shudder to think what waits for the coming generation.
Preacher Chris
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