What Do You Fear Most?

Let’s face it; we are all afraid of something in this life whether or not we will be brave enough to admit it is another matter. But, I feel that the thing we all need to fear the most is the very thing that has power over our eternal soul. I will admit I am afraid of what a tornado can do and I have seen firsthand just what a hurricane can do to my home town. There are some that are most fearful of small enclosures and there are some that are afraid of bugs and snakes, something I would stay away from myself.

I heard just yesterday that a church in our town had one day of Vacation Bible School on a Saturday afternoon and the events following had been posted on Facebook by one of the participants of that church. I can remember the days that Vacation Bible School lasted for two maybe sometimes up to three weeks out of the school summer vacation. What is with that? It isn’t because there is a lack of children for that particular church has a plethora of children of all ages. I feel the lack of this group of people exhibits the loss of zeal and loss of compassion for the youth of the area. I also feel this particular church exemplifies that general consensus of the entire church community of America. Believe me when I say this, if the church as a whole cannot take the necessary time and effort to accommodate our children, then the world at large will most assuredly step in and take our children from us. To me, Vacation Bible School was the zenith of the entire year of evangelism of the community.

My number one fear is that I have taken notice of the callousness, coldness, and the cavalier attitude the church has allowed assimilating everyone including the pastor and assistant pastor of that particular church. Let it be known, God is going to ask for an account of this blatant disregard of the nation’s youth and pastors of the local assemblies with be the first to suffer at the hand of God. I look at it like this, if God is gracious enough to send a lot of children to be ministered to, it would be well with the pastor and church to put forth every effort to accommodate the youth. We have to remember one important thing when dealing with Almighty God; our works will be judged. If that alone isn’t enough to put the fear of God in our lives, then we as a church are callous and cavalier to the estate of men’s eternal souls.

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Revelation 14:13

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Revelation 20:12

Whether or not we like it is irrelevant because it is Almighty God alone that will be the judge of our works here on earth. I fear we will have the time and leisure to look back at our opportunities and efforts and will discover they will come up wanting. God is gracious and full of mercy for right now, but take heed the day will come that all efforts and opportunities will be gone and never to return. What we have right now is a window of opportunity staring us right in the face and we are just standing there looking out that window and day dreaming about ourselves. Yes, the church as a whole has become ineffective in every community across America today. This evidence shows up everywhere one might look. For instance, are the Blue Laws still in effect that once governed the community’s activities on Sunday? Are stores and shopping centers closed on Sunday to observe that sacred day that the Church sanctioned as a HOLY DAY? Is the LORD of the SABBOTH, JESUS CHRIST going to be pleased that the entire church doesn’t even observe the Sabbath Day of Genesis 2:2? Yes, I fear we as a church will have a lot to answer for in our lifetime and we will come up wanting. Just how much of our works on earth will withstand God’s refining fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ?

Let us be honest with ourselves, we are most miserable in our sins yet refuse to repent for all of our short comings before a Holy God. Therefore, the church as a whole is rendered ineffective, cold, and indifferent to society. I am afraid I have lived to see that this is the day of the Laodicean church of Revelation.

“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodicean’s write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:…” Revelation 3:14-17

Again, let us face the truth of matters. The home is in shambles as a whole. There is no fear of Almighty God as a whole. So goes the church as a whole. So goes the nation as whole. As I see it, there is only one remedy to be had as a whole. It is most imperative that all born-again Christian’s fall on their face before a Holy and Righteous God and repent and ask for forgiveness of sin that is standing in the way of the church as a whole. Yes, Christian’s today are callous, unforgiving, jaded, arrogant, and prideful in their sin before our Holy God Jehovah. It seems no one is willing to give up anything of this world and come clean before God Almighty. I have to account for one person and one person only, me. But, as an evangelist and man of God, the LORD God Almighty has charged me and expects me to be a watchman on the wall for the Church. So, I am watching and I for sure am ashamed of what I see. We will answer to our LORD for this and much more if we don’t see the need to stop where we are and turn around to face our GOD. Let’s face it, we are all in this thing together and when the entire church goes down it will take every single one of us with it. We have an opportunity right in front of us to do something about it. God has given us another chance to redeem ourselves from sin and spiritual suicide. We must see the hand writing on the wall. The extravagant storms and tornadoes wiping out entire communities cropping up all over the nation should be a wakeup call. But I fear God’s handiworks with nature is falling on blind eyes and deft ears. Be warned Church, our time is running out and God will recon with His own. We have within our grasp to turn the tide and save ourselves from an angry God Jehovah. The sins of this nation have filled the Cup of Wrath to the brim and God will in turn pour out His fury on America. Just like God did with the nation of Israel. When Israel went into captivity, everyone went including the pastors, preachers, evangelists, and prophets of their time. We are no different in our time. Remember one thing about God, he is no respecter of persons and when it comes down from Heaven in the form of hail stones the size of cars, we all will be faced with it.

I fear this warning will go unheeded and many will turn a blind eye and a deft ear to this message, but none the less, it was delivered and God will judge accordingly. My prayer is that God have mercy on us all if we do not heed His gracious and righteous opportunity that once again we have been warned of. One day God’s mercy will come to a halt and we will be wondering why we are going through these terrible times. It will pay us to remember we brought it all upon ourselves and refused to do anything about it. Be sure of one thing, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a Righteous God without warning. Just recently the people of Joplin, Missouri found this out to be a sure thing. It can happen anytime and anywhere without warning. Remember, God is no respecter of persons and when judgment comes and it will come, it comes on us all together.

“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” I Peter 2:12

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