Revival or else
In the book of Revelations we read Jesus speaking to the church Ephesus,
"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place" Revelations 2:4,5.
In his book "Essentials in Christian Faith" John B. Harrington, published in 1958, there is a quote that could have been written yesterday.
It's from Paul Gallico in Esquire Magazine in 1948:
"A writer in a popular magazine has written the following words; 'We are all, if you will pardon the expression, Headed for Hell in a handbarrow. If, ever the people of the world stood in need of a spiritual revival, it is now. We are beginning to poison the face of the earth with our miserable presence. The brakes are off. The cart of the world is sliding down the way greased with hatred, ambition, lies, self-seeking and avarice toward the pit.'"
Harrington notes that Gallico makes no pretense of being "a religious man" noting that "...for him it is precisely religion in its organized forms which has in part caused the situation he deplores. He is careful to state that it is not "religion" for which he is looking. For in his opinion, religion throughout the history of our culture has advanced its control over human beings by the investment of bigotry and persecution.
Yet, out of despair over the current human situation he says; ‘The voice for which my heavy spirit is yearning must reach us all... For if it is not heard, we are lost. Something beyond our material enrichment and lust for power and position, some rewards founded on good will, selflessness, and the innate dignity of the human spirit...honour, humility, decency courage."
What Paul Gallico wanted in 1948 and what the people of the world are looking for in 2020 are what Christ offers. Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.
Sadly however the Church here in North America has become ‘religious’. It as the apostle Paul predicted when he wrote,
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."2 Timothy 3:1-4.
If ever there was a time in the history of the church here in North America to repent it is now. For the church in its current state has lost the moral high ground. People know more about what the church is against than what it is for.
The message of Gods love, mercy and understanding is lost in the cacophony of preachers, evangelist and others claiming to be Christian who spend more time condemning others than showing Gods love and mercy.
Thus I believe more than ever the Church in North America from the pulpit to the pew needs to repent like never before.
Please think about it.
