Where is the weeping?

D

davejenks13 May 9, 2011

i help in the youth group at my church in Springfield, Ohio last night. there are 3 kids that come to my mind every time i pray for our youth group. 2 of these kids are 18 and are getting ready to graduate high school and i know they are living in carnality. i sat and thought about all we have taught in the youth group. we do not preach fluffy self-esteem improving, "have your best life now" sermons. we plow them with the word of God every week. as i was driving home, i began weeping for these two kids, because of the deep danger they are in. they have sat and heard the Gospel, they have heard the hard teachings of Christ in his apostles; sound doctrine, and they are unmoved by it. they sit and hear these messages, and then go out and live like the world. i weep for them and pray that God grabs hold of them and levels them in conviction and takes their idea of righteousness and smashes against the rocks and brings them to repentance. after that thought came into my mind, it was as if another thought was impressed upon me that the modern american church needs the saints of God on their faces crying out for the Spirit of God to fall on them and bring about "godly sorrow that works repentance unto salvation."
we have heard Truth. we have more available to us as far as biblical teaching, and user friendly bible studying software, and yet we have the most apostate congregations in the world. oh how i pray that the convicting power of the Holy Spirit falls on the congregations.

sermonindex May 9, 2011

Brother, my heart aches for you. You're the one carrying the burden. I can't picture being in your ministry in these days. I was back in the 80's and only lost one out of our group of 18 to 20 yr olds but now - we're In the apostasy - the falling away and I know how much we love those who we are ministering to.

Brother, you planted the seed. My only hope is that when things begin to crumble in this country and other free world nations, that these who have heard the Word will have that Word spring back to their remembrance and the onslaught of chaos actually scare them back to The Church.

Only the unsaved and the back-slidden need fear. Not The Faithful!

Yes, we pray with you and for all - but at the same time - we need to "Trust GOD" with them and leave them at His Throne - knowing that He loves them far more than we do and "The LORD knows those that are His" and HE WILL bring them in.

GOD's Blessings on you and yours. Trust The Shepherd of HIS Sheep.

GOD Bless you!!!

S

SolaVeritas May 11, 2011

You're talking along the lines of David Wilkerson's sermon "A call to Anguish." I found it very convicting and worth listening to (more than once).

As far as losing our church kids is concerned, in my opinion we lose them way before they're 18. Most seem to lose interest around 11/12 even if they will not voice it openly yet at that age. I blame the absence of fathers as spiritual leaders as well as lifeless, modern Sunday School Curriculums that focus on entertainment and teach children more social values than the fear of God. We should teach them who God really is and how to pray and worship in holy reverence, yes even the tiniest ones can do this. We seem to think they can only handle a gentle Jesus who is their friend,bringing Him down to their level,and they end up with no respect for Him whatsoever. They should learn about the greatness, holiness, justice and awesomeness of their Creator, they should learn to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit for He does speak to children. Don't get me going, this makes me so upset, when I think about the children whom I have seen coming to church inoccently and leaving hardened and sarcastic. Can we grasp the enormity of this? God have mercy!

sermonindex May 12, 2011

Definitely feel the same about this being part of A Call To Anguish and had to listen twice myself. Blessed message.

In 2003 I began to get very ill over what I was seeing happening in "the church" as I was fairly new to the internet and I know it was The LORD that spoke very firmly to me, with much compassion, "Gird up your heart" and I knew what He meant as fast as I heard it.
I tend to get very attached to everyone I meet and I knew the LORD was telling me to get heart-strong because what I was witnessing was the falling away from truth / the apostasy and that if I didn't gird up my heart and get strengthened in trusting Him with souls, that it would take me under like an under-tow. No doubt about it.
He gave me that verse - "The LORD knows those who are His." and that helped me more than I can say.
I sincerely do believe in intercessory prayer - but also He impressed upon me, "pray with Thanksgiving" in that as well. That once I prayed - I had to believe that I had left them at His Feet and that He loves them all, so much more than I do - and those who will come - will come or return - and only HE knows who those are. I can't look at those who are falling away without faith - I MUST look to Him alone Who knows their future and I trust He will always do everything to draw all men unto Him and His Truth and whether they come - is not for me to know and when I see HIM in Glory - then I'll be able to 'emotionally handle' the news of who made it and who decided not to. I 'had to' come to this type of trust in Him and realize that it is far from being 'callous', but 'Faith' in knowing Who is GOD ... surely not me.
I hold up those in prayer who are holding up others in prayer and it's a beautiful experience - knowing also that He ever liveth to make intercession for 'us'.
Who better to have praying for us, at all times? Thank GOD!
We all need to let GOD be GOD, in possibly differing ways, in our own lives. We need to be as 'whole' as we can be to minister 'in spirit' to those who He sends our way. A lack of "hope" is never from Him. I keep that Hope He gave me for 'everyone' and I know He comforted me with knowing that when I see Him and am 'like' Him - Then and only then will my emotions and heart be where they need to be, to be able to handle the knowledge of who decided for or against His offer of redemption. I can't handle it now and it's not my place to think that He can't get a hold of anyone at their very last breath. I think we need more faith for that as well.
GOD Bless you also!