Awake!

Dear Men and Women of God;

We are living in the most dangerous of times for those who would lead God’s people. It is of the utmost importance that we do not hold anything back from our God and His Christ. And that every day each of us would give Him our all and lay down our lives for His children.

 The air is filled with lying spirits and false teachings. This age will be recorded in Christian history as the time of the ‘Great Compromise’. It has been foretold by men in the Old and New Testaments that this time would come and even Christ Himself warned of its coming. Wake up church… because it is happening in your lifetime!

We must never forget this is the age of the Church of Laodicea. It is the time of the Church that God will not tolerate. This church has become wretched, blind and naked and even now He is vomiting it out of His mouth. Why? Because it makes God sick!

He will not tolerate the half-hearted lukewarm preachers who defile His people by giving them half hearted gospels of demons. We must not be named or identified among them, so we must seek for wisdom and discernment as to how we should be in this darkest hour.

God’s Word is a rock and a fire… and will not go forth and produce lifeless imitations of disciples. Spoken truthfully it will either drive the unbelief out of a man or remove that man from our midst. One or the other should be happening at our preaching and teaching. If He be lifted up He will draw men to Himself …. or drive them away.

 If the Word we are preaching does not produce the Fire of the Holy Spirit in men’s hearts…. the fault lies with us and not His Word.

When I speak of the Fire of the Holy Spirit I do not mean emotional religious outburst on Sunday or the religious pretending done by people who want to look good without paying the price to become good.

 When I speak of that Fire, I mean the grace that produces the heavenly desire to please God that fills a heart that LOVES Him. This can only happen by Spirit filled preaching of those who daily demonstrate in their everyday lives what that righteousness looks like.

We must now ask ourselves some very hard questions. Are we part of the solution or part of the problem? We must be very clear on this one point …that we belong to Him and to Him alone.

It has been said that the one who holds the ‘purse strings’ holds the man. Therefore Christian leaders must now ask themselves… are we ruled by money or God?

Here is a quote from a brother writing on this subject….

“So Christian ministers are financially shackled. Sad to say, they are beholden to market forces. Church offerings, pastoral income, pastoral popularity, and mortgage payments on elaborate church buildings; are all factors that come into the equation here. And so churchmen must "sell" their religious sermons as wares. The customers in the pews, and "customer satisfaction" are the key here. Pastors are oftentimes shackled to fickle but financially influential church members. These are religious consumers who by reason of past financial contributions to the church think they own the church and "hire" the pastor to serve them. So the concern about ministers of God becoming "hirelings" is a very real one.

The pastors smile and do the best they can under the circumstances. But their very livelihood depends on satisfying the whims influential church members. This would all be fine if the church were made up of committed Christians. But more and more the lifestyles of the Christian masses are being degraded. Today's statistics show that the lifestyles of Christian are indistinguishable from those of non-Christians. A "popular" minister will not offend. So more and more we see "post-modern" Christians dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. They are given the "OK" to live on the carnal side of their nature. And so the Everlasting Gospel of a holy God is watered down. It is blended with the psychobabble of the motivational speakers of Mammon.

These pretenders have infiltrated the church and brought it down to the level of the country club. We are left with a lukewarm insipid syrupy religious stew. Lukewarm "christianity" is considered "normal" nowadays. Nevertheless, it is a mish-mash. Our Savior has told the Laodicean church that "I will spew you out of My mouth". (Rev.3:16) Western Christianity today is already there. The message we broadcast today in the religious bazaars of Mammon is but a pale imitation of the true faith that was once delivered to the saints.”

Are we really shepherds or hirelings? Do we withhold anything from our people that would help them surrender their entire lives to Christ? Or do we shape our messages to not offend and fit people’s  worldly carnal opinions?

Let’s not lag behind… but rather press into the fullness of Christ. Rise up, O men and women of God. May we not be ashamed when He comes to claim that which is His.  May we be clear where we stand! When He returns may he find us easily!

Here is a writing from a young African man about to be martyred for his faith… May it be the testimony of us all.

                                                  The Confession of Faith

I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made- I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

          I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean in His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer, and I labor with power.

         My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

        I won't give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He stops me. And, when He comes for his own, He will have no problem recognizing me... my banner will be clear!

Brothers, Sisters ….this is our time to shine. We are to appear as lights in the darkness. We will never have this opportunity again. Our history is being written. Rise up, shine and give God the glory!

Much love and respect …..your friend in Christ ….David Noah