Foundational Podcast

The Psalmist David was alarmed that he was being encouraged to flee impending danger.

“How can you say to me, flee like a bird to your mountain” (Psalm 11:1 NIV). “I take refuge in the Lord,” was his reply. Yet, they continued to warn David, “But, they are preparing their bows, even now they are taking aim at your heart.”

David’s reply is astounding. “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

If the righteous leaders flee when the wicked are dangerously seeking to destroy them, on what foundation can the righteous build a future for the nation and a hope for their families?

A great question; it is a critical question.

It is a question that has been faced generation after generation. Some leaders have stood the test well while others have failed miserably.

The leaders in Judah are a sad testimony of not standing for truth and failing to provide righteous leadership at an hour of moral landslide.

“The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken. The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God” (Ezekiel 22:25-31 NKJV).

The fifteenth and sixteenth century A.D. was another crisis time.

The foundations of the faith were being crushed through Aristotelian philosophy, distorted theology, greedy leadership, and  moral bankruptcy.

Into this foray came the clarion voices of John Hus, Savonarola, and the giant of the Reformation, Martin Luther.

When being faced with the threats and condemnation of a Papal Bull at the Diet of Worms, Luther stood for truth and was bold to answer.

Quoting from his own writings, he declared, “I am bound to the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise. Here I stand. God help me. Amen.” (Martin Luther, Eric Metaxas, Viking, New York: 2017, p. 216).

In the seventeenth century the Church of England was awash with distorted theology, bishops preaching politically correct sermons, and drunkenness.

Again men of God rose to the occasion proclaiming truth as the Puritan movement sought to right the Church of England.

Little known Gospel preacher, John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim’s Progress at this critical hour.

The holiness movement and Pentecostal outpouring of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century was birthed in the heart of men and women passionately seeking revival at a time when the church was growing cold spiritually.

The pulpits of the land were teaching a dead theology.

Higher criticism or historical criticism was denouncing the infallibility of the Word of God, mocking the virgin birth and distorting the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Into the labyrinth of spiritual distortion came a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit that brought a fresh wind of spiritual life and birthed a mighty harvest of soul winning.

Again, we have come to a time when people “will not endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3 NKJV).

They want teaching that satisfies their own desires. “[B]ecause they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4 NKJV).

We must have clarion voices that will lead us in these dangerous times.

If not, the foundations will be destroyed and then what can the righteous do?

The Apostle Paul wrote to his spiritual son Timothy, “But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust” (1Timothy 1:8-11 NKJV).

This same Gospel has been vouched safe in our hands for this generation.

It is a Gospel that clearly delineates what is moral right and wrong.

This Gospel presents without shadow the means of salvation provided by the Almighty and profoundly declares the consequences of rejecting His salvation.

Not only is murder, kidnapping, lying and perjury among the list of unrighteousness behavior, so is fornication (pre-marital sex) and sodomy (homosexuality).

Does it seem strange to you that what so clearly was part of the Gospel in the New Testament has now become blurry?

Some in this generation have even outright rejected it.

• Hooking up and living together is the new norm for “Christian” couples in their twenties and thirties.
• Divorced men and women in fifties and sixties are beginning to embrace the new moral standards as they reenter the dating scene.
• Strong voices in the Evangelical circles are calling for recognition of same sex marriage.
• Gender dysphoria is the new pop psychology being taught in Christian universities as if it were absolute truth.

When a voice for the true Gospel is lifted into the cacophony moral goo they are denounced as legalistic, intolerant, and unloving.

It is as if a twenty-first century higher criticism has risen denouncing the clear scriptural injunction for moral purity and holiness.

You will hear some voices saying, “Homosexuality today is not the same as it was in the Old Testament and in the time of the Apostle Paul.”

Other voices will call for grace, love, and understanding.

One leading pastor being interviewed on a nationwide news panel was asked, “So it is not a sin your church to have an abortion?” His answer was not a clear statement of right and wrong but, “We would find out your story, where you are from. People have to live their own conviction. If I have to tell you. That is such a broad question. I am going higher.”

Then he was asked, “It is not an open and shut case with you?”

His answer? “Some people would say it is. I am trying to see people who Jesus is first. Hear their story first, before I start picking and choosing what is sin in their life.”

We are seeing exactly what our Lord declared about the religious leaders of Judah. “[T]hey have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean…”

Where are the spiritual leaders who will boldly, valiantly, and without compromise stand up before the politically correct, tolerance demanding public, who are “preparing their bows… taking aim at your heart” and declare “God says, ‘Be holy for I am holy’”?

There is an absolute moral right and wrong.

Scripture calls for a child of God to live “in righteousness and true holiness” because we have been born again put on the new nature.

It is time to affirm again the foundations of the true faith, “once for all delivered to the saints.”

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving us a review. This helps the Foundational podcast reach more listeners. Be sure to tell a friend about the Foundational blog and podcast, and share with them about the free Bible Reading Challenge journal they will receive when they subscribe to receive my newsletter!

Discovering True Identity: A Believer's Position in Christ (Freedom Series) (Volume 1)Agape: Unveiling the Mask of Darkness, Setting the Captives Free (Freedom Series) (Volume 2)Charis: The Power of Grace (The Freedom Series) (Volume 3)

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All of history, past and present, turned on that Sunday morning. The destiny of the human race changed in that obscure hillside grave.

The soldiers were occupied that morning with the concern of being negligent on duty.

The High Priests were occupied in covering up the dangers of yet another religious zealot.

Pontius Pilate was frustrated with still more difficulties in governing these incomprehensible Jews.

The disciples were hiding out of fear there would be more reprisals from the Romans or the Sanhedrin.

While the world was occupied with the stuff of life, the realm of the spirit was in great conflict. Notice had been delivered three days earlier.

The eternal judgment written against mankind had been nailed to a cross on a rocky crag outside the city walls of Jerusalem.

What the Luciferian band thought would be a victory had in fact become a coupe de grace for the powers of hell.

Early that Sunday morning, the Holy Spirit had invaded the realm of the dead.

Jesus Christ seized from the hands of Lucifer the keys of death and hell.

He opened the prison bars of Sheol and led the righteous dead out prison from beneath the earth to Heaven. Many people who were on the streets of Jerusalem that morning saw some of the old prophets of Israel.

While life on planet earth continued its usual course, Jesus Christ was winning a major battle against the powers of darkness.

The whole destiny of mankind was shifting.

Satan, Lucifer, that Serpent of old, no longer held the power of death over all mankind. He could no longer hold them captive in Sheol.

All who will live godly in Christ Jesus live no longer under the fear of death; “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”

Human beings do not have to live as prisoners of habits and sin, then die and be eternally lost in hell.

It is for freedom that Christ has made us free, both here and now and lives eternally in Heaven and the Kingdom of God.

Life as mankind had known it was experiencing a whole paradigm shift that Sunday morning.

John the Baptist had consistently referred to Jesus Christ as the one who would send the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, “It is expedient for you that I go away.”

Learn how you can read the signs of the times through the prism of history in this powerful course Where Are We At On God's Timeclock

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Jesus' resurrection from the dead made it possible for every human being to receive the same Holy Spirit that brought resurrection life to Jesus’ body.

Now, that same Spirit will bring resurrection life to every person who will receive it.

The disciples of Jesus were no longer cowering in fear and doubting after they received the Holy Spirit. They became bold, godly men and women who filled the City of Jeru

A dozen people were busy clearing dishes, scraping plates, washing and drying, stacking chairs and folding tables.

Over two hundred people had gathered that night to celebrate Pesach and discover the revelation of Jesus the Redeemer in the Pesach Seder, the Passover meal.

The full meal had been served, the four cups were drank, matzo broken, the Afikoman hidden and discovered. The crowd was dispersed, now it was time to clean up.

Was it the same that night, almost two thousand years ago? Thirteen men had gathered for the dinner and twelve completed it.

Was it during the cleanup that Jesus began saying, “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe it God. Believe also in me” (John 14:1). “I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am you maybe also” (John 14:2-3).

Jesus revealed His heart and passion that night, as the meal began.

“I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will never eat it again until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God” (Luke 22:15).

He lifted one of the loaves of matzo and prayed the traditional blessing over the bread.

He broke the loaf and handed it to the men gathered before Him and said, “This is My body which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” Then He lifted one of the glasses of wine saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood which is shed for you” (Luke 22:19-20).

Any grape stains and bread crumbs on the table cloths in the upper room revealed a whole lot more than just a group of clumsy men having Passover dinner that evening.

Almost fifteen hundred years before that night, Jewish men all over the Goshen region of Egypt had butchered one year old lambs without a blemish.

The blood of the lamb had been painted on the door frames of their homes.

The wives had been busy baking unleavened bread and preparing a dinner meal with that roasted lamb.

While the Jewish families were eating their dinner, the angel of death passed through the land of Egypt killing all of the first born sons and the first born of each flock.

The Jewish homes with door frames painted with the blood of the lamb were delivered from the death angel.

That night, Pharaoh released the Jewish families from slavery and they departed from Egypt headed for the Land of Promise.

God instructed Israel to celebrate the Pesach Seder, every year on the fourteenth of Abib, in remembrance of God’s deliverance from slavery by the blood of the lamb.

Jesus revealed an even greater mystery the night He ate the Pesach Seder with His disciples.

The matzo, unleavened bread, Jewish families ate year after year on the fourteenth of Abib represented the unblemished body of an even greater Lamb.

It represented the sinless body of the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

The writer of Hebrews declared, quoting from Psalm 40:6-8, “Sacrifices and offerings You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have had no pleasure… He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:5-10 MEV).<

Do you feel that your relationship with God is stale?

Do you feel distant from Him?

Maybe you've sinned and are not sure the way back to Him; or maybe you're a new Christian and you don't know the next step in this Christian walk.

Deepening your relationship with God is vitally important for every believer because it reminds us that this world is not our home.

It is the tie between this physical world we live in and the spiritual world that we cannot see.

You see, the spiritual realm is more real than even this physical realm we can see, taste, touch, hear and smell. These modern times, however, have robbed us of that understanding.

Western culture diminishes the spiritual realm to something novels and fantasy films are made of, and yet it is not fiction, it is not a fantasy, but it is very real and it is important that we always have eternity before our eyes.

Having a growing, thriving relationship with God helps to keep eternity before our eyes.

Go beyond reading your Bible.

Grab some tools to help you dig down deep into God's Word. Get a notebook and write down your observations about what you read.

Look at the passage within the context of the book and look at cross references (most Bibles have cross references in the center column or footnotes), and use BlueLetterBible.org to check out trusted commentaries and Greek and Hebrew meanings.

Studying God's Word is the first step to applying it to our lives.

Prayer is communication with God.

He wants to hear from you. He wants to hear your heart and receive your worship. But He also wants to express His heart to you.

Prayer is this intimate exchange between you and God where you can share your heart as well as your needs.

If you want to really take your relationship with God to a whole new level, begin memorizing and meditating on Scripture.

I know most people believe they could never memorize scripture, but the truth is that we memorize many things all of the time: song lyrics, sports facts....

Meditation is taking what we've memorized and pondering it deeply. The biblical definition of memorize literally means to mumble, or to say it over and and over to ourselves out loud.

How do you think your relationship with God would deepen if you did these three things everyday?

I have created a 67-page journal that will help you do these three things to deepen you relationship with Christ. You can download it for free today and start on this amazing journey to get to know Christ better!

To download the Read Through the Bible in 365 Days Challenge Workbook, just type in your email below and you will receive a link to download it and many other free printables.

One of the more amazing things you discover in Scripture is how God relates to mankind on a very personal level. How we can have a personal relationship with God.

He walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8).

He had a dinner meal with Abraham (Genesis 18:1-8).

He met with Moses and spoke with him face to face as a man who meets with his friend (Exodus 33:11).

King David would meet with God in his stronghold, the Cave of Adullam, and received personal instructions how to go to battle with his enemies (1 Samuel 23:1-5; 2 Samuel 5:17-25).

Heavenly Father greatly desires a personal relationship with his sons and daughters who are created in His own image, however, sin and self-willed living separates His children from Him.

The prophet Isaiah declared, “Certainly, the hand of the Lord is not so short that it cannot save, nor His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2 MEV).

Our Heavenly Father revealed His heart when He spoke through Jeremiah.

“For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you shall call upon Me, and you shall come and pray to Me and I will listen to you. You shall seek Me and Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 29:11-14 MEV).

God is knowable and He greatly desires to have a personal relationship with you.

Therefore, He did a truly startling thing to make that happen.

It is the one thing that distinguishes Almighty God from all other gods.

He came to mankind “seeking to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). There is no other god who has made himself knowable and seeks a personal relationship with a human being.

Hear these amazing words, “And if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to Myself” (John 12:32).

1. He came to earth in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He was born in a stable on the outskirts of Bethlehem and raised in the Galilean community, Nazareth. He began public ministry when He was thirty years old.

Three years later He was crucified, buried and rose from the dead. Jesus Christ was one hundred percent human and one hundred percent God.

“In Him dwelt all the fullness of the godhead bodily, and we are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power” (Colossians 2:9-10).

When Jesus Christ was crucified, Heavenly Father laid upon Him all the sin and iniquity of mankind (Isaiah 53:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21).

2. Through His death on the cross the wages of the sin of mankind was paid (Romans 6:23). 

When Jesus Christ was buried the sin and iniquity of mankind was buried with Him so it would no longer live (Romans 6:1-4).

When Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He made it possible for mankind to live a whole new life free from sin and iniquity and live as a new creation (Romans 6:4-5, 8:11, 2 Corinthians 5:17-18).

Knowing the heart of mankind is ever sinful, seeking our own way, Heavenly Father sent the Holy Spirit to convict the heart of

I know we said, “’Till death do us part.’ But, I just don’t love him anymore.”

Those are painful words, spoken in a marriage counseling session. How can that be?

How is it possible for a man and a woman, deeply in love and passionately committed to one another at one time, to stop loving? How is it possible for a child raised in a Christian home to stop loving their parents?

The Apostle Paul wrote in “the love chapter” the amazing words, "Love never fails."  Yet, we know love does fail. Did the Scripture lie or did someone make a mistake?

Jesus gives us clarity in Matthew 24:12. “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (KJV).

This is a difficult verse, at best. Let’s try to un-package it.

“Iniquity” (anomia) is disrespect for the law or someone who chooses to live above the law. It is living without law; wickedness.

“Wax cold” (psugeesetai from psuchoo) means breath cool; blowing cool air; or the loss of temperature. A culture or an individual who chooses to live lawless will experience the cooling of natural love in their heart; even to the point of rigor mortis.

How does Jesus’ explanation help us understand the failure of love in a marriage; between a child and their parent; or between a child of God and the Lord?

A heart of iniquity is self-focused and full of envy. They ask, “What do I need? What am I missing? What do others have that I don’t have? What am I missing out on? What should I be experiencing that I am not experiencing?

Their thoughts are focused on what their mate is not doing.

The believer’s heart is fixed on what God has not done for them or on prayers God has not answered.

The child is offended by the parent’s failure.

The words of a self-focused person are filled with, “You never…” and “You did this to me.”

The result of such focus is loss of joy and a lack of desire to serve. Those things that used to bring joy become irritating or frustrating. Little tasks that were a delight or pleasant to do because they brought pleasure to the other person are now resented. Feelings of expectation rise up and they begin thinking, “It is not fair. They shouldn’t expect that of me.”

Control of the imagination is compromised.

Thoughts of what it would be like with another person creep into the mind throughout the day. Eyes begin to wander; looking at other men or women and fantasizing being with them. Memories of old times and the fun experienced begin wandering through. Feelings of missing those times flood in. Slowly the attachment and attraction to your mate weakens.

The joy of being a Christian weakens. Pleasure in movies with compromising scenes and the soft pornography of pop culture becomes attractive.

The imagination is awakened even more.

Fantasizing about another person becomes greater.

Now you are becoming emotionally attached to another person. They may not even know you are having such thoughts. Transference is happening. Emotions that rightfully belong to your marriage partner; your parents; your Lord and Savior are given to another.

Opportunity to speak with that person is sought. Conversations are extended; greetings are expressed friendlier; handshakes become friendly hugs. Emotional attachment becomes stronger and the imagination fired up even more. Love for your mate is weakened; emotional estrangement is becoming obvious.

Spiritually, less time is spent in prayer and Bible reading is overloo

Show Notes for this week's Foundational Podcast

1. Demonic boundaries that keep us prisoner
   1. addictions
   2. anxiety, fear, worry
   3. depression, despair
2. Godly boundaries that give you a new identity

1. They establish identity
2. They establish possession
3. They establish protection

God uses boundaries in our spiritual life, because there are things that are dangerous for us spiritually.

" He who digs a pit will fall into it, and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a serpent." Ecclesiastes 10:8

God has said that there are those things for the Christian that are unclean and those things that are clean. He established a boundary by which we are to live our lives.

"Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?' Then the priests answered and said, 'No.' And Haggai said, 'If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?' So the priests answered and said, 'It shall be unclean.' Then Haggai answered and said, ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’  says the LORD, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.'" Haggai 2:11-14

There are things that are righteous and holy and things that are profane

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving us a review. This helps the Foundational podcast reach more listeners.  Be sure to tell a friend about the Foundational blog and podcast, and share with them about the free Bible Reading Challenge journal they will receive when they subscribe to receive my newsletter!

Discovering True Identity: A Believer's Position in Christ (Freedom Series) (Volume 1)

Be sure to read part one of this post here: It Is Not a Political Problem - Part One

The philosophies and reasoning of the Enlightenment and humanistic philosophy have battered the shores of the United States since the time of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine.

Each time it began to take root a fresh spiritual awakening rose against the movement. The last eighty years have not gone well for this nation that was founded in covenant with Almighty God.

The Pentecostal outpouring of 20th century began to lose strength in the 1940’s and higher criticism began to grow in the seminaries and Bible colleges of the nation questioning the infallibility of the Holy Bible.

The Jesus People Movement and Charismatic Renewal brought a new wave of life and spiritual awakening in the 1960’s and ‘70’s.

It too began to fade away in the mid 1980’s.

There have been outbursts over the last twenty years, like the Toronto Airport, or in Brownsville, Florida, and the Billy Graham Crusade in Portland, Oregon.

None of them impacted the nation or changed the culture.

Post-modernism began to sweep across the United States in the 1960’s, and by the 1990’s America began to embrace a post-Christian philosophy.

During these years of embracing post-modernism the United States broke covenant with Almighty God.

• June 25, 1962 – removed prayer from public schools;
• 1963 – removed Bible reading from public schools;
• January 22, 1973 – abortion was legalized;
• November 8, 1994 – Oregon legalized assisted suicide; seven states followed Oregon in legalizing assisted suicide;
• June 26, 2015 – same-sex marriage legalized;
• The youth and adults of America have a love affair with the demonic in movies, novels, and music while at the same time Jesus Christ is mocked and ridiculed.

January 20, 2019 was a tragic day for the United States.

Tony Marco of CNN reported on January 23, 2019 in an article titled, New York Puts New Measure to Protect Access to Abortion Even if Roe v. Wade is Overturned, “Not only will the law preserve access to abortions, it also removes abortion from the state's criminal code. This would protect doctors or medical professionals who perform abortions from criminal prosecution. The law also now allows medical professionals who are not doctors to perform abortions in New York… The law also addresses late-term abortions. Under New York's Reproductive Health Act, they can be performed after 24 weeks if the fetus is not viable or when necessary to protect the life of the mother.”

Caleb Parke reported on FoxNews.com, January 23, 2019, “New York Governor, Andrew Cuomo… called it, ‘a historic victory for New Yorkers and for our progressive values’ on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalize abortion in United States...  Under the [New York] Reproductive Health Act, non-doctors are now allowed to conduct abortions and the procedure could be done until the mother's due date if the woman's health is endangered or if the fetus is not viable. The previous law only allowed abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy if a woman's life was at risk.”

What is actually being reported?

New York State now has a law making abortion available up to the time of birth.

The argument in favor of such a law stipulates life in womb is not “viable life.” It is not a human being because it is incapable of making a contribution to society.

This is nothing less than the nihilistic philosophy coming to the shores of the United States.

When a nation, who once knew and served Almighty God, exchanges the knowledge of the Lord of Hosts for humanistic reasoning and embraces a philosophy absent of the fear of the Lord and the ways of God; they will always embrace the doctrine of demons and a culture of death.

Tragically, that is the culture of 21st century United States of America.

What is the answer?

Where will the solution be found for a culture that calls good evil and evil good?

The only place is the Word of Almighty God and the power of the Holy Spirit impacting the lives of men and women.

There is a double tragedy.

Not only has the culture of the United State moved post-modern and post-Christ; the Christian church in the United States has fallen into the error the Apostle Paul warned about in his first epistle to Timothy.

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron” (1Timothy 4:1-2 NKJV).

At a time when the Christian church should be calling the United States to repentance and to return to Almighty God and the covenant she has made with Him; the church is embracing the same sins as the culture.

The visible pulpits with the loudest voices are not preaching the absolute truth of God’s Word.

1. They are not calling the leaders of this nation to repentance. Like it was in the time of Josiah, the Word of God has been lost in the house of the Lord.

The preachers are not making a clear distinction between the sacred and the worldly, between the holy and the unholy.

They are painting everything with a white wash.

The ability of the leaders of our nation to distinguish between truth and error, right and wrong has been disabled because the pulpits make no distinction.

2. The second part of this tragedy is the lamp has gone out.

The light of God’s glory is not shining in the house of the Lord because the Christian church is not hungering and thirsting for the Holy Spirit’s presence and ministry.

They are not waiting upon Him and seeking His power to cloth their work and to empower their meetings.

Instead, they have spent hours of energy and thousands of dollars creating stage presence and entertainment that energizes the crowed with “a form of godliness but denies the power there of.”

The Christian church has no power to transform a nation and its culture because it will not do what Jesus commanded His disciples. “Wait… until you are clothed with power from on high… But, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8 MEV).

She has a spiritual problem.

She has a weak and anemic Christian church that is unable to address the powers of darkness and the entrenched sin of this culture.

There is good news for the United States. This is not a hopeless situation.

We must restore the house of Lord and recover the Word of God.

The redeemed believers must set their heart to make a fresh covenant with God. They must remove the things that defile their heart and seek authentic holiness in the house of the Lord.

They must give themselves to prayer, fasting, and waiting on the Lord for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit so the light and the fire of God is in the house of the Lord again.

The Word of God must be recovered in the house of the Lord.

The pastors and the leaders of the church must embrace the infallible and inerrant Word of God. Preach the Bible as the absolute truth. Preach without compromise. Preach with boldness. Preach with the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit.

God will do the work.

The Holy Spirit will convict of sin and of righteousness.

Revival will come to the Christian church and authentic spiritual awakening will come and transform this nation.

More articles like this:

How To Escape the Delusion in the Church

6 Responses When Your Church Is In Delusion

What the Church Needs Today

This Is What Will Change Our Culture

How the Church Should Respond When the Foundations Are Shaken

Will You Miss God's Visitation?

Is There Yet a Servant Of the Lord?

Three Amazing Things the Bible Says About Human Life

Does God Ever Say Maybe to Homosexuality

Why the Modern Church Needs More Smoke and Lights

Five Things the Modern Church Needs To See the Fire Of God

The Reason We Must Wait For the Power From On High

Many Christians today are no longer impressed with the concert-like atmosphere in their churches. They are looking for more than the polished and professional services.

But here is one reason why we still need smoke and lights in the modern church.

There is an interesting pattern found in the Old and the New Testaments.

When a society entered into spiritual decline and a moral free fall, God sent a man or a woman mighty in the Holy Spirit.

They might be a prophet, a judge or an apostolic team. They were sent by God to lead those people out of the darkness back to God and back to holy living.

The Old Testament is a continuum of prophets, priests and judges mighty in the Holy Spirit.

Moses, Gideon, Deborah, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha and many more lead Israel and Judah out of spiritual decline and moral free fall back to God.

John the Baptist began preaching,

“There is one who comes after me. I am not worthy to even tie or untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Jesus promised there would come a day when He would build His church and the church would crush the gates of hell. She would have the authority and power to bind the forces of darkness and lose the people from the bondage of sin and the torment of demonic forces.

Once His chosen men had been trained and prepared to establish the Church, Jesus instructed them to not leave Jerusalem or go and do anything until they were clothed with power from on high.

“John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now… You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”

That took place on the Day of Pentecost following Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.

The church was at a prayer meeting when the Holy Spirit suddenly came upon them like a wind storm out of Heaven. Tongues of fire appeared on each person and they began to speak in tongues and praise God.

Immediately, the church began fulfilling the Great Commission reaching the city of Jerusalem and the regions of Judea and Samaria. They must also reach the “uttermost parts of the world.”

It was at the home of a Roman centurion by the name of Cornelius. He lived in Caesarea by the Sea. The Apostle Peter was preaching when suddenly the Holy Spirit fell on all who were gathered and they began to speak in tongues.

When the Apostle Paul took the Gospel to the edge of the European continent for the first time, it was at the City of Ephesus.

He asked the believers who were gathered, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” There answer was a bit startling. “We have not heard if there is a Holy Spirit.”

The Apostle instructed them, prayed for them, laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues and prophesy.

Every time a nation or a group of people go into a spiritual and moral free fall, God’s answer is a man, a woman, or a Church walking mighty in the Spirit who can bring a great out pouring of Holy Spirit upon those people and transform the culture.

That is the answer for America right now. It is the only answer for the United States.

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I can’t imagine how frightening it must have been watching as Ananias and Sapphira fell to the floor dead.

What was going on?

Where was the fear of the Lord in the church?

The church in Jerusalem was experiencing a mighty our pouring of the Holy Spirit. Miracles and signs and wonders were happening. Thousands were coming into the Kingdom of God.

The church was impacting the city.

A significant part of the work taking place was the care for the elderly, the orphan and the poor. Church members were even selling real estate and bringing the entire equity to the church for distribution to the needy.

This couple wanted in on the recognition.

Ananias and Sapphira sold a portion of their property and brought an offering to the Apostles.

Ananias said they were giving the whole equity as an offering to help the poor and the needy. In fact, it was only a portion of the equity. When questioned by the Apostle Peter, Ananias said it was the whole.

The man fell dead.

It was only a brief few moments when Sapphira arrived. The Apostle Peter asked her the same question. She answered in the affirmative.

She also fell dead.

“Great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things. “Great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things” (Acts 5:11 NKJV).

Ananias and Sapphira had a religious form without the power of the Holy Spirit.

The fear of the Lord was not shaped in their spiritual life.

This is one of the unique characteristics of the manifest presence of God upon His church; a strong fear of the Lord.

The concept of the fear of the Lord is absent from the present church culture.

In past generations there was a healthy fear of the coach, dad and mom, teachers, and leaders in the community.

You always called them "mister".

It was never a first name basis; after all "that is Mr. Smith, the bank manager or Mr. Baker the principle, the football coach, or the math teacher."

Today, it’s all on a first name basis.

The coach is supposed to be your buddy.

Mom and dad are supposed to be friends with the kids. After all children have their rights.

Employees, employers, average citizen and community leaders are all equal.

When that healthy fear is removed from society; when it is absent from the heart of a child or a teenager, there is no fear for the position of those who have weight or significance in the community or in the family.

It takes the heart out of family and out of the community leaving a vacuum of honor and respect.

When the fear of the Lord is absent from the heart of a disciple and from the spirit of the church there is a loss of reverence for the sacred and the holy.

There is a decline in the purity of the heart.

Fear of the Lord is full recognition of His nature; God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent.

It is full recognition of His authority; God is absolutely sovereign.

Such recognition brings a trembling in the heart. It is not cowering before Him but reverence for who He is and His authority over my life.

The child of God has a holy trembling that balanced by deep love for Heavenly Father. There is a healthy fear of His authority and power balanced by certain trust in Father’s love, mercy and grace.