Have we Christians in America truly valued our religious freedom? Have we taken full advantage of the opportunity that we have to share Jesus without fear of any real ramifications? Most Americans have become so side-tracked by needless busyness and occupied by selfish ambition, that the gospel has been neglected. It's time that we stopped bowing to the pressure of culture and yielding to the sway of the world. Intense persecution is coming to America, and if we aren't ready for it, it will wreak havoc on the faith of multitudes of professing Christians. We need to wake up and confront the weaknesses of American Christianity that have been tolerated for far too long.

We must be careful that we do not give our time and resources to build a church that isn't biblical. We cannot afford to cast aside Scripture to build a Christianity that idolizes the traditions of man. The Word of God must become our utmost treasure and it's knowledge our chiefest pursuit. As Christians and the modern-day priests of God, we are the guardians of truth in this earth. It's our calling to embody the Word of God, so that truth is preserved in the lives of Christians, rather than merely in the printing of books. Many heroes and saints of old gave their bodies to be burned so that we could have the Bible that we have today. Let's not dismiss their sacrifice by neglecting the precious message of the gospel that's been delivered to us.

The church's reliance upon entertainment value to attract the unbelieving world must die. Our churches will be filled when we start BEING the church, not when we construct attractive buildings and arrange entertaining services. The beauty and power of the church lies in her purity and holiness of character. Our buildings, property, our worship music with our lights and fog machines...all of that is like make-up on a woman that doesn't need to wear it. The world should be attracted to the beauty of our Christ-likeness, not to the relevance and emotional stimuli of our church services.

To be saved is to become God's means of salvation in this world. Jesus has called us to do what He did -- to bring restoration to everything that sin and evil has destroyed in people's lives. Jesus didn't die to get us into heaven...He died to make us into people who are OF heaven. God has created us to BE His heaven in a fallen world -- to be His instrument for redemption in this world. The gospel is not about praying to accept Jesus in your heart in hopes that one day you'll go to heaven. The gospel is about baptizing people in the Holy Spirit, so that their lives become the life of Christ. The apostles never preached heaven as the objective of salvation in their ministry to the lost.

God cannot merely be a "part" of our lives, because our lives are no longer our own. Jesus died to replace us, to fill us, to overtake our independence so that He could live in and through us. Jesus wants to become your life; He doesn't want to be a part of your life. Sanctify the Lord in your heart. Set Him apart as something special, highest priority, the One your life and character is built upon. We are should live with Christ as our King, and not just another religious advisor. We are called to live clean, pure and ingenuous lives that put the love and sincerity of God on display. Power must be underpinned by purity. Sincere love but be our motive in everything, with no hidden agenda or ulterior motive.

When revival comes, what must be done to maintain and steward that revival? When revival comes, there must also be full acceptance of the refinement of the church that will take place and the weightiness of responsibility that will come upon the church. The greater the glory, the greater the consequences if that glory is abused. Revival cannot be maintained without an accompanying fear of the Lord that will keep our hearts and motives pure. Without a strong foundation in uncompromising integrity, the weight of glory will cause us to collapse. Revival is not only about empowering us, but also purifying us. Sanctification is the security of revival. Staying in love with Jesus and staying full of God is what will keep sin away from the church. Sin has no room in a heart and mind that's too full of the Holy Spirit.

David was chosen by God to replace King Saul, in large, because he was the leader who would finally put his foot down and purge the land of Israel from all evil influence. The kingdom of Israel was prepared to manage the weight of glory and prosperity during Solomon's reign, because David had built for it the structural integrity of holiness that Solomon needed. David was accused of being bloodthirsty, but he was only zealous for the purpose of God to cleanse Israel of wickedness. In that way, he was bloodthirsty. In the same manner, God desires that His church be bloodthirsty in a godly way -- that we would stand for the truth and vehemently desire to see sin purged from within the church...that we would never condone or tolerate sin, but utilize the power we have in the grace of God to see His Bride become a pure and ingenuous people. Wickedness must be removed before the Kingdom will be established in righteousness.

Just as David replaced Saul and prepared Israel, through conquest, for the reign of Solomon, so the church will stand against apathy and prepare the Body of Christ for the Second Coming of Christ as King. In this sermon, Pastor David Grams uses the story of David and Saul in the book of 1 Samuel to prophetically illustrate God's plan for His church in the last days. In short, a reformation is required. We must embrace persecution and sanctification as necessary components of the Church's identity. We must abandon the fear of man, lay aside criticism, and drive out worldly philosophy.

The sign and mark of glory and increase in the life of a Christian is persecution. The more glory there is in our lives, the more persecution there will be. Persecution will strengthen us if we view it as an indicator of growth. If we view it as a sign of God's unfaithfulness, it will weaken our faith. We need to embrace persecution and endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. The apostles taught that persecution was a gift, a blessing, and a reason to rejoice. Only those who are worthy will suffer persecution for His name's sake.

God wants to honor and exalt the church just as He did Christ, so that the culture of His kingdom will be magnified in the sight of the world. When we are a ready Bride, we will be exalted by the Father, and our beauty will be a trophy of God's grace and redemptive power. Before the final harvest, when Jesus returns to gather His church at the rapture, the true Bride of Christ will have already been a distinguished and exalted people, clearly separate from the sway of the false Christianity. Before the harvest is gathered, the wheat and tares will be separate. The true church must be sanctified before the harvest is ready to be gathered.