God's Great Wake Up Call, Part 2 Series

We stand as Nineveh did when receiving the message of Jonah—we have the choice of either continuing as we have leaving God behind, or repenting and experiencing revival. We are at a crossroads, but more significantly, we are in the crosshairs of those who hate Christians and all for which the United States stands. To these we must respond both spiritually and naturally, with Christian love and compassion and political wisdom based on clarity of vision and moral integrity. It is a worthy calling far more powerful than the call to martyrdom for jihadist suicide bombers. Yet until we live with greater conviction than they die with, our generation will experience nothing of what God wishes for us.

Had the Church obeyed the Great Commission to be a witness unto Him in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, Islamic fundamentalists such as Hamas would not have been able to corrupt the minds of children with hatred for Jews and Christians. Instead, those children would have been exposed to a Christianity filled with love. The truth is: Palestinian Christians do not blow up Jews. Revival would be spreading across the Middle East, and the tragic events of 9-11 might never have happened.

Did the Church fail this nation, and our Lord? Is the Church guilty in the eyes of God? Is it too late? No, it’s not; but if ever the Church of Jesus Christ plans to repent and follow the Great Commission, rather than continuing to pursue the “Great Omission”, it is now!

I pray that pastors will again preach on the Second Coming of the Lord and on Hell. The fiery protestant preacher, Jonathan Edwards, was the acknowledged leader of the First Great Awakening. He had emerged from both Puritan and Calvinist origins but stressed the spiritual necessity of a personal relationship with Christ. Edwards was described as “solemn, with a distinct and careful enunciation, and a slow cadence.”

Even so, he was known for his authoritative sermons. One of his most well-known was the classic “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” So powerful was the word images created by Edwards that people could be heard crying out during his sermon, “What shall I do to be saved?”

There never was a time in history when God dwelt in a Church with an earthly perspective. It is time to proclaim this message. Why? Because the world has taken over the Church. Abortion, divorce, pornography, drugs, alcohol and even homosexuality are alive and well in today’s Church. Many pastors allow fear of retaliation to keep them from preaching against these matters.

This brings me to our third wake up call for today:

Wake Up Call #3: Ready or not, Jesus is coming back!

Turn with me to Revelation 20:10.

As a minister of the Gospel, God has placed one message on my heart to preach in this hour: Jesus is coming! The Bible says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”