A Special Message
Our Only Hope
by Pastor Dennis Lee
** Watch at also at: https://youtu.be/NrrvnNUK6l0
Who would have ever thought that in such a short amount of time, a couple of months to be exact, that we could have experienced such devastation and loss, not only here in America, with our loss of freedoms, but around the world.
So what are we to do? Well let me tell you what we can’t do.
We can’t go to our government and our elected officials, because they are over their heads and completely out of their league. All they are doing is trying to save their positions of power.
We can’t rely on our higher-level educational establishments; they’ve left truth and civil discussions long ago, and have promoted uncivil and often violent discourse and philosophy, where tolerance towards others is no longer tolerated.
We also cannot rely on science, medical or otherwise, for the answers, because they are on both sides of the issues. And it has become more opinions than facts, and they are completely dismissing faith, which they said actually promotes health and healing.
We can’t rely on our news outlets or social media to right the wrongs, because they are all stilted towards their own flawed philosophical bents by which they report and transmit the news. It’s never complete, nor balanced. It’s geared and written to sway opinions, not report the facts.
We also can’t trust our economic systems to right the boat, because every economic system that has been tried has failed, and those who are going to need it to survive are tearing down the only economic system that has been successful.
So what hope do we have?
Our only hope for the chaos we are seeing and experiencing is Jesus Christ, and His church. Our hope is not in humanity’s solutions, but in the Lord God only. Speaking of the church Paul said, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). And that Jesus is the head of the body, the church (Colossians 1:18).
And so, to find hope in the midst of this turmoil, we need to place our hope and trust in Jesus Christ, who is the hope of this world, and He will see us through whatever turmoil and strife we find ourselves in.
But our hope is also in the physical representation of Christ in our world today, and that is the church. Therefore, it’s time for the church, that is, those who believe in Jesus Christ to rise up, not in protest, but in prayer, serious prayer, and place a shield of protection over and around our countries from Satan and his demonic force who have invaded the hearts and minds of not only our governmental, educational, and economic leaders, but also the hearts and minds of the people themselves.
How else can we describe the utter disregard towards others, the hatred and vitriol that is being spewed, and the violence being directed towards anything and everything that doesn’t look or talk like them, or that may not agree with their point of view. In fact, I’ve just read how we are now living in a “hate everyone” culture.
But, while we need serious prayer for our world, we also need serious prayer for the church and for it to be an effective force for the Lord and for good, and the reason we need to pray for the church is because it has started to stray away from God and His truth.
In a recent devotional I talked about how the church, while fearing God, is serving the false gods of this world. It says in 2 Kings 17:33 that “They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods.”
This unfortunately is seen in how some church denominations are beginning to serve the gods of our current culture, with their approval of the dismantling of God’s definition of marriage between a man and a woman and replacing it with alternative lifestyles.
The church has also been silent when it comes to the sanctity of life, as some churches no longer speak up against abortion.
And what’s sadder is how some churches have even taken up the same talking points as the society around them. They are no longer the voice of God and His word, and instead they become one of the many voices of our society’s norms and morals.
Consider the Apostle Paul words about God’s wrath against the sinfulness of humanity saying, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32)
And there is the hypocrisy coming from the pulpit, as some pastors have compromised their calling by being caught up in questionable behaviors, or are living in sin.
And then there is the disunity that is becoming more and more prevalent within the church over the wearing of masks. Really! There’s a world out there to evangelize, and we’re infighting about masks? Have we forgotten what Paul said about how to the weak he became weak (1 Corinthians 9:22), or for those who are strong in the faith how they are to bear with the failings of the weak, not condemn them (Romans 15:1)? And Jesus said not to judge others unless we want to be judged in the same way, in other words, we need to get the log out of our eye, before we get the speck of dust out to the other person’s eye (Matthew 7:1-5).
And so we need serious prayer for the church to stand up and be a voice like John the Baptist crying out, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.” (Matthew 3:3)
If not, God’s judgment will be poured out beginning with the church, in order to show the world that God is a just God and will not permit ungodliness, no matter who it is from.
The Apostle Peter said, “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17)
And so, the only hope for the world today is for the church to be the true representation of Jesus Christ in what is says, and then pray, not only for the world, but also for itself, that we would return to loving God with the whole of our being, and then to love our neighbors as ourselves.
James 1:27 says, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
It’s a hope that would say with King David, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” And then the hope of God’s eternal life and joy at the end when he said, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:4, 6)
Therefore, if we want to see an end to this madness that has gripped the world, the madness that has been inspired by no one less than Satan, then what the Lord is calling for is repentance; repentance by the church, and repentance by this crazy mixed up and evil world.
The Lord says, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die?” (Ezekiel 33:11)
Now consider God’s promise to the church and His people.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
And so, let’s pray for the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God to come and breathe life into His church today, so that we can make a difference in this world.
The Lord told Ezekiel to say, “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.”
And the word of the Lord was, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” (Ezekiel 37:9)
These dry bones in Ezekiel’s prophecy represented the Jewish people during that time, and would therefore represent the church and Christians today.
Today, the power and the passion has mostly dried up with the church, and what remains are the cold embers of a fire that once swept across this world bringing revival and new life.
So the Lord is saying for us to speak to the Breath, speak to the Holy Spirit and say, “Come Holy Spirit, and breathe Your breath of life so that Your people can once again live and be a holy fire.”
Thank You for Reading and Sharing
Dennis Lee
Pastor Living Waters Fellowship
