THE LONELY WALK OF FAITH

The walk of faith can be a lonely walk. Few it seems, seek it out or hunger for real righteousness.I do not know why some seem destined for this type of walk, other than God is calling them to pray for His church. Perhaps you can identify with Paul like I seem to, where he said he has continual heaviness in his heart for his countrymen, the Jews.

In my humble opinion, we are in the time spoken of by the prophets where "the meat and drink offering has been cut off, yea even joy and gladness from the house of the Lord."

Especially in western churches, we seem to fit the description of the Laodecian church spoken of in Revelation. Many may debate whether we are Laodecia or not, but does it really matter, if by our actions and attitudes, we are still just like them?I have seen something however, that I have not seen for the past four decades. I see more and more, His people, here a little, there a little, becoming dissatisfied with "the religion of Christianity", church denominations, church activities, nice tidy doctrines, nice Sunday services, a walk with God without cost, hearts that act like they are satisifed but are starving spiritually on the inside. I believe we are in the time of the parable of the virgins where all the virgins slept, wheat and tares alike. And the faint echoes of "The bridegroom cometh" can be heard faintly if we are listen closely enough...and the cry is getting louder.

More and more, I see various saints questioning "Is this all there is? Get saved? Be good? Go to church? Is that all there really is to being a Christian? More and more, I see people hungering for the bridegroom Himself, longing for him, hating the sin that has bound them and the unbelief in His delivering power from it.

To those who identify with what I describe here, I pray that you do not lose heart in this lonely time, for it is coming to an end. Seek out those who are being roused from the slumber that has caused all of us to "walk as in a dream", as opposed to realizing that as people called by His name, we are called to be part of God's army fighting the "good fight of faith", and that it is the fight of our lives, and, in truth, our one purpose on earth... to reflect the glory of God so that others may too come to the light.

At stake are the souls of our children, our parents, our spouses, our friends and the millions who have been deceived by the enemy. As well, at stake our our own eternal souls, for many will come in that day convinced that they are right with God but who have lived to themselves and their pleasures and not realized that we are not our own, we have been bought with a price.

To say Jesus is Lord is to acknowledge Him as full owner, with total authority over our hearts, our minds, our lives. Paul told us "The night is far spent, the day is at hand." Now it is high time that we wake out of sleep and put on the armour of light, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.

Our Lord is coming...and coming soon. He is not coming for a half asleep bride who cares not that she is still laden with sins, with worldliness, with lack of care for the souls of those around her. He is coming for a bride without spot or wrinkle and that is what He will find.

To those who would scoff at this admonition and defend their lifestyle choices that refelct their hopes, their dreams, their goals, their choices, and have not sought Gdo alone as their reward, let us fear...truly fear... that we do not become like the man with the one talent spoken of in Luke 19. This man lived for himself, not for the glory of God and made no increase with the gift of sonship he had been given. Make no mistake here. That man lost what He had clearly been given by the good master.

Let us not be like those that draw back from God, that rebuild what He destroyed, our old selfish nature. To those who have been taught that they can reap the benefits of heaven and yet love their own life and not lose it for His sake, I counsel you to read the last verse of the parable of the talents:

"And bring those, mine enemies, before Me who would not have me to reign over them and slay them before me."

The sobering weight of this scripture flies in the face of the modern gospel of a god that seemingly winks at sin, but there will be a day we will face the truth of its veracity whether we like it or not.

As the scripture admonishes us:

"Behold therefore the goodness and the severity of God. On them which fell, severity, but towards thou goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

Bruce