The Main Point Is?
In many Christian circles today, we find lots of chatter about the conditions in our world. This of course has been normal for almost all generations, even the early disciples believed their world was ripe for Jesus to return. However our world does present more of the signs the Bible describes would take place before His return. We know about the obvious ones found in nature, we read or see all the disasters that are happenng everyday around the world. But I think there is another sign, one that is not too obvious found in 2 Thes. 2:
| 5Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. |
There is a lot to read in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 on this theme, but the verse, "Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way," captured my attention following the death of David Wilkerson. Now, David was not the Holy Spirit, but his voice and ministry was a voice of one crying in the wilderness, "repent, live rightly before God and men, because the day of the Lord is coming." That voice is the voice we rarely hear today, and it's troubling to me. As I said in a previous blog post, 'are the people of God spending time with God to hear His voice and then speak it, or are we spending more time in promoting our latest trend of good works? I realize that both are need in our world, but it's too lopsided. There is too much "I am being lead of the Lord today" and not enough "Thus saith the Lord." The reason we don't use the latter language is because we don't know the "thus saith the Lord" anymore. There are few who speak from the authority of the Word of God, they simply dapple in it. They take from it enough information to support their current cause, either to bring conviction about a pet doctrine, or if they want to raise money for a just cause.
Where are the "thus saith the Lord" people? Who has the Spirit of God upon them to say such a thing?
Busy schedules, demanding work loads, over extended needs in the family, and on and on it goes. More of this life takes over and holds us captive. What I see is a weakening of the voice of the Lord among us, and I believe this is the beginning of the end. When the famine in the land is one where the Word of God can not be found, and where the voice of God can not heard, then I think the end is within sight. And I believe the Bible says it just that way, so I am willing to stand my ground and say, "thus saith the Lord!"
In honor of the late David Wilkerson, I would like to link you to his message he delivered in 1973. It is a reminder that a prophet was among us to warn us to get ourselves ready for day of the Lord is coming!
Until next week, keep it honest and truthful...K
Larry Kutzler
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