In speaking of modern Christians, A.W. Tozer stated: “We are too tolerant, too nice, too anxious to be popular, and too quick to make excuses for sin in its many forms. God’s people should be willing to stand for God.”
One does not have to look too far into the church today before you see some in the church behaving like those outside the church. It seems as though many desire what Christ can offer to the individual, but do not want to embrace Christ-likeness.
Those who know me, and have knowledge of my ministries, might believe that I would be quick to say that a lack of prayer is the number one weakness of the modern church. On the surface, that might be a true statement, but what is the cause behind this apparent weakness?
Perhaps the greatest weakness within the church is the individual believer’s lack of desire to engage themselves in discipleship, or a submission to the sanctification process, which leads to prayerlessness and biblical illiteracy.
The LORD said through the Apostle John: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
The LORD said through the Apostle Paul: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
Jesus prayed to the Father: “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” (John 17:14-18)
Though we are living in the world, we are sent into the world to be salt and light to the world. Christians are to be the better example. We are to cause those of the world to desire Christ and His Kingdom by the way we live and reveal His love.
We do not want Jesus to say of our churches, or of ourselves, “You have left your First Love.” Come on church . . . Come on believer . . . Wake up! Revive yourselves! Let’s “be” sent to the world to make a difference in the world!