Silent Pulpits
Today, I want to provide a quick commentary, not on what is going on in the Middle East, but rather the silence behind many of the pulpits in the West. Many churches have pastors that are either silent on what is going on, or at best making small comments about the times we live in and how Christians should be peace makers. Paul warned us of such pastors, 2 Timothy 3:1-7 “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
I will allow the Holy Spirit to quicken the hearts of those who need to know if their pastor is or is not one of these false men. However, we are called to know the times. Believers, but especially pastors, are called to be watchmen over the sheep. They should know the times we live in and that Jeremiah 49’s prophecy of Elam is coming to pass and see the hand of God that is orchestrating the very prophetic declarations we see today. Ezekiel had this commissioning carefully detailed to him by God, Ezekiel 3:16-19 “Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 18 “When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 “Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”
Now is the time to tell those around us about the good news of Jesus and how His word is accurate. Not because of something crazy going on in the world, but rather because of detailed prophetic events unfolding.
Too many Churches preach the cross without ever getting into the entire message of the Bible. They preach a mirage of the cross, a delusional self indulgent that is there to make you feel something rather then to be equipped. If your pastor does not know what is going on right now in the world, they are either ignorant and need a loving brother and sister to help them see, or they are the issue and are exactly what Paul warned Timothy and us about. Sola Scriptora has been hijacked by men with tickling ears, wishing to keep your eyes fixed on something rather than God. This is idolatry, do not fall for it. Now is the time to look for pastors that simply dive into God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to teach. To be frank, I am doing my best not to mention pastors, denominations, nor spiritual groups, but rather bringing this to light for what it is. Right now, we need to be more than Bereans, but Sons of Issachar. Let’s know the times and what we need to be doing.
Now is the time to pray for Israel, pray for Persia, and pray for the Church at large. We need to be about God’s work and sharing the gospel and what God is doing right now. Be vigilant as the days grow darker, we are sons of the light and will not be taken by the night, but rather work until the moment of our calling home. Let’s be about the Kingdom’s work, let’s be about our Savior’s work, and let’s do it with the love of the Father.
Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,
JL