The Altar.

For the first time in my remembered history, I went forward in a church to the altar today; something I never really thought I'd do. Because we were in the second row and most of my family had already gone forward, it wasn't anything extreme or hard. But I was again convicted that I wasn't giving my ALL to God. Earlier in the day I had been convicted by God in home church and had confessed my reluctance to obey God, but this going forward was more of a "I'm going to change and obey next time He calls." type response. 

This morning in home church my dad talked about the verse, Col 1:28 "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:" When we see sin, we NEED to lovingly preach and warn the sinners. It may sound harsh, but telling someone the truth may be the most loving thing you can do. When someone has a naughty picture on the wall ask them, "Do you know what that reminds me of?"

They look at the picture, "No. What?"

"It reminds me of how the Bible says that whoever looks at a woman to lust after her hascommitted adultery with her in his heart." Then be silent. Be gentle, but bold. And yes, the verse did say to preach to every man. This same idea can be applied to all sorts of situations: people using God's name in vain, those drinking alcohol, or wrong jokes. 

While my dad and the other father's were discussing this, I was agreeing and mournfully thinking how I hadn't talked to some people earlier in the week that I knew I should have. On Thursday I had been mowing at my one lawn mowing job. Down the street, I watched as a large group of teens all converged on a driveway and hung out. God wanted me to talk to them. They were, in all likelihood, going to hell when they died- and I didn't say ANYTHING. Of course I had a million and one reasons. They probably wouldn't accept me. It would be humiliating. It would be easier if it was just one or two teens, not twelve. I needed to get home before it started raining. I can just pray for them. And I even thought, "It'll be easier to just confess it later."AHHH! The wicked sin! During communion I confessed my disobedience to God, leaving it at that. 

For years my dad has talked about his old friend and evangelist, Tim Lee, who pastored a church my dad attended thirty something years ago. My dad was a teacher at the church's adjoining school, and was very inspired by Mr. Lee. Lee's a different sort, in the way that he's missing both his legs. In Vietnam a 60 lb. mine blew off his legs and gangrene invaded; he barely has stumps left.

Tonight, we went to a Baptist church for to hear my dad's old friend, Tim Lee. He spoke from Hosea. Now I don't know about you, but I haven't heard a lot from Hosea. And can you believe it? I've been reading through the Bible, and this morning I read one of the chapters he spoke from! In Hosea four we read about the  sin Israel was committing. Horrible wickedness. But when you look at it, you see that America IS doing the same things; "swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery" 

He told several stories of the sin in America. He had been preaching at a church and a man invited him for breakfast the next morning. The man was the son of the owners of the hotel that Tim was staying at. Tim accepted, went back to the hotel, and got ready for bed. Suddenly he heard a loud knock at the door. He put his clothes back on and opened the door. A policeman was pulling a man away from the door, a man with blood streaming out of his back! It was the man who had invited Tim for breakfast. A thirteen year old had shot him. A gang of three boys had robbed the hotel and shot the woman that had checked Tim in a couple days earlier. The horror! No, America isn't far different from that sinful Israel. 

And the wickedness in our country isn't caused by bad politicians or government leaders. We haven't ended up with a sinful nation because our president made it that way. Our nation is wicked because the salt has lost it's savour! Christians have thrown down their arms, become "tolerant", and let the enemy wreck havoc in people's souls. Getting new political leaders isn't going to save America; Christian's showing the gospel and revealing the sin will.

God's judgement is upon us. Not only is He judging with hurricane's, forest fires, terrorist destruction, and other physical disasters (that aren't occurring to a lot of other countries, such as Canada), but He's judging America by giving people the wicked desires of their hearts. Televangelists have sweet messages of love, but they deceive people and don't share the important truth. False prophets sound great, but their fruit is bad. Televangelists are God's curse. They aren't helping, they're hurting.

How do we change this wickedness? Hosea 10:12 "Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you." Where have YOU not obeyed God? He is telling YOU to break up YOUR fallow ground. Have you loved your entertainment more than God? Sacrifice your desires, your pride, your wishes. Don't fear man, fear God. Break up your fallow ground, that hard heart that doesn't obey willingly.

Tim Lee, preaching from his wheelchair, pleaded with us to break up our fallow ground. Let God take control and repent of our sin and unbelief. Tim asked for those that needed to repent to raise their hands. I didn't. I was thinking about all the things I had obeyed God. I was comparing myself to others instead of God's wishes. In a short while Tim Lee asked for those who had raised their hands to come to the altar. Most of my family went. I sat there. But when I remembered my disobedience towards God when I didn't share the gospel with those teenagers, I was struck with grief. Yes I had confessed my sin to God, but I hadn't decided to change. I hadn't purposed to obey God in what He called next. 

Getting out of my seat, I walked to the front. Lord help me to Change! Lord don't let me stay in the same rut of refusing You when things get too scary! I repent.

And I plan to carry it out with God's help me; it's only through His grace that I can do any righteousness. Lord willing, I shall obey. (Now I've got to figure out how to approach a big group of teenagers next time He calls, AHH!)

Though in a wheelchair, Tim Lee wasn't at all incapable (you'll notice he's holding his Bible under his leg part.) He can drive, dress, and get around great. My dad talks about how he was the choice player when picking basketball teams. He was able to get off the church pew and into the wheelchair quick as a snap. 

So remember: Boldly and kindly convict people of their sin. Break up your fallow ground and obey God.

IF YOU'RE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST AND YOU DIDN'T GET ANYTHING FROM GOD, GO BACK AND READ IT AGAIN INTENTLY.