Have you been feeding your soul with spiritual junk food? (Tim Reckmann/Flickr/Creative Commons)

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers” (2 Tim. 4:3).

Have you ever asked yourself or quietly wondered why so many in the Western church today lack a strong devotion and dedication to God? Why are there so many professing Christians who still pursue the lusts and pleasures of the world? What kind of conversion experience does someone possess if there is no personal transformation or lifestyle change? These are difficult heart-searching questions that demand answers if we are to see change in our day.

Here are a few other questions to ask ourselves: Why is there such a disparity between Christianity in the book of Acts and what we are seeing today especially in the Western world? What caused people in the early church to sell all their possessions and distribute the proceeds among those who were in need? In the midst of great persecution what enabled these first century Christians to continue to serve the Lord fervently? Where did the early apostles and the persecuted church throughout the ages get the courage and the strength to continue to preach a gospel that was getting them beaten, tortured and killed when the biggest struggle for many in the Western church today is the fear of rejection and a need for self-esteem?

I strongly believe that the answer to all these questions and the cure to all the ills that face the church today are to be found in personal revival in the lives of professing Christians. Without the holy fire of God burning in our hearts we will not be equipped to overcome the complacency, lethargy and apathy so common in the church world today. We also will not be able to endure the increasing spiritual warfare and antichrist spirit so prevalent in our world. It is the Holy Ghost and the fire of God in our lives that will prepare us for the glory of the Lord and the coming harvest of souls, as well as the Lord’s soon return. The Holy Ghost and fire is how the Church started (Acts 2) and it is how it will end. It is so critical in this dark hour that we burn for Jesus!

A number of years ago the Lord began dealing with me about writing and speaking on lost themes (The Real Spirit of Revival)—truths in the body of Christ that have been understated or discarded but that need to be restored.

Some examples of such themes would include the end times, the rapture of the church and the return of the Lord, heaven, hell and holiness, the judgment seat of Christ, etc. He said that there has got to be more preaching on these themes, for they are emphasized in the Holy Scriptures. He also told me that there has been a diabolical silence on holiness that has greatly weakened the character of the church and opened a door to doctrines of devils.

The absence or dilution of these vital truths has created a large gap between the profession and practice of true Christianity in our day, and thus filled our society with much deception. The fear of the Lord, which is the foundation of loving and receiving these truths, is sadly lacking in the church world today.

The emphasis has been on messages for the sweet tooth that take away the offense of the gospel. But have we forgotten that our loving and merciful Savior was called the Rock of Offense?

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SOURCE: Charisma News
Bert Farias