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Subject: Revival and Persecution
This scripture has always left me somewhat perplexed. "And he spake a parable
unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared
not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
And he would not for a
while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because
this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust
judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I
tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"
Luke 18:1-8.
All the common wisdom and teaching says the Lord is teaching his disciples how to pray. A lesson
in the rewards of persistent prayer. This is a practical application. . This is a practical application. However, I could
not connect the dots to the last statement.."Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find..faith..on the earth?".
This would seem to indicate a falling way. The Jamison, Fauset & Brown commentary offers what I feel is the best explanation
of this scripture:
"Yet ere the Son of man comes to redress the wrongs of His Church, so low will the hope
of relief sink, through the length of the delay, that one will be fain to ask, Will He find any faith of a coming avenger
left on the earth? From this we learn: (1) That the primary and historical reference of this parable is to the Church in its
widowed, desolate, oppressed, defenseless condition during the present absence of her Lord in the heavens; (2) That in these
circumstances importunate, persevering prayer for deliverance is the Church's fitting exercise; (3) That notwithstanding every
encouragement to this, so long will the answer be delayed, while the need of relief continues the same, and all hope of deliverance
will have nearly died out, and "faith" of Christ's coming scarcely to be found. But the application of the parable
to prayer in general is so obvious as to have nearly hidden its more direct
reference, and so precious that one cannot
allow it to disappear in any public and historical interpretation."
Oh, how we glory, clamor for and press
in for revival! But what happens when these prayers are suddenly answered? Untold multitudes of ripe wheat being harvested,
where
will we find ourselves?
What if the primary interpretation of this scripture is addressed to the church?
Will there be a great falling away of the body from the heat of persecution? "And unto the angel of the church of the
Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the beginning of the creation of God;
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have
need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to
buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame
of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As
many as I love, I rebuke
and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." (Rev 3:14-19)
This was addressed to a church. The end time
church, not a call to tribulation saints. That has to be US! Will Jesus find faith?. Or will we be complacent, satisfied
and lukewarm? Will the glory of revival have lulled us to sleep? Will we need eyesalve, that we may see what is really happening
around us? Are we prepared for the backlash that satan will unleash on us as we invade his territory? Will the recoil of
the world through persecution be the fire to test to see what remains?
I have to wonder if we, the on fire for
the Lord Christians, will be partly to blame for the great falling away. Why? What if the greatest revival the earth has
ever seen, IS seen as the very gates of heaven open. Are we prepared? "...Go out quickly into the streets and lanes
of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is
done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges,
and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled". Lk 14:21-23
Glory to God, the body and house are
being filled and fueled by revival. The Great Commission is being fulfilled! Or is it?. "Therefore go and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you...". Mt 28:19-20.
At this great revival feast we are commanded to make disciples,
baptize and teach the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind. I have been fortunate that God has placed a series of godly
men, who mentored me, and taught me things relating to the Kingdom. Men who
gratefully and humbly put aside time to
minister to me and my needs. They helped the Master Potter in shaping the vessel, and applying mortar to the cracks and breaks.
They
truly understood the Great Commission and it's implications.
I have to question within myself if these
young in the Lord disciples will find mentors and the support they need to become rooted into our body. Is our church body
looking
beyond revival, and preparing for these needs? Like my Jesus generation, will many fall away from not having
their eyes and heart wholeheartedly on Jesus? Will the good seed
fall on rocky soil?
My brethren, pastoral
servants and elders, let us put aside programs, building projects and other agendas aside. Let us prepare in faith for the
coming tidal wave of revival by serving the needs of the new Kingdom brethren, and by doing so, bring much glory, honor and
praise to JESUS!
Brother Les
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