Wake Up Call

I just watched a movie about the life of a pastor that started out as an amazing man of God. He boldly preached the uncompromising Word and warned people about the consequences of their sin.

As he was mourning the death of his uncle who never surrendered his life to the Lord, he heard a voice that he believed was God and completely changed his doctrine and soon lost his church. He no longer believed in the Bible and even preached that people needed to be delivered from its grip...

It was heartbreaking to see a minister I once listened to and respected now become so lost and confused. His all-inclusive gospel led many to hell. He unfortunately died cursing the God we love and fully believing a lie that we are the only god that should be worshipped and served.

So, how does that happen? As we watched the movie that he produced... there was something missing. You can't be filled with the Spirit of God, preaching truth one day and turn on everything you've stood upon the next.

They can start out with passion for Jesus and His Word. They become sold out ministers of the Gospel and begin to run themselves ragged doing the work of the Kingdom. The busier they get working for a very noble cause, the more distant they become from Him. They no longer have time to seek and worship the Lord as they once did and their time in the Word is minimized to filling space in a message. He'll understand, right? Time is short and there's so much work to do for the Kingdom! As more time and space comes between them, they one day realize they no longer recognize or even hear His voice, and they stop feeling His promptings. As distance sets in, it becomes easier to sin. One compromise opens the door to the enemy and now he becomes the one that's guiding their lives and no longer the Holy Spirit. It's such a gradual process the transition is hardly noticed.

Yes, this was a true story about the fall of one who was once a great minister, but this doesn't only apply to pastors. None of us will ever arrive to a place where we can live with a comfortable Christianity. Our relationship with Jesus is a constant work in progress and it should continually be moving forward... deeper into His presence and walking out the calling He has for us... but our purpose must first flow from the intimate relationship we have with Him and the ever-increasing knowledge of His Word! It's true that if we are not moving forward, we are slowly slipping backwards.

This isn't a message to bring shame and condemnation, but it is a wake up call for all of us! Never take your relationship with Christ for granted. Nurture it and fan the flames. Chase after Him with passion and remember, as you take the first steps of drawing closer to Him, He'll draw closer to you! Know the Word of God and get so close to Him that all you hear is His gentle whisper and no longer the screaming lies of the enemy!

Revelation 2:4-5 (AMP) But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent.

1 Chronicles 16:11 (KJV) Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.

James 4:8 (NKJV) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Hosea 4:6 (TLB)  My people are destroyed because they don’t know me, and it is all your fault, you priests, for you yourselves refuse to know me; therefore, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten my laws, I will ‘forget’ to bless your children.