Well, here I am again. I had just about given up on this blog and I don't know if anyone still reads this but lately I had felt stirred to share some things I had been praying and journaling about. I was thinking about lawlessness today and how the Word says that the Law was our tutor to lead us to Christ. The Law does not justify us but shows us our need for justification before God through Jesus Christ. I see our nation fast deteriorating not just to immorality but amorality. There was a time when sin was frowned upon by society, abortions and divorces weren't just "social issues" but they were seen as wrong. Sex before marriage was frowned upon, we were founded on Christian morals and ethics. The Bible says we have freedom to love and serve the Lord but our freedom is largely an occasion for the lust of the flesh and I'm not just talking about the world, I'm talking more about the Church.

The Bible talks a lot about avoiding "the harlot," she is mentioned much in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Revelation. She has more appeal than the voice of wisdom because wisdom offends people, it tells people to repent and, well, that just isn't very "nice." The voice of wisdom cries out in the streets, it says in Proverbs, begging people to turn from their ways and find true delight in the knowledge of God (Proverbs 1:20-33). I'm not arguing against pleasure, I'm saying we sell ourselves short on the dung of this world and neglect the fact that God made us to delight in Him and nothing else will come close. More than that, finding delight in other things quenches the Spirit and grieves the heart of the Lord. Our deepest need and desire to really know love and return love reflects the deepest desire of God because He is love (1John). I don't see a hunger but in a few Christians because we spoil our appetite on diluted truth that doesn't challenge us or stretch our faith. The harlot soothes with false promises of fast and easy pleasure and fulfillment. Proverbs 27:6 says "faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of the enemy." I believe we are being lulled to sleep by soothing kisses of deception, lies about who God is, that He doesn't hate sin even though He loves people. Lies that He won't judge sin in and outside the Church.

I'm not preaching to just "be holy" because that is the other extreme but I do think we need a sobering look at our spiritual maturity as a Church and as individuals. Holiness is a scary word now because everyone thinks it's impossible and it is without grace. Setting ourselves apart to receive the love of Christ in our lives and to love others as He loves us is holiness. It's walking in the Spirit so as not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh, not just a set of rules about the length of your hair or what kind of music you listen to. God doesn't just frown on sin, He is personally wounded by it, He was delivered up to death because of our sin. His blood is on our hands and that can be a freeing thing or a very condemning thing. We are fast becoming a nation that embraces lawlessness and where there is no acknowledgment of law there is no need for Christ. The Bible says that "the mystery of lawlessness is already at work" (2 Thessalonians 2). It also says that Christ will not return until the man of lawlessness is revealed and there is a great falling away.

What I see happening in my life and I thank God for is His discipline. It's His awakening me, taking away the props I rely on besides Him that cause me to realize my ever deepening need for grace and mercy that He gives freely. I believe there will be a move of repentance that is already occurring that will precede revival and a great end times harvest. I see among the truly hungry a desire to simply know Jesus intimately not just to have a good ministry or a comfortable life. I see some, and they are few, seeking a very real kingdom that they know isn't of this life but one that Christ will bring when He returns. Christ is returning for a bride without spot or blemish, without compromise who has broken friendship with the world and embraced friendship with the One true God.

Trials strip us so that we get a good look of how much faith we have and how much we really desire the Lord and nothing else. What we feel is NOT a reflection of God's love for us and many believe the lie that the Lord is suddenly frowning on them and doesn't love them and their love grows cold and hard. What we're seeing is OUR hardness and our work is to trust in Jesus and stand firm in the truth. To lay down the idols, to walk away from the sin and trust that if we delight ourselves in the Lord He will grant us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37). A big part of abiding in Christ is enduring, accepting and appreciating His discipline. Jesus wants us to choose Him willingly on every level, to willingly turn aside from sin as He shines light on different areas of our lives. The Lord is waking up His bride and separating us unto Himself, let those who reject the truth do what they want. Let us come away and repent of our harlotries as the Holy Spirit reveals them - "come away from her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and receive of her plagues" (Revelation 18:4). 1 Peter 3 says that judgment must come to the house of God first, Paul also wrote that when we are disciplined by the Lord it is so that we will not be "condemned with the world" (1 Corinthians 11:31-33).

Don't resent the Lord for His discipline, it's not that He doesn't want us, He does desperately but He has to show us that in certain areas of our lives we are saying 'no' to Him and He is patient with us so that we will all come to a saving knowledge of Him. It is by His grace that He changes us but He can only give grace to the humble or else He would be violating our freewill, that is why He can't just "do it all in one shot" because He wants our most conscious decision to follow Him and trust Him. The devil is the one who wants to deceive your heart but Christ wants every part of your heart, soul, mind and body and He wants your 'yes.' Our faith delights and ravishes His heart as it is expressed in seeking Him and falling more in love with Him as we come to know how great His love towards us. The anti-Christ will come with many signs and wonders and deceive many and that spirit is already at work - it tries to get us to replace Christ as the focus of all that we live for. Let us repent because we have the freedom to do that in Christ and He is forgiving and abounding in love to those who call upon His name.

Lord, forgive us for our lack of desire and compromise. Forgive us for choosing to be yoked again into bondage rather than be embraced as Your precious children. Your love is past feeling or understanding and I pray that You would release a spirit of wisdom and revelation over Your Church and that You would draw us. We cannot come unless drawn and we cannot stir up or awaken Your love without Your Holy Spirit. Stir us and awaken us to our high calling as Your bride and by Your grace guide us in continuous repentance from this world to be found faithful and crying out in unison with the Holy Spirit "Come!" I pray that You would find faith when You return and that we would be watching and praying with eager expectancy. Come Lord Jesus and renovate our hearts and let our lives be fully pleasing to You, Jesus. Seal us with Your Holy Spirit and burn away the chaff in our lives. May we be guided by godly sorrow to repentance into the newness of life and grieve over those who don't know You. May the love of Christ constrain us and compel us to love You with all that we have and love others as You, the Lover of the ages, love us. In Jesus' mighty and precious name I pray. Amen.