Weekly Devotional 2-6-17 A Recent Encouragement
On Sunday 1-22-17, my wife Nancy and I visited a church that has just a few members. Many others have left for one reason or another, and they are without a pastor. I followed up that visit on Wednesday night 1-25-17; joining with six persons of this remaining congregation for Bible study and prayer. I was greatly encouraged by this small group as they shared their confidence that the Lord has a purpose for them. Moreover, that He will again add to their number and bring His man (a pastor) to them. As we talked, it became evident that they were trusting that the Lord would bring these things to pass. I didn’t see despair, but only a determination to stay the course. It seems they are determined to not get caught up in what many churches get caught up in today; a wooing of people, Christians or not, by one form of attraction or another to increase their number. This group seems determined to teach the word, preach the word and live the word.
This reminded me of what the writer of Hebrews wrote concerning many faithful men and women of Old Testament times. Of them, he said, “13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:13-16 NKJV).What an epitaph of them, and what a purpose for all Christians of our day.
The persons in this church seem determined to live out a statement of the Westminster Shorter Catechism (1646-47): “Q. What is the chief end of man? A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” That question and answer speaks of man’s eternal purpose and the eternal purpose of these persons. It also seems that they, the members of this church, understand that the Lord’s purpose for them cannot and will not be realized without being connected to the only true spiritual power source, Jesus Christ Himself. He said, “1I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:1-4 NKJV). Before He ascended into Heaven, He promised these same disciples, and by extension us, that He would send His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, that He would be with them and that He would enter into them and forever indwell them (John 14:15-18 NKJV). Furthermore, He said that when the Holy Spirit arrived to indwell them, that He would guide them in all things (John 14:24-25). Seemingly, the persons of this little congregation fully believe that Jesus’ promise is applicable to them. They have submitted themselves to His leadership.
Concerning the leadership of the Holy Spirit, Arthur W. Pink wrote; “How few today recognize that if the number of ‘missionaries’ on the foreign field were increased twenty-fold the next year, that that, of itself, would not ensure the genuine salvation of one additional heathen? Even though every new missionary were ‘sound in the faith’ and preached only ‘the Truth,’ that would not add one iota of spiritual power to the missionary forces, without the Holy Spirit’s unction and blessing! The same principle holds good everywhere. If the orthodox seminaries and the much-advertised Bible institutes turned out 100 times more men than they are now doing, the churches would not be one bit better off than they are, unless God vouchsafed a fresh outpouring of His Spirit. In like manner, no Sunday School is strengthened by the mere multiplication of its teachers.
O my readers, face the solemn fact that the greatest lack of all in Christendom today is the absence of the Holy Spirit’s power and blessing. Review the activities of the past 30 years. Millions of dollars have been freely devoted to the support of professed Christian enterprises. Bible institutes and schools have turned out ‘trained workers’ by the thousands. Bible conferences have sprung up on every side like mushrooms. Countless booklets and tracts have been printed and circulated. Time and labour have been given by an almost incalculable number of ‘personal workers.’ And with what results?
Has the standard of personal piety advanced? Are the churches less worldly? Are their members more Christ-like in their daily walk? Is there more godliness in the home? Are the children more obedient and respectful? Is the Sabbath Day being increasingly sanctified and kept holy? Has the standard of honesty in business been raised?”
Pink Continues, “Those blest with any spiritual discernment can return but one answer to the above questions. In spite of all the huge sums of money that have been spent, in spite of all the labour which has been put forth, in spite of all the new workers that have been added to the old ones, the spirituality of Christendom is at a far lower ebb today than it was 30 years ago. Numbers of professing Christians have increased, fleshly activities have multiplied, but spiritual power has waned. Why? Because there is a grieved and quenched Spirit in our midst. While His blessing is withheld there can be no improvement. What is needed today is for the saints to get down on their faces before God, cry unto Him in the name of Christ to so work again, that what has grieved His Spirit may be put away, and the channel of blessing once more be opened. Until the Holy Spirit is again given His rightful place in our hearts, thoughts, and activities, there can be no improvement.
Until it be recognized that we are entirely dependent upon His operations for all spiritual blessing, the root of the trouble cannot be reached. Until it be recognized that it is ‘Not by might, (of trained workers), nor by power’ (of intellectual argument or persuasive appeal), ‘but by MY SPIRIT, saith the Lord’ (Zech. 4:6), there will be no deliverance from that fleshly zeal which is not according to knowledge, and which is now paralyzing Christendom. Until the Holy Spirit is honored, sought, and counted upon, the present spiritual drought must continue.”
It seems that this congregation about which I write, understands their need of the Holy Spirit in their lives personally and corporately. They have committed themselves to following His lead. At any rate, Nancy and I were greatly blessed on that Sunday, and I was further blessed on the following Wednesday.
stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
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