Finding the Western Church in the Scriptures

As I was reading Psalm 74 the other day I could not help but think what was being described was a direct parallel to what was happening to the church today. 

Psalm 74 

O God, why have You rejected us forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your  pasture?
2 Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
Which You have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance;
And this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.
3  Turn Your footsteps toward the perpetual ruins;
The enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place;
They have set up their own  standards for signs.
5 It seems as if one had lifted up
His axe in a forest of trees.
6 And now all its carved work
They smash with hatchet and hammers.
7 They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name.
8 They said in their heart, “Let us completely subdue them.”
They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our signs;
There is no longer any prophet,
Nor is there any among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, will the adversary revile,
And the enemy spurn Your name forever?
11 Why do You withdraw Your hand, even Your right hand?
From within Your bosom, destroy them!

 

Here the Psalmist is crying out to God because the enemy has destroyed the church and he is pleading for God not to forget his people to do something to stop the enemy and come back to habitate.  No longer is the temple of God in physical form like in the old testament where armies could come and destroy but in our hearts and gatherings of believers.  When enemies in the old testament where able to destroy the temple it was because of moral decay of the nation. Today the enemy has done the exact same thing to God’s people but on a spiritual level. He has infiltrated our physical communities and waged war on the temple of our hearts to the point where the spiritual state of the church reflects the Psalmist’s words written thousands of years ago.

In vs 2 he states that God has dwelt in past tense declaring that he no longer dwells there and that the sanctuary is in ruins. 

And this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.
3  Turn Your footsteps toward the perpetual ruins    

Today it is the same, God’s presence if fleeing from all the churches as they exchange the truth of God for a lie, loving their life and having a form of Godliness but deny his power.  When God leaves because of sin and disobedience the sanctuary of our hearts literally lays in ruins.  

3 The enemy has damaged everything within the sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries have roared in the midst of Your meeting place;
They have set up their own  standards for signs.

If you haven’t noticed church’s are drastically changing the way they do things, no matter where you go they all seem the same and do things the same all void of the spirit. Because the enemy is in control of the churches  they have setup their own signs which we now follow. 

7 They have burned Your sanctuary to the ground;
They have defiled the dwelling place of Your name.
8 They said in their heart, “Let us completely subdue them.”
They have burned all the meeting places of God in the land.
9 We do not see our signs;
There is no longer any prophet,

The first thing we need to do is not be in any denial. The collective sanctuary has been burned to the ground. As we keep going to physical buildings, gathering for services that glorify another we can keep telling ourselves that this is just how it is or we can admit that the enemy has deceived us and start rebuilding.  All the meeting places have been effected some more than others. We don’t see “our” signs the signs of true believers but new ones that lack any real power. Keep waiting for the “Anointing” the glory clouds and gold dust. Just ignore things like salvation, discipleship, genuine healing, prayer and discernment of the word and you will continue to live in the perpetual ruins.  

We need to take the heart of the Psalmist and cry out to God in repentance and ask him reverse the work of the enemy. 

 

After reading that Psalm I was led to the letters to the Church in Revelation and I wondered what one would best fit North America and the West? Most churches had pats on the backs with a few rebukes but one was in such a state it was going to be snuffed out!

I honestly have to say that the one that describes us the best is the Church of Sardis:

Message to Sardis

Revelation 3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 3 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. 4 But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

 

Do not listen to the prophets today that are prophesying big revivals and wealth and prosperity to the nation. The few legit ones that are left are all saying repent! For there can be no revival without repentance. When the highest levels of our governments are practicing witchcraft and sorcery, exploiting the poor, lying and deceiving and destroying the earth  we need to be in sackcloth and ashes.  Many churches that I have been  to have a very small core group of dedicated believers who have not soiled their garments and the whole church rides on their coat tales.  And OFTEN it is not the leadership of the church. Until people turn from their lives of entertainment, pursuit of careers, money, love and fame this situation will only get worse. In fact I believe it is already too late to hold off the coming judgment on our land, everything is already in place waiting for the command. But if we can humble ourselves and pray he will protect us in the time of adversary.