Will He Find Faith?

Will He Find Faith?

“And when He had looked round about on them with anger,
being grieved for the hardness of their hearts”
Mark 3:5

It is crucial that we read and understand the full essence of the Word concerning the One who is the “express image” of the Father.

“Who being the brightness of His glory,
and the express image of His person”
Hebrews 1:3

Religion has a way of transforming God into man’s image, reducing His truth, His character and His Being to something that radically obscures the Truth. Note that His anger in the passage above was not directed at the worldly, but His Own. The scriptures testify:

“He came unto His own,
and his own received Him not”
John 1:11

It is easy to read this scripture simply as a one-time event, failing to comprehend that this has been true through the entire history of God’s people. Whether it be the Old or New Covenant, human nature corrupts the goodness, the mercy, and the long suffering of God.

God’s word concerning His return is:

“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh,
shall he find faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:8

May the Lord soften our hearts and remove the apathy.  May we see how our hardness of heart grieves Him even unto anger. We must stop excusing ourselves and embrace the truth that His Word is “sharper than any two-edged sword” and receive its ministrations with thankfulness.

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness
and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing
that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Romans 2:4

Let us read again the seven letters to the Church in the Book of Revelation and reconsider the things we allow.  The deceitfulness of sin and a gospel that perpetuates slumber, sedates His own against the convictions of His Spirit.

To each of these locations of the ONE CHURCH the Spirit of God declares:

“He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith”!

Can we hear? Do we feel the weight of our accountability unto Him? Our casual interactions, the “overlooking” of certain things, are  indicative of our lack of understanding of the holy truth concerning the Body of Christ which is His Church, not our own.

“You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? Declares the LORD of hosts: Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.”
Haggai 1:9-10 (ESV)

His house lies in ruins while we build and busy ourselves with our own church. May the words “own house” pierce our hearts. The Body of Christ is His Church and only those who have been born of Him, purchased by Him, who hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27) can belong to this living organism.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me”
John 10:27

It takes little discernment to touch the life of another and feel the fire and the Life of Him pulsating within. Words without fire, lives without unction, and faith without the works of God, are the leaven of unrighteousness that will rob and compromise our walk with Him.

“I am a companion of all them that fear Thee,
and of them that keep Thy precepts”
Psalm 119:63

What determines our companions? Denominational ties, doctrinal affinities, or the fire and passion for more of Him? Those who know their God are aware that He watches over His own with a divine jealously. Let us reconsider our walk and our understanding of Him who is HOLY.

“Thus saith the Lord of hosts;
Consider your ways”!

May our hearts be attuned to the Word of faith in our brothers and sisters, that Word that causes our own hearts to burn brighter, that we may be vessels of honor unto Him!

Paul’s overriding purpose in ministering to the Body of Christ:

“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom;
that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus”
Colossians 1:28

“Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working,
which worketh in me mightily…”
Colossians 1:29

The expressions of the Spirit of God are evident in the fervor and intensity of heart of those who know the grace of God and His Holiness. To be alive in Him is to know the wonder and the power of His movings within.

See Related Post: While Men Slept

†

“The nature of Christ’s salvation is woefully misrepresented by the present-day evangelist. He announces a Saviour from Hell rather than a Saviour from sin. And that is why so many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of fire who have no desire to be delivered from their carnality and worldliness.”
A.W. Pink

Brian Troxel

Photo by Matt Walsh