This Is Your Wake Up Call

That is why the Lord says, "Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me all your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, mourning." Joel 2:12 The Living Bible

Good Morning Girlfriends:

This morning I would like to start off by thanking the Lord for this new day, I thank Him for the air that we breathe, and I thank Him for His word. This word that God has showed me is not an easy one, but one that must be shared.

A friend of mine and I a few years ago, took a trip to a writer's conference, in which I was able to go as a free guest, my only expense was the air fair. Instead of booking a hotel, we were able to stay with a lady that we both knew, living only minutes away from the conference center. Setting our alarms the night before, not wanting to be late for the very first session the next morning, we decided to get an early start for a good nights sleep. Even though each of our alarms had went off the next morning to wake us up, the lady that we stayed with, she too was up early and came through the living room calling, "This is your wake up call."

Arriving each morning in lots of time before the conference began, we eagerly found our seats to take in all the interesting information that was being distributed by each individual that was attending speakers. Before we knew it, we were headed home with a binder full of information that seemed so overwhelming, but as we discussed what we had just experienced, we were full of excitement to what would come out of it all.

Girlfriends, this reminds me of when we first give our hearts to the Lord, it was at that time we had our first "wake up call" to who God is and what He had for us who believed. Over the years we continue to grow as we learned each day who God is and how He lays out the steps in how we are to grow in our walk with Him as brothers and sisters in the Lord. This was the most important decision we could have ever made for our life. But there is another "wake up call" that I want to talk about, and this is where the Lord led me in His word this morning.

This is what I would call the "2nd wake up call" as we will read in 2 Cor. 5:1-13, as Paul tells us that there is sexual sin going on in the body of Christ. This means that there are people who proclaim to be a Christian, speaking the word of God, but they are not walking the walk of Jesus, they have have a secret sexual sin. Paul is speaking to the congregation, or the body of Christ to stand up and address the issue, and to call a meeting of the church to have this person removed if they will not repent and make their life right in the eyes of the Lord. In many cases, these people have had lots of time to make things right in the sight of the Lord, so now it is up to the congregation to deal with it because they are being affected from allowing this to go on within the church.

This is a serious matter in which Paul is addressing, he tells the people to get rid of this cancerous, wicked person, so that they can stay pure and not be affected. Paul tells us in verse 8, "So let us feast upon Him and grow strong in the Christian life, leaving entirely behind us the cancerous old life with all its hatreds and wickedness. Let us feast instead upon the pure bread of honor and sincerity and truth."

Paul continued to say to us not to mix with evil people, he wasn't talking about the unbelievers who live in sexual sin, or the greedy or the cheats, thieves and idol worshippers, but not to keep company with someone who claims to be a brother Christian but indulges in sexual sins, or is greedy, or is a swindler, or worships idols, or is a drunkard, or abusive. Don't even eat lunch with such a person. (Vs. 9-12) Paul did continue to say that it is not our job to judge outsiders, but it is certainly our job to judge and deal strongly, he tells us, with those who are members of the church, who are sinning in these ways. (vs. 12) God alone is the Judge of those on the outside.

As I said before girlfriends, this was a very heavy word, but a very serious one at that. It is so very important that we as a believer of Christ, a follower of Christ, a Christian, that we make sure and be honest with ourselves that we are living a pure and holy life according to the word of God. When Jesus returns, He is coming back for a church without spot or wrinkle found in Ephesians 5:27.

Girlfriends, we need to make sure that we do not have any dirty spots within us or wrinkles, we want to be able to say that we are totally clean when we stand before our Lord on that judgement day, Amen? Each of us will stand accountable before the Lord, so as a true follower of the Lord, our job is to help anyone that we know who is struggling with such things that we spoke about. Each one of us has a part in the body of Christ, so lets step up and do what we must do.

Let's Pray,

Father God, I thank you for this wonderful, glorious sunny day. Lord I thank you for the birds that sing, the fog that drifts in and drifts out, as the sun breaks through it all. Lord, I thank you for your living word, it is full of truth that sets the captives free. Your word is sharper than a two edged sword, it cuts through the marrow of the matter. Lord, I speak strength over that person who may know that someone in the Church has a sexual sin. Lord, I pray strength as they would take a few members of the congregation in order to deal with the matter at hand, so that they too would not be affected by this sickness in the mighty name of Jesus. Lord, you are their strength, you will be their voice and I thank you for going before them to pave the way as you make every crooked path straight, in the Mighty name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Be blessed sweet girlfriends, and pass the blessings on to others in need. Thank you for passing this message on