I WAS SPOILED
(In the colloquial sense of the word)
I was spoiled, not as a child, although there are folks who hold a different view on this. I was spoiled as a minister of the gospel. The spoiling I experienced was not God lavishing me with trinkets and toys, though He has lavished me with love, blessings and privileges. But those are not the things that spoiled me. I was spoiled in my ministry in many ways, but let me just give you one example from my pastoral experience.
I had a mixed bag in my first pastoral position. I had a two point charge. Both churches had some good people in them but one of the churches was overloaded with some really mean spirited unconverted sinners. However, they are not the ones who dominate my memories of that year. Instead, it was the loving people, and especially the loving young adults of the other church. Among the special gems in that church there was one that opened her heart and her home and family to me and Martha. This dear sister has continued to bear fruit for her faithfulness, through her children and her ministry legacy, beyond the years of her life. Through the years we have been blessed with others, who made difficult situations more tolerable and have contributed to our growth and productivity.
However, as the years went by, God poured out abundant grace and gave immeasurable increase for the labor. I pastored a church in Ohio that became a miracle and an amazement. I won't go into the details, but the youth program, the foreign missions program, the ministry training program, the stewardship program, the evangelism program, all burst into an incendiary fellowship. We were a present day example of the book of Acts.
Again, in a church plant and ministry training program in North Carolina I was privileged to pastor a church that was so filled with love, with mutual concern, with New Testament zeal and sacrifice that it changed lives and set the standard for churchmanship at a very high level. That church at that time has been referred to as being, "like a dream."
I was spoiled because bearing fruit for Christ in those situations seemed to be as easy as breathing.
Life changed, ministry changed as our society moved from the "Open Door" ministry of a "Philadelphian" model to the closed door, Laodicean model. I have continued to preach and teach and counsel and lead in the same Biblical pathway, but the response of people changed, both in the wold and in the church. The lukewarm, self centered, haughty, self reliant, wretched, poor and blind traits of society were moving quickly into the end times churches. "Emergent" religion has flooded into evangelical churches, and today the word "evangelical" has no real Bible believing significance.
Today (generally speaking), conversions are fewer, less dramatic, less definitive, less consuming.
Also (generally speaking), the depth of discipleship, the breadth of vision, the extent of love, commitment, surrender in the church is not as world shaking or as obviously all consuming as in the past.
People tend to think that doing their best is all that can be expected, rather than allowing God to do the impossible through them.
People do not want to be accountable to the church, to the pastor, to the word of God, for their personal lives.
Resistance to the purifying fullness of the Holy Spirit is at an all time high, at least from my observation.
I was spoiled. I saw the power of God do miracles, set hearts afire, break down the walls of hell, consume sin and ignite a spiritual inferno within the breast of individual believers and within the community of the redeemed.
I have seen what a church is supposed to look like, and I always knew it was the supernatural work of God.
I have seen churches moving like a mighty, marching army.
I have seen ministries moving like fine machinery.
I have seen congregations that loved one another, as Christ loved them.
I have seen sinners ashamed to play church.
I could go on and on.
I am not saying that the day of seeing these things is over. I am saying that it is less likely to happen in this Laodicean world, in which we live. I am saying that the deceitfulness of sin and self orientation of most church folks robs God of His glory (for the time being) and they also rob themselves and the needy world around them, of God's salvation.
Although I see the church becoming less dynamic, I believe that God will still raise up a mighty marching army, when total surrender and absolute trust is rendered to Jesus Christ.
(read carefully these words concerning the end times Church).
Revelation 3:14-20 (WEB)
(14) “To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write: “The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God’s creation, says these things:
(15) “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot.
(16) So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth.
(17) Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;
(18) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
(19) As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.
(20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.
