Time To Change

The Holy Spirit has been working on me big time lately. Today at work He was ministering to me what the problem is with small churches that cease to grow. The Holy Spirit told me the problem with these churches is that they don't want to change! So I said, "What do you mean?" Then the Lord said "Pride and stubbornness! These two things I can not work with." Then the Lord recalled to me the verse in James, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

So like I always do when the Lord ministers to me about something, I looked with in myself to see if there was any resemblance of this inside of me. Because if there was I want to get rid of it as fast as I can. I never want God to be resisting me! Then God spoke to my Spirit and said, "Never get tired of changing, no one has ever been as perfect as Christ and no one ever will! But the moment you stop changing as I direct you, is the moment you become of no use..." Wow! Immediately I thought of the parable of the fig tree branches that didn't produce any fruit and were cut off and thrown into a pile to be burned! Then I heard God say again to my spirit, "This is why there is a big falling away from me. Churches across the nation are not willing to adapt to the changing of the times and therefore their children grow up to lose interest in me because of the traditions of men are taking the place of my revolutionary leadings of the 'miraculous age!' People are losing their fire because I have snuffed it out due to their unwillingness to change." I asked Him, "wouldn't it be better for them to get the children saved in these churches even if they were unwilling to adapt to this age?" God said, "No! The problem with letting them go on teaching old traditions is that they will be ill prepared for the new tactics of the enemy! Then the enemy can lour them away from the flock easier, and then they are worst off than before they were saved!" Wow! I thought, "I never thought of that!"

You see this generation is fighting a more complex battle than our parents and grandparents ever imagined. At a click of a button sets before us anything we want, Pornography, Violence, Greed, Abusive speech, and the list goes on and on! We are living in a different world than the previous generation. Apostle Paul said in the last days more perilous times will occur. This is coming from a man who was beaten several times and left for dead! More perilous times? The battle raging inside today's youth is extreme, even compared to my youth! And I am only 27 years old! Children are being exposed and forced into making decisions that I myself would have never imagine! Homosexuality is running ramped through out this world and now you are cast down if you believe that same sex marriage is immoral! Drug and alcohol addictions are more common than pickup trucks! Premarital sex is the normal and now if you are a virgin when you get married you are the minority! A few years ago they made a movie that poked fun at a man who was a virgin till he was 40 years old. Comedy central wants to do a cartoon about Jesus Christ, and they want to portray Him as tired of being in His Father's shadow and turns rebellious! Foul language seems to be non-offensive, even to the ladies! This country alone has killed over 52 million unborn children since Roe V. Wade. That is almost 10 million more than Joseph Stallin! 10 million! Why should God help this nation of ours when we have kicked Him out of every public place for it may become offensive to those who don't believe in Him! More like, He may expose their wrong doings!

All these things are taking place right here right now, and as time goes on their momentum is going to gain! And more vigorous times will appear before us. Today, our youth must be on FIRE for God in order to take on the battles they are going to face on a daily basis. Hymns are wonderful, but a 200 year old hymn is not going to create the burning fire that they need to be victorious! Churches that look down their noses at the contemporary songs of worship need to step back and judge their own heart. Ask yourself if what they are doing is exalting the Lord Jesus? If so then what is the problem? If it keeps the kids on fire for God, is that not what we need in today's world? Many traditions of men have been held above God's word in significance and that is a part of why the youth of today are turning away. They think that these traditions are what God is about, and the Gospel couldn't be farther from the truth. But churches that refuse to change when God directs them to have been one of the biggest contributors to the "Great falling away." Now we need to be a big part of the solution!

God help us! For we have strayed from your word! We have abandoned your truth and exchanged it for lies! Lies of this world! God help us not because we are worthy or that we deserve it, but rather help us because you love us and you are merciful! God forgive us of our wrong doings as we gaze upon your face! Lead us and this nation out of the fiery pits of Hell, where we are bound for and set us back upon the Rock of your salvation! Give us the leaders and the voices to achieve you restoration, and please help your children old and young to unite in one effort together in fighting the battle for your glory and expose our indignant attitudes toward one another. Show us how to love one another as you love us. Teach us to tap into your power together as a nation, and lead us by your Spirit to change the world and turn it upside down! Father, I pray that your fire burns on these readers hearts, and that these words fall on good ground. And I bind the devil from trying to steal this harvest and any of his other tactics that might interfere with your plans. In Jesus' name, Amen!

God Bless You!

Eric R. Cox