Ronald Regan won his re-election campaign based on this question. After 4 years of his presidency, while running for re-election, he kept asking the question to the American people, are you better off now than you were 4 years ago? As we face the upcoming election, the same question must be asked. Are we better off than we were? From a political point of view, it is easy for me to answer this question, however, each of us must answer that question for ourselves. If you think our Nation is heading in the right direction, then you will vote to continue down the same path we are on now. If you think we are going in the wrong direction, then you will vote to change course and walk a different path.
When you think about this in terms of the spiritual climate of the Church, I think the same question needs to be asked. Are we better off now than we were? I’ve been in a relationship with Jesus Christ now for 53 years. Over the past 53 years, things sure have changed in my life and in the life of the Church. The hope is that we grow deeper in Christ over the years we walk with Him. To say that I have found many disagreements with myself over the years would be an incredible understatement.
One of the greatest learning experiences and most humbling experiences of my life has been my life of preaching the Word. I started preaching as a way of life at the age of 21. 38 years of preaching the Word of God. I look back at some of the things I’ve preached and say, God, forgive me for being so ignorant. I also look back and say I sure wish we could get back to some of the truth we have left behind in favor of a new and fresh thing.
To judge spiritual matters based on cultural ideas will leave you in a mess. To judge spiritual matters based on politics will leave you in just as big of a mess. In the honesty of observation, it appears that we are now more impressed with style than we are with substance. When that happens, the style has the characteristic of leaving some of the substance in the dust pile of the past.
Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Even though it would be true to say those old things are not better than new things just because they are old, for indeed God is doing new things before us every day, it is also true to say that we should not forsake the old paths just because they are old either.
I’m trying to discover if I still see the same desire for the Word of God as I used to see. I’m trying to discover if we are declaring the truth with the same fervency as we used to. I’m trying to see if there is still the same passion in our Worship as there used to be. I’m beginning to wonder if we still have the same courage as we used to have.
First, as individuals we need to honestly ask ourselves the question, what have we left behind that needs to be restored in our life that brings us closer to the Lord? Jesus told the church at Ephesus, to remember, repent, and do the first works. What was the Lord saying? I believe He was saying ask for the old paths, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. At must start with our individual self before it can permeate the corporate body. I truly believe that each truth from the Word of God serves as a foundation for more truth from the Word of God. I also believe in the gift of the Holy Ghost to lead us into all truth. But the learning of one truth does not do away with the past truth that was given.
If we leave the foundations that God built us up on, then we will fall when the winds blow over our life. Isaiah 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. It is my prayer that we restore what we may have left behind on the altar of culture and acceptability by those who don’t even know the Lord. It is my prayer we will return to speaking the truth and preaching that will stir hearts toward repentance of obedience to our great God and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ.
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