“They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols; so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt. Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the LORD; though they testified against them, they would not listen.”
2 Chronicles 24:18-19 NASB
Prophets and reformers lead us to first love and intimacy with God. They act as a plump line of truth. When we cast off first love with God in the church and pursue other lovers, prophets must rise up to call us back to the Lord. I believe this is happening in America right now. God is calling us to Himself. To come to Him in humility. To not lean on our own understanding, but to acknowledge Him in all our ways. This is a defining moment in our history as there is a deep purification happening in the western church.
Hezekiah and Josiah are two leaders in Israel’s history that stand as examples to us today. They were reformers and restorers of Israel. They called the people back to the Shepherd. They restored the temple, the Word, worship, and the Passover feast. Things that had been lost for generations came to the forefront again. We are at this moment today in the western church. A great reformation and restoration of God’s original standard and intended design is here. Simple ancient truths that have been lost are coming back to the forefront. This is the time for rediscovered purpose. Discipleship is calling. For too long making disciples has become optional in the western church. But it is our greatest priority. Conformity to His likeness has been for a few, but it is a mandate for us all as His body to put on His life. Maturity in the body must come. We can no longer be immature babes blown by every wind and doctrine. We must grow up into Christ, the head. Reformation is here and the Spirit of God is speaking. Will we surrender to the work at hand? Will we listen to the word of the Lord?
“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 4:6-8 NASB
This is the time to repent and submit to God. Right now with everything going on in our nation and world (from COVID, racism, and political trouble) the Lord is looking at our response! This is the time for humility. We don’t have the answers. We need Him. The Bible says if we submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee. This is our calling today. Let us cleanse our hands and purify our hearts. Surrender and submission to Him and His purpose is the only way through in this season.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.”
Ephesians 5:22-24 ESV
We as the church must submit to Christ as our husband. We haven’t done this in times past. For years here in the western church we have been operating outside of His covering. We have been leaning on our own understanding. Building ministries and churches the way we see fit and think is best. Leaning on our own strategies and programs. We have become ministry experts. We’ve become proud. We should have been on our knees a long time ago in America. He is the head, we are the body. He is King, we are His Church. God is calling us as his people to submit and humble ourselves before Him. When we aren’t submitted we aren’t able to resist the evil one. The issues in our nation is a direct result of our lack of submission to God. We are His bride. He is the head of His household. He is the King and Lord.
Let us come humbly and submit to God. Let us repent for our pride. He’s looking at our hearts’ response. Are we responding as “know it alls”? Are we responding as humble dependent people? This is a crucial defining moment in our history. Our response will have a big determination of the outcome. Let us be slow to speak and quick to listen. He is doing a great work of purification and reforming. This isn’t the time to fight what is happening, but to lean in to what we are to learn. This isn’t the time to prophecy peace and goodness. But to truly reflect and slow down. To examine our hearts before God. Some of these things going on in our world are working to sift us and bring us to our knees. Let us submit and surrender to the work of His hands.
Pray with me: God I repent for my pride. For thinking I know best. For always doing things my way. I need you. I can’t live without you. I trust you as the Lord and head of your church. I trust you as King over the nation. Thank you that I am your sheep and I hear your voice. Clue me in to your purposes today. I want to know and be a part of the change you are bringing. I don’t want to be at odds with you and your purposes. I submit to you and I surrender to you. I want your correction and Discipline in my life. I want to be right with you and please you. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you for your forgiveness from your shed blood and broken body. Thank you that my personal life and our world are in your hands. You see it all, you hold it all, and you have a plan.
By Micah Level