If it does not make us tremble that Jesus is clearly cleaning house in His church, turning over tables & chairs, exposing what's underneath & calling us back to purity & prayer, if all it does is make us pump our fists over the exposed or give us fodder for gossip, we are fools.
God is onto the fact that some of our gladness over the exposures of high profile people is not for righteousness' sake but for rivalry's sake. We relish no one's public descent more than those whose successes we've resented.
This house cleaning is no joke. And it's about to get real. I want to say a few things to anyone listening & want you to know they come from tremendous love and hope and from a former pit-dweller who is well acquainted with God's seriousness about sin, chastisement & forgiveness.
1) Most have no idea the warfare & seduction Satan wages against leaders & potential leaders. He's relentless, HE IS PATIENT. Studies our weaknesses & vulnerabilities. Stalks our families. He's methodical. Masterful at timing. And if you're laughing at this, he's laughing at you.
Leaders too sophisticated to reckon with the biblical realities of spiritual warfare will be eaten alive. 2) No leader gets away with secret sin & duplicity. It's always a matter of time. God doesn't play favorites. Christ is serious about His church. Repent/seek help/be restored
Catch yourself saying to yourself if it seems you keep getting away with something the Bible comes down hard on,"I guess this is OK with God."Yep, some of us thought the same thing. It's a lie. Ask David. Clock's ticking.Get your fear of the Lord back.Stop rationalizing & repent.
3. Christ offers complete forgiveness. Nothing is beyond the reach of His cross. There is no person on earth He cannot restore. I'm not talking about positions being restored. I'm talking about something far more vital: PERSONS being restored. But here's the thing & I'll shut up:
There is fruit of repentance. (Mt.3:8) We wonder how we'll know if someone has genuinely repented. REPENTANCE SHOWS. Bears fruit. You won't have to wonder. The fruits of repentance are humility and teachability and marked change. EVERY TIME. All 3. You can take that to the bank.
