I was thinking about this strange phenomenon today in Church.   If we consider what happened to the early Church, we can see that it was a persecuted Church body.  It was Jesus’ own death that would have been seen by the Disciples as a persecution of Jesus, and, at the time, they sought themselves to hide from such not wanting it to be encroaching upon themselves; because they were still without the Holy Spirit.  But Jesus understood that. In fact, He predicted that it was coming for them. 

Two things were natural for these men, who were still lacking in power at that point.  One would be an immediate sense of guilt. But this guilt would lead them to be open and receptive to God’s answers for where they were. 

So does God not use guilt to lead mankind toward an openness to revival itself in their own lives or toward Him?  In fact, if this does not happen among the more liberal mindset of today then what  might our hope be for their turning to Christ?  

As we think about that we in fact have a generation of younger adults brought up in Church Doctrine where loving everyone including their enemies is their only evidence for calling themselves a Christian.  

Their greatest chance to have guilt that leads them to repentance may just come from our persecution, as they watch those whom they now find to be unloving for telling the truth concerning sin, for to see some to actually stand in spite of the persecution, while their own join in the persecution distancing themselves from this Christ will be for them light vs darkness.  For likely what they will witness when persecution comes will be a falling away of many brethren from Christ Himself, and a harsh persecution of those, whom they hadn’t yet looked favorably upon in the Church and, who in fact, they considerd to be their enemies, because they called out sin for what it is: sin. 

Why do I conclude this?  Just think about the revival happening in Iran.  Christians there are persecuted and yet the Church has grown so much and at the same time the Mosques actually are closing in large numbers. 

Here in both Canada and now in the states, we see that mosques are opening everywhere and liberal churches stand with them even as churches are closing, and so far there has been little persecution of believers.  Will that change and when it does will it also bring revival? 

My answer actually came while reflecting on pastor William’s message. 

Man seems to get closer to God in times of persecution. And it is only when we are serious with The Messiah that we actually hear what it is that He is saying.  When we hear Him things happen. And when “God things” happen around us; that is when others take notice of God, because of Those God things, and they thus seek Him. And Revival happens in the believer, and salvation happens in the unbeliever, because all affected by our Lord Jesus are learning what true love really is. 

Just maybe our world is being lost because the Church is lacking in fire produced by true love and commitment.