They will be known by their grief

The Lamb came.  He brought us grace.  He blessed us, He provided for us, He sheltered us.

However, time is running short, and the Lion is speaking.

In church today I was sitting before worship began and I focused my heart upon the Lord.  As soon as I began to focus upon Him, I had this overwhelming feeling of consternation.  It’s as if I could see Jesus looking down upon us and frowning.  As you would expect, this upset me.  I asked the Lord in my heart why He was upset, when His people were coming together to worship.  Sure we were right before the worship, and everyone was busy talking, laughing, telling stories etc.  I considered maybe He was upset that the people were not serious about Him, but I also know He loves our fellowship, and our love for each other.  We would focus upon Him as worship began.  So I tried to listen to what the Lord would tell me.

The impression I received is that Jesus was remembering the price He paid, and then looking upon us with frustration for how little we have valued it. 

Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. – Revelation 3:17

We have taken the “grace upon grace” which He has given to us, and used it to make ourselves wealthy.  We have squandered His mercy upon our desires, our happiness, and our feelings.  As Israel chose to stand away from the presence of the Lord and listen only to what Moses said, so have we followed those who will lead us, and do the things they say to satisfy our conscious, rather than seeking the word of the Lord for ourselves. 

Yet the time of Ezra and Nehemiah is returning.

And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the Lord had given to Israel. Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.

They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.  Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.

Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them.  The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

( Nehemiah 8:1,2,8; 9:1,2 )

The Lord is again making His ways known to those who will listen.  They will be known by their grief after seeing that their lives have not be pleasing unto the Lord, but unto themselves.

For those with ears to hear, the Lion speaks.  No longer can we walk in the doctrines of man.  To sit on our pews, serve in our committees, give our tithes, read our bibles, and delude ourselves that we serve the Lord.  The Lion calls us to more.  I am not against church, I love my church, and yet each of us must decide for ourselves what the Lord has earned from us.  We must give up the comfort we hold so dear, and stand solely upon our Lord.  Time is drawing short and the Lord is looking for His bride.  He’s looking for Sons of the Kingdom, and not members of the church.  He is moving, and can only use those who are truly given to Him, and not those who have come to delude themselves with the works they give.  Take heed that you are not “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked”.