June 8, 2024
Dear friends, we had a wonderful opportunity to visit one of the oldest cities in the USA – Savannah. It was founded in 1733 when British General James Oglethorpe established the thirteenth colony called Georgia.
However, our main focus has been on a famous man of God, John Wesley, whose ministry sparked a tremendous spiritual revival in England. His stay in colonial Georgia was short-lived and not very vivid. However, upon returning to England, he experiences something unusual with the Lord, which radically changes his life.
He actively defended the idea of Christian perfection and battled against calvinism, in particular against its doctrine of predestination. He taught that Christians, even in this life, can fully achieve a state where the love of God “rules in their hearts,” giving them not only external, but also internal holiness.
In his sermons, he argued that although the means of grace play a certain role in the sanctification of the believer, it is by faith that the believer is transformed into the likeness of Christ, while good works only testify that this transformation has occurred.
He encouraged people to experience Christ personally “in a more excellent way.”
At that time, believers in England did not consider themselves sinners, churches were more formal and overgrown with human traditions, but there was no life in their faith. The poor were despised and abhorred. He was expelled from churches and shunned in many communities for his bold preaching about sin, regardless of person. John Wesley was a sincere man and a serious seeker of God. His friend George Whitefield once convinced him to preach in the fields as Christ did. And rivers of living water began to reach the thirsty souls and hearts of ordinary people, common people.
Today in our churches we are either overgrown with human decrees and cold-blooded traditions, or we are trying to somehow put on the camouflage of life, resorting to carnal methods of keeping people in the church, especially young people, while becoming more and more like this world.
And why? The Church is falling deeper and deeper into spiritual slumber. Nobody wants to hear about what displeases the One they claim to love. Lacking the real power of the Holy Spirit, the churches have to imitate it. But every soundly and critically thinking Christian understands that this is not what the life of Christ carries within itself – that life in abundance, we all desperately need.
John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb. He did not entertain people, did not perform miracles, did not heal. Moreover, he insulted people with straightforward words, preaching in the sultry desert in the hot sun. So what was it that attracted people to him? What was his secret? Genuine manifestation of the Holy Spirit and fearlessness before people and their perishing state of hearts.
Subconsciously feeling that such a power is missing, many churches become more and more like this world. We need to be transformed into the image of Christ, seeking God’s presence through reading His Word and prayer.
The prophet Nehemiah was such a selfless prophet who, seeing the spiritual decline of God’s people, did not remain indifferent to this. What was his attitude? We read: “When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days. Then I fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, and said: “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and mercy for those who love Him and keep His commandments. Let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant, which I pray before You now, day and night, for the Israelites Your servants, and confess the sins of the Israelites, which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned.” (Nehemiah 1:4-6).
Beloved, what is your attitude towards what is happening today? Let’s at least start with our own families. Are you expecting your children to be saved? Do you truly care about them or have you become cold-blooded? How much time do you spend watching TV, on the phone, checking social media, enjoying the pleasures of life? And tell me how much time you spend crying out to God in tears and fasting, saying: “Lord, I need you! My children have become worldly. They are perishing! My parents are on the verge of divorce. God’s people have become careless, indifferent, including myself. Many believers are being misled by false teachers and false prophets. We need Your reviving and renewing touch!”
Don’t say that God doesn’t hear you. Do not say that you are seeking His face while your heart is devoted to earthly things, cares, and worries. God is your only satisfying desire. Only He can give abundant life. Come and take it for free without gold and silver. He’s speaking now to your heart: “You shall seek Me and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13). Dear soul, He wants your whole heart. He won’t be satisfied with less.
May the Lord be with us!
Max Volkov in Christ
