Return

 

Malachi 3:7

…..Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty….

I am placing an extract of a letter from Steve Porter today, because it so lovingly describes the circumstances many of us are facing at the moment:

Spiritual apathy rarely announces itself. It slips in quietly, as life grows full. David Wilkerson once spoke of a season when life was good. A loving church. A steady routine. Enough provision to be comfortable. Nothing was broken. And yet—something was missing.

He admitted something that many sincere Christians quietly experience: his Bible reading had become functional. Useful. Practical. He read to prepare. To stay faithful. To keep moving forward. But not always to linger.

And one day, he found himself praying words that changed everything: “Lord, I’m not looking for a word for a sermon. I’m looking for Your heart.” That prayer was not the cry of a burned-out leader. It was the hunger of a normal believer who realized that Christianity can continue without intimacy—but it cannot thrive.

Wilkerson learned prayer as a boy. His father used to say to him, “David, there are only twenty-four hours in a day. That’s all Elijah had—and he prayed. You can pray like Elijah. God always makes a way for men of prayer.” That truth is not reserved for preachers. It is for mothers and fathers. Teenagers and retirees. Factory workers and office employees. Anyone who desires more than a surface walk with God.

Wilkerson discovered something important: when you truly decide to seek God, distractions increase. Not sinful things. Ordinary things. Phone calls. Schedules. Responsibilities. Life itself begins to press harder—not because prayer is wrong, but because it matters.

So he found a place. A quiet place.  place where God could meet him. Not for a day. Not for a quick devotion. For weeks. He said, “Lord, I’m fixing my heart. I’m not satisfied with a normal Christianity.”

Beloved, that sentence alone explains the difference between knowing about God and knowing God.

Wilkerson later looked at the modern Church and said plainly: “You are spending more time with technology than with the Holy Spirit.” Not because technology is evil—but because it is loud. And loud things slowly crowd out the still, small voice.

Beloved, this is not about guilt. It is about hunger. A full schedule can starve the soul. A busy mind can silence prayer. You may still attend church. Still read Scripture. Still believe all the right things. Yet something inside quietly whispers, “There must be more than this.”

That whisper is not dissatisfaction. It is invitation. Wilkerson said revival did not come because he was gifted. It came because he returned to the place he had left.

Years later, walking through the brokenness of Times Square, the Holy Spirit whispered to him, “Go back and seek My face the way you did in the beginning.” The same whisper is moving through the Church today. Not calling us to do more—but to return. Because prayer is not preparation for the Christian life. Prayer is the Christian life.

Dear one, let me ask you gently—When was the last time you prayed without rushing? Without multitasking? Without needing something immediately?

When was the last time you sat with God simply because you missed Him? If prayer has grown thin, if silence feels awkward, if your heart feels crowded—this is not condemnation. This is mercy knocking.

Right now, whisper this prayer: “Lord, I return. I’ve been faithful—but hurried. Busy—but distant. Teach me to linger again. Clear the noise from my heart. I want Your presence more than productivity.”

Beloved, the prayer room is still open. And the Father is still waiting.

With Love,

Steve Porter

Lord lead me back home

Prompting

 

2 Thess 1:11

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.

Let us explore all that Paul is saying here. The first area that we need to ponder on, is what he meant by a life worthy of God’s calling, which he elaborates on in verse 12  We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

It means living lives where we are aware of how His goodness is working in and for us; it means that we acknowledge His work in us through the choices we make on a daily basis; and through the humbleness it produces in us – who are we, after all, that He should shower us with His blessings?

It means that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is glorified in us – we walk as His representatives here on earth, taking on His character more and more, emulating His ways and works ( Unlike simple copying, emulation implies trying to reach the same high standard as the person being imitated, out of admiration or respect for them).

It means that we proclaim that He alone is the source of our glory and exaltation - we deflect all praise and honour we receive from people back to Him; the only thing that matters to us is who we are in Him and not who we are in anything else.

The second part of the verse speaks about receiving the power of God to do the things that our faith prompts us to do. The Prompter is of course Holy Spirit, and He can only suggest some action to us. It remains up to us to obey and DO. When we first learn to hear His voice, this can bring about great turmoil in our hearts – did I hear correctly? Was it really Holy Spirit speaking to me? What will people think or say? And obedience despite our fears only sometimes has immediate results – we may never know what effect our words or actions had on a person! We will have to wait until we are in heaven to learn what the impact was. But sometimes…. a person is healed right in front of our eyes. A mother shares that your payment of her groceries just now means that she is now able to pay a doctor’s bill for her child. Your random offer to pray for a complete stranger in the mall was the answer to their plea to Abba that they will start believing again if something like that happened today…..

Pearls to ponder:

Let us become aware of the goodness of God in our lives by actively searching for and thanking God for it. As you prepare to go to sleep, praise Him for His love and mercy and grace displayed in your life today. May we increasingly become aware of His promptings to act in faith, so that the power of God can work through us!

I heard the voice of God today

We are living this prophecy

 

John 16:3

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.

It was the year 1973. I vividly remember sitting in our enclosed veranda, tapping away on my father’s manual typewriter to capture the audio words I was hearing on our tape recorder – the very words of God as revealed to David Wilkerson in a vision about the end times. In this vision God spoke about what the future world would look like, and I never knew then that I would be experiencing this myself in the times we are living in now!

David Wilkerson became famous when he wrote his book titled “The Cross and the Switchblade”, about his journey of obedience to follow the Lord’s instruction to move to New York and pastor the gang members who ruled the city. One former gang leader, Nicky Cruz, is still an international evangelist today.

People regarded what he saw as totally ridiculous and far-fetched at the time, and he lost a lot of support, many bookstores even refusing to sell his book on the prophecy. But the truth of it is now undeniably becoming visible around us today. He saw terrible calamities coming over America and the world - these are given below as he recounted them (still as future events coming after 1973).

A world-wide recession caused by economic confusion which the world’s economists are going to be at a loss to explain. Large and trusted corporations going bankrupt, also large churches, causing missionary projects to flounder.

Nature having labour pains with worldwide catastrophes that cannot be explained. Major earthquakes coming to the United States; worldwide famine especially in China, India and Russia; the world’s food supplies completely dwindling. A new kind of cosmic storm appearing as a raging fire in the air and leaving a vapour trail. Tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and hailstorms will intensify.

A flood of filth is about to hit America. Triple X-rated movies on cable television, R-rated movies on network television (unbelievable in 1973!). Sex education classes at school will use animated cartoons etc. And just when it appears that the Supreme Court will rule against pornographers, and the nation appears to be returning to old fashioned moral standards, suddenly the flood gates will swing open and Satan will fling smut from out of hell - it will be just as in the days of Lot and will vex the souls of God’s most devout saints. A persecution madness against pure Spirit-filled Christians who love Jesus Christ will come, the purpose will be to scatter the true believers from the false. It will come when religious freedom appears to be at a peak, a true harassment. Nearly all evangelical missionary projects, all religious radio and television programming will be so closely monitored, questioned and badgered by government agencies they will be cautious and worried about expanding.

The rise of a one world church supported by liberal ecumenical Protestants and the Roman Catholic Church will become one of the most powerful religious forces on earth. It will be spiritual in name only, being in fact anti-Christ and political in many of its activities. A sudden mysterious chain of events will bring about the framework for this union. The pope will be a political leader, not a spiritual one. An army of career people invading this super church will be anti-Christ people. They will persecute all organisations that do not come under their leadership. Homosexual and lesbian people will be welcome here. Nude dancing in some of these churches will be accepted, although not widespread. Certain occult practises will be condoned – to make Satan a bland non-entity, someone not to be feared. Seances will replace prayer meetings.

 Watch out for Hollywood attempting to debunk our morals. Witchcraft will be sensationalized. Persecution will come from television comedies; they will become bolder and bolder and poke fun at Christ and all true Christians. They will become absolutely blasphemous, and millions of people will be sitting in front of their TVs, watching and laughing. Headmasters of schools and faculties will be replaced by ungodly people who will promote agnosticism. Lying spirits will be released to slander and gossip and spread lies about true Jesus-following pastors and their wives.

He also saw the fall of the iron and bamboo curtains, as God intends for the Gospel to spread through those nations. Persecution in these countries will unfortunately later rise again.

Pearls to ponder:

Look around you – is he not describing exactly what we are already experiencing? Does this make us fearful? No, certainly not! God is in control, and we know that in Rom 8:28 He promises And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

God is in control

Ungodly church goers

 

Jude 1:4

For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Do you find this as shocking as I do? That it is possible for ungodly persons to infiltrate a church group unnoticed – they behave like sincere believers and yet are far from being what they profess to be.

Jude had the intention to write this letter to believers about the fact that all of us have to follow the same way to reach our salvation. However, this issue of hidden imposters among the flock became a matter that he had to address urgently.

He gives a few clues by which we can identify them. They pervert the grace of God into lawlessness, and then into immorality. This can happen so easily, for instance when we hear someone say, “It is OK to do this, because God’s grace means He will forgive you.” Or they hold the belief that if it feels good, it is permissible. There is also an element of “everybody does it, so it seems to be acceptable”. I have heard about a pastor who tells his congregation that they can receive the mark of the beast during the Tribulation, because God’s grace will cover them (when the Bible explicitly says that those people will be thrown into hell Rev 14:9-10). We regularly see Christian young men and women living together because they see it as acceptable behaviour in their churches, while the Bible teaches purity before marriage throughout all its pages.

They deny the deity of Jesus, teaching that He was but a man here on earth, that He married and had children, and died an ordinary death. And slowly these doctrines, coming from seemingly learned and knowledgeable Christians, get a foothold among the congregation and erode their core belief.

Jude goes on to explain that they not only corrupt the body through perverse sexual practices, but they also scorn and reject all authority – not only the authority of God and His word, but also of church leaders, and governmental rulers. These evil men and seducers are angry at everything that happens and never pleased with their own state and condition. Their will and their fancy are their only rule and law. They complain and grumble about everything, their talk is boastful and arrogant, they pay flattering compliments to gain advantage. They live devoid of the Holy Spirit.

Pearls to ponder:

Now that you know what to look for, do you recognize people in your congregation that exhibit these behaviours? What about you, personally? Jude has answers as to what to do about this situation – read verses 20-25. It begins with turning inward and building up your own faith. And then rely on God’s discernment as to whether you have to confront and rebuke; or whether you must comfort those who waver and doubt. Loving the person but hating the sin should always be our motivation.

Love you with the Truth