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My husband came home from work a couple of weeks ago and said “I know why we are going to get judgment in America.” I said why? He replied that he had spoken with 4 Pastors over the last few weeks; 3 who were Pentecostal and one Baptist about the abortion issue and they all gave him the same type of answer. They stated that abortion had been made legal and the Republicans should just leave it alone and concentrate on other issues. One Pastor even said that if his 14 or 15 year old daughter got pregnant that he might have to consider getting her an abortion. “After all, it’s not really a baby until it comes out”, he said. While I might expect that type of a reply from non-Christians, I was shocked that Pastors in our county could have such a liberal view on abortion. I thought, “You can’t tell me that they don’t know Psalm 139 (where King David talked about how the Lord formed him and knew him before he was born) and Jeremiah 1:4-5 where the Lord talks about how he knew Jeremiah before He formed him in the womb and called him as a prophet to the nations; besides all the other scriptures that talk about how a curse comes on the land because of unjust bloodshed.” If this is the mind-set of many of our Pastors, the church is in trouble.
I heard Lori Bakker (Jim Bakker’s wife), who has a ministry to women who have had abortions, say that it is very surprising how many Pastor’s wives and daughters come for this type of ministry, because they have had abortions (and I just want to say that God forgives all sin, when we truly repent and ask for forgiveness and I mean no condemnation to anyone who has an abortion). I was later speaking with a friend of mine, who said that those Pastors are probably are addicted to porn. She then said, “Think about King David and how he first looked at Bathsheba with lust, which led to sexual sin, which then led to murder, when David had Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, the Hittite, killed.” I said “Right, people don’t just start out opening the door to a spirit of murder, it happens gradually, first one door, then another.” I later heard a Prophet talking about the porn addiction in the church and I have heard reports that when they have “Promise Keepers” and other types of conventions for Christian men that the level of pornography being viewed in hotels goes way up. This is a very sad state of affairs.
1st Peter 4:17 says: “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (NKJV). Judgement sounds like a negative word, but it has to do with examination, investigation, rendering a verdict and then possible punishment. The punishment can be mild or severe, depending on the crime and this is related to the word discipline.
There are a few different words or meanings for discipline in the original language, everything from a verbal reprimand to spanking, but it also means to train or teach. The word “chastened” (Strongs #3811) originally meant to bring up a child, to educate, used of activity directed toward moral and spiritual nurture and training of the child, the influence conscious will and action. To correct, chastise in order to educate someone to conform to divine truth.
Hebrews 12:5-10 says: “My son, do not despise the discipline of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness (NKJV). I Corinthians 11:31-32 says: For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
As I have said before, the goal of judgement or chastening is to bring about repentance, so that we do not end up going to hell along with the rest of the world. God loves us enough to correct us. It is better to have some correction now and go to heaven, than to end up in hell. I believe we are going to encounter more shaking, more correction, some harder things coming, because much of the church is either asleep or compromising with sin. Let us not be slow to repent. We cannot win the world until we get our own house in order. God bless you all. Thank you to all the faithful intercessors who are praying for the body of Christ and our nation.
In Christ,
Kelly Rowe
A Deeper Walk 