Rise up, O men of God!
We’ve done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.
Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you does wait.
Her strength unequal to her task:
Rise up and make her great!
Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up of men of God!
The above word from the hymn “Rise up, O men of God written by William H. Walter could serve as a title of the interview by Brother Saeed Abedini in the Christian post. Below are some excerpts of his thoughts on the Church’s need in America for revival and what or more specifically who is standing in the way…
“Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini argues that there are some pastors in America who instead of helping Christians grow, are standing in the way of revival, and suggests that church walls, or obstacles separating Christians from reaching society, must fall.
“After being far from the USA for four years and in prison and thousands of hours of prayer have happened, I see that more Christians seem ready to step into revival but not all pastors and leaders,” Abedini reflected in a Facebook post on Friday.
“Could it be that pastors are so busy with ministry, church, financial growth plans, and building walls around their church that they are missing the most important thing?” he asked. Without naming names, Abedini suggested that sometimes pastors are more focused on not losing their members, or finding ways to grow their congregations in size, instead of practicing sacrificial love. He continues, “Is it possible that some pastors need to repent and become humble before God and stop thinking and planning like the world? Where is the difference between church and business?”
He added that he has seen Christians in America want to “stand up for the Lord and shine for Him,” but some pastors discourage them from doing so. “Maybe world politics has become the master in some churches and in others money is master. Sometimes pride or a denomination or race has kept people out,” he continued.
“Is it possible that sometimes pastors build a wall between Christians and revival instead of leading them to revival and they don’t even know it?” Abedini asked. “The walls between churches need to fall down concerning faith and prayer. We need repentance so we can pray together even in the streets,” he added. “Christians need to go out from the walls of the church and reach the world, not expect the world to come to them inside the church as is today.”
He defined revival as an “awakening of the heart toward God,” adding that it “first and foremost starts in the heart.” “Revival is a stirring of passion for God and heavenly priorities,” he added. “In true revival, not only is the heart awakened but empowered with a godly passion to love and serve the Living God”.
“Revival is not measured by how many hours of service we give to our church or ministry. Revival is measured by the movement of God’s Spirit and the outpouring of His grace,”
*Original Article published in The Christian Post by Stoyan Zaimoff click to read article http://www.christianpost.com/news/saeed-abedini-americans-crave-revival-some-pastors-only-care-about-church-growth-163014/
“Rise Up, O Men of God! Or Get Out of the Way”
Our brother’s comments need no further illumination, as they are 1000% true, and need not to be ignored. The soul of America is sorely sick, and the antidote to that infirmity is the Lord Jesus Christ, as he is allowed to live and move and minister through His church. How can that take place when the church itself is lethargic, and spiritually weak? Rise up O men of God! Or get out of the way!
Ephesians 5:8-18 (NKJV) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit…
Let’s remember Paul wrote this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and he wrote it to Christians who had become lethargic. He wrote it to followers who would leave Jesus as their first love. The time has come for us to stop ignoring the message of the Lord Jesus calling us to repent and return fully to Him.
Really wish i could meet pastor saeed. He is absolutely right in what he said
Where are the Prophets of our day? They are here,but no one is listening, especially in the church of America.
What we need is persecution to sift the wheat from the tares. Just like in Syria, where there is revival because of persecution. God calls us to be the light in the darkness.
Interestingly, when prophets spoke in the O.T.it was after the LORD had decided the people and the leader would not listen. Israel had a habit of ignoring the LORD until calamity came, then they would whine for deliverance.
God's N.T. prophets have been speaking over the last 100 years… Tozer, Ravenhill, Wilkerson, yet we have not listened. The Church needs to begin considering her ways.
“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?