The Soul That Longeth After God
Only the souls who long after God will have any assurance of Salvation. Multitudes claim religion but the Lord Jesus is only a small part of their life. They know He is real and that He died for their sins but they have never experienced Him. If Jesus Christ ever steps into your life with resurrection power you will long and even “pant” for Him. “As the hart panted after the water brooks, so panted my soul after thee, O God.” (Psalms 42:1)To pant for Him is an extreme passion that consumes your life. He created us in His Image with a God shaped vacuum within the human spirit. When He is allowed to move into that sacred domain of your life you will never be the same.
Once He is Lord of all, and He will not be Lord of less, your passions are toward Him in every facet of life. You will literally fall in love with the Bible. The Book that was obscure in the past suddenly reads like a love story from the Divine. You could not understand it when you did not know Him. The moment He became real your Bible became real. You will no longer want some common language Bible, you will want a Bible that sounds like another world, because it really is from another world. Sermons that are tough and striking will be a joy and quickly become thrilling and sanctifying. These modern entertainers will be a joke to you.
Modern pastors have been trained to mesmerize you. They have created a mystic around themselves and the flock, especially the ladies, swoon to hear them and watch them perform. The whole mega-church world its last hour. It is blasphemy for men who claim to be from God to allow such worship of themselves and they will be consumed in the process of their folly. We have already viewed the shipwreck of many. Nothing has done greater damage to the church than these corporation style churches that offer thousands a religious hiding place and playground.
Sunday night church is almost gone because there is no passion to feed on the Word of God. A movie, television, or swapping tales with a friend is more enjoyable than fellowship from the Spirit world. A Sunday morning laugh-in has given them religion for the week. This level of Christianity is actually not even equal to the “lukewarm that He will spue out of His mouth.” At least that was called a church and this generation has rejected the very word “church.” Most churches have been remade into an entertainment center where they drink coffee and eat donuts while the laugh-in progresses.
The sanctified soul is repulsed by such cheapening of the lofty matters of our Great God. Where are the Saints that can quote the Twenty-third Psalm and experience wonderful Rapture just thrilling to such language. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” (Psalms 23:1-6)
Such truth as this great revelation fills the Holy Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Our Lord was not any more real to the Old Testament Saints than He wants to be to you. Look at Isaiah’s great call for the saints to feast on the Holy Bible and the life of his Spirit. ” Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” (Isaiah 55:1-2)
These Old Testament Saints lived in only the shadow of what we are privileged to enjoy. Apostle Paul made the Spiritual life that we can experience a beautiful life beyond measure. Millions of His Saints have walked with Him in His glory during church history. This generation has been the first generation since Pentecost to show the world so few real saints full of the Spirit. Listen to this mighty man of God: “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.” (11 Corinthians 3:6-10)
We are invited to sit together in Heavenly Places with our Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. Four times in the one book of Ephesians Paul spoke of sitting together in Heavenly Places. The Holy Ghost did not come to be an unknown presence in the midst of the church. The Tabernacle and the Temple of Soloman was filled with His Shekinah presence. Many times during church history His Saints have seen and experienced an even greater manifestation of His glory. It is going to happen again, but it cannot occur in dead churches where His glory is unwelcome. I am believing that we will see His Shekinah in our coming camp meeting. My soul longs for Him and for the fullness of His wonderful presence.
Joseph Chambers