A Crying Shame

By Wesley Raphael

While we identify ourselves as Christians we know much more of the world. Although we bare the terrible scars of sin; we strangely have grown comfortable living in and around it despite its devastating impact on our own lives. We weep and we moan and then blame God rather than face the truth. God weeps over our arrogance and our ignorance. This is not according to the will of God that His people perish as unbelievers. This book is a challenge to you and me alike to "Do those things that prove that we have turned to God and have changed the way we think and act and Don't just say Abraham is our ancestor..." Luke 3:8 GW. This book is a call to revival and renewal. 100% of SALES PROFITS - WILL BE DONATED TO SUPPORT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AND YOUTH MINISTRIES THAT THE AUTHOR SUPPORTS.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387280612

Book preview

A Crying Shame

A Crying Shame

Wesley Raphael

Copyright © 2017 Wesley Raphael

ISBN: 978-1-387-28061-2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers and/or author.

Dedication

This Book is dedicated to current Christian and former believers, especially those who have cried and are tired of crying. To all who have suffered justly and unjustly and desire to experience more joy in their future.  Christ says, to you Blessed are those who mourn. They will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4 GW)

Chapter 1 - What Have We Done?

They should be ashamed of their disgusting sins, but they don't even blush… Jeremiah 8:12 CEV

The title of this book is A Crying Shame; by definition (idiomatic): A situation that is considered to be a disgrace, or deplorable.  What could be more shameful than God’s people being destroyed and abandoned by their God because they do not know Him?

After reading Jeremiah chapter 9, I was forced to identify and to apply the warnings and implications to my own life. God’s Word is present and living, it’s not just about Ancient Israel’s faith and beliefs; but ours as well. As Modern Christians, we are echoes of Israel’s past. Jeremiah’s writings are very pointed. They are an open rebuke and a reckoning of accounts. They stand as a plea for revival and practical faith in action.

What should the Christian fear more: Fire and Brimstone or a Dead Faith filled with works and unbelief? I think one of the most frightening things is a wrong belief that leads to the very errors we had hoped to avoid through our belief. If you are off course you will not reach your destination.

There are those who do not even consider heaven, hell or the judgment. Those same people insist, that it’s a waste to let such things even enter our mind, but without any consideration of those things, what does the Christian really hope for?

The Christian faith, tells us that there is a real God and creator, that the sin of man created a breach in relationship: making us the enemies of God or in more practical terms, (have mercy on us!) making God our enemy. I say this not because it is true but because in reality; if we choose our friends and allies then we often have chosen our enemies by default. If we are confirmed as enemies, then how do we proceed in our relationship with them?

This should be a concern for any man or women. As Christians, we seek fellowship, healing, restoration, forgiveness and salvation from sin and death through our belief in Jesus Christ. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:15. 

Despite our stated beliefs we are perishing and sadly many are dying without hope or expectation of eternal life. Why? Some of them have long abandoned their faith and chosen the losing side.

Christ must be reflected in the hearts and lives of his followers. Christ looks for that reflection and as our God he has often searched out to see if his chosen reflect his love and devotion towards him. God’s beloved children should also look to see his reflection in themselves. Just as a child traces the face and characteristics of their parents; earnestly looking for distinctions and familial resemblances that they share alike to affirm their belonging. This is true even when a child is adopted.

We naturally fear the intentions of strangers and estrangement. We seek belonging and acceptance. If we are to be considered God’s children, then what do we fear? What the true Christian should fear most is a life without their God. They should fear being separated from God especially if it is avoidable.

The evidence is already in. Many of us are not finding the connection to our savior because we are not all saved. Why because we have consistently avoided the offered opportunity of salvation. How can any professed Christian be over confident and believe that they understand the scriptures and say as many do insisting that we should not fear God, every time the word ‘fear’ comes up? Never knowing fear is to be oblivious to our current circumstances and environment.

A Savior must save, therefore, the saved must be secure, yet as Jeremiah laments, the time for the harvesting of God’s people has come and we are not saved. The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. Jeremiah 8:20

A famine for the word of the Lord has long begun to take its toll on God’s people.  The world around us has given up hope and begun to question if God exist or even cares. So called Christian’s have forgotten to pray for spiritual rain and refreshing at a time when it is needed most. We wait for what we have shown no desire for. Like a dead cactus in drought worn and desert we remain as a hollow dead core lacking substance and of no benefit to the living and will not benefit from even a flood of water.

We may say God is love and perfect love casts out all fear.  I beg to differ on that point. Now if you will, please allow me to explain myself. My concern is not that we should be afraid of God, but that we should be afraid to be found away from our God or forsaken by God. Israel’s struggles reflect the same condition and experience. Why shouldn’t that concern us as well?

Jeremiah quotes God as reasoning through the judgments and crisis that He will allow to trouble his people. Imagine these words applying to us today as they surely can and do.

I have paid attention and listened, but they weren't honest. They don't turn away from their wickedness and ask, What have we done?" They go their own ways like horses charging into battle. Even storks know