E-Sermon

October 2013

SOWING IN TEARS
Psalm 126 : 5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. 6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. I remember a time growing up in Church where the pastor and members would weep for the nations, trusting God to intervene in communist Russia for example, and also for family members or for the people within its community. Somehow in all our maturity and new understanding of scriptures, we have lost this key ingredient and have become believers of comfort and with an attitude of everything is ok and no worries, because God is in control. Listen to the words of Leonard Ravenhill : "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy." (Ps. 126:5). This is the divine edict. This is more than preaching with zeal. This is more than scholarly exposition. This is more than delivering sermons of exegetical exactitude and homiletical perfection. Such a man, whether preacher or pew dweller, is appalled at the shrinking authority of the Church in the present drama of cruelty in the world. And he cringes with sorrow that men turn a deaf ear to the Gospel and willingly risk eternal hell in the process. Under this complex burden, his heart is crushed to tears. Our modern day preachers know how to strut their stuff, with their eloquently prepared sermons, yet few tears. With titles ranging from Honory doctorates, first lady, apostles, Bishops to whatever is current, yet not many tears. Have we become so passionless and heartless towards a world whose end is eternal hell-fire unless we cry before the Lord with real tears. We have become accustomed to the latest technology in our churches, but our people are not accustomed to tears! I have heard some say they cried to the Lord, but what they really meant was that they simply begged Him in a loud voice to do something.....but...no tears! Major revivals came about because they realised that they have become so selfsufficient, and comfortable, trying to build something and keep it operational, but they never wept before the Lord in acknowledgement of their sin, pride, haughtiness, and lethargy. I hear the pastors and leaders say, "I'm not in sin!" Yes, You may never have been divorced, stole money from the church, had an affair etc, but you could well be in sin because you fail to treat people well, you could be unforgiving, perhaps preaching grace but never showing it when it matters. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin! Hear again the cry of a true revivalist; Many of us have no heart-sickness for the former glory of the Church because we have never known what true revival is. We stagnate in the status quo and sleep easy at night while our generation moves swiftly to the eternal night of hell. Shame, shame on us! Jesus whipped some money changers out

of the temple; but before He whipped them, He wept over them. He knew how near their judgment was. The Apostle Paul sent a tearstained letter to the Philippian saints, writing: "I have told you often and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ" (Phil. 3:18). Our prayer meetings are lack-lustre. We pray without any apparent urgency. All I hear is a lot of tongue talking believers but no interpretation! tongues has become the excuse for prayers that should be specific, accurate, and decreeing God's word. Our prayers should be with tears over the lost and our broken churches. Tongues edify yourself, no one else, unless you have the interpretation. At a prayer meeting we need to hear the cry of your heart so that we can stand in agreement for it to be done! I have been in some prayer meetings where people have cried tears because of their sin, and disobedience to God. They seemed unashamed, not caring that anyone could hear them, but they knew that if God was going to move in their life that they had to be honest and repent with tears for they will reap in joy!

Some revivalist are currently ministering with the expectation that laughter will be the manifestation. If you cannot laugh, you are not experiencing the Holy Ghost (now we know that is not true), yet it is an unspoken expectation. I have nothing against laughter. I have been in the earliest revivals with Rodney Howard Browne and can tell you that, yes, there was laughter, but also many tears. Pastors and the Churches they lead are at the crossroads of their spiritual journey. You could either continue the way you have been going, or you could acknowledge that things are inherently wrong and that change is necessary. Weeping is not designed to keep you miserable. Hannah wept in the synagogue so much that the priest thought she was drunk with wine. It was not her concern what anyone thought. Her heart was broken for her situation. Her barrenness moved her to brokenness, and soon she received her blessing! I am challenged to start sowing in tears for the Church, the community, my family, with an expectation that joy comes in the morning! Yours For His Kingdom Pastor Tony Sands 074 898 3960 tony.sands@ymail.com
Note: What I write is birthed out of the challenges that I face and the realisation that I need Him so much. I do not write out of critiscism for others, but rather to challenge the status quo. Perhaps we have set the bar so low, that the Church has no goal or idea that their is more! I have included writings by Leonard Ravenhill whom I believe to be a true prophet to the the Church today. A must read is his book "Why Revival Tarries".

Leoanard Ravenhill; The true man of God is heartsick, grieved at the worldliness of the Church, grieved at the blindness of the Church, grieved at the corruption in the Church, grieved at the toleration of sin in the Church, grieved at the prayerlessness in the Church. He is disturbed that the corporate prayer of the Church no longer pulls down the strongholds of the devil. He is embarrassed that the Church folks no longer cry in their despair before a devil-ridden, sin-mad society, "Why could we not cast him out?" (Matt. 17:19).