If

Roger Purdy, pastor

It should be no surprise to anyone who is the least bit sensitive to the teachings of the Bible and the state of our nation that we, as a people, are in trouble. Every cornerstone of society that God has laid down in order to have a prosperous and happy people is being attacked and the foundations are steadily being crumbled. The sanctity of the unborn, the traditional family, and even the relativity of the Bible are slowly being ebbed away. In Proverbs 14:34 we read, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.” Sin is now rampant in America. I don’t need to take the time to further describe it, I think you, as a reader already know.

What has caused this steady decline. Is it the politicians? We’ve had our share of corrupt ones but they’re only there because we put them there. Is it the liberal news media? It’s true that it is corrupt and hell-bent on turning our minds to Sodom but if we, as a nation wouldn’t buy their news, they’d change. Is it the judges? While we’ve seen some foolish decisions made from the bench we must concede that they’re only the product of us. While the above reasons are only surface reasons, the fault lies much deeper.

The liability lies in the church, meaning anyone who claims to be a Christian and a part of His church. It’s true that we don’t always know who is really IN the church and whose names are written in the book of life as mentioned in the book of Revelation, but we can assume that the “church” is anyone who claims AND IS a child of God. Jesus said in Matthew 5:13, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” Salt does three things. It seasons, heals, and preserves.

The seasoning is the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost. When was the last time the Holy Ghost has moved in your services? Will a visitor sense that there is a difference between your body of believers and those people he meets out in the world? I’m afraid that today, the church is trying to be more like the world in order to reach those in the world. The numbers are there but there is no real change in the soul. The flesh is still ruling and the lusts of it are still obeyed.

Healing is almost the thing of the past. More about this is mentioned below but the church as a whole has seemed to lose their sense of healing the body and the soul. Healing also means a restoration of that good thing which once was. This includes lives, families, churches, communities, and even a society.

This leads to preservation. When people see no difference and there is no more power to heal or save, there is no more power to preserve. The 21^st century has ushered in a new age for America which has placed us in a time in which we have never entered. I really don’t think I need to elaborate more because as I said above, you already know what is now becoming the norm in the country. The church seems almost powerless to stop it.

Yes, I know we are in the end times and that evil shall wax worse and worse but we are still in a battle. God as given us a remedy for revival and it’s very familiar to many.

“If”

All promises of the Word of God are built on conditions. This promise is also built the same. The conditions are outlined here. Will the church in America ever wake up to the fact that we have lost ground as a whole spiritually and in the cultural arena? What will it take to wake us up? So the rest of the scripture rests on “if” or “will we.”

“my people”

Who is God talking to here? “My people” refers to his church. True, he spoke this to King Solomon almost three thousand years ago but the promise is for the church today as the formula for revival in a land is still the same. It is the laxness of the church that is the fault for the immorality and the vast amount of wholesale sin that runs rampant in our country. It was the church that sat back while the Bible was taken from our children in public schools. It was the church that failed to stop the lawful slaughter of babies so that now in some states such as California, 16 year old girls can get an abortion without their parents consent but must have written permission to go to a tanning bed,. It is the church who has failed to preach and teach the Word of God so now homosexuality is fast becoming an accepted life style as same sex marriages have been legalized in various states and may one day be nationally. It is the church, or “my people” who have loved to be so much like the world that the world has taken over the church. They have become like Laodicea who “are rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;” but are unaware that they, and I should say we, since I’m a part of the church, are unaware that the church in the United States has overall become “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” See Revelations 3:14-20.

“which are called by my name”

This narrows it down as to who is referred to as the church here. This applies to those of us who say that we are Christians. That is pretty clear. I know that someone will say that this is the Old Testament and the church was under law then. That makes no difference as the rule still applies today as I mentioned above. I heard somewhere that 85 percent of Americans consider themselves Christians. What our Lord said in Matthew 7:21 comes to mind here. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” God knows who are truly his and who belongs to Satan. “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:5

“shall humble themselves”

Lets be honest with ourselves. We Americans in general are proud folk. This has, of course, spilled into the church of Jesus Christ. “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” See 2 Peter 5c. God’s grace for America is fast running out. He will judge this nation and we should not think that we will escape if we are not walking in his light. 1 Peter 4:17 says, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” We must humble ourselves and not be caught up on the pride of this world. To humble ourselves means to have an open heart for the gospel and the Word of God, submitting ourselves to Christ in sincerity and truth, and realizing our dependence on him. Lip service is not enough for God knows our hearts. Another way of humbling ourselves is fasting. This is not something that was just done back in the dark ages but is expected of Christians now. While I could go on at more length with this, it is sufficient to say that fasting is a very important part of the walk with Christ. I love to eat just like everyone else and I don’t claim to be a model faster by any means, but I know it is important in our walk. Through the years I’ve tried to push it back in the background but as this planet streaks closer to judgment and Christ’s return, I realize that it is very important. Fasting is meant by abstaining from food, not something you wear or refrain from wearing, or limiting a favorite activity for a time. It goes hand in hand with prayer. Many Muslims fast during the day on Fridays but we have a hard time just going without a meal!

“and pray”

All the above is of not much avail without prayer. The church in general has forgotten how to pray. The art of intersession is pretty much forgotten. No one “prays through” anymore but instead goes to a counselor who can only give slight relief. “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:14 When is the last time you’ve spent more than even fifteen minutes of uninterrupted prayer. How many spend an hour a day? How many full time preachers spend two hours a day at prayer? We in America are so proud that we feel we have it together so we don’t need to pray, but we haven’t. We’re loosing the battle and will never prevail until we get back on our knees as a church and realize our dependency on Christ. The church is good at supplying sports teams, suppers, parties, and a host of other activities, but what about the prayer meeting? Are you aware that the outward battles are only a show as to what is going on in the heavens. We blame the President for problems in Iraq but where does the fault really lie! Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Underline is mine). “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 There are other proofs of this such as in Daniel chapter 10, Isaiah chapter 20 and others. Until we learn that as a church, we will never really prevail.

“seek my face”

It’s not enough for the church to humble herself and pray, but also seek God’s face. How is this done? By reading and applying his Word. I have talked to people who have spent their entire lives in church and yet have very little knowledge of the Word of God. The fact that some main line denominations are discussing the option of ordaining homosexual preachers is a telling example. We feel like we’ve become pretty smart and many times know more than God. I’m afraid that the church has become as Paul writes in Romans 1:22 “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” He also states in 1 Corinthians 3:18 “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” It takes humbling ourselves and prayer for us to be able to sufficiently “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

“turn from their wicked ways”

This is very simple. We must apply in our lives everyday what we receive from God. Many churches who were once places where the Bible was preached and lived out daily have become nothing but fronts for social concerns and promotion of a socialist society. How did all this happen? By not doing the above. It is not enough to say, “I believe,” but we must apply it in our lives. James 2:18 says, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” Wrongs must be righted, sins must be confessed and forsaken, and the path of righteousness and holiness must be taken.

“then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,

and will heal their land”

God will hear our prayers, will forgive the sin in our lives, and heal the land. It’s just that simple. The country I love is heading for judgment. We can blame the politicians, the judges, or anyone else, but I’m afraid the fault lies in God’s people, the church. The spiritual and cultural war in America will never be won by just the rightwing activist but it will take the power of the Holy Ghost to change lives and hearts.

Where Does Your Confidence Lie?

Pastor, Roger Purdy

 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” I John 5:14-15

Where does your confidence lie?  What do you most depend on?  Is it on your own skill, past achievements, scholastic ability, talents, or physical appearance or personality?  If you confidence lies on any of the above, you will one day be sadly disappointed as there is only one whom we can put complete confidence in, and that is Christ.  You may say that you tried trusting Him in the past and things didn’t work out like you planned.  Maybe you had a broken relationship, failing health, a unexpected death of a loved one, or financial loss.  While it is impossible to address each need accordingly and why each happened, it is possible to realize that we must ask “according to his will.” 

So what is God’s will?  First, we know that his will is for all to be saved, including you, for it is written, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  2 Peter 3:9  God’s will is for all to be saved.  Man has been given the chance and will choose his own destination if he refuses Christ.  God would also like you to “prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” 3 John 2  That means that, while God is not particularly interested in making you rich, he does want you to have the basics of life and more besides to enjoy and share with others as “…God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;” 1 Timothy 6:17b  Unfortunately, many have been prospered and have not taken heed to God’s counsel that he gave to the children of Israel when still in the desert.  “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.” Deuteronomy 8:10  The church has gotten like the church of Laodicea in that they were neither hot nor cold. That means they were undecided as to what they really wanted.  They were not really bad, but also they were not really good and on fire for God.  They wanted Christ but they also wanted the world.  The result was that Christ told them he would spew them out of his mouth.  He counseled them to buy gold tried in the fire, which was genuine faith, white raiment which is holiness, and to anoint their eyes with eye salve that they may be enlightened and understand the Word of God.  Please read Revelation 3:14-20.

It is also desired by our Lord that we receive healing for our body.  So why don’t we see more healings?  Because of our lack of faith!  Matthew 17:19  says, “Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 20 Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” 

We do not possess the gold that is tried in the fire as Christ told the Laodicean church to possess.  A life that is sanctified and dedicated to Him will draw God’s attention.  James 4:8  “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”  We must keep going forward and grow in the faith lest we are found wanting in the end.

Fellowship Meetings

Our fellowship meeting on September 15^th was well attended.  The following preached, each meeting needs as the Holy Ghost directed:  Bro. Wayne Jordan – missionary to Mexico, Bro. David Bogan - pastor of Grace holiness Church in Rusk, Bro. Paul Hillis – pastor of Trinity Full Gospel Holiness Church in Longview, Bro. Charles Hillis – pastor of Trinity Full Gospel Church in Corley, and Bro. David Doyle – evangelist.  There was food and fellowship at our home at

 The October fellowship meeting was held at the Trinity Full Gospel Holiness Church in Longview, TX with Bro. Paul Hillis as pastor.  Evangelist Donald Harper and family from Alabama were also there, along with the above mentioned preachers.