Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men." (Psalm 12:1). The psalmist penned this startling observation in his day but how true it is for us as it speaks of our current situation today. Spurgeon states on this verse: “For the godly man ceaseth; the death, departure, or decline of godly men should be a trumpet call for more prayer.” As we read old books of saints from past centuries we realize quickly that there is a lack of quality in leadership in the church especially in the west. Where are the men of God in our day that truly know God deeply, who are apostles, and even prophets? (Ephesians 4:11). Those who walk after God in the power of His might.
In the first epistle of the Apostle Peter we are called to be strangers in this world a people set apart to God and His purposes (1 Peter 2:11). Those who are are godly men became this by God's grace and followed Christ in the narrow way. It is the way of caring more about the opinion of God then the opinions of men. And more importantly those who are serving Christ for His glory and Name, not their personal ambitions or denominational pursuits. Men such as Moody, Finney, Wesley, Whitefield, Payson, Bounds, Ravenhill and many others as these, they were men who were heavenly minded and sought God for God Himself.
Men of another sort, a different race of men is the calling of Christ for us. As we become a child of God we become a "holy nation" set apart for the purposes of our King in heaven. In other passages in the New Testament we are distinctly set apart as a new race of men. God categorizes the world into 3 races: Jews, Gentiles and the Church. And our race is called to be set apart from the customs, practices and lifestyles of the others. Is your goal: Godliness? Is your desire to be conformed to the image of Christ and follow Him no matter what the cost? The reason why there are so few in our day that love the Lord fully and are whole-hearted is because so few are willing to walk alone.
The call to be set apart means exactly that! To be set apart. Any man of God that has been used for the purposes of building the kingdom of God suffered, walked in lonely paths and trusted in God not in themselves. It has been the same since the beginning and will be till the end, the narrow way of following the Lord will only produce the godly men He desires. I would also comment that most if not all the men who God ended up using powerfully, men we recognized and quote, were men who did not seek fame but Christ alone. Most if not all of these men desired nothing, no ministry, no book, no title, no church, they wanted desperately to obey their Lord in simple obedience out of love for Him that paid so much for their salvation.
So yes, the godly are no more. There is a lack of those who are fully committed to our Lord Jesus Christ. There have been many who have compromised, who have fallen into sin and have shamed the Name. But God still desires to see those who will accomplish His purpose in our day. The call is going out, will you hear this call? Maybe some of you have failed terribly and feel the Lord could not use you again. But consider the Apostle Peter who even denied his Lord three times and how Jesus restored him in a powerful way to lead His Church. So look to Christ, follow Him, learn from the godly men from the past but do not esteem them too highly. Follow God for the sake of God and He will use you. _________________ SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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