In this video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of genuine repentance and understanding what love truly means. He shares a personal story of realizing his own selfishness and seeking forgiveness from his partner. The speaker also discusses the role of pastors in guiding and counseling different individuals based on their unique situations. He highlights the need for the church to be prepared and actively engaged in worship, prayer, and addressing the deteriorating condition of families, as they are interconnected with the state of the nation.

We pray tonight, Lord, that you would visit this congregation, Lord. We need you like never before. Lord, as marriages are falling apart and the blood-bought church of Jesus Christ is dying and rejecting the first love, Lord, I pray that you would bring a strong spirit of revival. Lord, wilt thou not revive your people, Lord, so we may rejoice in you. Lord, we will not make it if you do not show up. Lord, if you do not rejuvenate our marriages and our relationships, Lord, if you do not awaken the sleeping giant, Lord, the church will not take her rightful ground. Lord, we want the anointing, we want the unction, we want the power. Lord, we need you like never before. Please, Lord, visit us today. Let people go home restored and rejuvenated. Lord, let marriages be rebuilt. Bring the wayward daughter home. Bring the prodigal son home, dear Heavenly Father. We pray for a strong anointing, not only on this message, Lord, but on the worship. That hearts will be broken. Rent our hearts and not our garments. Stop going through the motions. Stop playing church. Lord, please anoint me to speak your word with power and clarity and direction. Lord, I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Still coming off of last night's message, just the weight of what God has put on my heart sometimes. I've told people before, it's almost like I'm pregnant, metaphorically speaking. I have to get this out. The burden, it must come out. And a lot of you don't know me, I believe that God has called me for such a time as this to preach the difficult truths, to call the church back, to confront in love, of course. Because a lot of times we need to be confronted. We need to be challenged. We need convicted. Do you realize throughout the Bible that hearts do not change unless they're confronted and convicted? That was the role of the prophets. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah calling Assyria to God, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Zechariah, Haggai, Malachi calling the people back. That was the role, is the church left to herself will deteriorate unless God revives her church. We will not make it. Oh, I trust there will be a remnant. God will restore His work. God is good. He is faithful. But He continually calls a wayward church back to Him. One of the most alarming scriptures I've probably ever read and continue to read is in the first opening chapters of Revelation. The churches 50 years later have deteriorated to such a point where Jesus says, Be hot or cold, but if you're lukewarm, I will vomit you out of my mouth. You have rejected me. You're allowing false doctrine into the church. You're allowing that prophetess Jezebel to teach and seduce my people. You're allowing false doctrine. You're allowing compromise. You're allowing sin. Pergamos, oh, I see your works. You're very involved in ministry. But you have left your first love. Return to me, or I will remove the lampstand. And the funny thing happened this week. As I'm preparing in our church, we're getting ready to undergo a major series on marriage. Real marriage. Talking about the devastation of divorce and hope for the hurting. Singleness, burden or blessing. And restoring marriages and focusing on rebuilding marriages. And as I was working on that message and then talking today about the condition of the church. The church is dying spiritually. The church is dying spiritually. I mean, that song, lead me to the cross, should have brought tears to this church and many people up to the altar. But we sit and we wonder, what time is this out? I'm hungry as we drink our latte. And we can't wait to get home and watch the Super Bowl. When a Savior died upon a cross, lead me to that cross. And we have the audacity to sit here and do nothing. And have it move nothing. The church is dying, folks. I can look at how the church worships and tell you the spiritual condition of that church. I can tell you how a church prays and I can show you the spiritual condition of that church. And as I was putting that message together on marriage. And then on the lukewarm dying condition of the church. And the lukewarm dying condition of the marriage. They were interwoven. They were not two separate messages. The church is the bride of Christ. Marriage and the condition of the church are interwoven. So as the families go, so goes the nation. We're complaining about who do we want to lead this nation and what's going on and complaining. I'll tell you what's going on. The condition of the family is deteriorating. Husbands have walked away from their spiritual roles of God-given leaders of their homes. Now we've become a lukewarm passive church. We don't want to offend anybody. We don't want to upset anybody. While the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he devours. Marriages are failing. The church is failing. I didn't come to be popular. I came to be confrontational. I believe pastors in this day and age need to stop being popular and stop being confrontational. We need to stop coddling men and we need to start confronting them. We need to stop coddling sin and we need to start confronting it. Is not my word like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? God says is not my word like a fire that devours? Jeremiah chapter 23. But you have perverted the words of the living God. How? The false prophets did not warn. They did not confront and they did not convict the people. They said peace, peace and safety. When God says you are an abomination to me. You have rejected me. There's no peace and safety. That's a sure sign of a false prophet. Not confronting people. Not contending for the faith. Not challenging. Because they want to be liked by people. Woe be to you when all men speak well of you. So as I was preparing two separate messages it became one. Wilt thou not revive us again? Marriages are falling apart. I'm counseling men who are walking away from their wives never to return. Little children crying daddy why are you yelling at mommy? And the church is falling apart and we wonder why? Because Christ is solid rock on which everything must be built is being rejected. We're walking away from our first love. That's just the truth. I didn't come here to win a popularity contest. I came here to shoot you straight. We need that. Because that conviction must take place. The nail does not go into the wood until the hammer confronts it. The precious olive oil does not come out until the olives are beaten. The precious wine does not come from the grapes until they are trampled and broken. You will not change until your heart is broken. Until your heart is humble. Until you seek hard after the Lord. It's not a half-hearted approach. Seek me with all of your heart and I will be found by you. Those who seek me diligently will find me. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Oh return to me oh backsliding church and I will return to you. The condition of the marriage and the condition of the church is alarming. And I will submit to you there are three people in this room. Your spiritual condition is very good right now if you're saying amen. If you're convicted that's good too because God is convicting you. And if you're upset you need the Lord. If what I'm saying is upsetting you, you truly need to turn to God. And of course these are difficult things to say but there's much encouragement. Because I know that when a person is walking in the wills and ways of God they are encouraged. They are built up. They are in right relationship with God. There's joy and peace and that is my goal. Is to speak and preach the word of God of what He's put on my heart so it pierces the heart. Often God would say rent your hearts and not your garments. In the Old Testament they would appear religious. Rip off that shirt we're so upset. God would say come on guys. That's ridiculous rent your hearts. And as you know many times in the medical industry and even in the fitness industry. Health is often a sign. I'm sorry hunger is often a sign of health. When a person is hungry they're healthy. When we've lost our hunger for the things of God we are dying of spiritual cancer. Do you know that more people are concerned about watching the game later today. Than what's going on in the blood bought church of Jesus Christ throughout our nation. Watching commercials that would have been considered pornography 30 years ago. Don't tell me we're not deteriorating. I said this I think a few years ago. We went from Leave it to Beaver and I Love Lucy to Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. And dating shows and reality shows that are stench in the nostrils of a righteous holy pure guy. And men you are the watchmen of your home. God forgive us that when we allow these things that are pulling our children away. Take a stand for Christ's sake. God is looking for those who seek hard not religious legalistic Pharisees. I preach just as hard against that group too. You arrogant stiff neck people. Have a form of godliness but deny the power there. Put people under rules and bondage that you yourself cannot perform. It's not about following rules it's following a relationship after Christ. Hungering for the things of God. Now I want to take you real briefly to the Old Testament. The book of Isaiah. Let me just read this and let this sink in. Isaiah is writing at a critical time in Israel's history. They've divided into northern and southern kingdoms. They've experienced 50 years of financial prosperity. And they now have succumbed to pagan worship. And having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof. It is a nation adrift. So God raises up a prophet. That's one of the distinctions between priest and prophet. Priest came from the Levitical priesthood. Prophet was a man called by God. Jeremiah. Before I formed you I knew you. Before I formed you in your mother's womb I knew you. And I called you to be a prophet among my people. To sanctify them to bring them back. Isaiah. Go to a wayward people and call them back. Ezekiel. If you do not warn the wicked their blood shall be on your hands. He would raise up these people to call the people back to God. Because we need a wake up call. We people need a wake up call in love. And I'm reminded of a story of this elderly lady who came home and she told her son. Son I do not like our new pastor. I wish our old pastor was back. And the son said what does the new pastor say? She said well he says you're going to hell if you don't accept Christ. What did the old pastor used to say? You're going to hell if you don't accept Christ. He said mom they say the same exact thing. And she said yeah but the old pastor used to say it with tears in his eyes. See that's the difference. Speaking the truth in love. When you speak the truth in love. Lives are radically changed. If I got up here just to beat the. I almost. I began to wept during that song. There's a burden on my heart. I'm not mad at anybody. Personally I could care less what you do. I don't know you that well. It all affects the body I'm sure. But I'm not here to brow beat and point fingers and Bible thump. I'm saying guys if you want a genuine true relationship with Christ. It requires full surrender. There's no half hearted approach. I can take you to the Welsh revivals of the 1800's. I can take you to Moody and Whitfield and Spurgeon and Wesley. I can take you to the revivals in the great awakening with Jonathan Edwards and Whitfield. And all these different things. Revival happened when people were broken. Broken, humble people praying, petitioning God. There's more power in your Saturday night prayer room than many pulpits across America. With four or five people praying and petitioning God. So back to Isaiah. It's in that setting he's writing to a wayward people. And he says. The Lord speaks to him Isaiah. Hear oh heavens and give ear oh earth. For the Lord has spoken. God is speaking to his people. Chapter 1 verse 2. I have nourished and brought up children. And they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib. But Israel does not know. My people do not consider me. They have forsaken the Lord. They have provoked to anger the Lord. The Holy One of Israel. They have turned away backwards. And then here what the Lord says. Hear the word of the Lord you rulers of Sodom. Give ear to the law of our God you people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifice to me? Says the Lord. I have had enough of burnt offerings. And I have had enough of the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls and goats or lambs. Wait a minute. God initiated the sacrificial system. He said. I love the blood of bulls and goats. Because it is a covering for the people. For without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. God initiated this. Now he is saying. I hate it. What is going on here? And he goes on to say. When you come and appear before me. Who has required this from your hand? To trample my courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices. Incense is an abomination to me. What used to be a sweet smelling aroma is now an abomination. What he used to initiate now he abhors. What do you do church when God does not answer anymore? When we are going through the motions. And he told Amos. Put away from me your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like a river. And righteousness like a mighty stream. I am tired of people coming and playing church. Raising holy hands on Sunday. But living like hell on Monday. Coming in with smiles. Well brethren. And spousal abuse occurring at home. God is tired and sick of the church coming and playing church. But not truly having a broken heart. And he is calling his people back. When you come and appear before me. Who has required this of your hand? Again. To trample my courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices. He says. No sabbathes. No assemblies. I cannot endure iniquity and sacred meetings any longer. My soul hates these things. Wow. God is pretty upset. Yeah. We need to stop painting him as a cosmic ball of love. And a doting grandfather in heaven. That just wants to give us everything we want. Yes. He is a God of love. Absolutely. Thank God for love. Grace. Mercy. And forgiveness. I thank God for it often. But don't forget his other attributes. Righteousness. Holiness. Justice. He doesn't give us suggestions. He says. Come out from among them. Be separate. I am God. End of story. You obey me with all of your heart. And it is not some legalistic, rigid God saying. You must do this. It is saying. You want to be in right relationship with me. Stay within the guardrails. We want to remove the guardrails and have fun. Remove the guardrails from Godi Pass. And you will end up dead. They are there for a reason. For a purpose. God has initiated absolute truth. Shane. You really believe everything in the Bible? Absolutely. Without a shadow of a doubt. Every jot. Every tittle. Every big fish that swallowed Jonah. Every fire that came down on Mount Carmel. Every red sea that parted. Noah built an ark. Absolutely. I love the cubic dimensions. It definitely would work. And you believe. Absolutely. Because you are talking about a God who created the heavens and the earth. A big fish can't swallow Jonah? I mean. Gosh. You would think it would be a little hard to make the sun. I don't know. I mean. I am just throwing that out there. I would think that would be a little harder. But Isaiah is calling his people. He is using Isaiah to call his people back. And a lot of times people say. Oh man. This is difficult Shane. This is tough. But the purpose is restoration. Wilt thou not revive us again? That word revive means to quicken. What was once dead is now being quickened. Some of you need to be quickened with the spirit of God again. You need to return to your first love. It also means to restore. To repair. And to recover. And we see this in Acts 3.9. When Peter said. Repent. They said. What must we do to be saved? Repent and be converted. So that times of refreshing. Revival. May come from the presence of the Lord. That is how you get refreshed. That is how you love worshipping God. And following hard after Him. And looking to His word. And not just playing church. But living church. It is revival. Church. We have never needed revival. I believe more in the history of the church. Than we do today. Because I see it. As I go and I travel. I see a form of godliness. But we deny the power thereof. The Bible and our lifestyle are polar opposites. We know what it says. But as James says. Be doers of the word. And not hearers only. Or you are deceiving your own selves. Let that be a word to somebody here. You can know what the word of God says. But if you do not obey it. You are living in deception. Those I counsel who are in adultery. Can quote a lot of scripture to me. I say. That is wonderful buddy. That is great. Why don't you start obeying some of that. What happens is. Spiritual blindness comes in. I know it. I just don't apply it. Spiritual blindness. The Pharisees. The Sadducees. The religious leaders. Who Jesus said. You are spiritually blind. You are blind. They knew the Bible better than anybody else. They could quote. Genesis. And Exodus. And Viticus. And Numbers. And Deuteronomy. They could give them a breakdown. Of the history. Memorized. But that power comes in the obedience. The obedience to the things of God. What do you do? God is saying. What I used to delight in. Is now an abomination to me. He says. What I once was a sweet smelling aroma. Is now a stench in the nostrils. Of a righteous holy pure God. He says. What was once a place of worship. Now I don't even want to endure. It is almost like some churches. He is saying. Don't even open your doors. Don't come and play games. Don't come and worship me. You are worshiping me in futility. Because all of these things. Every single thing you will see throughout the Bible. Things like this have to do with one thing. And one thing only. A broken and contrite heart. How do you come to Christ? A broken and contrite heart. A sinner repenting. Turning to Christ. How do you go back to God? And restore the years. And he is calling the prodigal home. Or the wayward home. Or we want to return to your first love. A broken and contrite heart. It is always a heart issue. Always a heart issue. Everything goes back to a heart issue. Look at marriages now. The same thing applies. What was once a delight. Now is an abomination. They couldn't wait to get home. Now they don't want to go home. What used to be a delight. I can't wait to get married. Now people are saying it is an abomination. We have fallen out of love. You have not fallen out of love. You have left love. Love does not leave people. You leave it. God says love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It is not rude. It is not self-seeking. It keeps no record of wrong done against it. It always delights in the truth. When people say I just fall out of love. No you haven't. You have left love. Now granted there are people in abusive relationships. And hard marriages. And things have happened that they are not responsible for. This isn't a blanket approach that fits every situation. I am aware of that. But for the large majority of people. They have not left love. They have not fallen out of love. They have left love. And you know what I hear more often than anything else? I just want to be happy. You are not going to be happy. The grass is not greener. I just want to be happy Shane. At the destruction of your children. God help us is right. Selfishness. Pride. Arrogance. Saying I am so special. Aren't I great? Look at me. Church you have got to rent your hearts. When lead me to the cross. Songs like that. This altar should be filled. People crying out Lord help us rebuild our marriage. And they say I don't love my spouse anymore. But this new person makes me feel love and appreciated and respected. So did your spouse when you first met. You see? You are on a slippery slope. Marriage and the church. It is the same. The church deteriorates. Marriage deteriorates. Trust me. We have got to work on it weekly. Me and my wife Morgan who is here. It is not easy. The enemy comes in. He wants to take a pastor out. Especially a young pastor. He wants to take us out. I know that. My enemy goes about as a roaring lion. Seeking whom he may devour. You have got to put up safeguards. You have got to build the foundation. If it is not built on Christ and Christ alone. The marriage will not stand. Jesus said oh the storm is coming. The storm is coming. The storm is coming. But the man who built his house on the solid rock of Christ's confession and obedience to the word of God. When the rains descended. The floods came and the wind beat against that house. It did not fall because it was founded upon the rock of Jesus Christ. How will you get through life if you are not grounded on the rock? It is not possible. So I submit to you when marriages are falling apart. They have left their first love. It is no longer built on the rock. Because you can lose a child of leukemia. And deal with heartbreak. And deal with things if it is founded on the rock of Jesus Christ. It is the only solid rock in which everything is built. Shane you feel pretty passionately about this. Absolutely. Why should not spirit filled believers be sad at the condition of the church? Jesus Christ himself cried over Jerusalem. Oh Jerusalem. Jerusalem. I wish that I could gather you like a mother gathers her hens. But you were not willing. You see the interesting thing I found throughout the Bible is God will call. He will engineer circumstances. He will convict you. The Holy Spirit will challenge you. He will lead you. He will direct you. But you must submit to it. That is what the word repentance is. A change of mind that leads to a change of action. I am repenting. I see sin how God sees it. I am not making excuses. I am not playing the blame game. I am humbling myself. I am confessing. And I am turning to Christ. I mean that could be a marriage series right there. People want to come for pop psychology and seven ways to have intimacy again. And your five love languages. Those are great books. Dr. Gary Chet. Absolutely. But if you are going after all those things but neglecting the foundation. The whole structure will come down. Jesus said and great was its fall. Great was its fall. And then we go to the New Testament church briefly in Revelation. I have talked about this I think here even before. But we look to the New Testament church in Revelation 2 and 3. In Revelation where Jesus says be watchful. Strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die. Jesus tells his church. Sardis I believe it is. Be watchful. Be watchmen on the wall. And strengthen those things which remain. But they are about ready to die. And then he goes on to say with a frightening statement. For I have not found your works perfect before God. These churches were going through the motions. Ephesus. You have wonderful ministry. You are patient. You can spot out those who do evil. You are very involved. You are very involved in ministry and you are proud of it. But you are replacing ministry with time alone with God. Being busy is not being quiet before the Lord. Some people today need to give up some things for a while. Stop being so busy and stop getting up early and spending time in His Word broken. Do you know where these sermons come from? I don't pull them off a computer. They come out of a prayer closet. Tear stained. Broken. Lord what do you want to say? Because I do not want to step up here and play church. I do not want to step up here and be just a cheerleader. Even though pastors are cheerleaders and encouragers. And we strengthen and restore and rebuild. I am not going to tell a single mom with three kids barely getting by who is seeking hard after God. I am not going to tell her the same thing as a man who is walking away from his family. Trust me. It is going to be a very different counseling appointment. But we have got to church. We have got to recognize that Christ is saying being watchful. Be prepared. You can do all these things. All these things Ephesus. You are very involved. Look at chapter 2. He is saying you have done all these things. You are involved in ministry. Maybe in pastor. Maybe in leadership. Maybe ushering. You are so involved. You can spot out evil. Aren't you good? You have sound doctrine. You have got a great outlook on hermeneutics and homiletics. And you have great theology and sotrology and pneumatology and eschatology. And you have got every point down. And you understand the nuances in church history. And you can put. Great. But Jesus says I still have this against you. You have left your first love. The heart. The heart. Because we can go through the motions. Unless the heart is broken you will not change. Unless the heart is convicted you will not change. I have talked about repentance many times in my congregation. Last night I finally said. Do you want to see what genuine repentance looks like in a marriage? They are going to play a clip right here. If you want to get that ready Chris. And PowerPoint. And I want to show you. And you guys can hit the lights too. I want to show you what genuine repentance looks like. In a person. Because we can talk a good talk. But I want you to see what this actually looks like. But halfway through I realized. That I did not understand what love was. And once I understood that. I wanted to do it. Caleb. I want to believe that this is real. But I am not ready to say that I trust you again. I understand that. But whether you ever reach that point or not. I need you to understand something. I am sorry. I have been so selfish. For the past seven years. I have trampled on you. With my words and with my actions. I have loved other things. When I should have loved you. In the last few weeks. God has given me. A love for you. That I have never had before. And I have asked him to forgive me. And I am hoping. I am praying. That somehow you would be able to forgive me too. Catherine. I do not want to live the rest of my life without you. Well. In case you did not catch it. That is a sermon in itself. Folks. It is time to repent. And turn to Christ. Who has never been greater. Full surrender. And I do not know if you caught what he said. But God gave me. That love for you. Wilt thou not revive us again. Revival is his work. Be crystal clear on this issue. Stop trying to do all these things. And stop trying to be religious. Every couple I believe should go home. And practice the same thing. I am so sorry. What can I do? How can we rebuild this marriage? I need you to be my best friend. Because the enemy is coming in. Like a flood. And only the spirit of the Lord. Can raise up a standard against him. As the worship team comes up. We are going to actually go into a time of communion. And you have to remember. The communion. We take this lightly. My fear is. That when we do this. Too often. It just becomes another thing. Going through the motions. But you have to understand. What communion represents. Is the bread. Is the body of Christ. That was broken on the cross. Do you realize. That the blood could not come forth. For the covering of our sins. Until the body was broken. And bruised. Beaten beyond recognition. A Savior on a cross. Dying for our sins. When ten legions of angels. Could have came down. And wiped out. All of humanity. A Savior dying on a cross. Who could have said. I do not want to do this anymore. Find some other way. I am coming down off this cross. No Roman army in the history. Could have ever defeated him. One army slew 150,000. One angel slew 150,000 people. Trust me. God has highly exalted Christ. Why? Because there is no other name. On heaven that can save. He humbled himself. And became obedient. To the point of death. We have the audacity. To come and take it. And not remember what he did. Paul said remember. Christ said remember. Remember the cross. Remember the blood stained cross. Remember the hammers that drove the nail. As blood spurted out. A King on a cross. A King on a cross. My God on a cross. He says there is no other way. Father take this cup. Father take this cup. I cannot bear what is about to happen. When the cat of nine tails. Rips the skin off of my body. Lord when they pierce me with thorns. An inch and a half long. Lord when they beat me beyond recognition. With my own mother. Can't even look at me at the foot of the cross. Lord if there is any other way. Take this cup that I am about to endure. You know what he said? God said there is no other way son. Golly I usually don't get this emotion. Man. There is no other way. There is no other way. Right before he gave up his ghost. He said Eli. Eli. My God. My God. Why have you forsaken me? And we come. Myself included. And we take of the elements. We take of the elements. And we don't remember the cross. This is revival though folks. I told my congregation if real revival were to hit this church. There would not be a dry eye in this room. Worship would have to cease. I would have to sit down from the own tears flooding out of my head. Young adults would be convicted of their sin. Men would be up here weeping at the altar. Women would be travailing over the condition of their soul. That is revival. Just go into a time of communion. And you know what to do. Just come up as the Lord leads. Takes the elements. And remember what he did. Remember the cross. Savior I come. Quiet my soul. Remember redemptions here. Where your blood was spilled for my ransom. And everything I once held dear. I count it all as loss. Lead me to the cross. Where your love poured out. Bring me to my knees. Lord I lay me down. Rid me of myself. I belong to you. Oh lead me. Lead me to the cross. Praise God. Tempting and dry. Word became flesh. Born my sin in death. Now your reason. And everything I once held dear. I count it all as loss. Lead me to the cross. Where your love poured out. Bring me to my knees. Lord I lay me down. Rid me of myself. I belong to you. Oh lead me. Lead me. Lead me to the cross. Where your love poured out. Bring me to my knees. Lord I lay me down. Rid me of myself. I belong to you. Oh lead me. Lead me to the cross. To your heart. To your heart. Lead me to your heart. Lead me to your heart. Lead me to the cross. Where your love poured out. Bring me to my knees. Lord I lay me down. Rid me of myself. I belong to you. It's you. Thank you for listening to today's edition of Regaining Lost Ground. Shane Eidelman is the pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, California. They meet every Saturday at 530 p.m. For more information, visit westsidechristianfellowship.org. That's westsidechristianfellowship.org. We hope that you enjoy this thought-provoking message.