Revival Conference 2007 - Harold Vaughn - Part 6

How they were talking back, saying things they all got to say. A grandfather, sitting at the table. A grandfather, his 8 year old son, sitting at the table, calling him by his first name. And I was sitting there thinking, oh God, Lord, how in the world do we ever get to this place? How do we ever get to this place? Here we are, a forfeiture of parental authority. My dear people, listen to me. I think we need to take back the ownership of, the responsibility for, and the control of our own children. It's not the government's responsibility to raise our children. It doesn't take a village, it takes a mother and father filled with the Spirit of God. It's not the church's responsibility to raise our children. I think we need to quit running a spiritual surrogacy service and start doing more to equip and train the parents to do what God called them to do. Brother, in the house of God. Isn't it interesting? We've got ministries for children, youth ministries, ladies Bible studies, addiction ministries. We've got all these things, and these are all good in their place, but isn't it amazing how many churches have a ministry to fathers and to men to train them to be what God has called them to be, the shepherds of their homes. A forfeiture of parental authority. Most of us sitting here didn't grow up and rent high Christian homes, but I want to tell you, when God turns your heart to your children, I want to tell you, God will show you along the way, man, how to come out on the other end, and He'll place some people in your path that'll give you a little light, brother, and give you a little hope, and give you a little instruction, and I'm telling you, we all believe in God for revival in the home. We're looking for revival all across the world and in the government. Forget it, man. Let's strive for revival in our own hearts, in our own home, and believe God can do something in our churches. Wouldn't that be an improvement? We're trying to get prayer back into public school. I'd like to see prayer get back in the church. We're crying out loud. Forfeiture of parental authority. Pray that God will abandon His own covenant people. Is there any question that God will abandon those that abandon Him? I want to ask you, are there any signs that God is about to depart from your life? I'm telling you, the glory can't depart. Nations can lose the glory. Anybody here think that maybe America's in trouble with God? Remember 9-11? The strip club had the marquee, Pray for America. I'm telling you, there's no use for a hooker to pray for America until she repents. I'm just telling you, we're so out of whack with all of this. I'm not trying to be harsh and callous. I'm just telling you, God hates sin, man, and He can't stand it. And I'm just telling you that sin is wrong. And fellowship of known and vital error is participation in sin, said Charles Spurgeon. We can't mesh the world in God. We can't water the thing down. We can't throw out the non-negotiable parts. I'm not talking about making the narrow way more narrow than it already is. But I am talking about against making the narrow way broader than what God has said it is. It's a narrow gate that leads to a narrow way that leads to eternal life, my friend. Ah, my brethren, nations can lose the glory. Ezekiel watched as the glory lifted off the mercy seat. And he saw the glory stand over the threshold of the door. And then he watched as the glory departed over on the hillside. And then he watched the glory disappear out of sight, never to return until 400 years later when the glory of God was found in a manger in Bethlehem. I'm telling you that nations can lose the glory of God. It happened right here in the Book of Samuel. Churches can lose the glory. Even that church at Ephesus, which had so many good things about them. You talk about a model church. Soul winning, serving, suffering. I mean, they had it all. But God said to them, I've got something against you. You've left your first love. And if you don't repent, I'm going to remove the candlestick. The glory can depart from the local church, my friend. But you know something? Individuals can lose the glory as well. What about Samson? Oh, my brethren, called by God, empowered by God, did exploits for God. He paid a mighty high price for his low living when he got a haircut in the devil's barbershop. And you know the story how that when he spilled the beans to that wicked Delilah, you remember how that he lost his power, and he didn't even know it. The Lord had departed from him, and he didn't know it. He thought he could go through his religious calisthenics. He said, I'll go out and shape myself as at other times, and surely the glory will come. But this time the glory didn't come back. He lost the glory. I'll tell you what scares me to death. It's Solomon, who wrote the holy word of God, who pasted the powers of the world to come, who was used by God to build that meeting place for God and man. If his heart was turned to false gods because of his disobedience, my friend, who are we? And if David, a man after God's own heart, if Samson, the strongest man in the world, David, the most spiritual man in the world, Solomon, the wisest man in the world, man, if they all committed adultery, we're only one decision away from tragedy at any given time. I'm telling you, I'll put a holy fear of God in your heart, my friend, that we want to end up well and not go down in flames. Amen. Individuals can lose the glory of God. I want to tell you, you can have church without God, but you can't have souls saved and lives changed without God. My friend, listen, where the glory of God resides, the voice of God is heard. Where the glory of God resides, the voice of God is heard. You say, well, why did you bring a message on Ichabod to a conference like this? You're supposed to be encouraging our hearts. Well, I have a message like that, but I felt led to give this one. Why did you bring a message like this? I'll tell you why. Because we've been a hundred years in the United States of America, a hundred years without a widespread, outpouring, heart-melting season of refreshing from the presence of God. And maybe tonight God has got a controversy with us, his people. I believe in more than introspection. I do believe in Holy Spirit inspection. My brethren and I, I'm telling you, I think we've lost out with God. I mean, it's to the point now where we have no discernment. We cannot discern and make a judgment call on anything. And I'm not talking about going too far and becoming legal. But I'm telling you, my friend, we can become lawless, and we can condone what God condemns. We can become over-tolerant. We can become relativistic. My friend, we can lose the glory of God. And is that not what has basically happened across the boards here in the land of the free and the home of the brave? Howard Springs said, The kingdom of God is not going to be advanced by our churches becoming filled with men. The kingdom of God will not be advanced by our churches becoming filled with men, but by men in our churches becoming filled with God. That's the thing we need. That's what I need. That's what you need. We had a couple advance last weekend. I told the boys, I said, Listen, forget the marriage seminars and the handouts. Go for the jugular. Preach to our hearts, because if we get right with God, then the marriage things will take care of themselves. On Friday night, a man brought a message on brokenness, the key to revival. Man, I've never seen a man, and God was all over that guy. We said, All right, it's Friday night. We have a prayer meeting here in 30 minutes. Anybody want to come and pray? We had 80 takers that came and prayed till nearly midnight on a romantic weekend, praise God. And others were back there seeking the Lord. The kingdom of God will not be advanced by our churches becoming filled with men, but by men in our churches becoming filled with God. What gave birth to Ichabod? What caused the glory to depart? Number one, an unconverted priesthood. I ask you sincerely, my friend, are you saved? Are you converted? Number two, an unfit leadership. Brethren, are we walking worthy of the vocation wherewith we've been called? Number three, no respect for the moral law. My dear men and women, are we living holy lives? Number four, rebellion against parental authority. I ask you, are you submissive to mom and dad, young people? They ignored the word of God. Brethren, are you obedient to the light that you've got? Number six, they forfeited their parental authority. Mom and dad, listen to me, hear me. Are you raising your children in the fear and admonition of the Lord? I'll give you ten words for revival in your home. Ten words for revival in the home. I was wrong. I am sorry. Will you forgive me? Ten words for revival in the home. I was wrong. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me? I wonder if you need to say that to anybody in your home, sir. What about it, man? What about it, young people? Oh, my brethren, a forfeiture of parental authority. Now, what will cause the glory to return? I think my repenting of the things that caused it to depart is a good place to start. And can I say this afternoon? I think there's plenty of room for repentance all across the theological spectrum.