Who has ever seen such things? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. (Isaiah 66:8—NIV)

I believe we have come to a new day, a period during which the Lord's wheat will come to maturity. Do you know what it means for the Lord's wheat to come to maturity? It means to grow in the fruit of the Spirit; to grow in the image of Jesus Christ.

Micah tells us she who travails will bring forth offspring. Isaiah announces the nation that will be born at once. Revelation portrays a woman travailing in birth.

For two thousand years the members of the Christian churches have served God to the best of their knowledge and ability. Numerous outstanding saints have glorified Christ by their lives.

Yet the overall picture is not as splendid as one could wish. We see today a thousand competing denominations. The people of the world have grown cynical. They point to the church people as hypocrites. The church people are not hypocrites. They are bound and depressed because of their sins, in many instances.

It is true there is much smugness and arrogance in the Christian churches. There is more of an emphasis on bringing in new members than there is on bringing the members already present to the stature of the fullness of Christ. We judge the worth of a church by the number of people present rather than by the growth of Christ in the members. This is true at least in America.

When we use the term "church growth" we mean only numbers of people. The members may be filled with gossip, slander, meanness, harshness, bitterness, self-seeking, covetousness, lying, immorality. But as long as there are thousands of them we are pleased with our "church growth."

We all know this is true but we do not know what to do about it.

As I said, we are in a new day. The world outlook is not good. More wars are on the horizon. Nations are arming themselves to the teeth.

But Jesus Christ is greater than all. He is warning us, especially in America, to begin to keep His commandments. It is time to cease the church foolishness, to repent, to turn to God and away from sin, to humble ourselves, to recognize that the reason more sinners are not drawn to the churches is because we are not letting the light of good works shine through our personalities.

We are preaching an unscriptural "rapture." We want to leave the planet and go to Paradise. But it is here that the witness is to shine. It is here on the earth that people are waiting to see the image of Christ in the Christians.

What are we to do? We are to go back to the Lord and listen for His voice.

To be continued.