The “shaking” is a Bible doctrine as verily as the other established doctrines. An early mention of it is when the reformer Nehemiah “shook [his] lap and said, “So God shake out every man ... who does not perform” his vow of “obedience” (5:13). The reformer wanted to see some “works” that would validate the people’s professed faith.
God will “arise to shake terribly the earth” (Isa. 2:19), He “will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of His fierce anger” (13:13). However this may come as a natural cataclysm we shall wait and see; but the basic idea of a “shaking” among God’s people is that the LORD is fed up with the hypocrisy of professed faith that is not validated by appropriate works.
The world itself is tottering in rotting immorality; the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11/01 is a vivid picture of the collapse taking place before our eyes of simple, basic decency. The collapse taking place in just the last few years is astonishing; before the “shaking” is complete, everything that can be shaken will be shaken. But there will be some truths that will remain unshaken.
And each of us is a microcosm of the world and the church being “shaken.” We watch astonished as some we knew who once professed a firm faith in biblical inspiration now cast doubts on it and spew Hindu ideas, even postulating reincarnation as a possibility, so desperate are they in trying to endure the spiritual famine that is raging in church after church.
Side by side with the “shaking” that comes on the church will be that famine: “Says the Lord God, ... I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. ... In that day the fair virgins and strong young men shall faint from thirst” (Amos 8:11-13).
We are there now. Someone wisely said that the time will come when we must gather warmth from others’ coldness; yes! That’s where we are now.
The warmth of the genuine Holy Spirit is given to us, through the Word (John 14:16, 17); He will not leave one hungry, thirsty, soul to perish. So, on your knees! Tell the Lord that you believe (but please help your unbelief!) to receive into your hungry soul those new covenant promises the Lord made to Abraham (yes, you are Abraham’s descendant if you believe the gospel; Gen. 12:2, 3). Then keep on believing what “the Spirit of truth” says, and enjoy your victory.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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