A DEVASTATING SIN - Claude Houde
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” I deeply believe that the sin of unbelief is among the most devastating in modern Christianity. Unbelief spiritually cuts our throats and blinds us. It puts us to sleep and binds us little by little, inexorably, year after year, until we accept the unacceptable.
The kingdom of God worldwide is presently experiencing the greatest spiritual revival in the history of mankind. However, in the same period of time, more than 90 percent of evangelical churches throughout North America and Europe are showing no significant growth. They are reduced to recalling their past awakenings, or desperately clinging to the latest fad promising some breathtaking and instantaneous breakthrough somewhere in the unknown future.
Please understand me. I am deeply grateful for what God did yesterday, as well as what He is doing around the world. I praise Him for it. But I am here — today! I must repent (to repent essentially means to change direction) for the unbelief and dullness in my faith that has caused me to tolerate the intolerable.
Unbelief is immensely more serious and devastating than we can understand or fathom. Surrounded by a world filled with immorality, decadence, idolatry and demonic religious rituals — disgusting in their cruelty and totally empty of any spiritual life or true spiritual significance — Jesus stood firm and stayed strong. But He wept at unbelief. Unbelief literally tore Him up.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever and there is no favoritism with our God. He is immutable — never changing; omnipotent — all powerful; absolutely just; and totally committed to doing in your city, your church, your country what He is majestically and supernaturally doing all around the world even as you read these words.
Between us and the limitless greatness of His power stands the gulf of unbelief. That is why we cannot live another day without crying out, “Lord, increase our faith!”
Claude Houde is the lead pastor of Eglise Nouvelle Vie (New Life Church) in Montreal, Canada. Under his leadership New Life Church has grown from a handful of people to more than 3500 in a part of Canada with few successful Protestant churches.