A Message to the Church
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Since September 11th many have been searching
for hope amidst the tragedy and answers for the suffering. Many have run to the churches – but what have they found? They have
heard the message that God is a loving God, yes! That He’s a merciful God, yes! That He’s a forgiving God, yes! That He’s our
source of strength, yes! But they still have questions – Why? Why, would a loving God, why would a merciful, compassionate,
and forgiving God allow these things to happen? Why?
Now that healing has begun, they need to know WHY. It is so that they will know that He is Lord and apart from Him there is no
other God. These things happened because of: their many sins; they have forsaken the Lord their God; they have not followed His
commands; and the earth is full of violence and wickedness. It is written: Is not from the mouth of the Most High that both
calamities and good things come? Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins? I am the Lord, and there is
no other; apart from me there is no God. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord
do all these things.
Today, I have been sent to deliver “The Message” to the church – the body of Christ. I am here to address the wound of the
people, which is a serious and grievous one. I am not here to dress the wound with a message of peace and prosperity, when there
is no peace for the wicked. I am not here to cover sins with lies. This is not just a message of love, joy, peace, mercy, grace, and
forgiveness. This is a message of truth. Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
September 11th (in America) brought fear and terror to our nation and left many with
broken hearts, crushed spirits, and wounded souls. This was a wake-up call and a
call to get ready for both believer and unbeliever. The events that unfolded in one
hour on September 11th gives you a picture of how swift the judgment of God can
come. Tragedy and disaster – both man-made and natural are from God. For example,
earthquakes are a sign from God and always have been in history. September 11th
was also a sign from God. There is a difference, however, between one that comes
from God that is a message and a judgment. When God sends an earthquake or
disaster, in which no one is killed, this is a message. But when death follows, it’s
usually a sign of the early judgments of God (i.e. Paul and Silas in jail, Elijah and Moses).
History shows many cities destroyed by disaster were very very steeped in idolatry, very very steeped in paganism, very very
steeped in the lust of the flesh – so eventually God came down and judged these cities. When an earthquake hit and destroyed
everything, this is an example of how the judgment of God takes place. The very sins that destroyed Egypt, that destroyed
Babylon, that destroyed Greece, that destroyed Rome, that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, and that destroyed the entire earth
during the time of Noah – are the very sins that are happening worldwide and especially in America.
In His Word, the Lord has shown how we will know – when He will send judgment on a nation (as in the case of America) – when
things happen that are bad and people quit repenting. We are almost at that point now when tragedy can happen and people go
on and act like it’s nothing and say “so what.” After a while they return to their daily routines as if nothing has happened. Tragedy
can hit another part of the world and this is the attitude, however, let it hit our nation and pride, patriotism, self-confidence, and
indignation stirs up within them. They depend upon their own ability to right the wrongs and fight for justice – but they don’t ask
the Lord, “What have I done?” Nor do they repent and return to Him with all their heart.
So, when people no longer repent – that’s when the fullness of the judgment comes. As long as people will repent – God will
relent from sending His wrath and anger. You see, judgment is not to kill people – judgment is to turn people to repentance. As
long as it turns people to repentance God becomes merciful to a nation. The history of Israel shows this. But when people quit
repenting then the fullness of the judgment comes and that’s why you end up with a city lying in ruins and many are slain.
No one is watching, no one is ready, nor are they listening. September 11th brought the world to its knees for a brief moment. The
people of this nation were struck with fear, terror, and dread. They ran to the churches, yet what did they find? God’s people –
Christians were no more ready or prepared to answer the question WHY, than the unbeliever. But we have His word and we know
His Son Jesus, yet many were turned away because of the example they have seen in Christian lives. The Church – the body of
Christ, is supposed to be a living example of God’s love.
The world sees God’s people – Christians as judgmental and thinking they are better than everyone else. Yet, no different than
they are – unhealthy, sick, diseased, dying, overweight, over-stressed, and in debt. If you listen, you can hear the world say –
“Why is it us and them? And they call themselves Christians!” They see no difference. In their eyes – Christians are just as bound,
filled with worry, anxiety, fear, bitterness, anger, rage, gossip, slander, malice, envy, strife, sexual immorality, and secret sin.
They feel no love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, meekness, or self-control. They’ve observed NO
deliverance, no overcoming the things of this world, and outside the four walls of the church - no praise, no thanksgiving, no
repentance, no remorse, and no guilt or shame. They’ve only seen self-indulgence, self-concern, and lack of self-control. No truth
only pretense, liars and thieves. They see no benefit in calling upon God as their help in time of need. They don’t see Jesus as a
Savior, friend, brother, comforter, healer, or deliverer.
They see God’s people as false, hypocrites, blind guides, not worthy of trust – deceptive. The world does not see the love of the
Father present in Christians lives. Nor are they receiving it from Christians. They see no faith, trust, or hope. No
forgiveness. Many of them are lost and rejected by the world and by the Christians. They don’t see God’s people searching for
them in the highways, by-ways, alleys, hospitals, orphanages, and prisons – inviting them to come, just as they are. Since
September 11th, many have run to the churches and this… is what they find!
Jesus did not come to save the saint but the sinner. He said, “it is not the healthy who need a doctor, it is the sick.” God is
no respecter of persons, yet those that are called by His name do. The world and those lost in it have not observed Christians
washing the feet or serving those that betray, reject, hurt, abandon, hate, or spitefully use them. Nor have they seen Christians feed
the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, or taking care of the orphans and widows without letting others know what they have
done.
They hear Christians blame and rebuke Satan for their misfortune, poor health, dysfunctional families, and overwhelming debt –
when all these things are a result of their own choices. A choice to follow after the things of this world. The world has seen these
things in the life of the believer and God has seen all these things too. All heaven has witnessed it in your life and in mine.
We need to be expectant ones. No one knows the day or the hour that their life will be required of them. Nor do we know
the day or the hour the Lord will return. What we do know is that over and over, He told us to stay alert and not be like others that
live in darkness. To repent, love, and forgive one another.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do
not obey the gospel of God? And, if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? For
we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: "As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me,
every tongue will confess to God. So each of us will give an account of himself to God." For His own name’s sake He delays His
wrath. He tests us to turn us to repentance.
God has not only corrected us with His Word, and gave us examples of His judgment and punishment for sin, but He has warned us
of the coming disasters – natural and man-made. It is clear that He has forewarned us of how it will be when He begins to
destroy the wicked by the sword, famine, and plague. You can look around you at the signs and see. But many are not paying
attention and will be swept away, like the many that were lost in the Tsunami.
God foretold all these things, which happened on September 11th – they were spoken as a warning of what was and is to come. In
one hour on September 11th disaster rocked our nation and rippled throughout the world. You must understand what is happening
was predestined – it should not take you by surprise if you know the Word of God. But many do not know the Word of God,
including the believer. They run to the churches for answers, but are not being told the truth or WHY these things happened.
They are not warned to repent of their sins.
It is written: “Your own conduct and actions have brought this upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it
pierces to the heart! …Yet, in spite of all this you say, ‘I am innocent; He is not angry with me.’ But I will pass judgment on you
because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’”
This is a nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their
lips. No one repents of his wickedness, saying: “What have I done? Each pursues his own course. But My people do not know the
requirements of the Lord. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge Me, declares the Lord. I warned them again
and again, saying “Obey Me.” But they did not listen or pay attention instead they followed the stubbornness of their evil
hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but they did not keep. I will bring on
them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. For with fire and with His sword the
Lord will execute judgment upon all men, and many will be those slain by the Lord.
We must REPENT before it is too late! His message is clear: Repent before the judgment and fire of God falls on you, on the
church, this nation, and upon the earth. Repent! To those that have ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit of the Lord has to say
to the churches: acknowledge your guilt, confess your sins, and repent before He brings disaster. Turn from your wicked ways
and do what is right in His sight. Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and
our hands to God in heaven and say: ‘We have sinned and rebelled and You have not forgiven.’
While we have been forewarned of the coming disasters, there is hope for it is written: “If my people who are called by my name
will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive
their sin and will heal their land.”
There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven…God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the
wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed.
This is what the Lord Almighty says: See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that bears my Name, and will you indeed go
unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword upon all who live on the earth, declares the Lord
Almighty. The word of the Lord came to me and said: Now prophecy all these words against them and say to them: ‘The Lord
will roar from on high; He will thunder from His holy dwelling and roar mightily against His land. He will shout like those who
tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth. The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, for the Lord will bring
charges against the nations; He will bring judgment on all mankind and put the wicked to the sword,’ declares the Lord.
This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Look! Disaster is spreading from nation to nation; a mighty storm is rising from the ends
of the earth.’ At that time those slain by the Lord will be everywhere – from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be
mourned or gathered up or buried, but will be like refuse lying on the ground.
Weep and wail, you shepherds; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For your time to be slaughtered has come; you will fall
and be shattered like fine pottery. The shepherds will have nowhere to flee, the leaders of the flock no place to escape. Hear the
cry of the shepherds, the wailing of the leaders of the flock, for the Lord is destroying their pasture. The peaceful meadows will be
laid waste because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
Like a lion, He will leave His lair, and their land will become desolate because of the sword of the oppressor and because of the
Lord’s fierce anger.
These Words and The Message are to those that have ears to hear what the spirit has to say to the churches. But there are many
who will not listen. So this is what the Lord says: “Stand in the Lord’s house and speak to all the people who come to worship
in the house of the Lord. Tell them everything I have commanded you; do not omit a word. Perhaps they will listen and each will
turn from his evil way. Then I will relent and not bring on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.
Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, and if you do
not listen to the words of my servants the prophets,whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened), then I
will make this house and this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth.”
For those that will not listen and stubbornly harden their hearts, the Lord has sent me to prophesy against this house (the church)
and this city all the things you have heard. Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the
Lord will relent and not bring the disaster He has pronounced against you. For in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all
these words in your hearing. REPENT before the Day of Judgment comes.
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the
Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the
coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the
ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and
took them all away, much like what happened in Asia with the Tsunami. That is
how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. That is also how it will be when
the judgment of God comes upon this nation. September 11th and the recent
Tsunami is an example of the judgment of God and stands as a warning to
us individually, as a church, a city, and a nation to return to the Lord our
God with all our hearts and to REPENT. You must keep watch because you
do not know the day or the hour He will come to YOU!
Judgment will begin with the family of God. Think about it, what if terrorism had struck the churches? Don’t think that it
cannot and will not happen. This is one of the most likely of places for disaster to happen. Many are sitting on the pews totally
unconcerned of what is happening in the world around them, and they come into the House of the Lord and sing praises, worship,
pray, and to hear the Word of God. They hear the Word of God, yet do not obey His commands and put them into practice. They
honor Him with their lips, yet their hearts are far from Him. They do not seek after the Lord and His will with all their heart, mind,
body, soul, and strength. They do not love others as He loves us.
Why wouldn’t the church be the likely target of terrorism? You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief
in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant
woman, and they will not escape. Many have fallen asleep and are not alert and self-controlled. But we are sons and daughters of
the light and should not be in darkness, so that this day should surprise us like a thief. Be on guard and keep watch – for the
Lord will come to you when you do not expect Him. The next terrorism attacks could very well be within the churches
themselves. You just do not know.
Make no mistake - If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is
left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do
you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood
of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
For we know Him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay;” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a dreadful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that
we will not be condemned with the world.
Again I say, not I but the Spirit of the Lord – Return…declares the Lord,…for I am merciful. ‘I will not be angry forever. Only
acknowledge your guilt – you have rebelled against the Lord your God – and have not obeyed Me; declares the Lord. Return
faithless people.
God feels just like we do. He has a heart and emotions. When we betray God it hurts Him deeply. We come to Him with one
foot in the world and one foot following after Him. This is the epitome of selfishness. We want a loving God, yet are not willing to
give up the pleasures of this life and the desires of our flesh. We cry out to Him to forgive us while defiling our bodies, which is the
temple of the Holy Spirit. We return to Him in filthy rags and expect faithfulness from Him, when we are unfaithful. We care
nothing for how this makes Him feel. We are only concerned about ourselves. God cares about us and loves us more than we
can ever know. He feels, knows, and sees everything we think, do, and say.
When we sin willingly or unknowingly, it leaves a mark and it breaks His heart. All creation has wounded Him. Over and over
He has sent His message to us. He has warned us of our sins, called out to us, and given us many chances to repent. He is not a
vengeful God that wants to condemn us. No! He is a loving God, but if you cut Him He bleeds. Unfaithfulness to God just as a
wife to her husband is the worst form of betrayal. The kingdom of God is a mystery - it is like a marriage.
Just as a wounded soul needs acknowledgement from another person that they know they hurt them, God needs that
acknowledgement from us. His Word is sent to make us aware of our sins, to give us commands to follow, and to teach us how
to live a holy life. God sent His prophets, disciples, Jesus, messengers, and His word to call us to repentance. God is hurting and
He is calling out to us to search our hearts, to open our eyes and see what we have done, to hear His words and understand, and to
feel His need for us to acknowledge: “Lord, I have hurt you by my sins, I have done this…to you. (and list them), I am so sorry that
I hurt you. Please forgive me.”
He just like us needs to know that we are aware of the pain that we caused Him, and that we have done something wrong
to hurt someone who loves us. God wants to give us a new heart and to remove our sin. He wants to forgive us, but we must
first acknowledge our sin. Sometimes He disciplines and corrects us while letting us reap what we have sown. It is when we have
hit rock bottom, and are in a desperate situation with no way out, that many of us recognize our need to return to Him.
The Word of God and The Message are divinely designed to do just that - to call us as individuals, as a church, a city, and a nation
to repentance. He spoke that we are to give ourselves no relief, to let our eyes stream with tears, to lift up our cries unto Him and to
acknowledge our guilt before it is too late. He tells us to corporately storm the gates of heaven with our prayers, petitions, and
intercession on behalf of the church, our cities, our nation and the whole earth. We are no longer to be consumed with self and our
needs alone. We are called together as one body in unity for one purpose – to admit our disobedience, rebellion, and sin; to
return to Him with all our heart; to seek forgiveness through His mercy.
He has warned us of the coming disaster planned for us. We can see evidence of that since September 11th the whole world has
been touched by this tragedy that hit our nation, as well as the Tsunami. This is nothing new for many countries of the world, but
now that it has hit home, the world needs to know that God’s people still have faith to believe in an Almighty and forgiving
God. He has shown us through His word that when the Israelites, from the least to the greatest, all gathered together in one
voice and in unity admitted their sins, confessed their guilt, and repented, that He relented of the disaster He had planned.
There is no reason to feel that every word spoken by the Lord is not valid today. His Word will never pass away it is
trustworthy and true. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He has given us His son, His plan for salvation, instructions
for living, and warnings. If we choose to ignore these and continue on in our present state, we will be swept away with the coming
disasters.
His Word warns of the consequences of sin, disobedience, and rebellion, yet He gives us chances to acknowledge our guilt. It is
not time to hide our secret sins, but rather to expose them by corporately saying – “Lord we have sinned against you and
turned our backs on following your commands.” As Christians we are called to be set apart from the world, to not partake of their
practices and evil deeds. We are being watched by the world and all heaven has witnessed our choices. He is calling us to choose
life. God is calling us to set an example to the world and to show our need for Him by acknowledging our true condition –
SINNERS.
We live in this world and many have become a part of this world. The hour is near and it is time to choose. The road that leads
to life is narrow, rough, and rocky, and few find it. We are the light of world and we need to shine in the darkness by first
exposing the truth – our GUILT. Then God can receive glory when He shows mercy to us for all to see. The world needs to see
that God makes a distinction between His people. Change begins with one person and each one needs to recognize their sins
and then the needs of the entire body. There are few things that are truly needed and if we ever needed anything at this
moment, it is for the church to come together as one body. Not just your church, but all churches. It begins with one!
I believe that God has sent me to the churches for such a time as this. We are told that if we have faith to believe, then we shall
have what we ask for. It is time for the church to come together and pray without ceasing for forgiveness of sins. The
most important decision we could make is to acknowledge our need for forgiveness, confess our sins, turn from them, focus our
eyes on the Lord, fear God, tremble at His word, obey His commands, repent, and intercede for others. Who knows maybe He will
have mercy on us and spare us?
YOU are God’s holy vessel, appointed, anointed, and ordained for a time such as this. How you shepherd your flock (and family)
depends on how trustworthy and true you believe His word is. It is written: His people perish for lack of knowledge and no one
knows the commands of God. They are like senseless children who are skilled at doing wrong. They have no shepherd to lead and
instruct them. They may believe in God and have accepted Jesus, but are not able or willing to feed themselves His word, to seek
His commands, and follow His example in faithfulness and obedience. Just as babies are fed milk until they are mature enough to
eat solid food, many Christians must be fed the milk – the pure Word of God. They must be taught His commands and
instructions from beginning to end.
It can’t be assumed that Christians know the commands, statues, precepts, and decrees of God and are feeding themselves. Their
condition is evident of that – sickness, disease, debt, divorce, unforgiveness, gossip, slander, lawsuits, and the like. They must be
shown their need for repentance and that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The people also need to be led
in corporate repentance, prayer, petition, intercession for each other, the church, city, and nation. Not just once or twice, but
without ceasing. Our hour has come and no longer is it enough just to believe.
We are all given one breath, one - every breath after that is a gift from God. That is all we are guaranteed in this life is one breath
and what we do with that gift is our choice. It all begins with one. One voice, one person, one church, one nation…
The Message is a divinely inspired word that is important for the day and hour that we live in. The words given are directed to the
Church and the condition of the body, mind, spirit, and soul. It is a message of hope, mercy, love, and truth. The Message is
“Food for the Body and Soul.” It is my prayer that every one, who hears or reads the words of The Message, repents and returns
to the Lord with all their heart and soul.
The Lord has called me out and set me apart for a day such as this. He chose me, the worst of sinners, to preach The Message of
REPENTANCE to His people. To give them a warning that when they turn their backs on Him and following His commands, they
are lost and doomed for utter darkness if they do not stop, turn around, confess their sins and repent before it is too late.
Will you join me in taking The Message to the people of the world? Will you also assist me in calling every believer to humble
themselves, pray, seek His face, turn from their wicked ways, and repent, before the judgment of God falls. Will you?
Until we meet again –
Somewhere in the journey,
Chaplain Sandy D. Corlett
Director of International Relations, IDOC
[The above message to the church is a prelude to "The Message." Please make sure you read it.]
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