Stand In The Gap - A Sacred Assembly Of Men

Confession Of Sin - Repentance

Ezekial 22:30 "So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

This letter is addressed to all coming to the Sacred Assembly in Washington DC in the vans or those who are still considering it. I am writing it as a means to express why I am so strongly drawn to the Stand In The Gap Assembly. Promise Keepers is sponsoring this event. Although they are the sponsors, the actual event’s originator is the Lord Himself. God is calling men from all over America to repentance. Promise Keepers is simply the catalyst God is using to bring healing to His people. When God mandates something His people need to listen and respond in an appropriate manner. In this case it is to come to Washington to seek repentance for a sick nation. I am just answering God’s call to me. It has been a little over a year now since God had been calling me to this. I kept putting Him off. The whole idea seemed neat and fun, but I did not want to commit the time or needed finances to this event. However, I was not prepared for the word He spoke to me at the Promise Keepers event in St Louis. The Lord specifically told me "I am not asking you to go to this event because it might be a neat thing to attend. I am telling you to go because I want you to be there." I relayed this word to Jeff Griffin wanting to let someone know what God was speaking to me. Jeff mentioned to me that he had been hearing the same call. It was shortly after this that a speaker began talking about coming to Washington because God is calling you to do it. It was obvious at this point that going to Washington was no longer a consideration, it became a mandate (out of the mouth of two or three witnesses).

I have been burdened with a passion for those who are hurting from the effects of sin. We live in a sick society. The percentage rate for illegitimacy is now at least 50%. Teen pregnancy is no longer seen as shameful. Illegitimate births to Hollywood stars are celebrated. What was considered wrong a generation ago is now considered right. What was considered right a generation ago is now considered intolerant or bigoted. Those caught in the crippling effects of welfare have no sense of hope for the future. Jesus is seen as a myth or as a good man rather than as the Son of God. God’s name is no longer considered holy. It is abused and taken in vain without any sense or concern or fear of punishment. God is considered as a useless or an unneeded being in this age of enlightenment and technology. He is perceived as an inhibitor of man achieving enlightenment. I am distressed over the loss exhibited for the sanctity of human life. Children who have been abandoned for generations by their fathers are now turning to gangs and children are killing children. Children are aborted for convenience sake as one discards an unwanted dog or cat. We have abandoned our desire for leadership to be of good character and honorable for the protection of our checkbook. Sadly, we tolerate unrighteousness because somebody exhibits sorrow for his sins without any sense of repentance.

What can one individual person do to change any of this? Truly, I found myself at a point of depression after the results of our last national election. I wasn’t looking at anything political. I saw the darkness invading our realm, as it never had before. It was as if it had a choke hold us and wouldn’t let go. In my frustration God reminded me about something He told his people a long time ago:

2 Chr 7:14 "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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Wait a minute, how could this be my fault? I say this with a sense of humility and there is no pride behind it, but where have I need of repentance? I am a blood bought person who belongs to Jesus Christ. He continuously forgives my sin as I admit I my need of it. How did I need to repent?

It would be easy to verbally criticize abortion, homosexuality, drunkenness, and many of the other sins our society exhibits an extreme acceptance for since we can easily say we don’t partake of these things. We can turn a smug nose to these issues because we would not stand out as being hypocritical. Perhaps we would not be so quick to jump on the bandwagon to criticize:

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

Gal 5:21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Every one of us, myself included is guilty of almost all of the works of the flesh. Perhaps we have not physically committed all of these works, but we have committed them spiritually. 60% of evangelical Christian men admit to having problems with pornography or lust. Perhaps some of us are guilty of hatred or are prejudiced against those who are different than us. Do you avoid people who are different than you just to avoid any internal conflict or guilt? Every man is guilty of outbursts of wrath. Where inside of your heart do you hide the jealousy you have for the brother who has higher visibility than you do in the Church? Does this not cause internal strife within you and also in the Church? Why do I covet my neighbors’ possessions and call my desire to achieve what he has as achieving my personal goals, even to the extent of putting myself into debt? Is this not seeking after selfish ambitions? Why do I murder my marriage when I allow my mind to dwell on someone other than my wife to fulfill a lust driven fantasy? Is this not seeking to fulfill selfish ambitions? Is this not envying? Does this not cause dissension within my marriage? Is this not unclean?

The Lord laid a heavy burden on me. The reason our society is sick is because of people like me. I could not blame the darkness for the ills of our society. The darkness is just acting like its own nature. Unfortunately the light is not. The problem is me. It is you. It is God’s people letting the visibility of their light dwindle to the point of invisibility. We have sought after our own personal free time, dismissing the time required to help build and mold the next generation saying we work hard and deserve to relax. We have lost our sense of purity and what it means to be holy. We have watched movies or TV seeing what is unholy and reasoned it off meaningless. We talk coarsely and laugh at jokes we ought to be fleeing from. I am just like the abortionist. He has cheapened human life. But I have destroyed and cheapened the sanctity of the life Christ has purchased for me by seeking after and legitimizing my own carnality.

God has shown me a vision as my life as piece of fruit covered by worms. The worms were biting and knawing their way into my skin. The skin is strong and putting up good resistance, but it is definitely weakening. It was as if every bit of carnality weakened the skins resistance to the worms.

God can and will heal this land when His people truly repent and truly seek Him. I need to repent. I understand God’s mandate to attend His Sacred Assembly. I know you do too. I ask you to accept God’s call to repentance and purity. I truly believe God is ready to do something new and is seeking people who are willing to walk in His ways and please Him. I am ready to change, are you? When God calls you to a certain path, you must follow that path, no matter where that path will lead you. In this case it is to Washington DC. See you Friday evening, October 3, 1997 at 4:30 @ Charleston Community Church.

Your Brother In Christ,

Larry Malmen

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