Powerless Churches! part 2

Have you ever thought seriously about why our world is in the condition that it is in? I have asked myself that question many times over the course of the past few months. This is what I believe has happened. In the study of physics we are taught “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” This is referred to as Newton's third law of motion. There is also a principle called the “principle of causation.” It is defined as the operation or relation of a cause and its effect. I want to use Newton's law of motion to evaluate the cause and effect of the world's present crisis.

 

When United States military withdrew from Iraq, that action created a reaction. The withdrawal of the United States military presence created a vacuum, “a situation created when an important person or thing has gone and has not been replaced.” The enemy rushed into that void. They increased their offensive thrust and over time their ranks grew and they captured resources which were supposed to be used by the Iraqi military forces. The Iraqi forces ran from the battlefield stripping their uniforms off as they ran and leaving behind the assets that the US. military had left for them to use to defend their country.

 

When Christian churches all over the world began to let the Truth slip away, it created a void, a vacuum. This vacuum was not only created in the churches spiritual structure but also in the lives of individuals. And that void screams out to be filled. Why? Because an important person or thing has gone and has not been replaced. The Person gone is the Holy Spirit and the thing gone is Truth. Satan rushes in to replace Truth and Righteousness with Deception and Sin. Over a period of time, Satan has gradually slipped into the churches and undermined the power and authority that belongs to the Body of Christ. Just as the Iraqi army fled in the onslaught of ISIS many churches and individuals have given in to the pressures of society and embraced unholy alliances with the forces of darkness in our world. The assets that Jesus gave for the victory of the Body of Christ are no longer available to them. They have removed their covering and therefore stand powerless before the enemy. (to be continued)

Powerless Churches!

The darkness is so intense in our world that evil runs rampant. Wickedness is out of control. We know by the Word of God that evil men will grow progressively worse! 2 Tim. 3:10, “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;”

God's promise of victory and protection has always been to the obedient. This is a universal principle first received by the Jews and then the Gentiles. In recent years, through a gradual process of letting the Truth slip away, churches have opened the door for carnal ideals and man-made theology. In a calculated effort to assimilate people into their congregations, compromise has been the rule of the day. The result has been growing the numbers of church participation at the cost of losing God's favor and anointing. Many churches have become powerless and ineffective. Satan has taken advantage of this powerlessness replacing the anointing of the Holy Ghost with the power of the darkness of this world. (to be continued)

Unbelievers Will Not Be Ready! part 2

What is Paul's solution to Timothy's challenge? 2 Tim. 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” If they turn away from the Truth, they are unbelievers. Unbelievers are without the discernment of the Word or the Spirit. Consequently, they will walk in carnality and will not be ready. They will not be able to discern the times. The conditions in the world prior to the Rapture will so closely mirror the conditions immediately after the Rapture, the carnal mind will not realize when it takes places except to know that people are missing. The transition for the saints will be seamless but for those left behind, conditions will grow progressively worse until the consummation of all things at the second Advent of Christ. Christ will return with the saints, set His feet upon the Mount of Olives and set up His Millennial Kingdom. Revelation is so important in our walk with God. He is giving us a preview of what is to come!

Unbelievers Will Not Be Rapture Ready!

The Body of Christ will be ready for the rapture but unbelievers will not be prepared. Having had the opportunity to receive the truth and subsequently rejecting the truth, the unbeliever walks in darkness. This includes secular churches. I am talking about those groups and individuals who fail to embrace Biblical Truth. Those who generate their own carnal doctrine to appease their followers. The sad thing about these groups is that they provide a centralized government and structure for deception. Paul describes the perilous times of the last days in a litany of ills in 2 Tim. 3:1-5. He especially addresses religious apostasy. Give special attention to v5, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” He is addressing those professing Christianity but describing them as resembling Christian service but without the spiritual dynamic of the Holy Ghost. The Message, p. 95, available at Amazon.com.

Covered! part 2

Let us prepare this house for the manifest presence of God. Allow the blood of Jesus to wash it clean and make it holy and acceptable to God. Romans 12:1, “...that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Invite Christ to live in this house and display His character through you. Give up and submit complete control to the influence of the Holy Spirit. Follow Him as He leads and directs. The result is a life lived to the glory of God and manifested love for Him. Give yourself unreservedly to God and His manifest presence will be revealed in His house as He dwells in you. God's promise to Solomon was, “...I have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice,” Beginning in 2 Chronicles 7:12 God said, If it doesn't rain...if the locusts devour your crops or pestilence comes...if you will pray, humble yourselves and turn from YOUR way (rebellion), then I will hear you from heaven and will forgive and heal because I see you and hear your prayers. Regardless of what you may face tomorrow, God will walk you through it if you trust Him. Psalm 121:8, “The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”God watches over everything you do all the time, in every circumstance, and forever. You are “covered” by the abiding presence of the Lord. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.

Covered By The Mantle Of Christ!

The Body of Christ is covered by the mantle of Christ's protection, provision, progress, and position. As we walk in obedience to His commands, we will possess all that we need to fulfill our mission here. He will protect His sheep from the wild animals and hirelings. Satan is as a roaring lion seeking to destroy the flock. Jesus will provide every need of the Body to make us strong and resilient. He will move us forward in Him. He will bring the mountains low, lead us through the valleys and make a pathway through the storms of life. He will sustain us in our role because of who He is. He is the Son of God and as children of God, He is our elder brother. We are family and He is and will be all things to us according to our need. Jesus will glory in the victory of the Body of Christ!

2 Chronicles 7:1, “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.”

We pray for and sincerely desire that the glory of God rest upon His House. You and I are His house. May His glory fill this house! Ephesians 2:22, “In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Solomon had prepared the House for God's habitation and invited God to live there. Let us prepare ourselves and make the Lord of Glory welcome to inhabit this house! 2 Chronicles 6:41, “Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place,..” Solomon spared no expense and the people gave freely and abundantly. The edifice that was created was a tribute to the glory of God and the love of His people. The Message, p. 76, available at Amazon.com.

The Body Of Christ Will Be Ready!

The Bride of Christ will be looking for and anxiously awaiting the Bride Groom. The Bride of Christ is made up of all believers. Therefore the Body of Christ is composed of individuals across denominational divides and from different local churches. When the Rapture occurs all true believers from everywhere will be caught away regardless of church affiliation. The Body of Christ will be ready. The Holy Spirit will make sure of that.

The purging prior to the appearance of the Bride Groom will ensure that the Bride has made Herself ready. Eph. 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Through the Word and by the Spirit, the Bride of Christ will be ready. The Message, p. 94-95, available at Amazon.com. 

Be Ready And Watch!

The Rapture will take place without an immediate change in world conditions. Hebrews 9:28, “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” Only those who are looking for Jesus will see Him at the Rapture. Therefore, we must be watching and waiting. Rev. 3:3, “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” Jesus was speaking to the Church at Sardis, the Body of Christ at Sardis. (read Rev. 3:1-6). His instruction is to be ready and watch! The Message, p. 93, available at Amazon.com.

Take A Stand For Truth And Justice!

Will we as a people take a stand for truth and justice? “We face a difficult time ahead as political leaders jockey for position, power and influence. For the most part, it is all just a lot of noise like a sporting event. Each side supports and vehemently defends their team and believes it doesn't matter about the process so long as our team wins. But it really does matter how we play the game. The game builds character and integrity which embrace truth, justice, and judgment. If the process fails to yield these attributes, how can we expect a government to lead in truth and justice? It is not what we say but what we do that defines us as a person and as a nation. God help us!

Truth and justice lay abandoned in the street, discarded as refuse in the gutter. What happened to the promise “to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” and “so help me God?” What happened to the greater good of all men, rather than the selfish and ambitious views of a particular political party or social group? What happened to the preference of others and their needs over the narrow constricted view of what we want? A self-focused mentality has invaded and captured our conscious resolution and thereby affects everything we say and do.” The Message, p. 153.

The Soul Cries Out for Truth! by Myra Boozer

May those that are spiritually hungry rise up and say so..
May they call out to the teachers, preachers, the elders,
The Body of Christ ...The Church.
May they tell them they are looking for a refuge, a half-way
house until they get HOME......
May they tell them the decor and the newest electronics
are not in their interest.
May they tell them it is the Fresh Bread that brings
Life and Hope.
It isn't found in the steeple or the pews .. Neither is it
found in the technology of the service , but in the TRUTH
OF GOD'S WORD...The Spirit, the life giving transformation.
It is found in the revelation of Jesus and His love for their
cries, for their struggles and heartaches.
The world is heartless, cold and cruel..
They don't need to become another face in the crowd,
overlooked and forsaken.
The hungry need to be fed...

"Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof,not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock," I Peter 5:2-3.

Will You Make A Difference?

Will You Make A Difference?

"We are required to make the difficult choices if we change our future. We must choose to love others as we do ourselves. We must choose to do no harm rather than promote our own selfish ambitions and desires. Can you imagine how that one principle would change our world if only it were embraced by a majority of the earth's population? We must choose to embody truth in every thought, word, and action. That principle would impact every person that our lives touch. We might not change the world but we would change OUR world. We must choose to treat every relationship justly and impartially. What if we actually treated others like we want to be treated.

We should be challenged as we reflect upon our past. Have we done our best to affect the world around us in a positive manner for the Lord Jesus Christ? The whole of creation is crying out for a change. Are you pleased with the outcomes you have observed or does God's Spirit within urge you to make a greater difference in the time ahead? The challenge is before us, “will we make a difference?” Are we willing to invest ourselves in addressing the woes of our community, our city, our state, our nation and our world?" The Message, p. 152-153, available at Amazon.com.

Where Is Truth And Justice?

Isaiah 59:14, “And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 15Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.”

There are some people who will laud their great accomplishments and progress in this journey to a better world. Then, there are others who view the future with pessimism, bemoaning the lack of positive markers in the process of moving forward. However, we must admit that we, the inhabitants of this earth have witnessed both positive and negative events in our lifetime. We also must conclude that each event, situation or happening has presented us as a civilization the opportunity to right the wrongs, correct the injustice and return to truth.

We live in a fallen world and as such will continue to witness the same climate in the time ahead unless we as a people choose a different path. If we continue with the same choices, making the same mistakes, the result will invariably be the same. As a society, we can't continue on this same path and expect a different outcome. The Message, p. 152, available at Amazon.com.

What Are Your Priorities?

If you where to make a list of what is most important to you, what would that list look like? What is the driving force for your goals and accomplishments? It is very important that we can answer this question clearly and precisely. Our future and the future of those we influence is depending upon our response.

We make mistakes and experience unnecessary heartaches when our priorities are not in sync with God’s will and purpose for our lives. God should always come first. Our relationship with God is priority over everyone and everything. Our relation with God is the foundation for everything else that touches our lives.