Disregard The Dust

Resisting evil is not a passive avoidance or coercion of distasteful circumstances. Nor is it an emotional appeal toward people, spawned by anger, frustration or fear. It is a direct confrontation of Satan by the Sword of the Spirit, which is Christ in us.

If we should cultivate an intentional relationship with the Son of God, not compromising with the pattern and wisdom of the god of this world, then the blood of Christ would be flowing through our own veins. Jesus has overcome the world; but if this Spiritual Authority that lives in us lies dormant due to our neglect of so great a salvation, we will never know Abundant Life this side of death. Jesus has already conquered the principalities and ruling authorities in the heavenlies, but the demons will not succumb to an earthen vessel that does not have the Spirit of Christ wrought within them.

You Who Have Ears...

 

Exposing the enemy to those who have been born again.

The undeniable evidence of unbelief reveals itself when Christians will pray about a situation, but continue to force their own remedy or resourcefulness. It has already been decided in their hearts what they intend to manipulate in order to accomplish their own goals. This effort clearly reveals that they are actually asking God to come alongside and bless their own endeavors while they've pretended to pray otherwise.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

What's Wrong With This Picture (Video)?

http://vimeo.com/67724114

At the 3 minute mark of the video above, the narrator states, "Sermons are God's primary means for communicating with His church today." So, God still only speaks through a prophet? The one behind the pulpit, who has elevated himself as the communicator of God?

Theatrical Churches

The architecture of an auditorium or theater immediately commands an instinctive human behavior from every person who enters.The audience knows their part, and those on stage know theirs. While any production is in progress, the audience becomes obedient in behavior to what the performers of the production have previously prepared for them. With the exception of an occasional audience response, the combined spirit within the auditorium is one of absolute self control. Whoever you may be naturally on the inside is called to a state of submission, thus rendering the utmost respect and behavior in order to facilitate an atmosphere conducive to a professional performance. This is the nature of the theater; and unfortunately for many churches as well.

While there is nothing wrong with church buildings that model auditoriums or theaters, there is a lot wrong with the dynamics of the fellowship within. It is constrained. There is a great quenching of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ that frequents this type of community. Rather than a design that enables the people the freedom to relate authentically and to release their gifts for the edification of others, the people become trained to conform to the protocol of the approximate one hour performance their theater demands. What is produced in the congregation is a spirit of good behavior and a deliberate practice of self composure that inevitably continues on through casual socializing. They are careful not to cause any distraction and have not the slightest desire to consider the things of God that might undermine the atmosphere of the theater they feel responsible for keeping. The elders and patriots come to embrace a conviction that it is their reverent duty and Godly service to come under the established authority of the theater to ensure everyone else respects the social architecture of such a church.

"So I exhort the elders among you ... shepherd the flock of God that is among you ... not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:2,3)

When the same familiar people inhabit the stage Sunday after Sunday, they are dominating the affairs of the church and have drastically limited the exercise of all gifts that belong to the body of Christ.

PJR

"For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body."
(1 Corinthians 12:14-20

Society's Church

For centuries past and still prevalent today, most churches model more of a man made religion rather than participating as the body of Christ. They fail to consider the contradiction between what Jesus says and what they actually practice. Those who commit themselves to denominational traditions over the clear Word of Truth are simply more interested in being recognized and accepted by the masses they so familiarly socialize with. As well, a church that has conformed to their culture's present mode of what is popular will be soft about accountability among themselves regarding the Spiritual admonitions of discipleship.

Church leaders fail to do much more than take the sheep to God's green pasture to feed. Basic member participation for most churches consists of faithful Sunday morning attendance, practical areas of serving, Bible studies, attending programs and joining small groups (which is usually more Bible study). This simply keeps them occupied and busy, affording their humanity a sense of religious justification. Members who do not experience much more than this will become content with socializing in lieu of Spiritual fellowship.

There is a tendency among leaders to place functional importance of members based on their social stature, education, and practical abilities; standards and expectations the rest of the world embraces. Few congregants are recognized for their spiritual gifts and thus, the Holy Spirit's guidance and work for them is consistently quenched. The elders of the church should be teaching and encouraging the flock to draw from the Spirit of God in order to bring joy and abundant life to their Biblical knowledge, that the church may attain Spiritual unity, not just social commonality.

For a body to worship in Spirit and Truth, the current structure of many churches will need to be completely dismantled. New seeds must be planted if a different crop is going to be harvested.

Just how far has "the church" strayed from the Lord? If tradition trumps Truth and societal religion takes the place of Spiritual relationship, then it would be wrong to consider that church as the body of Christ.

 "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. "
(Colossians 2:1)

"If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 'Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch' (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh." (Colossians 2:20-23)

PJR

"...when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
(Luke 18:8)

Pastoral Oppression

An angry response to my recent discovery of yet another effort of the leaders of the church to ensure their despotic position.

The latest wind of doctrine: Multi, or Tri-perspectivalism leadership

 

While this trend has been recently entertained by the Reformed Church, it has long been an infectious arrogance found in many superficial, man-ruled fellowships and institutions of religion. I address the broad scope of leadership prevalent in today's Christian church.

　
NOTE: In the mention of spiritual gifts, I by no means attach them to a 'prosperity gospel' or 'name-it, claim-it' religion. It is soundly the means by which the Holy Spirit works in and through the body of Christ, "...for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:12,13)

　
What causes church leaders to think the greater gifts and functions uniquely rest in their hands? Can there not be a prophet, an evangelist, a teacher, a pastor among the flock without a coronation of some special office? For that matter, why are there such categories as 'ordained' and 'lay'? Are we not all ambassadors of Christ? Consider the following: "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4,5)

This in no way admonishes men to build a priesthood in order to build a spiritual house. Furthermore, the leaders are not to be the all-containing, all-sustaining spiritual commandant of the church. He is but one member of the body by which the gifts of the Spirit have been shed abroad.

"But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge." (1 John 2:20)

"But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him." (1 John 2:27)

Pastors, elders, priests, deacons, bishops, et al. -is it not enough you have made yourselves over-lords, rather than over those, in the Lord? Or that you have successfully oppressed congregations into a group of ignorant followers, by way of omitting the complete and accurate exercise of spiritual gifts that is designed for the whole body? Do you now have to misinterpret scriptures, concluding that the greater gifts you perhaps once had trouble even believing were prevalent for this age, now actually belong exclusively to your leadership, but not the general congregation? Have you ever invited other gifts within the congregation to participate, that you would become a complete body, nourished, held together by the joints, unified in the Spirit?

"What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up." (1 Corinthians 14:26)

"If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." (Mark 9:35; 10:42-45; Luke 22:26) Have you not as well, disregarded this clear message, in order that you maintain a dictatorship in lieu of the head, which is Christ? Can you not see how the secular ideals of leadership have infiltrated the church? What in the world is an executive pastor? An associate pastor? I hear you say that Jesus is the Lord of the church, the head of the body and the one you worship, but your true desire is to glorify your own position. What you don't see is that you are exalting the realm of leadership to such a deified, educated, untouchable plateau of elders that the congregation can't help but feel subordinate, ineffective, and unworthy of the Spirit of God that you leaders have stolen from them by way of positional intimidation. You have now conjured up yet another scheme of leadership, taking on such endowments as Prophet, Priest, and King, and bestow them upon church leaders. This is nothing less than self glorification.

You say you believe in the all the gifts of the Spirit. But believing and doing belong to true faith. Without calling on the ones you have pressed down, that they may rise up with their spiritual gifts (as is appropriate for a healthy body), but rather allotting practical positions of service to keep them content, your words fall flat with unbelief about spiritual gifts. You are an idol of your own making, built and sustained by nothing more than natural gifts, i.e., natural leadership skills, type-a personalities, excellent oration, a degree from a seminary school, etc. If these were to be accompanied by true Spiritual humility, recognizing you have nothing except what God has given you, you would not spend so much time building up and maintaining such an intricately woven, secular mirrored structure of leadership for the church. Efforts like this occur when we get bored with being empty for the cause of serving the body the way the Lord sees it. It is especially difficult for the intelligent who have been through a rigorous format of formal education. Much like the rich young ruler, most of us have a very powerful, natural gift whereby Jesus says, "You lack one thing..." That one thing is sacrificing our covetousness.

You say the Spirit is present in your church, and so He is; and God longs jealously for the Spirit He has caused to dwell in us. The hierarchical government of today's church, and for some reason established and reserved for intelligent of mind, rather than the Spiritually mature in Christ, can only emulate that of the secular world; humanistic and thus divided...as-it-so-is. Think not? Count the number of different denominations, non denominations, all following some scheme of doctrine devised by man through his own interpretation of scripture. Is the Holy Spirit divided on truth? You say, " We get along. We have agreed to disagree." This is not unity. It is agreeing to find peace while remaining divided. Why then is there so much division? Because church leaders and congregants have not been encouraged how to live by the Spirit. So, rather than asking God for wisdom, man, the label-maker, sets his mind to the task of compiling some parallel scriptures that will satisfy the carnal mind's desire for the rationalization of difficult truths: truths, that if genuinely sought after, would bankrupt the present day religious institutions.

"There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures." (2 Peter 3:16)

Here is the bottom line: when strong minded leadership exists, there will inevitably be mindless followers. This natural law is as prevalent as gravity. However, allow the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to lead and you will find the true church. All of the frivolous and superficial functions and activities most churches entertain will be exposed for what they are. Worldliness will be easily recognized and intolerable, leaving only the purity of that which is of the Spirit of God, thereby creating true unity in the body of Christ by which we worship in spirit and truth alone, and apart from the guidance of man made offices.

May there be fear and trembling in all that we work out within our own salvation.

PJR

"'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." (Mark 7:7-8)

Spiritual Oppression

As we become accustomed to the spiritual gifts imparted to us, its miraculous source can easily be taken for granted. This is why we witness so many who detach themselves from the purity of God's glory for them. Examples in the Old Testament offer us insight into this. Moses, Sampson, Balaam, Saul, David, Solomon, and others. In the beginning God was very near them and His laws were known by each. Over a period of time though, God pulled back His obvious presence, and expected His laws and precepts to be the governing authority for their actions and accountability, should they continually call on Him. Essentially, they were expected to walk in faith by obedience. But through time, from the lack of prayer, and a contentment toward His patience, familiarization crept in and bred contempt for what has never been anything less than the power of God sustaining them.

The nation of Israel did not have the Spiritual presence the church today possesses. They were governed by God's laws and accountability was the strict consequences established for breaking them, executed through the anointed authority assigned to the leaders over them. None the less, God's blessings were enjoyed by Israel when the leaders were obedient to His commands. At times though, the nation of Israel was led by laws adopted from the pagan nations around them, to the grief of God's true prophets. It is obvious that the people of Israel became spiritually oppressed because the leaders did not intimately pursue God.

Sadly, spiritual oppression has taken place even on this side of grace as well, and it is a shame that in this day and age, with such a wealth of theological information, it is still very common. But like the covenant of old, without the presence of God's Spirit accompanying the law, a knowledge of God's Word alone is powerless.

Today, despite that the Holy Spirit has become the law set in our hearts, and that the various gifts within the church are the declared sovereign authority for keeping intimacy and accountability among ourselves, the people continue to remain under the oppression of pastors and leaders who do not recognize, intentionally establish, and encourage the Spiritual gifts that would destroy any form of man's idolatry and authority within it. Assuredly, compromise, tolerance and complacency has become the spirit of many congregations.

However, there is always a remnant in every congregation that has been through a rigorous process of sanctification, and by their earnest desire to seek the depths of God through them, have come out on the Spiritually refined side of today's religious institutions. They possess a pure and true understanding of the apostolic foundation intended for the church, exhibited by their discernment and faith in action, and their hearts are burdened to see the fullness of spiritual gifts realized within the church. The dilemma in communicating this to church leaders is how to delineate between being respectful, while desiring to hold accountable, those who are "over you in the Lord"...but authority established and guided by people, rather than the Holy Spirit, is not authority that is to be respected nor feared. It is to be confronted...as did the true prophets of old. Church leaders who misuse their positional authority relish in their own ideals of how their 'own' church should be structured and maintained, in place of what is clearly defined as fellowship in the Bible. It is evidenced by the covetous nature they possess and display in their lust for recognition and control.

PJR

"But he looked directly at them and said, 'What then is this that is written:

'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone'?

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.'" (Luke 20:17-18)

Church Authority

There are many churches today that are ruled by a single pastor, having graduated from a pragmatic seminary school and primarily possess the gift of teaching. While this gift is as important as any other, the mistake here is the placement of this gift as the sole authority within the church. The entire congregation, including the elders, submits to this one person. This type of government will inevitably emulate that of the secular world. The result of this type of government, in order to maintain rank, demands that all other giftings in the church become submissive and therefore less significant. While there must be a structure of organization to prevent disorder, it is ludicrous that one person take on the responsibility for the whole church, even falsely claiming and exercising the majority of the greater spiritual gifts. He is front and center as the appointed and anointed saint.

To effectively sustain man's authority in church is to effectively remove the authority of the Holy Spirit, where by all gifts have their source and power. The ability to teach and lead is elevated as the ultimate authority and guidance for the congregation and fails to fully recognize and welcome the complete presence of spiritual gifts that belong to the body. If other gifts feel the unction to express the desires of the Holy Spirit, leaders and those who faithfully follow them will look down on and accuse these people of being insufficient and insubordinate.

The deception among leaders today is that they must be the entirety of knowledge, spiritual guidance, and counselor to everyone underneath them. The result of the spiritual health in churches governed this way is a pathetically powerless body of believers, themselves bound and oppressed, unable to effect the abundant life afforded them as long as they remain under the authority of man. They remain silent with their own gifts and heartfelt ministries because they have been too long a slave to this false and deceptive leadership. In their own minds, to speak up or to speak out would be an exercise of defiance, unsettling peace that has been established by the leader's desire for the church to remain comfortable, unchallenged, and confrontation free. Much of the accountability exercised in this church will be that which strives to maintain the present rule.

PJR