Regarding America's long tradition of liberty and life, well grounded in our Constitution, we are past the point of no return. The Organized Church of America is not completely responsible for this demise, but many of them have certainly made a substantial contribution to our national collapse as a free people with moral virtue. The primary reason we are not already an autocratic nation, with no opportunity for openly sharing the gospel, is due to those men and women God raised up beginning in the 1960s, who apart from the Organized Church, stood in the gap for freedom and morality in American society. Those Organized Churches that continued to proclaim Jesus Christ and His plain message of salvation and newness of life in Christ, have supported what those God-ordained leaders did through their organizations.
Those who have been adopted into the family of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ are the true Church. Organized churches do not necessarily represent the true Body of Christ - though many true members of His Body are participating in Organized churches; and there are some organized churches that are genuinely seeking to function exactly as God designed. However, those churches are few compared with the number of organized churches overall. The Organized Church overall is a disaster - a national disaster.
For those who are not aware, this truth has been trumpeted loudly for nearly twenty centuries of Organized Church history by the most respected, God
You may ask what qualifies me to pass judgment on churches. The simplest answer to that question is, the same thing that qualifies anyone to pass judgment on churches - the Word of God makes abundantly clear who and/or what is authentic and is not. Jesus Christ, Himself, told us that we would "know a tree by its fruit" (Matt. 7:15-20). The problem is, and has been for nearly twenty centuries, that no one will actually use critical thinking to evaluate their own Organized Church according to the written Word of God. If they would stop and honestly assess that they would realize that much of what they have been taught and have believed is false. The vast majority of people move, think, believe, teach, and act in mass - they are not critical thinkers. That is to say that they do not examine what the Bible actually teaches and also allow the God of the Bible to be the Lord of their lives.
The Organized Church is a term that I use to describe the vast majority of locally-recognized groups of people that assemble regularly under the banner of the name of Jesus Christ. An Organized Church, usually, but not always, has it's own building (campus), programs, etc with a specific agenda.
Why share this truth with all? Why not just "be nice?" I share this because of the slightest glimmer of hope that one in a million might be awakened out of their spiritual slumber.
This kind of preaching will come as a shock to most. It always has. That is a good thing. It is through the shock of reality that some may possibly be awakened out of their slumber. I could share evidence to show that overall, the Organized Church is a total disaster, and have shared these things for twenty-five (plus) years; but the clear, unmistakable evidence is plastered down every street and on every corner.
Those who have "known the Lord" for a considerable length of time should not need statistical data to prove the point, but for those who are interested, you might begin by search through barna.com
I don't endorse everything about Barna, but it is a good source for understanding the lack of understanding in America's Christianity - members of the Organized Church.
On a good note, God's true people, both inside and outside the Organized Church, are seeking to know Him as He really is, and to make Him known. There are people being born again, still, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Some are being taught some of what the Bible teaches, and some seek to walk in His Spirit. Many true believers all over this country meet together for small-group Bible study and prayer, and no doubt, many among those are study truth - not merely some form of doctrine with which they've been indoctrinated by their Organized Church.
More about this coming...
Those who have been adopted into the family of God by grace through faith in Jesus Christ are the true Church. Organized churches do not necessarily represent the true Body of Christ - though many true members of His Body are participating in Organized churches; and there are some organized churches that are genuinely seeking to function exactly as God designed. However, those churches are few compared with the number of organized churches overall. The Organized Church overall is a disaster - a national disaster.
For those who are not aware, this truth has been trumpeted loudly for nearly twenty centuries of Organized Church history by the most respected, God
You may ask what qualifies me to pass judgment on churches. The simplest answer to that question is, the same thing that qualifies anyone to pass judgment on churches - the Word of God makes abundantly clear who and/or what is authentic and is not. Jesus Christ, Himself, told us that we would "know a tree by its fruit" (Matt. 7:15-20). The problem is, and has been for nearly twenty centuries, that no one will actually use critical thinking to evaluate their own Organized Church according to the written Word of God. If they would stop and honestly assess that they would realize that much of what they have been taught and have believed is false. The vast majority of people move, think, believe, teach, and act in mass - they are not critical thinkers. That is to say that they do not examine what the Bible actually teaches and also allow the God of the Bible to be the Lord of their lives.
The Organized Church is a term that I use to describe the vast majority of locally-recognized groups of people that assemble regularly under the banner of the name of Jesus Christ. An Organized Church, usually, but not always, has it's own building (campus), programs, etc with a specific agenda.
Why share this truth with all? Why not just "be nice?" I share this because of the slightest glimmer of hope that one in a million might be awakened out of their spiritual slumber.
This kind of preaching will come as a shock to most. It always has. That is a good thing. It is through the shock of reality that some may possibly be awakened out of their slumber. I could share evidence to show that overall, the Organized Church is a total disaster, and have shared these things for twenty-five (plus) years; but the clear, unmistakable evidence is plastered down every street and on every corner.
Those who have "known the Lord" for a considerable length of time should not need statistical data to prove the point, but for those who are interested, you might begin by search through barna.com
I don't endorse everything about Barna, but it is a good source for understanding the lack of understanding in America's Christianity - members of the Organized Church.
On a good note, God's true people, both inside and outside the Organized Church, are seeking to know Him as He really is, and to make Him known. There are people being born again, still, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Some are being taught some of what the Bible teaches, and some seek to walk in His Spirit. Many true believers all over this country meet together for small-group Bible study and prayer, and no doubt, many among those are study truth - not merely some form of doctrine with which they've been indoctrinated by their Organized Church.
More about this coming...
The American Church, the Greatest National Disaster
Anyone can attend a church regularly, look good on the outside, say all the right things, etc. but fit the following description.
II Timothy 3:9 "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also."
God doesn't judge like we do, on the outward appearance. God knows all things and judges all things perfectly - based upon the heart.
One day, every single person who professed Him will give an account to Him. Let us be sure that our account will be completely covered by the Real Jesus and not a fake jesus of anyone's imagination.
Do you know the Real Jesus? Are you sure?
II Peter 1:10a "Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you..."
II Timothy 3:9 "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes’s and Jambres’s folly was also."
God doesn't judge like we do, on the outward appearance. God knows all things and judges all things perfectly - based upon the heart.
One day, every single person who professed Him will give an account to Him. Let us be sure that our account will be completely covered by the Real Jesus and not a fake jesus of anyone's imagination.
Do you know the Real Jesus? Are you sure?
II Peter 1:10a "Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you..."
The Holy Spirit Warned Us About the Church in Our Time
Pride is the number one sin God lists that He hates (Prov. 6:16-19).
Pride is the root of all sin; and for the New Testament Church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22), it was their most egregious issue.
It is our most egregious issue today too, I believe. Yes, there's a tremendous wave of immorality in the organized Church, and yes there's an abundance of man-worship too (idolatry). But none compares with the outright pride that oozes from every crevice of its crumbling foundation. (Not the Foundation who is Jesus Christ, but the foundation of religious liturgies, both orthodox and modern.)
Everybody already knows everything, so nobody wants to be taught anything. They will hear only those who do not challenge them to go outside their preferred spiritual arena. What an awful place to be.
They won't listen because they know it all. Such is the attitude of the vast majority of the American Church today; and they are driving themselves straight into greater deception.
John 9:39-41 "And Jesus said, 'For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.' Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, 'We are not blind too, are we?' Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.'"
Throughout the entire Church Age, God has made His leadership available to the members of His body to lead us into spiritual maturity - to help present us as "a chaste virgin unto Christ" (II Cor. 11:2). At the same time, throughout the entire Church Age, Satan has raised up his leadership within religion who masquerade "as ministers of light," but they are not (II Cor. 11:14-15). This makes for great confusion in the Body. It always has.
Today, as a general rule, there is no litmus test for those who claim that they are true ministers, called by God. Every denomination or Christian sect has it's own rules, and some claim to go by what Paul told Timothy and Titus as foundational, then they add their own requirements. But, again, as a rule, leadership in the Church is a great mix of those truly called, and not.
The results of this great mix of both good and bad is what we see today across the vast landscape of Christianity. This is exactly why the Church across the board is in desperate straits, is illiterate of what the Bible really says, and though with many "good works" has not the true knowledge of God.
Today, as within the Seven Churches of Asia, there are those within the congregation (tares among wheat) that cause ungodly division within His Body. They will not listen to those God has sent to them to watch-care over their very souls - proven men too. Many in the Early Church "twisted the words of the Apostle Paul," and led others astray into various kinds of error, because they had a "Jezebel spirit" (II Pet. 3:16-18; Rev. 2:20). Woe be unto them!
It is no different today. It has always been this way, and it stands to reason that it will become even worse as we draw nearer to the Lords return until and unless He moves by His Spirit to change our course.
All of us should have a teachable spirit, that should go without saying. However, God has gifted leadership to help grow the Body up spiritually - so that all together, we can mature to Christ's fullness. Yet in a world where everyone thinks they already know everything, the God-called leaders are not usually allowed to speak, and if they are, they are not usually heard unless they are in agreement with those who already claim to know everything.
For many believers, anytime their lives are truly challenged by Truth, they will turn on a leader whom they would otherwise show respect. Not only will they turn on them, but they will claim that the leader is "a know it all." It is an old tactic of the devil to discredit the messenger when the message can't be argued with facts. Such a debate is a lost cause for the one who is called to lead. It is best to walk away and leave the member (s) in error to their own desires. God will reveal all things in His own time.
Pride is the root of all sin; and for the New Testament Church of Laodicea (Rev. 3:14-22), it was their most egregious issue.
It is our most egregious issue today too, I believe. Yes, there's a tremendous wave of immorality in the organized Church, and yes there's an abundance of man-worship too (idolatry). But none compares with the outright pride that oozes from every crevice of its crumbling foundation. (Not the Foundation who is Jesus Christ, but the foundation of religious liturgies, both orthodox and modern.)
Everybody already knows everything, so nobody wants to be taught anything. They will hear only those who do not challenge them to go outside their preferred spiritual arena. What an awful place to be.
They won't listen because they know it all. Such is the attitude of the vast majority of the American Church today; and they are driving themselves straight into greater deception.
John 9:39-41 "And Jesus said, 'For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.' Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, 'We are not blind too, are we?' Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.'"
Throughout the entire Church Age, God has made His leadership available to the members of His body to lead us into spiritual maturity - to help present us as "a chaste virgin unto Christ" (II Cor. 11:2). At the same time, throughout the entire Church Age, Satan has raised up his leadership within religion who masquerade "as ministers of light," but they are not (II Cor. 11:14-15). This makes for great confusion in the Body. It always has.
Today, as a general rule, there is no litmus test for those who claim that they are true ministers, called by God. Every denomination or Christian sect has it's own rules, and some claim to go by what Paul told Timothy and Titus as foundational, then they add their own requirements. But, again, as a rule, leadership in the Church is a great mix of those truly called, and not.
The results of this great mix of both good and bad is what we see today across the vast landscape of Christianity. This is exactly why the Church across the board is in desperate straits, is illiterate of what the Bible really says, and though with many "good works" has not the true knowledge of God.
Today, as within the Seven Churches of Asia, there are those within the congregation (tares among wheat) that cause ungodly division within His Body. They will not listen to those God has sent to them to watch-care over their very souls - proven men too. Many in the Early Church "twisted the words of the Apostle Paul," and led others astray into various kinds of error, because they had a "Jezebel spirit" (II Pet. 3:16-18; Rev. 2:20). Woe be unto them!
It is no different today. It has always been this way, and it stands to reason that it will become even worse as we draw nearer to the Lords return until and unless He moves by His Spirit to change our course.
All of us should have a teachable spirit, that should go without saying. However, God has gifted leadership to help grow the Body up spiritually - so that all together, we can mature to Christ's fullness. Yet in a world where everyone thinks they already know everything, the God-called leaders are not usually allowed to speak, and if they are, they are not usually heard unless they are in agreement with those who already claim to know everything.
For many believers, anytime their lives are truly challenged by Truth, they will turn on a leader whom they would otherwise show respect. Not only will they turn on them, but they will claim that the leader is "a know it all." It is an old tactic of the devil to discredit the messenger when the message can't be argued with facts. Such a debate is a lost cause for the one who is called to lead. It is best to walk away and leave the member (s) in error to their own desires. God will reveal all things in His own time.
Everybody Already Knows Everything
During the times of the Early Church, legalism through Judaism sought relentlessly to impose legal bondage on the Body of Christ that had been set free through Jesus Christ and life in the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul continually warned the Church about their bad influence and rebuked those Judaizers sharply for it.
Today's Last-generation Church needs equal warning and rebuke, but it has wholeheartedly thrown to the curb anyone who is willing to do so. The Church across the board is so out of bounds with its freedoms that it is racing toward total collapse from the inside. It is a fleshly Church that is bleeding profusely and many within her walls know it, but they continue to go their own way.
We are on the horizon of a much greater divide within the Church than history has ever witnessed. I have personally watched its evolutionary downward spiral closely for at least a quarter of a century.
The True Church is both inside and outside of the organized Church.
Up until recently, the most pronounced divisions within the organized Church have been due to religiously theological differences, but most agreeing on the fundamentals of Christianity. This kind of divide has resulted in countless Christian denominations, sects, and other divisions for centuries.
Today, however, that is all changing, and quickly too. The new divide currently underway will not be many divisions of religious doctrinal secondary points, but rather a split right down the middle with only two groups - the True Church and the False Church.
It is time for the preparation of the Bride of Christ and for the Harlot of Babylon.
We have been boldly proclaiming exactly this for more than twenty-five years. When we began, the time was short until full maturity of this divide. Now, we are only moments away!
Today's Last-generation Church needs equal warning and rebuke, but it has wholeheartedly thrown to the curb anyone who is willing to do so. The Church across the board is so out of bounds with its freedoms that it is racing toward total collapse from the inside. It is a fleshly Church that is bleeding profusely and many within her walls know it, but they continue to go their own way.
We are on the horizon of a much greater divide within the Church than history has ever witnessed. I have personally watched its evolutionary downward spiral closely for at least a quarter of a century.
The True Church is both inside and outside of the organized Church.
Up until recently, the most pronounced divisions within the organized Church have been due to religiously theological differences, but most agreeing on the fundamentals of Christianity. This kind of divide has resulted in countless Christian denominations, sects, and other divisions for centuries.
Today, however, that is all changing, and quickly too. The new divide currently underway will not be many divisions of religious doctrinal secondary points, but rather a split right down the middle with only two groups - the True Church and the False Church.
It is time for the preparation of the Bride of Christ and for the Harlot of Babylon.
We have been boldly proclaiming exactly this for more than twenty-five years. When we began, the time was short until full maturity of this divide. Now, we are only moments away!
The Pendulum has Swung
To each one of the Seven Churches of Asia, the Lord said, "I know your works..." (Rev. 2-3). But to five out of seven the Lord said, "Nevertheless..." He gave them strong rebuke; and despite their "works," unless they repented, their demise would not be good.
He said that He calls all those that He loves to repentance. There were some among them who were authentic, but many who were not.
Like many of you, we rejoice to be a part of what God is doing to win the lost and to edify His people; and we rejoice to know God is at work all over the world!
At the same time, we have failed on many fronts and we desperately need a true spiritual revival for realignment with His Word. Let us continue to seek Him for that.
He said that He calls all those that He loves to repentance. There were some among them who were authentic, but many who were not.
Like many of you, we rejoice to be a part of what God is doing to win the lost and to edify His people; and we rejoice to know God is at work all over the world!
At the same time, we have failed on many fronts and we desperately need a true spiritual revival for realignment with His Word. Let us continue to seek Him for that.
I Know Your Works
Matthew 3; John 14-16; Acts 1-28; Romans 8, 12; I Corinthians 2, 12, 14; Ephesians 4:1-1
Many Christian Leaders have been taught wrong about the Holy Spirit.
Many Christian Leaders are afraid of Him for any number of reasons.
Many Christian Leaders neglect or reject Him because they cannot control or contain Him.
Many Christian Leaders are proud and insecure, maintaining a strong grip on their ministries. To allow the Holy Spirit His due threatens them.
Many Christian Leaders are afraid of Him for any number of reasons.
Many Christian Leaders neglect or reject Him because they cannot control or contain Him.
Many Christian Leaders are proud and insecure, maintaining a strong grip on their ministries. To allow the Holy Spirit His due threatens them.
Why do leaders neglect Him?
Ephesians 4:7
(These are attributes of the Father and Son too. They're three in one.)
The Holy Spirit is holy.
The Holy Spirit is eternal.
The Holy Spirit is all powerful.
The Holy Spirit has feelings.
The Holy Spirit is God in all places and at all times, literally.
The Holy Spirit is always right.
The wisdom of the Holy Spirit is eternally superior to any man.
The ways of the Holy Spirit are sometimes strange.
The Holy Spirit moves as He will, in whom He will, when He wants.
The Holy Spirit is like the wind, and sometimes, like "a mighty wind."
The Holy Spirit is unpredictable sometimes.
The Holy Spirit operates in the heavenly realm, but on earth.
The Holy Spirit is kind, patient, gentle, good, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, etc.
The Holy Spirit does not fit comfortably in a one single church model that was designed by man.
The Holy Spirit is holy.
The Holy Spirit is eternal.
The Holy Spirit is all powerful.
The Holy Spirit has feelings.
The Holy Spirit is God in all places and at all times, literally.
The Holy Spirit is always right.
The wisdom of the Holy Spirit is eternally superior to any man.
The ways of the Holy Spirit are sometimes strange.
The Holy Spirit moves as He will, in whom He will, when He wants.
The Holy Spirit is like the wind, and sometimes, like "a mighty wind."
The Holy Spirit is unpredictable sometimes.
The Holy Spirit operates in the heavenly realm, but on earth.
The Holy Spirit is kind, patient, gentle, good, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, etc.
The Holy Spirit does not fit comfortably in a one single church model that was designed by man.
What are His attributes?
The Holy Spirit is God.
The Holy Spirit is a person.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the One Person of the Trinity who the Father sent into the world to continue His work on earth, fulfilling all that was accomplished by His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, when He was here in Person.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit followed Jesus Christ as God's Representative on earth.
The Holy Spirit is the Candle of the Lord in the heart of His people.
The Holy Spirit is often referred to as the "breath" of God.
The Holy Spirit is a person.
The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Triune God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the One Person of the Trinity who the Father sent into the world to continue His work on earth, fulfilling all that was accomplished by His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, when He was here in Person.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit followed Jesus Christ as God's Representative on earth.
The Holy Spirit is the Candle of the Lord in the heart of His people.
The Holy Spirit is often referred to as the "breath" of God.
The body of Christ was robbed from the cradle of the Holy Spirit as a little baby, and has never been allowed to mature correctly since. Whether from a birds-eye view, or up close and personal, the body of Christ in the world has never developed as God intended. Of course there have been local churches that have sought to surrender entirely to the leadership of Jesus Christ, and His Spirit, but they are the great exception. It is not to those few who have sincerely sought full surrender that we seek to expose and correct, but to the overwhelming majority that for any number of reasons has left the Spirit of our Lord on the periphery, at best.
John 16:7, 12-15 NKJV - 7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you." - 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you."
The Holy Spirit draws people to God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is the Revealer of God to mankind.
The Holy Spirit is the only one who can make a person a new creation.
The Holy Spirit gives new birth to those who trust Jesus Christ as Savior.
The Holy Spirit speaks.
The Holy Spirit hears.
The Holy Spirit guides the follower of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit teaches the follower of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin.
The Holy Spirit shows the way of righteousness.
The Holy Spirit warns mankind of God's judgment to come.
He empowers every believer, who will allow Him, with supernatural gifts.
The Holy Spirit is the Revealer of God to mankind.
The Holy Spirit is the only one who can make a person a new creation.
The Holy Spirit gives new birth to those who trust Jesus Christ as Savior.
The Holy Spirit speaks.
The Holy Spirit hears.
The Holy Spirit guides the follower of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit teaches the follower of Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin.
The Holy Spirit shows the way of righteousness.
The Holy Spirit warns mankind of God's judgment to come.
He empowers every believer, who will allow Him, with supernatural gifts.
What does the Holy Spirit do?
Who is the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit waits on us because we won't wait on Him.
This is true for us individually, and for the vast majority of our corporate gatherings. In most of our church services, the Holy Spirit's ability to move and to operate consistent with the way God intended is very limited - limited by our unbelief or unwillingness to let Him lead outside the comfort zones we have set up for Him. In some churches our unbelief is due to having been taught wrong, and in others, it is due to fear of the unknown - how or what to do when He moves; and to many, if the Holy Spirit was given His rightful place, He would deconstruct the little religious Christian kingdoms of which they have made themselves a part. Whatever the case, He is grieved.
For countless churches that profess Jesus Christ, His Spirit has come and gone. For some, He is stifled until the life of Jesus by His Spirit is choked out of the members of His body. They are not dead, but their ability to function spiritually is severely handicapped, thus, they cannot mature in critical areas of their lives; and they certainly cannot mature together.
Among the many churches that claim to allow the Holy Spirit to flow there is inconsistency about how the Holy Spirit is understood and permitted to operate. In most cases, there seems to be little control among the believers, leadership allowing many to be led by their personal emotions yet attributing their actions to the Spirit. This is a sloppy way in seeking to demonstrate God at work in the corporate assembly; and it serves only to continue an already maligned misunderstanding of the work of the Spirit. Body ministry is hindered, or in error, and the body remains immature. While things may seem to be in order according to the letter of the Bible text, the Spirit of the text is still hindered. Once again, He is grieved.
With few exceptions over the last twenty centuries, the Holy Spirit has waited on the corporate body of Christ to wait on Him for empowerment, instruction, and direction. It is not possible for us to know all that we have missed as a result of lack of activity as God assigned to Him through us. Until we fully surrender, though, or until God sovereignly releases Him in spite of our lack of surrender, He will continue to wait. We will continue to suffer the consequences of spiritual immaturity. What is more, God's name suffers among His people, and to the world who has yet to see Him as He really is.
There is much more that could be said about us excluding or maligning the fullness of the Holy Spirit among us; but there should be no need for an exhaustive explanation. The bottom line is clear: We have done a very poor job when it comes to yielding to the Person of the Holy Spirit in the assembly, and in our personal lives. This is the issue; and it is one, that when seriously pondered, should be cause for grave concern to every believer.
Most Christians acknowledge Him, and many seek to give Him emphasis, but those who fully surrender to Him for daily living, while also giving way to Him in the corporate-body setting, and for corporate-body living, are few. Since we will not readily accommodate Him to the degree that God designed for us, He waits.
The Holy Spirit is patient. He is kind. He is gentle. He is quiet... that is, until God the Father releases Him to move - overriding all men, to, once again, manifest God Himself to us as He really is in His fullness. Such an override is what God's people desperately need, and so does the world; and let there be no doubt about it, such a move of God will come. He will interrupt us again. The characteristics of His next move will be like those of the past in that the Holy Spirit at work is God revealed, and God never changes; but this particular move will be according to what God has planned for this particular hour. He will come again as The Sovereign Refiner's Fire. He will judge some by fire because it will be time for God to reveal Himself again as the Righteous Judge, much like He did to the Early Church as recorded in Acts chapter 5. Others will be purified and empowered to bring God greater glory in this late hour.
There was a brief season in history when God manifested Himself in the world by His Son. However, since the beginning, God has continually been at work in the world by His Spirit to compliment Himself and His Son. It has been only since the outpouring of His Spirit at Pentecost that His Spirit has clearly been the main character at work in every place. He and His Spirit are One, and they are One with the Father's Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit reveals the Father and the Son. So, when we give emphasis to the Holy Spirit, we are not taking away from the Father and Son, but rather we are only giving emphasis through recognizing the Spirit who represents them.
The manifestation of God the Father can be seen through the Holy Spirit in a number of ways. Though quiet and unassuming, thankfully, God is always working in the world by His Spirit, but on many occasions throughout history God has abruptly and loudly, interrupted man by way of His Spirit. and especially man's Christian ways and means, by the presence and power of His Holy Spirit. Many times, throughout these twenty centuries of Christian Church history, the Holy Spirit has suddenly and simply come crashing into our little molds leaving us staggering as we get a fresh glimpse of God as He really is. God's Spirit is the One through whom God does a manifold inner work in men with the ultimate goal of revealing God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ as they really are.
This is true for us individually, and for the vast majority of our corporate gatherings. In most of our church services, the Holy Spirit's ability to move and to operate consistent with the way God intended is very limited - limited by our unbelief or unwillingness to let Him lead outside the comfort zones we have set up for Him. In some churches our unbelief is due to having been taught wrong, and in others, it is due to fear of the unknown - how or what to do when He moves; and to many, if the Holy Spirit was given His rightful place, He would deconstruct the little religious Christian kingdoms of which they have made themselves a part. Whatever the case, He is grieved.
For countless churches that profess Jesus Christ, His Spirit has come and gone. For some, He is stifled until the life of Jesus by His Spirit is choked out of the members of His body. They are not dead, but their ability to function spiritually is severely handicapped, thus, they cannot mature in critical areas of their lives; and they certainly cannot mature together.
Among the many churches that claim to allow the Holy Spirit to flow there is inconsistency about how the Holy Spirit is understood and permitted to operate. In most cases, there seems to be little control among the believers, leadership allowing many to be led by their personal emotions yet attributing their actions to the Spirit. This is a sloppy way in seeking to demonstrate God at work in the corporate assembly; and it serves only to continue an already maligned misunderstanding of the work of the Spirit. Body ministry is hindered, or in error, and the body remains immature. While things may seem to be in order according to the letter of the Bible text, the Spirit of the text is still hindered. Once again, He is grieved.
With few exceptions over the last twenty centuries, the Holy Spirit has waited on the corporate body of Christ to wait on Him for empowerment, instruction, and direction. It is not possible for us to know all that we have missed as a result of lack of activity as God assigned to Him through us. Until we fully surrender, though, or until God sovereignly releases Him in spite of our lack of surrender, He will continue to wait. We will continue to suffer the consequences of spiritual immaturity. What is more, God's name suffers among His people, and to the world who has yet to see Him as He really is.
There is much more that could be said about us excluding or maligning the fullness of the Holy Spirit among us; but there should be no need for an exhaustive explanation. The bottom line is clear: We have done a very poor job when it comes to yielding to the Person of the Holy Spirit in the assembly, and in our personal lives. This is the issue; and it is one, that when seriously pondered, should be cause for grave concern to every believer.
Most Christians acknowledge Him, and many seek to give Him emphasis, but those who fully surrender to Him for daily living, while also giving way to Him in the corporate-body setting, and for corporate-body living, are few. Since we will not readily accommodate Him to the degree that God designed for us, He waits.
The Holy Spirit is patient. He is kind. He is gentle. He is quiet... that is, until God the Father releases Him to move - overriding all men, to, once again, manifest God Himself to us as He really is in His fullness. Such an override is what God's people desperately need, and so does the world; and let there be no doubt about it, such a move of God will come. He will interrupt us again. The characteristics of His next move will be like those of the past in that the Holy Spirit at work is God revealed, and God never changes; but this particular move will be according to what God has planned for this particular hour. He will come again as The Sovereign Refiner's Fire. He will judge some by fire because it will be time for God to reveal Himself again as the Righteous Judge, much like He did to the Early Church as recorded in Acts chapter 5. Others will be purified and empowered to bring God greater glory in this late hour.
There was a brief season in history when God manifested Himself in the world by His Son. However, since the beginning, God has continually been at work in the world by His Spirit to compliment Himself and His Son. It has been only since the outpouring of His Spirit at Pentecost that His Spirit has clearly been the main character at work in every place. He and His Spirit are One, and they are One with the Father's Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit reveals the Father and the Son. So, when we give emphasis to the Holy Spirit, we are not taking away from the Father and Son, but rather we are only giving emphasis through recognizing the Spirit who represents them.
The manifestation of God the Father can be seen through the Holy Spirit in a number of ways. Though quiet and unassuming, thankfully, God is always working in the world by His Spirit, but on many occasions throughout history God has abruptly and loudly, interrupted man by way of His Spirit. and especially man's Christian ways and means, by the presence and power of His Holy Spirit. Many times, throughout these twenty centuries of Christian Church history, the Holy Spirit has suddenly and simply come crashing into our little molds leaving us staggering as we get a fresh glimpse of God as He really is. God's Spirit is the One through whom God does a manifold inner work in men with the ultimate goal of revealing God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ as they really are.
The Holy Spirit Waits.
A Great Tragedy Continues.
"But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift."
It is better!
Back to Basics Please.
1. Jesus Christ will build His Church by His design.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Head of His body, is absolutely going to finish building His Church just as He promised. He has not completed His work, but He will. Each member of the Godhead has a role to play in His work whether in creation, redemption, sanctification or bringing the local body into a readiness for His coming. In God's plan, our Lord had a mission, and nothing could stop Him from completing that mission. In the same way, the Holy Spirit has a mission with many things on His job description. One of them is to build the Church as the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Our Lord has given gifts unto men to help bring the body to that maturity, and He does not say there is any other way. This does not happen in most churches now, but it will come. In the same way the our Lord finished His work, the Holy Spirit will finish His work too. (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 4:7-16; Eph. 5:25-30)
2. The general landscape of the Church around the world reveals a great lack of knowledge, of faith, and of Holy Spirit power.
The members of the body of Christ have suffered untold misery due to great spiritual warfare all throughout church history. Yet, let there be no doubt that God has always had a people, and He has always had assemblies, both large and small, where leadership submitted to His will to the best of their ability for allowing Him to build. Jesus Christ has, in no way, failed. Notwithstanding His glorious works among us, the general Christian landscape across the globe has left multitudes of would-be followers of Jesus Christ in shambles - having been scattered to the four winds without knowledge or spiritual power. The evidence of spiritual warfare throughout these past twenty centuries has taken a great toll on millions upon millions of the members of His body in each generation. This is widely known by even casual observers and should not need further explanation. Even beginning with The Early Church, we see a constant wrestling for each local body to be established on a firm foundation and to continue under the strong influence of the Holy Spirit; and we were warned by the early apostles that it would continue. The following are only a few of many passages that speak to this. (II Cor. 11:13-15; Gal. 3:1; Col. 2:8; Eph. 4:14-18; Eph. 6:10-16; Rev. 2-3) Satan has had nearly two-thousand years to malign the members of Christ's body so that today, there is more confusion, more scattering, more bad teaching and practice than ever in history. That's the way it is.
3. Yielding to the Holy Spirit's work under mature, Spirit-filled leadership, and through the Spiritual members of His body is essential.
The only remedy is a once-and-for-all unadulterated yieldedness to the Holy Spirit's gifts flowing through all the members of the local body who will allow Him too, but especially the various leadership gifts. These were given for edification to "the perfect man" (complete). This kind of surrender is what it means to allow Jesus to be the Head of His body. For this to happen, there needs to be leadership mature enough to teach and to help the operation and flow between the members. This is a necessary part of becoming "the fullness of Christ." (Eph. 4:13) Until it is done, there will be no complete work, and the bride is not ready.
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Head of His body, is absolutely going to finish building His Church just as He promised. He has not completed His work, but He will. Each member of the Godhead has a role to play in His work whether in creation, redemption, sanctification or bringing the local body into a readiness for His coming. In God's plan, our Lord had a mission, and nothing could stop Him from completing that mission. In the same way, the Holy Spirit has a mission with many things on His job description. One of them is to build the Church as the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Our Lord has given gifts unto men to help bring the body to that maturity, and He does not say there is any other way. This does not happen in most churches now, but it will come. In the same way the our Lord finished His work, the Holy Spirit will finish His work too. (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 4:7-16; Eph. 5:25-30)
2. The general landscape of the Church around the world reveals a great lack of knowledge, of faith, and of Holy Spirit power.
The members of the body of Christ have suffered untold misery due to great spiritual warfare all throughout church history. Yet, let there be no doubt that God has always had a people, and He has always had assemblies, both large and small, where leadership submitted to His will to the best of their ability for allowing Him to build. Jesus Christ has, in no way, failed. Notwithstanding His glorious works among us, the general Christian landscape across the globe has left multitudes of would-be followers of Jesus Christ in shambles - having been scattered to the four winds without knowledge or spiritual power. The evidence of spiritual warfare throughout these past twenty centuries has taken a great toll on millions upon millions of the members of His body in each generation. This is widely known by even casual observers and should not need further explanation. Even beginning with The Early Church, we see a constant wrestling for each local body to be established on a firm foundation and to continue under the strong influence of the Holy Spirit; and we were warned by the early apostles that it would continue. The following are only a few of many passages that speak to this. (II Cor. 11:13-15; Gal. 3:1; Col. 2:8; Eph. 4:14-18; Eph. 6:10-16; Rev. 2-3) Satan has had nearly two-thousand years to malign the members of Christ's body so that today, there is more confusion, more scattering, more bad teaching and practice than ever in history. That's the way it is.
3. Yielding to the Holy Spirit's work under mature, Spirit-filled leadership, and through the Spiritual members of His body is essential.
The only remedy is a once-and-for-all unadulterated yieldedness to the Holy Spirit's gifts flowing through all the members of the local body who will allow Him too, but especially the various leadership gifts. These were given for edification to "the perfect man" (complete). This kind of surrender is what it means to allow Jesus to be the Head of His body. For this to happen, there needs to be leadership mature enough to teach and to help the operation and flow between the members. This is a necessary part of becoming "the fullness of Christ." (Eph. 4:13) Until it is done, there will be no complete work, and the bride is not ready.
Spiritual Maturity
3 Absolutes
We Need Each Other
In much the same way that our natural families provide the right environment with opportunity for character growth, even so, God's family provides the right environment and opportunity for spiritual growth (Spiritual growth includes character growth too!). God's plan for personal spiritual growth is, to a great degree, dependent on our corporate relationship. In addition to individual spiritual growth, there is local-body spiritual maturity also. God desires both individual and local-body spiritual development, and has made a way for both. This is something the traditional church reads about in the Bible, and even seems to give focus too as a general rule. However, seldom ever does corporate spiritual maturity actually take place in the average local church. In most cases, emphasis is given to the need for gathering corporately, not so much for spiritual maturity as it is for maintaining the gathering itself.
We grow up together in families, we God has made the way by gifting every member of His body to minister to one another by the Spirit, and He has given leadership giftings to the body that are particular important. A local corporate body cannot possibly mature to the full measure of Christ without learning to function with His gifts through the other members. Due to the lack of attention given to this critical action necessary for full spiritual development, we are still babes after nearly twenty long centuries of church history. That should tell us something about how difficult it is.
Now, we are only a moment away from a time when traditional and non-traditional evangelical churches everywhere are going to break up. A new, and final era of the Church Age is about to begin, and the true believers will gather in smaller corporate settings where we will learn the way of the Spirit like never before on such a grand scale. Through trials that no one will be able to fend off, or buy themselves out of, we will learn to endure together, and grow up into His image together. All of this is a part of what He is doing to prepare a glorious bride for His soon coming!
Another critical element
From Genesis to Revelation, literally, the Bible makes abundantly clear that God's people are the enemies of the spirit of this world, and we always will be. For this reason, we suffer trials. Those trials come in many different forms and degrees of severity. Trials can be good, however, because those trials are there to test our faith - to reveal to us, to others, and to God how mature our faith really is, or whether our professed faith is actually an authentic faith. Passing tests of our faith is key to spiritual growth.
That being said, for a local gathering of believers to truly mature spiritually, they must endure tests and trials together, including each one bearing the burdens of the others in various ways. However, the more important point here is, for spiritual maturity on a wide scale in the land of plenty, some of that plenty may have to be cut off. Generally, people don't invite trouble; and we don't need to. It will come on its own.
When the arm of our flesh is strong enough that we are able to shield ourselves from troubles by the way we set ourselves up to live above it all - essentially, buying our way out, God will interrupt us with something that will overwhelm our protection. If He does not do that at some point, we remain babes. Our faith may be authentic, but so guarded from the trials of fire necessary to grow our faith, that we never really mature spiritually. This is where so much of the Western Church is today because of life-long liberties and prosperity without end; and much of the Church around the world is too.
Notwithstanding our great efforts to shield ourselves from what is needed for spiritual growth, God will discipline us when He is ready. He clearly stated that if we are sons, He will "discipline" us when needed. So it is with His Church. The Church is no more than the collective group of His sons; and when His Church is so shielded from the trials of her faith that are intended to make her strong, she will never really grow up, but will remain a babe. That being said, we are surely nearing the dawn of His coming, and we are still babes. Is it not reasonable to think that He may impose trials upon us so that we are brought into spiritual maturity before He comes - especially in view of how He says He is coming for a bride that has been made glorious?
In much the same way that our natural families provide the right environment with opportunity for character growth, even so, God's family provides the right environment and opportunity for spiritual growth (Spiritual growth includes character growth too!). God's plan for personal spiritual growth is, to a great degree, dependent on our corporate relationship. In addition to individual spiritual growth, there is local-body spiritual maturity also. God desires both individual and local-body spiritual development, and has made a way for both. This is something the traditional church reads about in the Bible, and even seems to give focus too as a general rule. However, seldom ever does corporate spiritual maturity actually take place in the average local church. In most cases, emphasis is given to the need for gathering corporately, not so much for spiritual maturity as it is for maintaining the gathering itself.
We grow up together in families, we God has made the way by gifting every member of His body to minister to one another by the Spirit, and He has given leadership giftings to the body that are particular important. A local corporate body cannot possibly mature to the full measure of Christ without learning to function with His gifts through the other members. Due to the lack of attention given to this critical action necessary for full spiritual development, we are still babes after nearly twenty long centuries of church history. That should tell us something about how difficult it is.
Now, we are only a moment away from a time when traditional and non-traditional evangelical churches everywhere are going to break up. A new, and final era of the Church Age is about to begin, and the true believers will gather in smaller corporate settings where we will learn the way of the Spirit like never before on such a grand scale. Through trials that no one will be able to fend off, or buy themselves out of, we will learn to endure together, and grow up into His image together. All of this is a part of what He is doing to prepare a glorious bride for His soon coming!
Another critical element
From Genesis to Revelation, literally, the Bible makes abundantly clear that God's people are the enemies of the spirit of this world, and we always will be. For this reason, we suffer trials. Those trials come in many different forms and degrees of severity. Trials can be good, however, because those trials are there to test our faith - to reveal to us, to others, and to God how mature our faith really is, or whether our professed faith is actually an authentic faith. Passing tests of our faith is key to spiritual growth.
That being said, for a local gathering of believers to truly mature spiritually, they must endure tests and trials together, including each one bearing the burdens of the others in various ways. However, the more important point here is, for spiritual maturity on a wide scale in the land of plenty, some of that plenty may have to be cut off. Generally, people don't invite trouble; and we don't need to. It will come on its own.
When the arm of our flesh is strong enough that we are able to shield ourselves from troubles by the way we set ourselves up to live above it all - essentially, buying our way out, God will interrupt us with something that will overwhelm our protection. If He does not do that at some point, we remain babes. Our faith may be authentic, but so guarded from the trials of fire necessary to grow our faith, that we never really mature spiritually. This is where so much of the Western Church is today because of life-long liberties and prosperity without end; and much of the Church around the world is too.
Notwithstanding our great efforts to shield ourselves from what is needed for spiritual growth, God will discipline us when He is ready. He clearly stated that if we are sons, He will "discipline" us when needed. So it is with His Church. The Church is no more than the collective group of His sons; and when His Church is so shielded from the trials of her faith that are intended to make her strong, she will never really grow up, but will remain a babe. That being said, we are surely nearing the dawn of His coming, and we are still babes. Is it not reasonable to think that He may impose trials upon us so that we are brought into spiritual maturity before He comes - especially in view of how He says He is coming for a bride that has been made glorious?
When we go back to simple worship led by the Holy Spirit through the various gifts and callings He has given, we can grow up into the image of Jesus Christ. Without those things, we will continue to long for more, accepting our poor religious substitute.
Just a few among the many significant works of the Holy Spirit through God's people over the last three-hundred years included:
Each one of these, and others too, has affected millions of people around the world in life-changing ways headlined with the evangelical message of salvation for everyone who believes.
There are certainly hundreds, if not thousands of other Christian ministries that have touched hundreds and thousands, and even hundreds of thousands more for His names' sake too!
God always has been working and continues to work through His own in every continent and corner on earth!
- The First Great Awakening (1730s-1760s)
- The Modern Missionary Movement (1792)
- The Second Great Awakening (1800-1840s)
- The Young Men's Christian Association (1844)
- China Inland Mission (1865)
- The Salvation Army (1865)
- The Keswick Convention - England (1875)
- The Sialkot Convention - India/Pakistan (1904)
- The Korean Revival - Pyongyang (1907)
- The Welsh Revival (1904-1905)
- The Azuza Street Revival (1906-1909)
- The China House Movement (1922)
- Billy Graham Evangelist Association (1950)
- Campus Crusade for Christ (1951)
- Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship (1951)
- Transworld Radio (1952)
- Compassion International (1952)
- The Charismatic Movement (1960)
- The Christian Broadcasting Network (1961)
- The Red Cross (1863)
- The Jesus Movement (1967-1972)
- Food for the Hungry (1971)
- Christ for all Nations - Africa (1975)
- The Jesus Film Project (1981)
Each one of these, and others too, has affected millions of people around the world in life-changing ways headlined with the evangelical message of salvation for everyone who believes.
There are certainly hundreds, if not thousands of other Christian ministries that have touched hundreds and thousands, and even hundreds of thousands more for His names' sake too!
God always has been working and continues to work through His own in every continent and corner on earth!
God is revealing Himself to the world through His people.
Ever since the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, God has been at work through His people. Not every work that His people have done has been His work, but He has been, and still is at work in the world through us. His work through His people is broad and full, revealing His manifold wisdom and glory. Some works are seen, and some unseen; but He is at work in every place.
For the last three hundred years in particular, He has honored the living faith of countless men and women who have done everything from praying down revivals, to organizing, inspiring and directing millions of Christ-followers in how to serve millions of others who do not know Jesus Christ.
The ripple effect continues to flow from when John Wesley and George Whitfield broke the "sacred" mold of institutionalized Christianity beginning in the 1730s when they began to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the masses outside the hallowed halls of man-made Christian religion.
From that Great Awakening moment, God has used men and women outside the framework of the local church to proclaim His message of salvation to the world. Sometimes He works through the "foolishness of preaching" only, and other times through practical ministries. In all His works, He has demonstrated His love and compassion to a lost and dying world.
He has worked through the local Church too, especially when they've co-labored shoulder to shoulder among themselves; but it is interesting to note that it has not been through local churches that the most single-minded ministry to the world has come, but rather through individual Christ-followers working outside local-church leadership. This is partly due to local churches worldwide not having a single mind. We will expound on this point later in this article.
The local Church does affect billions of people across the globe through local-community influence; and that is not a little thing. When the local Church
Ever since the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, God has been at work through His people. Not every work that His people have done has been His work, but He has been, and still is at work in the world through us. His work through His people is broad and full, revealing His manifold wisdom and glory. Some works are seen, and some unseen; but He is at work in every place.
For the last three hundred years in particular, He has honored the living faith of countless men and women who have done everything from praying down revivals, to organizing, inspiring and directing millions of Christ-followers in how to serve millions of others who do not know Jesus Christ.
The ripple effect continues to flow from when John Wesley and George Whitfield broke the "sacred" mold of institutionalized Christianity beginning in the 1730s when they began to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the masses outside the hallowed halls of man-made Christian religion.
From that Great Awakening moment, God has used men and women outside the framework of the local church to proclaim His message of salvation to the world. Sometimes He works through the "foolishness of preaching" only, and other times through practical ministries. In all His works, He has demonstrated His love and compassion to a lost and dying world.
He has worked through the local Church too, especially when they've co-labored shoulder to shoulder among themselves; but it is interesting to note that it has not been through local churches that the most single-minded ministry to the world has come, but rather through individual Christ-followers working outside local-church leadership. This is partly due to local churches worldwide not having a single mind. We will expound on this point later in this article.
The local Church does affect billions of people across the globe through local-community influence; and that is not a little thing. When the local Church