Sunday, June 21, 2009

What is the Spirit Saying to the Churches Today?

1 Tim 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
6 If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.

Did you read that part there in verse 6? If you point these things out to the brothers you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus. These things ARE being pointed out to the brothers, but who is listening? Did you read that part in verse 1? What does it say? Some will abandon the faith...do you really think you can "abandon the faith" and still be saved? How are these people abandoning the faith? They follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

When the bible tells you for a fact that people WILL abandon the faith and your "pastor" tells you its impossible to abandon the faith which should you believe? Many people believe that we are in the last days or as the bible calls them "later times" yet nobody believes that their "church" is following deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons. What does the bible tell us about a good minister of Christ Jesus here? The "good minster" does this: POINT THESE THINGS OUT TO THE BROTHERS. That is not a job for someone who wants to keep their social circle alive or someone who is trying to sell something. Most people will hate you for telling them these things which is why so few people obey the clear teaching of the scripture to point out these things to the brothers.

The writing you see here is not for the heathen or the atheist or the satanist unless they are in the process of turning away from empty ways to the only truth that is found in Jesus the Son of God. The writing here is for the BELIEVER who is in the process of leaving the babylonian prostitute for the true church which is "in Christ Jesus." People are soul starved today. When they come to place in their life experience when they have absolutely HAD IT with being lied to over and over and over again then maybe they will find the truth. Our God said you can seek him and find him when you seek him with all your heart. Not half your heart...ALL your heart meaning you have to really want the truth.

Do not consider my words to be true. Only the Word of God is truth and I point you there in your quest for knowledge. The Lord's concern today is for the people who call themselves by His name. Do you think our God is "concerned" about what Satan is doing? This world is being overrun by the hordes of hell, but what does it matter? Our attention is to be focused on HIM. Only after our focus is squarely on Jesus can the rest of the things in this world take their proper place with us. The moment Peter took his eyes off of Jesus while walking on the water, he began to sink. Jesus asked Peter "why did you doubt" and the answer was that Peter took his eyes off the master, that's why he doubted.

What is the Spirit saying to the churches today? I can tell you what he is saying to me. He is saying that he expects us to take him at his word. He expects us to expect him to do what he said he would do. He expects us to take his word at face value. When Peter was walking on water with Jesus what did it matter that the wind and the waves were roaring around them...IT DID'NT MATTER. Walking on the water is a demonstration of POWER and FAITH which is what is expected of us today. Our Lord expects us to be STRONG in FAITH. Staring at the waves and the wind day in and day out while lamenting "oh, look at how bad everything is" will get you one place...under the waves.

It has been said here for months now. I have seen a turning in the Lord's dealing with me from watching the world turn from a more subtle apostasy and a more subtle unfolding of events to an unfolding that's "in your face." What need is there to tell people "the ship is sinking" when they are standing neck deep in water with the floor of the ship over their heads instead of under their feet?

We are being called back to repentance and prayer. We are called back to real faith and belief. We are told to meditate on the word of God day and night that we may be careful to do everything that has been written.

Joshua 1:8 Do Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night,so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

Meditating day and night on the Word of God is something that is so far out as an idea for most people that they can't even register the thought in their minds. We are also told to:

1 Thessalonians 5:17
... pray without ceasing;

Pray without ceasing? Meditate on the Word of God day and night? That does'nt leave much room for "current events" now does it? Bottom line here..where is your attention? If you pray without ceasing where is your mind focused? If you meditate on the Word of God day and night where is your mind focused?

I don't think the Lord expects us to be ignorant of the things going on around us:

2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

We are not ignorant of his devices but where is our continual focus? He is. He is God Almighty and he expects ALL OF US. Pray without ceasing and meditate on the law day and night are proofs of the mind and thinking of our God. When you are so filled with the Word of God which gives you the mind of God that the world becomes a distant reality and Jesus is your "real" reality then mountains move before your eyes. We live by faith not sight. Our sight tells us one thing and faith tells us another thing. When what you "see" conflicts with what your faith is saying then what you "see" is a lie.

2 Corinthians 5:7 We live by faith, not by sight.

People are so addicted to this world. They are so addicted to "sight" that faith has no place in them. That's a major reason why we see no power in todays world. People who don't live by "sight" are ridiculed as losers and "out of touch with reality." Well here's a newsflash for people in todays world: "reality" is what FAITH SAYS IT IS...period. If you do not take that attitude then how can you believe unto salvation? Have you seen Jesus with your physical eyes yet? No? Then why do you believe? FAITH NOT SIGHT..thats why.

Faith combined with prayer moves mountains and in a world full of hurting people with lack, fear and despair on every side faith combined with prayer is the answer...every time. We are coming to a place in world history where the battle lines are being clearly drawn. Either you decide to be serious, take the Word of God seriously, or side with the world and live by sight with all its attendant problems.

This past presidential (s)election was a great example of the apostasy and worldliness of the so called church. They shouted from the rooftops "get involved! get out and vote! make a difference!" They tell you to use your physical body to "make a difference" because to them prayer is really just lip service. These people really do not believe mountains can be moved through faith. Jesus did'nt say a grain of mustard seed worth of faith plus 80,000 bulldozers would move mountains, he said FAITH would move the mountain.

Matthew 17:20 ... For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move;

That's not to say there is no place for employment of the body in the service of God but its a statement of priorities and a statement of where the POWER comes from to do what needs to be done. It is well within the realm of possibility that your FAITH combined with someone else's physical movement will accomplish what needs to be done but without faith no mountains will ever be moved. Our God determines HOW the mountain moves, he expects the faith to do it from you.

These are the things that have been on my mind for weeks now. One man on his knees in believing, faithful prayer can do more than LEGIONS of busybodied worldly people with all their worldly tools combined. Pray without ceasing, be sure that His words abide in you and you abide in Him. This is what I hear the Spirit speaking to the churches today. We are dearly loved, grace and peace.