Was listening to a preacher on Sid Roth…claiming that he had on certain occasions…visitations from heaven. The Word does say in the later times we can and will indeed see from heaven (Acts 2:17) and the Bible says ‘test the spirits’ to verify if what they are speaking to be true or false. (1 Jn. 4:1)
What this preacher mentioned is how the Lord wants all His believers to be unified in the end times-this brings about the highest of several layers of glory and anointing. This ‘testing’ did not have to be verified twice, this is exactly what the Lord says in His Word and it seems to be ‘the major’ objective when I hear Him in prayer…clean out the junk so I (we) can clearly listen to Him…thus we can be united in purpose-on the same path.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Also Phil 2:2
I want to go first…if you don’t mind….to take the blame. There have been major areas in my Christian walk where I was just dead wrong. For example, I spoke against the Baptism of the Holy Spirit for 12 years. When the Holy Spirit started to slowly correct me, He showed me a area in my heart that was being prideful, shut down to His leading. Old teachings from a Bible college made me think I was smarter than others and that I did not need to pray and receive guidance about what they were saying in the Word. When I began to discover ‘How Wrong’ I was…I asked the Holy Spirit to never allow me to make this mistake again. He will do His part…I had to do mine. Realize how weak I was in the flesh and constantly spend time with Him-to have Him enlighten, explain and pull me from my error to His truth
Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us ..
John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.
In this ‘shorter than usual’ post..lol…I am going to-as they say-stick my neck out. I am actually hoping many of my bros and sisters in the Lord-while reading this post- get mad at me. I don’t know any other way to put this… guess I will just have to explain later. Rm. 8:28
This is what I am hearing when I listen to the Christian community. The examples are endless, but here are a few.
1) Direction and purpose for the church is as divided as there are types of people. We put our personal desires and likes above making the small sacrifice (time and effort) to hear the Lords true calling.
Our ‘likes’ makes us feel good. We all like church a certain way.
To understand His desire however, it takes shedding our likes so that we can hear from Him, His purpose. When I, when you hang on to what we want…and dozens of others do the same thing-we have every solution except the Lords. It’s starts out so innocent…I just want this because I enjoy it my way. It‘s not because we like something done a certain way that causes blindness and division. It’s avoiding seeking Him for direction in ‘all our ways’ that keeps us from hearing from God. This blocks seeing His unified purpose for the church.
Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The Lord does not teach opposing truths
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Ephesians 4:13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God
2) We need a new pastor. The Lord has His pastor in mind, the congregation have their ‘types’ of pastors in mind. He desires a pastor that will hear from Him; different members want their pastor to hear from them. Instead of the entire congregation leaving their ways at the alter and focusing on His true desire, one group wins out, or shall we say…everyone misses out on the Lords original intent and purpose.
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
3) Our unity between churches is in Name, but not Spirit. When we call a fellow Christian in a church 1000 miles away, like a sibling…there should be a same ‘voice’ or direction from Him because we have the same Father. Yes, a different ‘role’ because we have different gifts and abilities, but the same purpose, hearing the same Voice-His objectives. If we randomly called 100 evangelical churches from around the country, how many would be hearing the same voice and direction from Him. If however, you take 100 different men and women of God, who truly know how to pray and have them start prayer meetings in 100 different locations…the results would be entirely different. They would hear His voice, and thus have a unity of purpose and direction. Our unity needs to be in the Spirit, and not in name only.
John 17:21-23 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
It is absolutely beyond comprehension that Jesus says this unity can be compared to the love that the Eternal Father and Son have for each other-without measure!
The reason I wanted you to be upset with me for a season…is for us to realize how broken we are, how we are so divided in purpose. Getting bothered means we stop and look at what is bothering us…my hope is we can stop and also listen…not to me-but to the Lord-and have Him explain why His children are going in so many different ways.
For example, when we look at a typical ‘social media’ site, Christians are saying and doing ‘wonderful things’…but we headed in a thousand different directions. The Lord is not upset we are mentioning these things, but I do believe He is grieving that we are spending more time on social media than finding the true purpose and direction of His heart.
Acts 13:22 I (the LORD) have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who shall do all My will.
David made the effort to seek His heart….so he could discover ‘All His will’. There are no shortcuts for truly seeking ‘All His Will’.
Psalm 27:8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek.
If we, as the body of Christ, were truly making the priority of our life seeking His heart..His desire and direction-the overflow of His Spirit would unify the church in Christ’s power and glory. His Spirit could not be contained. Instead of Christians advertising wonderful things on a social media, the social media would light up with the headlines about ‘Jesus and these Christians’, as it did in the early church..
Mark 2:3-12 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd,….” So he (Jesus) said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Acts 9:40-42 Peter…. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. … This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.
It is not wrong to post on social media, at times it can be ‘wonderful’. It is wrong however to replace a post on social media (or even Christian media) with the time and effort needed to hear the Heartbeat of Jesus-and to be unified in it. We simply are not as a body hearing the same direction from the Lord. The consequences are unimaginable. We are missing out on the unified purpose of God, which brings in His presence and glory-His kingdom glory …this is what changes the world.
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Posting on Face Book simply does not replace an individual brokenness so that we can truly hear from Him.
When we hear from Him, this brings the church to a cooperate unity, a church that can withstand the gates of Hell..
Matthew 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
You see, I really wanted you to be upset with me. We are sooo divided and I wanted you to realize this…and it may take shaking the ‘Christian social world’ for a season. I am not saying I am wrong or right about this or that theology, or that this person is wrong or right.
I am just sharing…a believers heart ablaze in the glory of God is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in this world…in my life. I want that kind of heart-your heart to be walking beside me when we live for Him, when we walk for Him.
It’s kinda selfish..but it’s the only thing that really works for me…and soo much more importantly…to the lost who need to see the light in us.
This heart is what I long for in the church. I have been spoiled with the glory of Gods beauty in you. Everything else is a cheap replacement.
So, when I see you do the dumb things that I have done
-like fill your life with social media…even if it is Christian media
-or keep believing wrong teachings because you have not kept the Lords commandment to Fear His Name…so you can have Him enlighten your heart…
Psalm 25:12 Who, then, are those who fear the LORD? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
-or just plain get so lazy in spirit that your heart doesn’t groan to be with Him….hear from Him…I get sad.
I need, the church needs, the world needs His Word and direction blazing from within our hearts. It takes shedding us and going to Him. When we are both beside Him, we both will know and walk the same direction that He has spoken…I will be able to follow your light from Him. This is what I truly want for you and from you. I have only seen a glimpse of this, but it makes me thirsty for more of His glory in you. To see the glory of heaven beam out of your spirit is the closes thing to heaven I have ever witnessed. That is why I hope your anger was only for a moment…and we both can abide at His throne and share His love to a lost and a dying world.
God bless
EPH. 3:14-21 When I think of the wisdom an scope oh His plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God, some of them already in heaven and some down here on earth, that out of His glorious unlimited resources, he will give you the might inner strengthening of His Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as your trust in Him.
May your roots go down deep into the soil of Gods marvelous love, and may you be able to feel and understand, as all Gods children should, how long, how wide, how deep and how high His love really is, and to experience this love for yourself, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it.. and so at last, you will be filled with God Himself.
Now glory be to God, who by the might power at work within us is able to do far more than we would even dare to ask or dream of. Infinitely beyond our highest prayers desires thoughts or hopes. May He be given the glory for ever and ever through the endless ages because of His master plan of salvations for the church through Jesus Christ.
Living Bible