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Posted: 2010-06-23 13:21:29 by: David Nelson
The One Good Path by David Nelson 6-23-10
Don't keep moving but stand still. Stand and see all the ways and roads man travels on. Ask about the old paths, for there is one good way (path or road), it is the only narrow path of God, it is the path where you learn how to walk with the one, true, living God. In that path, and that path alone, you will find the rest for your soul that you have always longed for. But they said, "We will not walk in it." (Jer. 6:16)
The Lord whispered in my ear the other day, this is why your ministry exists, when people look and ask for the One Good Path, you will be there and know how to show them to it (to Me), for not many will ask and even fewer will be willing to walk in it once they hear what it is. And this is why YOUR ministry exists also (You who are now receiving this writing), if you are walking in that one path with the Lord then you will know how to show others to it. What the Lord has shown you is so precious (how to walk with Him and in His truth) and you will teach the precious things needed to show others how to get into God's path. Some times we (as ministries) must wait, just as the Lord waits, before people realize their great need for Him.
In Jer. 6:17 the Lord says, I have also set watchmen (you and me) over you saying, "Listen to the sound of the trumpet! (Listen to what God is saying now!) But they said, "We will not listen." Therefore hear, you nations,...calamity (is coming and now is) upon this people...because they have not heeded my words (have not received them). The Lord says to much of the church today, "Your burnt offerings are not acceptable (to Me)." (Jer. 6:20) I will not accept your man-made offerings, sacrifices, or works any more.
There is coming a time (and it is now beginning) when the woes of the earth will come so fast and devastating that some will say, "What can we do to find the Lord or get back to the Lord's favor? How can we seek and find the Lord? In Zech. 8:23 it says that in those days ten men (from ten different countries?) will grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man saying, "(Please) Let us go with you, for (it is said) we have heard (and it appears to be) that God is with you." So to, those who truly know the Lord, will shine with an anointing and His glory so that people will see it upon us (no praise to ourselves, only to God). People from all over the world, God showing mercy, will want to find someone who knows the Lord to show them the way to Him.
This is the One Good Path that God has shown us. It is the only path that brings rest to our souls, because it is the path that God is teaching us how to walk with Him. Stand still, see it, ask for it, seek for it (seek for Him), and walk in it my good friends. I will do the same in His love and His grace.
Do not need to READ MORE, this is the entire writing Read More... Posted: 2010-05-05 10:28:57 by: David Nelson The Army that is Growing Every Day by David Nelson 5-5-10
There was at least 20 years of struggle from the time David was anointed to be king instead of Saul (maybe David was 15-18 years old when he was anointed) till he became the sole king in Jerusalem at the age of 37. God is preparing a Bride for Himself, she is growing stronger and more spotless in the shadows, the Saul system is not accepting these prophetic, tabernacle of David anointed seekers of God. But the Son of David is in their midst and He will be made King over them, He will build His Church.
In I Sam. 22:1 in the cave of Adullam everyone who was in distress, in debt, or who was discontented (bitter of soul) gathered to David as he hid from Saul's persecutions. In I Chron. 12:1 and 8 it says it says that helpers in the war came to David who were trained and ready for war. (we must be strong to keep fighting for and upholding truth). These warriors hearts were knit with David and his cause and they said, "We are on your side." There are people out there, all around us, who are understanding what God wants to do, how will God bring us together? I Chron. 12:22 says people came to help in the cause day after day until they became a great army LIKE THE ARMY OF GOD.
In the book of Nehemiah (4:7) it says that the walls of Jerusalem (perhaps New Jerusalem) were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed. The wall was being joined together because the people had a mind to work. (Neh. 4:6) God will give us the strength and desire to keep going because He wants a Temple, a City a People, for His glory. In Neh. 3:10,23, and 28 it says that each person or group worked in front of their house on the wall. One half of the people worked on the wall and the other half guarded with weapons (some people would had a brick in one hand and a weapon in the other hand). (Neh. 4:16-17) At times they sounded a trumpet to gather (whenever you hear the trumpet rally together). In Neh. 4:19 it says that the work is great and extensive and we are separated far from one another on the wall. But I am going to share some thoughts about how the Lord is going to bring us together.
In the book of Haggai God raised up a prophetic voice (just like you and I are hearing from the Lord) to tell the people, why has it been 16 years since you started working on the Temple, is it personal matters interfering in the completion of God's business? (New King James Version Intro. to Haggai, p. 829) The people said it is not time to build the Lord's house, but the prophet said, is it time to dwell in your own paneled houses and the Lord's house lies in ruins? Consider how you have fared! Well, we now know that God is moving us toward His Temple of greater glory, we are feeling it, and wanting to go with Him. But our efforts so far seem to be somewhat meager. In Haggai the people had laid the foundation but when they looked at what they had done it looked like nothing. (Hagg. 2:3) But the Lord says to you, I am with you, says the Lord (Hagg. 1:13) Be strong, and keep working (one brick at a time) for I am with you says the Lord of hosts. (Hagg. 2:4) Soon I will shake everything and I will fill this Temple (what He is doing today) with glory. The glory of this latter temple will be greater than all former temples. (Hagg. 2:7-9)
In Ezra 3:8 and 9 they arose as one (man) to build the foundation of the house of the Lord, they shouted so loud that the shout was heard afar off (over the whole earth). We are to meet together more as the day of the Lord grows closer. When each part in the Body is working properly we will grow to the fullness of the stature of Christ. (Eph. 4:12-16) Every time we connect with each other (perhaps from distant places on the wall) by e-mail, phone call, getting together, teaching each other, touching someone) we are closing the gaps in the wall between each other. When we drag our feet or hold back or get side tracked we delay His work from going forward and growing. The Son of David is to be made King over His Church, I believe you've caught this vision, say yes to one another, let your hearts be linked with one another, and every day we will grow into a great army (and a more perfect Bride). In the New Testament the churches touched each other and had people visiting each other from other churches. We must have more love for one another more oneness more togetherness. The more love and oneness there is the more all men and the whole world will see Him (Jesus).
So, let's reach out to each other, let's meet together and talk together, we should connect with love, let's let our hearts be knit together in the great things the Lord is showing us. The Army will grow and the world will hear and see (as the Lord Jesus commanded and prayed for us (Jn.13:34,35 and Jn. 17)).
(You do not need to READ MORE, this is the entire writing) Read More... Posted: 2010-04-07 11:00:57 by: David Nelson "Separate Ministries" by David Nelson 4-6-10
There are many Christian ministries working side by side all over the world, each ministry believing that they are forwarding the cause of Christ. It is true that each ministry may have a separate or specific calling from the Lord. Of course, each of them has a name, a founder, and most have one main person who directs the ministry and who understands what the ministry is trying to accomplish. One of their goals is to try and get as many people as possible to connect with them, either to be involved, to help further their cause, or to help them financially. The money that is given to each ministry is to be used to keep that ministry going, to make more progress, or increase their effectiveness. The problem is most of these ministries are separate, they are not acting as one church, one in heart, connected, melted together in the Lord as one. What does the Lord want us to do that we might be one Church?
Let's say I, as the leader of Prophetic Ministry Iowa, went to visit the leader of another ministry and I said to them, "How can we work together?" Let's say we even had many of the same goals (truly Christian, Bible and Holy Spirit goals). I might say to that leader, what have you heard from the Lord, come and share with our group so that we can benefit from your spiritual gift, so that we can be more what the Lord wants us to be. Of course we want to benefit from all the spiritual gifts from your people too. But we want to give you our gifts also. How can we give you what the Lord has given us? Will we ever be able to give our gifts to each other? Or will each ministry tend to keep to itself with its own leader, its own people, its own self government?
That is what we have today, separate ministries, not really connected, not really working together, not really one.
Here is what I see as part of the solution (some of the Bible solutions) to help bring ministries together. First of all, if there is one city then all the ministries of that city should be the same church (if they are born again followers of Christ). I know this sounds simple but it really is Biblical and a precious thing in the Lord's eyes. Should there not be the church of Des Moines, Iowa? Or the church of your city? Should we not all share our gifts with one another even though we meet in different places? Also, if our hearts were one like the early church was (in Acts) would not we share our money and our things with one another too? "No one said that anything was their own but they had all things in common." This sounds like it would be very hard to do in our day but does it not go to the heart of what it means to be one? Also, if there are apostles, prophets, or evangelists in that one city or in your city (who truly have spiritual gifts from God), they must be accepted into different gatherings to give their gifts and teachings and vision to all. These travelling ministries (gifts) are needed in every city. In addition to these things the New Testament churches they were not set up as one man ministries, but each church was to have multiple elders or leaders. We are not to have one man rulers over each church gathering or ministry.
These few ideas that I have given above have been heard before and even tried before. But can you see that these important things are lacking? We are not one church in each city. We do not share our gifts in each others groups. Are we still thinking that it is "our group" instead of we all are the Church, the Bride, the Congregation of Jesus? Each ministry keeps a tight reign on its people and its money instead of sharing with one heart with the whole church. We need to find out who the true traveling ministries are (apostles, etc.) and receive from them. Every ministry should have multiple leaders not just one man. In the Bible there also was a "Levite" company that may have included many types of ministries (those with special callings to serve the Lord, perhaps full time, in areas such as music or teaching, etc.), if these "Levites" are neglected the Church of Christ also suffers. Is any tithe money going to bless them? Maybe the Lord is taking care of them by Himself but shouldn't the Church be working together?
As it is now each ministry has a tight control of their own affairs. They may say they want to work together, but where do we see it really happening? Every ministry wants to keep their people separate and their money separate from other groups. They don't want any people to leave their group or any money to leave their ministry. And so we see separate ministries "talking" about unity but not melted together as one Church. But let me give you one last thought that may be higher than all the others.
We need a supernatural love (created by God in our hearts) and a real spiritual discernment to attain to the unity I have expressed above. His love in us will cause us to accept someone (or anyone He wants), because they fellowship with the Father we will be able to have precious fellowship with them. This connection with them will not depend on what they have learned or how much they have attained spiritually. Their relationship with the Lord connects us in a relationship with them and we sense that we are getting missing pieces of the puzzle from them to understand the Lord's bigger picture. In other words, we will discern that God has brought us together for His purposes. The Lord Himself loves people and is willing to walk with those who want to know Him and who are willing to learn and grow. He doesn't cast out people based on how slow they learn. God allows people in His circle who are getting to know Him and who are open to learn. Should we not also discern those who do know Him and who are willing to learn and grow? Only the Lord can teach us this kind of love, this is the kind of love He shows to us and to many others. But what about our high standards and our dedication to the truth He has already shown us, we do not want "love" to water down the precious truths He has shown us.
The people we are to love may not see everything exactly the way we do at this time. But think for a moment, how much truth is in the heart of God, has He shown us everything, does He still walk with us even though there may be things we don't see yet? God does not compromise His truth by walking with us, but in time He will show us more when our hearts are ready. He loves people who have only attained part of the truth and He is in the process of teaching them more. If someone is holding to a dangerous teaching, if they really know Him, He knows how to correct His true children. We too must have discernment and love to see who are His true children and help whoever the Lord leads us to help. We do not compromise the truth we already know by loving and helping others to walk closer to Him. And the Lord wants us to receive from other's gifts and be connected as He leads.
Ponder these things, and see that the Lord will build His Church, placing living stone next to living stone as He fits us and knits us together for His greater glory. (You do not need to Read More, this is the entire writing) Read More... Posted: 2010-04-02 23:45:31 by: Alfred H. Ackley I serve a Risen Savior, He's in the world today;
I know that He is living, whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,.jpg)
And just the time I need Him He's always near.
In all the world around me, I see His loving care,
And tho' my heart grows weary, I never will despair;
I know that He is leading thro' all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing will come at last.
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.
REFRAIN:
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. Posted: 2010-03-27 17:31:55 by: Sybil Nelson 
Hello Folks!
Don't Forget to RSVP by March 30th for our upcoming PMI Office Dedication Weekend!
Click into EVENTS tab for more details regarding the weekend--see you there!
Read More... Posted: 2010-03-03 10:15:19 by: David Nelson When the Lord Departs and We Do Not Know It by David Nelson 3-2-10
(also includes an Illustration/Vision entitled "A Picture of the Church" by Andrew Strom)
I received recently what I believe was a wake up call from the Lord. Not only was it a gentle warning from the Lord for me but for all who want to walk closer to Him. I got a call from someone I had never met before who shared something from the Lord for me. Then in prayer I was reminded how Sampson, King David, and the Laodicean Church all experienced the Lord backing off from them and them not realizing it. Sometimes we may feel we are staying clear of sin but it has a way of deceiving us. "Search me Oh Lord and see if there be any wicked way in me." Then I received on the internet an Illustration/Vision by Andrew Strom showing how the Church is not accomplishing to its full potential and how the Lord is desiring for us to be all that we were called to be. In this writing I will share all that the Lord showed me in a 2-3 day period how we must get closer to Him when we are not living up to our full potential in the Lord and we do not realize it. (First I will give Andrew Strom's Illustration, Second my insights about Sampson, King David, and the Laodicean Church, and Third what the person who called me encouraged me to do.)
Illustration/Vision entitled "A Picture of the Church" by Andrew Strom
A young woman (the Church), clothed in what appears to be white
garments, stands in a darkened room. As we draw nearer, we see
that her hands are clasped around heavy objects that seem to
weigh her down, and she is also using the crook of both her arms
to cradle still more heavy objects to herself. Above her, God is
reaching down with outstretched hands towards her, but she
appears hardly to even notice.
In the distance we see Satan, laughing as he drags at the chains
of millions of blinded souls, bound in chains of misery, poverty
and sin. Slowly, he is dragging them all towards a huge pit at
the far end of the room. Many of them are crying out for someone
to free them, to help them.
As we draw nearer to the young woman, we see that the objects
clasped in her hands and cradled carefully in her arms are nice
homes, cars, appliances, land and possessions. We see also that
she has designed her surroundings to make herself as comfortable
as possible, with so much food available that she has become
obese and fat. The cries of those bound in chains are louder now,
and we can see that many of them are suffering terribly from
starvation and poverty. Millions of them, including many little
children, are right on the point of death. The young woman is too
busy watching television to really look at them, but occasionally
she flicks them some crumbs off her table. A few of them are
helped by this, but millions more are destined to perish without
hope in the darkness.
We are getting quite close to the young woman now, and we see
that despite her seeming affluence, her white garments have be-
come soiled, tattered and torn. Some of this has been caused by
her clinging so tightly to her weighty possessions. We also see
that her skin is mottled with a kind of leprosy caused by
"secret" sins, lust, untruthfulness, resentment, unforgiveness,
etc. The young woman shows no signs of being aware of her condit-
ion, and in fact appears totally blind to her wretched state.
Above her, Jesus weeps, crying aloud in anguish. The Bible says
that He "loved" this young woman, and "gave Himself for her". Now
He is forced to behold her steadily worsening plight. He casts
His eyes also over the vast millions chained in misery, sin and
despair, knowing that it is only through the young woman that He
can reach out and heal them. As we watch, Jesus stretches down
His hands yet again towards the young woman, calling for her to
reach up to Him so that He can pour forth His cleansing power in-
to her and through her, to wash away her sin and unbelief, and to
empower her to reach out to those trapped in bondage and sin. But
the young woman's arms are so heavy with houses, worldly pursuits
and possessions (which she is unwilling to let go of), that she
is unable to reach up to God. And anyway, she is so busy watching
television that she can't even hear Him calling to her.
On Sundays, the young woman always goes out. She dresses herself
up, and makes her way to a beautiful building where the chairs
are all in rows facing the front. The meetings here are known as
"church services". The young woman loves to sing the catchy chor-
uses and "worship" God as the superb musicians play. The music
is so good that she often can't tell whether it is just the music
affecting her or whether she is getting a real "touch from God".
Every week she feels "uplifted and blessed", and yet still she
remains seemingly oblivious to the agony that she is causing her
grieving Saviour. While the young woman's life apparently re-
volves around keeping herself "happy", Jesus, the One who sacri-
ficed everything for her, is left "wounded in the house of His
friends."
Often there are men speaking at the "church services" who have
degrees and diplomas from Bible College. Many of them give in-
spiring and entertaining sermons, full of stories, jokes and
"illustrations". But none of them ever seem to preach directly on
the terrible condition of the young woman. Perhaps they are
afraid of "offending somebody".
And so, as God watches in anguish, the young woman (the Church)
continues on her worldly way, weighed down with possessions and
materialism, tainted with sin, seduced by the cares and pleasures
of this world. How long will it be before she comes to Him with a
"broken heart and a contrite spirit", crying out for a flood of
His mercy and His power to be outpoured upon her? And how long
will it be before she throws away her worldly toys and pursuits,
to "seek His face" with all her heart?
Now let me resume with, When the Lord Departs and We Do Not Know It. The Lord showed me Sampson, King David, and the Laodicean Church. In each instance they were playing with fire (sin) or holding on to sins and did not know that the Lord had departed. Sampson looked at women, laid with different women, and touched dead animals twice. He had a calling from his birth, he was to be holy, he did powerful feats from the Lord's Spirit upon him, he judged Israel for 20 years and was a hero. But he played with fire (sin), he played around, he did not take his calling seriously, and in Judges 16:20 he did not know that the Lord had departed from him. And so, his eyes were put out and he was hemmed in by the Lord in a Philistine prison. Does the Lord have to put out our eyes to move us to focus back on Him alone? Does He need to hem us in (in some kind of prison) to get our attention? Let us hear Him now and go an easier way and not go the hard way. As Sampson came back to the Lord he accomplished something in the last episode of his life that was greater than all he had done before. (3,000 men and women were killed, but 3,000 were saved at Pentecost) Is the same in store for us to accomplish something greater than ever before for the Lord? King David played around with sin too, serious sin, he murdered Uriah one of his top soldiers and took his wife Bathsheba as his own wife. These things were evil in the sight of the Lord (II Sam. 11:27) but it wasn't for at least 9 months till the Lord came to him to tell him the wrong he had done. All that time it seems he was living away from the Lord. Bathsheba had a son after David took her to be his wife (at least 9 months) and then the Lord sent Nathan (the prophet) to tell him what he had done and what the Lord was going to do. The story Nathan told David was about a rich man (who had exceedingly many flocks and herds) and a poor man (who had one little ewe lamb who was in his house, with his children, ate his food, drank from his cup, laid in his arms and was like a daughter to him). The rich man had guests and took the poor man's little ewe lamb, killed it and served it to his guests. David was appalled and said the man who has done this shall surely die! Then Nathan said to David, You are the man! David, not knowing his own condition, could not see himself clearly, did not know how evil this thing had become in the eyes of the Lord. David repented immediately and said, "I have sinned against the Lord." (II Sam. 12:13) If we want to have the heart and be a man after God's own heart we too must repent when the Lord speaks to us. Finally, just like Sampson and David had to be pushed to the point of seeing who they were, the Laodicean Church did not know they were displeasing to the Lord. They thought they were doing great, rich, needing nothing, but they did not know they were like vomit to the Lord, soon to be spewed out by the Lord if they did not see that they were sick, wretched, miserable and naked and must repent. They needed salve to anoint their eyes to see that the Lord was outside their lives and needed to be invited back in to sup with them. They needed to open the door to the Lord again. (Rev. 3:14-22)
None of us I am sure thinks that we are like Sampson, David, or the Laodicean Church in these areas. But if we see the young woman in tattered clothes and leprous skin in the above illustration holding on to things, we too may be holding on to things, and it may be that we too are not being used as fully by the Lord as He wants. There are serious needs all around us at this hour and we must consider how we are faring in our reaching the lost. The person who called me on the phone had a simple but profound message for me, sit before the Lord quietly and hear Him, turn it up 100 notches, ask Him, am I doing what you want, what am I doing that is not right, what do you want me to be doing that I am not doing, what do you want me to do? Speak to me afresh Oh Lord. Turn up the notch 100 times and say to the Lord, I want to be like you, I want to be more holy like you are! Please look afresh at our lives and show us what we must do to accomplish greater things in this last chapter of our lives.
This is what the Lord showed me. I have taken seriously His tender encouragement to see anew how I must change (by His grace and strength). I want to be all that He wants me to be, I'm sure He will show me more about myself, I'm sure it will take a great miracle to make me all that He wants but we see the world slipping farther and farther away from Him. I have made a partial list of the things I think the Lord wants me to change in to get closer to Him and become more like Him. We must all keep open to the Lord and be in prayer, Lord, search me and see if there be anything you want to change in me. All who hear His call are destined to accomplish greater things than ever before. Let us do this, in this last critical hour we are in, for all the lost all around us, and that we may know that you Lord are with us and that you are pleased with us as we become holy as you are holy. (This is the entire writing, you do not need to READ MORE) Read More... Posted: 2010-02-17 20:11:43 by: David Nelson A Message That Has A Bite To It,
A Message Worth Fighting For,
A Message That Is Moving On The Offensive, That May Offend or Be Hated
A Strong Word and a Hard Word by David Nelson (2-15-10)
God has had enough. His Church stinks, has foul smelling soars, is almost like Sodom and Gomorrah to Him (except for the very small remnant left), and its leaders are not acceptable to him, they have been rejected like King Saul for compromise. All this is given in the Scriptures in Isaiah chapter one. It says in chapter one my people have rebelled, do not know their master, they are laden with iniquity, have forsaken the Lord, have gone backward, and they are sick from head to toe. (vss. 2-6) The Lord is not interested in our sacrifices, our offerings, your assemblies before Him, your incense (prayers), your meetings, your uplifted hands, your many prayers. (vss. 11-15) what you are doing is futile, an abomination to Me, I cannot endure it anymore, I hate these things and am weary bearing with them. (vss. 13-14)
It has been said by those in the Church that prophecy is to be mainly for “encouragement and edification” because they don’t want to hear any hard words. But look how the prophet Isaiah opens his book in the first chapter! In Jer. 1:10 it says four times that prophecy is root out, pull down, destroy and pull down before it builds and plants again. God says to the pharaohs in the Church “Let My people go!” My people are not free to use their gifts in your meetings so that I can show my fuller glory, and they are not taught or encouraged to do so, Let My people go! God also says to His people “Get out of Babylon!” The Church is full of Babylon and its ways. Ichabod, the glory of God has departed in the churches and much of the Church doesn’t even know it. Just like Sampson went forth to fight and didn’t know the Spirit of the Lord had departed him. Very few are asking Where is the lord in all this that is being done in the churches?
Jesus is sick to His stomach with the Luke warmness in His Church and is calling for them to repent. If they will not repent He will spew them out of His mouth and could remove their candlestick. They think they are so pure, holy and righteous, not knowing they are naked, sick, pitiful and wretched. Jesus also states that He is outside His Church and wants someone to hear His voice, open the door and let Him back in to really sup with us as he has always desired.
Many think they are saved in the churches but are not. Many should be crying, “What must we do to be saved?” We need to know Him, we need to lay everything down and enter the narrow gate, we need to know His voice as never before and have a living relationship with Him. Do we want eternal life? Jesus said in Jn. 17, This is eternal life, to know the Father and the Son. If anyone wants to be His follower he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Him. How can we do any of these three things unless we know His voice and know Him? Are we being taught diligently how to do this? In I Jn. 1 it says that if we are not becoming like Him (more holy as He is holy) then we do not know Him. This is serious, we must be born again, get on His narrow path, and stay close to Him. Especially this is necessary in the dark days ahead.
What does the Lord want you to do? Do we know His voice well enough to know what He wants us to do? The Lord has a job for each of us to do and we must all rise up and do what He has called each of us to do! We must know at this time what saith the Lord, or at least be waiting for His next instructions to us. If this is not important why did Jesus warn about the servant that hid his talents in the ground, or the foolish virgins that had no oil in their lamps? They did not make it. We are not to go ahead with our own works if He has not spoken to us, we are not to move until the cloud moves.
Could people be so far from the Lord that they will not take what he is saying seriously? Are we so far from the day when the Lord devoured with fire those in the Holy of Holies who offered their own kind of incense? If someone touches the toppling ark of the covenant will the Lord still strike them with fire? Will Ananias’s and Sapphira’s still die for lying to the Holy Spirit? We must be so far from what the Lord really wants.
He is not the King of His Church as He desires to be, and He is not at the center of church meetings. When a church meeting is in progress if the Lord’s Spirit were to lift, most church services would go on as though nothing had changed. If the Lord stops leading a meeting does the meeting come to a grinding halt or do we just keep going on with the same old same old? The Lord mostly is just observing and has nothing to do with leading a meeting. This is not acceptable to the Lord and is not what he wants any more. He wants meetings to come to a halt when He stops leading. We should be bewildered and not know what to do when the Spirit lifts. We should not go on without Him. But there is so little discernment in the leaders and the people are not taught discernment as to when the Lord is leading and when He is not.
What must we do? Every person must have his own relationship with the Lord and taught to do so. We must want only what comes from the Lord and nothing else. We must want God things only, jewels from heaven, fire from His mouth, bolts of lightning from His hand, manifestations from the living God through each person’s gift, His manifest presence, his shekinah glory falling on us. Nothing else will do. Once we have tasted of these kind of higher meetings with the Lord we will never want to go back to what was before. We will only want to go higher with Him.
God is going to judge all that the Church has become that is not right and He is going to judge the leaders who have taught the people wrong. In Jer. 13 it says that a wall has been built that has been put together or plastered with untempered mortar. Read More... Posted: 2010-02-17 20:07:56 by: Phil Buck
EARTHQUAKE in THE CHURCH - a Word
-by Phil Buck.
January 27, 2010 - Prayer time for the Church, at our home.
I heard a word in my mind saying, There's coming an earthquake
of the magnitude 7.0 that was experienced in Haiti, only it is
coming to the Church. I have sent many warnings down through
the portals of time, that this day was coming, and now is here,
even at the door. The earthquake will start from outside the Church,
and then will permeate the Church from within. Prepare, prepare,
there will be destruction as would never have been imagined.
The rubble of the buildings of man will crumble to the ground. The
teachings of man will have come full circle. There will be people
that have bought into the man system and will be destroyed in
the rubble of the collapse, some spiritually and others both
spiritually and physically. For they have believed a lie and will
suffer the consequences of their doing.
Of those that have escaped, I see a long line extending beyond
my vision to see. They are the walking wounded from all religious
persuasions, that were not caught up totally in the man-centered
religious system of beliefs. But being exposed to the system has
left its mark in various forms on each one.
I see this line in my minds eye, people lined up at the entrance to
a white tent. This is where they are coming to receive life spiritual
life from inside the tent. Those inside the tent are like doctors
and nurses, ministering to the wounded, hurting spirits of each
one. As they help them heal, with the proper perspective and focus
of the gifts they have to offer, then they are sent from the tent
whole and ready to minister to others as they were ministered to.
"Now behold the ones on the inside of the tent, before they stepped
inside the tent they had nothing to offer in and of themselves, but
as they stepped in they received the power to work the works for
which I have call them to. This is a special people that have closed
themselves up with me. Yes, and some have been in preparation
all their lives for this time and this mission".
"I want you to see those in the tent, for they are those that have
given everything to Me. These are they that this day I'm calling
my people to come out of the religious systems of man and into
the marvelous light of my Son Jesus. Will you be counted as
numbered among those in the tent? Or will you be one of the
many in the long line?"
"Come away with me this day and give your all to me for the line
is long and is now just beginning to form. They need your gifts,
your love & your sacrifice of service. Will you be there for them?
Or will you be among them?"
-Phil Buck,
Indiana, USA.
(You do not need to READ MORE for this article, this is the entire writing)
Read More... Posted: 2010-02-17 20:04:30 by: Chip Brogden The Missing Ingredient
by Chip Brogden
<http://theschoolofchrist.org/articles/the-missing-ingredient.html >
And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved" (II Corinthians 12:15).
Besides prayer, no other subject has been talked about more and practiced less than the subject of loving one another. We all know we are supposed to love one another. We have heard it preached a thousand times. But there is a difference between knowing the Path and walking the Path.
I want to speak specifically to the issue of love as it relates to "ministry". That word "ministry" is a loaded word now, and we really need to question someone when they use that word so we can find out what they really mean. I think most people will agree that what passes for "ministry" these days is something very far removed from the ministry practiced in the New Testament. And I am not referring to some kind of method or technique that they practiced. The "missing ingredient" is not something so superficial as meeting in homes versus meeting in buildings. How far we have fallen to think that the secret of New Testament life is found in some way of conducting a meeting.
Leadership exists in the Bible, and leadership exists in the Church. There is no getting around that. Jesus showed us, both in word and in deed, that His idea of leadership is based on service to God and to others. The question we need to ask is what constitutes godly, Spirit-led, Christ-centered, servant leadership? What makes someone a spiritual father? What really qualifies someone as an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher?
You might say the calling of God is what qualifies someone. Perhaps, but many are called and few are chosen. Many are called but they fail to respond to the call. You need more than a calling.
You might say the gift of God is what qualifies someone. Let me tell you something, brothers and sisters. Gifts no longer register much with me anymore. Gifted brothers and sisters are really a dime a dozen. I am just speaking frankly. Often I will meet people and come away thinking how gifted they are, but they leave me hollow inside. They have a lot of potential but I would not trust them to watch my dog much less watch over people's souls. Many of them claim to be in some kind of pastoral or prophetic or apostolic ministry. But that in and of itself does not qualify a person. I have seen gifted brothers and sisters with absolutely no wisdom, no maturity, and no spiritual discernment make a real mess of people's lives.
You might say revelation from God is what qualifies someone. I absolutely believe that revelation is a necessity for teaching others because you cannot point the way to a place you have never been. But revelation by itself does not qualify a person.
There came a time in my life when I realized I was called, and I was gifted, and God had given me great revelation, but I still lacked something. Now when I was younger I believed that having a calling from God and being gifted by God was all you needed. Then I began to learn some things by revelation and thought that was God's seal of approval upon me.
Even so, I could not get away from the fact that there were then, and there are now, lots of people in the world besides me who are called by God, have spiritual gifts, and enjoy an abundance of revelation. But God cannot trust them in any kind of a servant leadership capacity. They may have a title or a ministry but they are unqualified because they do not have the missing ingredient. I noticed they lacked something, and worse, I lacked the same thing. Eventually I discovered what everyone, including myself, is lacking.
What is the missing ingredient? The missing ingredient is LOVE.
Let me share something to illustrate what I mean. A pastor told me something that happened many years ago between him and his associate pastor. They worked together in the church but fortunately they were also good friends. He said his associate came to him one day with tears in his eyes and told him, "You're the best preacher and teacher of the Word I have ever heard in my life. But you just don't love people." When the pastor shared this story with me he had tears in his eyes, too. It was a powerful reminder to him, and an important lesson to us. We can be called and gifted and full of revelation and still fall short because we are not walking in love with people.
Now we could go to many examples of love demonstrated and love commanded in the New Testament. You know them as well as I do. But when I turn to this little obscure passage in II Corinthians 12 I find something mostly overlooked. Paul writes, "I will VERY GLADLY spend and be spent for you; though the more ABUNDANTLY I love you, the less I am loved." Now that is what qualifies a person. That is the missing ingredient.
Paul wrote this to the Corinthians. You know Paul had more trouble with the Corinthian church than all the others combined. Most people would have quit, but not Paul. Paul has the heart of a father. That is a real apostle. That is a real pastor. We know he was called, we know he was gifted, and we certainly know he had a depth of revelation. We could understand if he felt like he was wasting his time with Corinth and wanted to turn his attention elsewhere.
You see, that kind of thinking has the flesh all over it. I read something many years ago that I accepted at first as wisdom, but have since changed by mind. A man wrote, "Go where you are celebrated, not where you are tolerated." At the time I was feeling very unappreciated so I thought this was sound advice. But God has been gracious to me, and He has helped me to see that this attitude is the whole problem with "ministry" today. We love people who love us, and we serve people who serve us, and we thank people who thank us, and if you scratch my back then I'll scratch your back. What kind of Christianity is this? What if Paul only went where he was celebrated and avoided places where he was just tolerated? What a foolish statement, but this is the prevailing attitude among "ministers" today.
Paul gave us an example to follow. Don't just look at his calling and his gifting and his revelation. Look at his heart of love. He gave all - not just for the Lord, but for the Lord's people. And they were a most carnal, unappreciative bunch of people. Even so, the heart of a father is demonstrated. That is the reason he had authority. I tell you his authority was not in his title, his position, or his status as having founded the church. His authority was not in his calling, gift, or revelation. His authority was in the abundant love he showed.
Make no mistake: I am not there yet. I still struggle with how to be a good brother, much less a spiritual father with abundant love for everyone. I obviously have a long way to go, but now I see the missing ingredient and I am following after love. How about you?
You know, the days of a person just "showing up" to exercise their gift and do their little ministry event are just about over. I have been guilty of that, I think we all have either done it or seen others do it. Is that what Jesus has called us to do? Is that being an example? Hold some meetings, have some talks, shake hands and go home? It doesn't mean a thing if we are not loving one another. It is all tinkling brass and clanging cymbals.
Paul saw himself as a father caring for the needs of his children. He entered right into the heart of God, because that is exactly the way God sees it. That is why Paul was able to love them more even as they loved him less. There is a vacuum of that kind of leadership in the Body of Christ today. We have people who cannot even be good brothers and sisters and yet they aspire to be spiritual fathers and leaders, apostles and prophets and pastors and teachers. Instead of serving people WITH their gift they expect people to serve them BECAUSE of their gift. It is seen in things so seemingly insignificant as the pastor's reserved parking space right by the front door.
In recent months I have prayed, "God, take away my calling, take away my gifts, take away my revelation, but give me a heart of love." Really friends, we have plenty of gifted brothers and sisters. But where are the Pauls and the Peters and the Johns of our generation? Where are the spiritual fathers, the leaders, the elders, the ones giving a godly example to those who follow after? An example is most definitely being given, but all too often it is an example of what NOT to do.
Where are the ones who will very gladly spend and be spent in the service of God and of others - who will love abundantly even when they are not loved in return? One father is worth more than ten thousand teachers.
All you who are called and gifted, hear me. Love is the missing ingredient. Follow after love and the calling, the gifting, and the revelation will find its deepest and fullest expression.
(You do not need to READ MORE for this article, this is the entire writing) Read More... Posted: 2010-02-02 09:58:10 by: David Nelson The Love of the Father in Us by David Nelson 1-29-10
What could be greater than seeking the Lord and finding Him. It is so good that we can draw near to God and for Him to draw near to us. We may pray and pray and pray and go deeper and deeper into this good relationship with the Lord. We may delight in how close we get to the Lord, where He shares His heart with us, all that He feels, and we love walking close to Him. But one of these days, with all our delight with Him and all His delight with us, He's going to turn us around and point us toward people and say, Now you must go to them, my hurting church, those who think they are so close to Me but aren't, and this hurting world. You must go to them with My love in your heart and with the things I have shown you to help them get close to Me too.
And so we go to them with such an enlarged heart of love (created by God in us), a heart so big that it has the capacity to love every person we see, even the least of the brethren, even mean, stubborn, or even ugly people who aren't close to God at all. And as we go we find out some of how God feels, when every person we meet we see their potential, we feel compassion, we say, you are so precious and I welcome you into my heart completely because God has made it easy with our big hearts to take you all in. Just like the apostle Paul did in the Bible, wherever he went he loved everyone, all the churches, and he said to the Corinthian church, you are all in my heart but your hearts are small, constricted, kind of shriveled up, and you do not have the capacity to welcome me into your heart as I have welcomed you into mine. He loved them so but they were not able to give back to him the same love or reciprocate his love. It is the same with God, He loves us so much and has a huge heart that welcomes us in lavishly but we love Him so little in return and can't give back to Him or reciprocate His love. Our hearts are smaller and more shriveled than His. Open our hearts Lord more to you and to receive everyone with your love. Paul said in I Thess. 2:7,8 as a mother cherishes her little children, we were so affectionately longing for you, and we gave you not just the gospel but even our own lives, for you had become so dear to us.
This is not a simple word but a deep word. To love the brethren and to love people with such a high love, a love that has rarely been seen before, the same type of love that Jesus has for us. Love one another as I (Jesus) have loved you, love one another with the same type of love that the Father has for the Son and the Son has for the Father. We must love one another and be one with the kind of love Jesus prayed for in John 17. Until this happens the world will not be touched, the world will not sit up and notice us, the world must see this kind of love to know that Jesus is for real and that He really came from the Father. By this they will know that I (Jesus) have come from the Father.
It must be such a deep love, deeper even than the love of blood relations. Read More... |
