This newsletter is a continuation of casting down thoughts and not people. I don't want us to become an object of rebuke from our Lord Jesus because we lack the courage to confront evil practices. Or think we have a level of grace that can tolerate sin rather than call for repentance. God gives grace to the humble and resists those who are prideful.
As we stand for truth in the love of God, we shouldn't be quick to call out names. I don't want to be the one to throw the first stone. And I don't want to be found with a plank in my eye when the other has a toothpick or nothing at all that is blocking the saving grace of Christ crucified.
Neither am I opposed to calling out names like Paul did on occasion. But we are called to rightly divide the word of God to be shown as a good student of the whole counsel of God and not elevate scripture that we are naturally drawn to while ignoring scripture that doesn't fit our narrative.
Paul called people out by name at times. But John, the disciple that Jesus loved, is also a signpost on the narrow path to eternal life with God and his Son. John said that no one needs to hear from another man to know the truth because the spirit of truth, the Holy Spirit, leads us into all truth. John was not endorsing the contemporary thought that in our current day, the gifts to the church apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher would no longer be needed. John gave a simple message: if we seek God with all our hearts, we will find him even within a dysfunctional church and society. God has our back even when the people of God do not. We have no excuse for walking away from the church Jesus established because we got hurt. We are to pray to our Father who is in heaven, not my Father and me, while home alone.
John also stated that it is evident to those who belong to Christ to see and know the children of God and the children of the devil. John didn't call out names even when Jesus told John that Judas was the man who would betray him.
However, we will not rob Paul of his witness and revelation because we prefer John's witness and revelation. There are no contradictions in scripture, only our erroneous understanding. The Spirit of Truth knows the whens and hows. We need ears to hear and a mouth that is sanctified only to speak what we should talk about and how we should say it.
Paul did call out names, and I will when I'm sure it is God's will, and my eyes have been cleared of all debris of my own sinfulness and limited understanding. As God clears my head and vision, and as he washes my feet, I am to turn and do the same. As he is, so are we in this world.
With that said, I take a note from Jude, a half-brother of Jesus: The Lord rebuke you!
I will not dishonor the position God gave those whom he called. Even when they stray and betray. I cast down the thoughts that exalt oneself over the eternal word of God and spare the person humility if possible. God gives time for his own to humble themselves before judgment is pronounced. If we judge ourselves, we will not be judged.
Jesus was hungry and saw a Figtree from a far-off. There were leaves, so he was expecting fruit as well. This Figtree grows leaves and fruit at the same time. When you pick the fruit, off come the leaves as well. No leaf, no fruit. Unless the tree has 'gone to seed,' it used all its resources to cover itself with leaves but bore no fruit. Remember when Adam and Eve covered themselves with leaves because their seed became contaminated with sin and death? Without God, they could no longer bear good fruit, only a coverup of their fragilities and nakedness.
After Jesus cursed the fig tree by declaring that it would never again bear fruit because it failed to feed the hungry, he continued to another fig tree that looked glorious from afar. The disciples were in awe of the temple in Jerusalem. It was magnificent, yet Jesus warned them that no stone would be upon another stone in a few years. Why? Because the temple of God had 'gone to seed,' the ministers covered themselves in their glory at the expense of feeding the people the manna from heaven. We cannot live on bread alone but every word of God. But if the word of God is not what is given at church, then what are we serving? Jesus cursed the temple by setting a prophecy in place that would be fulfilled in 70 A.D. In the meantime, Jesus took a whip and cleansed the temple by overthrowing the money changer tables.
Jesus did this in the zeal of the Lord and not anger.
I have learned to have a zeal for the Lord and not an anger to resolve by losing my temper. I had anger, as most do if you have attended church for any length, but it was resolved in Christ and what he has done for me. Church hurt is real. Church abuse is worse than other abuses because a loving God's name is attached to it.
But the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. We must forgive and find a better way of dealing with the abuses.
I got rid of my anger before sundown by seeking the Lord for a plan to address the many issues. I am drawn to make straight the way. Over the last year, God has given me that plan while clearing my vision of floaters. Over the next few months, I will be rebuking, correcting, and showing the right way to respond to what is going astray in the American church.
We must understand the fallacy of our marketing and cheerleading. Jesus spoke of a church with a reputation of being alive but was dead. I am reminded of when Moses and Joshua came down the mountain, and a sound came out of the camp. Joshua heard the sound of overcoming victory, a war cry, depending on your translation. But Moses heard neither victory nor defeat but a song of sin and death.
I am also reminded of the time Eli judged Israel; he had two wicked sons, taking advantage of those hungry for the true word of God. At the time, a war with the Philistines was ready to explode again, and Israel thought bringing the Ark of the Covenant into the conflict would assure them a victory. They shouted so loud that the earth shook, but God had departed. No victory was had, and the Ark of God's presence was captured with multitudes of people dying in defeat, much like today's church services: people shout, declare, and decree righteousness while dying in their sin.
Not only are we dealing with the woke church that thinks they are awake. But we also have churches that are selling an imitation grace that gives room for all kinds of sin and makes room for the devil to set up his synagogue.
And we have a church that loves truth but has lost its first love of God and its neighbors. A truth that kills rather than gives life.
And a lukewarm church with a faded Jesus bleached out by the sun because he has been left outside knocking on the door to be let in. As the joke goes, we pray to the baby Jesus because babies are lovable, sweet, and innocent. Jesus was found to be without sin, died for our sins, and is now grown up, waiting for his inheritance in the voice of our Father. And when he returns, he won't be an adorable baby.
The lukewarm church loves babies and doesn't want to raise them in the fear of God as disciples of Christ. Many churches are leading people astray, not down the narrow path that leads to eternal life but down a wide path without the guard rails of the kindness and severity of God.
Churches are prayerless as we give an account of all we do for God in his name, forgetting all he has done for us. We say in our hearts, 'Thank God we are not like those other churches with nothing to offer. But we do this and that for the Lord, all the while without knowing the fear of God and his ways.
Churches are filling their stomachs while declaring and decreeing an end to poverty when our cupboards are overflowing and others lay bare. We send the hungry to our food pantries stocked by Caeser because we don't want to pull from our abundance—an unholy alliance with the government, the new God and provider for the carnal church.
We are using the spirit of mammon to build individual kingdoms and not the kingdom of God. We take shots at the Catholics with their Pope while we build our smaller kingdom, setting up ourselves as a protestant pope. Unlike King David, who refused to give a sacrifice to the Lord paid by others and not himself, we pass the 'tax' on down to the people.
Like the temple during Jesus' day, we care more about the presentation of wholeness than true wholeness gained in Christ Jesus, which comes with a cost of surrender. We build our temple of righteousness rather than one inputted to us through Christ Jesus. We capitalize on the name of Jesus and socialize his bride, the church. Ignoring that all this will pass away like a vapor, but the word of God will endure forever.
We have ministers who have done the mighty works of God but are unaware that the glory of God has left them like Samson experienced. We get up every Sunday morning, blind and yoked with sin's deceitfulness, to deliver a powerful message of the past that no longer has power today to set people free.
We have people at the pulpit who were called chosen at one time but have now been rejected. However, they remain in place until God raises a man after his own heart and not after the fleshy heart of man. There is time to repent if you are still in position, but time is running out before Jesus pulls away your candlestick.
I am not condemning the church. Church spoke words of life and spirit when he said the gates of hell would not prevail against the church. I'm calling for repentance. I'm calling for people to take the way of escape out of temptation. I'm calling for a return to the kindness and severity of God; it is by these two that a church multiplies disciples and not seat warmers.
If you feel condemned, know there is a way out, and his name is Jesus. Satan condemns without escape. The heart condemns without escape. But Jesus has promised a way of escape. Come to him and sit for a while. You have been in the kitchen too long and are full of disgrace. Sit at the feet of Jesus and receive the grace again to turn from those wicked ways of doing ministry. Jesus doesn't need us to multiply, yet he has given us a place to share in his work and inheritance. Some Jesus will restore to ministry, and others he will not. But is it worth it to be successful in ministry yet cast away on the day of judgment because we forgot why we do ministry?
Where are the ministers who have seen the glory of God and tasted the fire like Isaiah? Where are the ministers like Moses, who have seen a fire that can't be quenched and the leprous flesh of our ways?
Where are the ministers like Jeremiah, who have learned that no matter how young or old the mouth is, God must be upon your lips before you can speak?
Where is the King Davids, who refuses to compromise for the sake of the promise of God but instead waits for the due season to become king, not lifting a finger to cast down the current king? David confronted Saul for attempted murder but did not cast him down.
As for myself. If my mouth is clean, and my vision has been cleared of debris. If I seek, Christ crucified alone with my whole heart and his kingdom with no thought of my own. Then, I will be sent to finish the gospel given to me. If not, God will raise up another.