I believe in these days the Church is experiencing a new
move of God. There have been several instances in the past where we can look
back and see God moving within the Church, moving those willing to listen to
Him, moving them closer to the Path set before them. The Protestant Reformation,
the Charismatic revivals and many more. These were times when certain people
within the establishment Church saw a different Path and were called to move
out into a new calling.
I believe today this is happening once again, and that it
may be a setting apart from the Church which will suffer the great falling away
foretold in Revelation. This isn't necessarily a narrowing of the path, but a
recognition of the narrowness of the Path originally set before the Church. Willing
to shrug off the paganism, humanism and worldly culture which is ever
increasingly part of the Church culture, particularly in the West, and not
shrinking from standing up for the Truth of the Word when false doctrines come
into the Church seeking the approval of man instead of God. These are the
Remnant, the Bride, the true Church.
I believe part of this recognition of the narrowness of the
Path originally set before the Church will cause much controversy and will be
part of the great falling away. Many within the sleeping church today will
refuse the Word for the world...Will refuse Christ for the culture...Will
refuse to shrug off paganism and blending with other faiths and doctrines, refusing to be closer to the One True God. These are the sleeping
church, the lost within our walls, the very definition of Matthew 7:23
"...I never knew you".
I believe this isn't about legalism and judgment, but rather
about accountability to one another and about desiring to be more like Jesus,
more than we desire to be liked by man. The Church is being challenged to stop
balking at admonishment from others within the Church, calling them judgmental
and legalistic. But instead to disallow themselves to be offended by God or man,
only desiring to be more like Jesus and to know Him more intimately.
I believe the Church is being called back into alignment
with the first century model of Five-Fold Ministry, with Churches not being
planted and run by Pastors alone, or by Pastors with Elder teams and boards. But
Churches being planted by modern-day Apostles, gifted, anointed and called into
ministries of teaching, preaching and the prophetic. Apostles not in name
alone, but in deed, who are sound in doctrine, founded in the Word and familiar
with Christ. Apostles who seek out those called to Office of Prophet, Pastor,
Teacher and Evangelist...Those who can seek out, help disciple and send out more
of the same.
I believe the Church is also being called back into alignment
with the Davidic model of 24/7 day and night prayer and worship. Far too long
have our sanctuaries been locked-up tight all night and most of the week. It's
time that anyone be able to come into the Sanctuary any time and pray or
worship. If certain restaurants and other enterprises can find a way to make it
happen, why can't we? Which is more important, being able to get a burger in
the middle of the night or being able to encounter the living God?! Isn't He
Worthy?
I believe that this emerging 5-Fold, 24/7 Church is being
called to a season of prayer and fasting. Intercession for our nations, our
leaders, the Church, the lost and dying...How long have we been asleep and
silent? I believe as we move forward into this new move of God, back into the ancient
patterns set before us at the foundation of the Church, that we will find
exponentially more clarity regarding our faith. Denominations will cease,
differences of theology will cease, misunderstandings of God will cease and we
will become One in Him, of one faith, in UNITY of understanding and purpose.
I believe as that happens we will begin to see the emergent
Bride. We will once again see REAL miracles, on a grand scale. We will see the
fulfillment of those words; "greater things than these". We will see
disciples and Apostles who operate just as Jesus did. And finally, once we have
clothed ourselves with Righteousness, we will see Jesus.
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