Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Urgency

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.