Monday, April 23, 2012 – Entry – The Tight Community, An open letter…continued.

An open letter…

A friend and spiritual colleague wrote me sharing the following.

And I quote, “As for the recent changes in the way I see things, it kinda started with a dream. In the dream, I lived in a small tight community and every one knew everyone. There was a prowler who stole things or killed people at night but no one except for myself could see him. The community members had a meeting to discuss what they should do about the prowler and I told them what he looks like and told them that i could see him, but no one believed me.
Thats how the dream ended. I asked God the next day what it meant and He explained that He wants me to be able to tell people what I know to be true, even when they aren’t listening or make fun of me. He said I was given a gift, and that I need to be able to use that gift without being afraid of what people’s reaction might be.

So, now, I see myself as having a light within me that glows and some see it and others do not. Some may appreciate it and seek it out, while others may turn from it or try to douse it.”, end quote.

Now some of my thoughts on my friend and colleague’s insights.

The Body of Christ as a whole is a tight community, spiritually speaking. We either belong to Jesus and are Followers of His or we are not. If we are not, we are not part of the Body of Christ. We may disagree about many things but that Salvation comes through Jesus and Jesus alone on this we must agree or we are not part of the same Body. It is to this Body that I address I comments.

Whereas we are a tight community in the spiritual world we are not tight enough in how we live out that community here on earth. Therefore, the enemy, Satan, is able to plunder the Body of Christ. He has weakened their power and influence in the world, in our culture, and in our society. Just as my friend and colleague wrote, Satan is stealing and killing throughout the Body of Christ and it is as though 90% of the member cannot even see what is happening. Have they chosen blinders? Have they chosen to ignore their enemy to the point that he is taking over? Yes, we are to resist the enemy and he will flee…but some have taken the view that their only form of acknowledgement that they have an enemy will be MILD resistance. Many Believers’ who once were very dedicated have chosen to pull back and embrace an easier way or form of Christianity. Standing a lot less often for righteousness and truth and considering their comfort more than God’s Will, Way, and Principles. We must be willing to see what Satan is doing to the Body of Christ and speak out against his actions. Shed light on the Enemy’s activity. Light dispels darkness. There are those of us who are trying to tell the Body that a Prowler is out there stealing and killing the work of the Lord within the Body of Christ. WILL YOU LISTEN? WILL YOU BELIEVE? If you are able to see what is happening share what you see with others and remember, as my friend wrote, that whether they accept or reject what you have to say has little to do with whether or not you should say it. If you have the Light of Christ within you let it glow for all those around you to see. Illuminate the darkness for your sisters and brothers in Christ who still cannot see that Church is under attack, great attack and something must be done.

Thursday, April 19, 2012 – Entry – An open letter…

An open letter…

A friend and spiritual colleague wrote me and asked the following question.

“God spoke to me a month or so ago reminding me of one of the churches listed in Revelations that has lost their first love. Is this kinda what you are sensing as well?”

It is in essence a form of the church losing their first love. What I am seeing however is the layers of how we got there. Meaning… The overall Body of Christ has lost their love, or better put their passion, the congregations have lost their passion, the leaders have lost their passion, and the individuals Believers have lost our passion. It has happened in steps over time and each one has fed off of the other one. God has allowed my focus to be directed at any given time to only one portion of that deterioration.

Right now what I sense burning in God’s heart is the lost leaders. What I mean by lost leaders is the leaders that were once very passionate for Christ are now either passionless, disillusioned, and/or burnt out. Why they are this way is a very lengthy topic to examine. Through the writings and the blog it will be examined.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012 – Entry – Losing Heart, Losing Hope

One of the primary problems with the decay of the church’s influence on our culture, country, and society is the fact that many Believers who once burned red hot for Jesus have lost heart. Through time, wounds, and disappointments these once powerful warriors for God have turned into broken people who have, or are, losing hope. God never said that endurance with Him was a picnic. Just the opposite is true. Perseverance is no picnic and not for the weak and faint at heart. Yet, there is hope because someone who has given themselves to a spirit of losing heart and hope can be renewed in their zeal for, and faith in, the Lord. All they need do is ask the Lord to renew them, heal them, and bring them back to the place they once were in Him. Then they stand up and begin to walk again, forgetting the time they spent in their pain, apathy, and doubt. We must not let disappointment and discouragement take root in our lives; we can’t the Body of Christ is waiting for us, they need us and we need them. If you once had such a passion for God that you believed you could make a difference for Him and a difference in your world for His glory then I urge you to once again find your way back to that passion. Find your way back to the One who is passionate for you.