Does anyone in the body realize that we are all on a journey? I mean how many who are born again end up just staying in one place all of their life without ever reaching out to others. Or how many just want to continue on with the same group of people and never explore what the Lord may have for them?
Once Jesus went to heaven and He sent the Helper what did the disciples do?
They were baptized with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and they stayed in Jerusalem.
It seems that they may have been complacent and not willing to journey out beyond the walls of that city.
What did God do in order to get them out of the city and onto the journey He set before them?
He sent a disturbance. Look at the Acts 8.
"And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." Acts 8:1
Now go down to Acts 8:4
" Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Phillip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ."
What happened when persecution came? The disciples were scattered. All except the apostles.
The men and women have recieved a great message and were filled with the Spirit. Yet they were going to stay in Jerusalem with the apostles. Yet God had other plans. He had a great message that needed to get outside of the city and into the world. So He made things a little rough for the disciples who were satisfied.
He sent Saul and others to torture and scatter them.
Next we read about Phillip and what he did afterward. You see our life in Christ is not meant to be just lived out with the same group of people until we die. We are to be out and moving forward with the good news.
My life mirrors some of this. Not the persecution per se, but the fact that the Lord hasn't allowed me to become complacent. He brings me to a place with fellow believers. I stay learn and minister then God puts things in my heart that makes me know, it is time to go.
This has happened a lot in the last 10 or so years. My life is not normal in terms of staying with the same group of people for too long.
I personally can say that one of the places I fellowshipped is not even around anymore. God scattered the people. Now those who were in that church are all over in different regions and states.
Now I am on the move again. No, I am not moving from the city I live in, but I am being moved from the person I have been ministering with for the last year and a half. God took me and placed someone in my life to show me somethings and then said it is time. Now go!
It is not an easy thing to do when you have to physically leave those whom you love and fellowship with. Yet how else will we ever be able to reach out to others if we continue to stay in one place?
Our walk should be a journey. We should be willing to say yes Lord not my will, but Yours be done. A lot of people have wasted their lives staying put and not journeying. Plus in a lot of fellowships you have kind hearted pastors who don't want to let go of those God has told to leave.
In time those relationships can become bitter and then what happens?
If God is telling you it is time to move on don't worry about what to next. He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory.
We are not our own we have been bought with a price. We don't belong to a covenant made by men. No we belong to God. If He says it is time then you better listen.
Pastors if you have people you know are leaders and you hold onto them and never let them go are you really being a "shepherd"? A good leader will know when to let go of those he loves and see them continue on the journey God has for them.
Don't waste your life serving man. Use your life to serve God!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
www.gracefornepal.org A plug for a friends website
I just wanted to provide a link to a fellow brother's website. It is called www.GraceforNepal.org
He and some others went to Nepal this last December. They went to teach some of the new ministers and also check out the orphanages.
Please check it out and pray about maybe supporting this ministry. I don't usually plug situations like this except that I know that any donations will actually go to where it is meant.
Stephen Wingo is an elder at Conway Celebration Church. He feels the leading of the Lord to move his family over to Nepal in a few years. It is something that he is taking very seriously and praying about.
So as the Lord leads thank you.
He and some others went to Nepal this last December. They went to teach some of the new ministers and also check out the orphanages.
Please check it out and pray about maybe supporting this ministry. I don't usually plug situations like this except that I know that any donations will actually go to where it is meant.
Stephen Wingo is an elder at Conway Celebration Church. He feels the leading of the Lord to move his family over to Nepal in a few years. It is something that he is taking very seriously and praying about.
So as the Lord leads thank you.
Praying with all supplication....because He told us too..
"I Paul, myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ--I who am humble but bold toward you when I am away!--I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh.
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought into captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete." 2 Corinthians 10:1-6
As I continue down this journey the Lord has me on, there has been great opposition. As with Paul people of God suspect that my walk is in the flesh. The reason being is I am going against the system that has been set up by men. It is a religious system that has it's roots in the spirit. There has been so many church splits, name changes as to disassociate ourselves with what others believe and schemes brought about in the past few hundred centuries. Yet we call ourselves the body of Christ. What has happened is we have allowed strongholds to come against the very divine word of God. In turn we believe that we can do things better than the Word.
Then when someone comes along and raises questions against why the church operates the way it does we get accused of being divisive or walking in the flesh.
What I am finding out is the very people who say this are the ones who are walking not according to the spirit, but of the flesh. This is not their fault it is the system that has been ingrained in people for so long that has harden people to the truth of the gospel.
You can continue on doing the work of God and never miss a beat. Yet still be way off course in other areas of the body.
Peter in the garden was walking with Jesus. Though the devil used him to try and persuade Jesus from dying. Do we think that we are immune to the things of the spirit?
Let's see what Ephesians 6:10-12 has to say about some spiritual issues.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
You see religious systems have their roots in the heavenly places of darkness. Look at the worlds religions and tell me they are good. Even in the past and currently in some countries there are people fighting against each other thinking they are doing Christ's work. Most wars are caused from people fighting for their religion.
People need to be realizing that we are not at war against each other. No, we are at war with the schemes of the devil.
Yes the devil is defeated, but why are we still warned to put on the whole armor of God? The reason being is he can still come against us and turn us against others.
We are to be praying always at all times in the "Spirit', with all prayer and supplications. We are to keep alert for each other with all perseverance and making supplications for all the saints.
In doing this we should be able to have peace amongst ourselves. Also we should be able to discern issues with a spiritual sense.
What I feel about to happen is the Lord is going to bring a spiritual psunami into the body and destroy the system that has been setup all of these years. In turn He will have His pure spotless bride.
Please understand that I am not bringing accusations against individuals. I am warning of the fact that we have lost touch with the meaning of scripture in all ways concerning the body. We have allowed the schemes of the devil to come about secretly and then we call that holy.
We have to repent for what we have allowed to come into our life.
People there is still a voice crying out in the wilderness saying repent! Are we willing to listen. As the word says judgement will come to the church first.
Are we ready to give an account to Jesus for what He has given us?
Pray about that and seek God for the answers.
Amen!
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought into captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete." 2 Corinthians 10:1-6
As I continue down this journey the Lord has me on, there has been great opposition. As with Paul people of God suspect that my walk is in the flesh. The reason being is I am going against the system that has been set up by men. It is a religious system that has it's roots in the spirit. There has been so many church splits, name changes as to disassociate ourselves with what others believe and schemes brought about in the past few hundred centuries. Yet we call ourselves the body of Christ. What has happened is we have allowed strongholds to come against the very divine word of God. In turn we believe that we can do things better than the Word.
Then when someone comes along and raises questions against why the church operates the way it does we get accused of being divisive or walking in the flesh.
What I am finding out is the very people who say this are the ones who are walking not according to the spirit, but of the flesh. This is not their fault it is the system that has been ingrained in people for so long that has harden people to the truth of the gospel.
You can continue on doing the work of God and never miss a beat. Yet still be way off course in other areas of the body.
Peter in the garden was walking with Jesus. Though the devil used him to try and persuade Jesus from dying. Do we think that we are immune to the things of the spirit?
Let's see what Ephesians 6:10-12 has to say about some spiritual issues.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."
You see religious systems have their roots in the heavenly places of darkness. Look at the worlds religions and tell me they are good. Even in the past and currently in some countries there are people fighting against each other thinking they are doing Christ's work. Most wars are caused from people fighting for their religion.
People need to be realizing that we are not at war against each other. No, we are at war with the schemes of the devil.
Yes the devil is defeated, but why are we still warned to put on the whole armor of God? The reason being is he can still come against us and turn us against others.
We are to be praying always at all times in the "Spirit', with all prayer and supplications. We are to keep alert for each other with all perseverance and making supplications for all the saints.
In doing this we should be able to have peace amongst ourselves. Also we should be able to discern issues with a spiritual sense.
What I feel about to happen is the Lord is going to bring a spiritual psunami into the body and destroy the system that has been setup all of these years. In turn He will have His pure spotless bride.
Please understand that I am not bringing accusations against individuals. I am warning of the fact that we have lost touch with the meaning of scripture in all ways concerning the body. We have allowed the schemes of the devil to come about secretly and then we call that holy.
We have to repent for what we have allowed to come into our life.
People there is still a voice crying out in the wilderness saying repent! Are we willing to listen. As the word says judgement will come to the church first.
Are we ready to give an account to Jesus for what He has given us?
Pray about that and seek God for the answers.
Amen!
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