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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

The Split

I see a change happening.

I see a splitting off in the spirit.

4  1/2 or 5 years ago, during President Obama's campaign I saw a splitting of the people - a choosing up of sides that had nothing to do with the political arena.  It was a spiritual dividing line that used the campaign as a cover.

Dodge Ball got banned when I was in elementary school, but we used to play in secret - or so we thought.  We would choose up sides, bust each other with the ball and hope we didn't get busted for playing.  It was that clandestine choosing up of sides that I saw in the spirit realm.  And the dividing line was not Christians on the Republican side and everybody else in every other political party.  Each party got their "fair share" of Jews & Gentiles; Saved and Un-Saved.

Then a year or more ago I saw another splitting off - this too was political/spiritual in nature.  I saw the peoples of America lined up behind 3 crowns: who would they serve?  They were filing in by the masses in even lines, equally numbered and marching towards the crown of their choice and these crowns represented their master; their allegiance and their commitment.  Only one crown was for our Lord Jesus Christ.

But today I see a split that is religious/spiritual in nature.  And perhaps that is actually an accurate description of the split itself - between the "religious" and the "spiritual".  The bible says true religion is helping the widows and orphans, but the word "religion" has become a by-word for the bureaucracy, regiment, doctrine, structure and "social climate" of the church today.

And let me tell you in case you didn't already know - the word has much negative connotation and it is mostly justifiable.

I wasn't "raised in the church".  Church bureaucracy and mores bewilder me.  Much of it just does not match up with the word of God written in my bible.  It's a conglomeration of tradition, pomp & circumstance; show-boating and showmanship that is protected, defended and enforced through falsely applied scripture, obedience, guilt and even shame.

And what I see is that God is tired of it. 

God is tired of preachers demanding that their congregation worship Him in Spirit and in Truth - and yet, no one does.  In many churches "Praise and Worship" has become a title that designates a particular time in the service that has little to do with with opening communication with the Holy Ghost and an invoking of the power of God's Glory.

God is splitting off the old religious powers that formulated these structures and traditions with a remnant of Kingdom minded preachers that will let the Holy Ghost have His way as in the early days of the church.

God's people are desperately praying for His intervention; for answers; for miracles; for power and the manifestation of His promises.  But God has been limited in His ability to answer these requests because of the structural limitations placed on His sources for expressing those answers! If you want God to work in your life, then give Him free reign to do so!

And another thing - how can church leaders say, "let all things be done decently and in order" then turn around and say that the Holy Spirit would not act in certain ways that they might deem as disruptive, radical or outrageous?  Hello... 120 people all babbling, wobbling and praising at 9 am in the morning so that everyone who saw them supposed that they were drunk!?  That doesn't sound like the church's definition of decently and in order!

Or what about the Glory of God filling the temple with such a cloud that the priests couldn't even stand or minister?  That doesn't sound like today's definition of "decent and in order" either. 

The Holy Ghost is craning His spiritual neck and chomping and His supernatural bit, just for churches and pastors to let go and let Him in and stop squelching Him just as soon as He shows up when they ask Him to. Right when the Spirit of God falls upon a congregation, that's when they stop service and tell you it's time to take offering or preach a message with no power from the Word.  No, instead that should be the time to stand and bask in the Glory of God and let the Holy Ghost do the work the people were just praying, praising and worshipping Him for!

That's my soap box... it has been so spiritually frustrating for me.

But I see that the Spirit of God is frustrated too.  The time has come when God will make a change in HIS church! True worship... a praise that He can inhabit... miracles, signs and wonders... and the days shall return when congregations will be in one place and in one accord and the Holy Ghost will descend upon ALL in the room like cloven tongues of fire.  The days shall return when souls will be healed, restored and SAVED by the thousands at one time... The days are returning and even now have begun...

And the days of pastors who stick to their structure of praise and worship, announcements, offering, preach the word, give an altar call and the benediction are over for the Holy Ghost.  This not the church that God has called out. He has called out a body of believers.  The is "church as usual" - no matter how much a pastor may say it is not.

It is a new day.  New preachers are being split off from the old. Old things are passed away, behold all is become new. There is a splitting off from "church as usual" to the church of the unusual and peculiar. Where healings are on the regular, demons are cast out daily, lepers are cleansed and the dead are raised - literally, not figuratively.

Isn't that what we, the church, have been called out to do?

Power, love & peace, ya'll -
~Min. Dez

Posted by ~Pastor D at 11:37 PM 0 comments

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This is a stationary post.

Destiny's Journey


Some journeys are well traveled roads. Common, familiar and easy. We cruise along the path oblivious to the process as we habitually turn each corner, climb each hill and break each slope. Only to arrive, blink and wonder how we managed without incident or memory of the trip.

This journey - my journey - is not like that. This journey is one of reluctance, hesitance, unsurity, insecurity and yes, a moderate amount of fear.

As I open the window for you to view my progress, you will undoubtedly come to your own conclusion based upon the progress of your own journey - and your observations will be varied.

Some might say that I am making slow but steady progress toward a clear destination. Others may say that I am floundering and wandering aimlessly down a muddy road with too many directions to choose from.

I say my journey has just begun, although it started more than 10 years ago. I say I still have such a long, long way to go, although I am teetering on the precipice of completion. I say the journey has made me weary, leery and weak, although I trudge on with a strength and endurance that is beyond me. I say the path is muddy, with many obstacles, directions and difficulties still yet to come. However, my destination is clear - crazy, unimaginable, overwhelming and clear.

When this path first appeared it was like a hazy, dirt road on a foggy day. I peered at it without knowing what it was or where it was going - then tried to ignore it as inconsequential. When the path persisted I joked as to where it might lead, then still tried to dismiss it as a path not meant for me.

It was years before the view of the path cleared and I was able to see the destination more clearly. It was absurd to think that the reality of where this path could end up would be in a place far more outlandish than even my most absurd imaginings! OK, maybe - just maybe this path ended up in a very good place - but a place still not meant for me. Definitely not me.

Why not me? Who else but me, since I was the only one to see? Please, Dear God, not me! Yes, me. This path was meant for me.

And so I watched it, argued with it, denied it and tried to imagine a life without pursuing it.

Four - no five, has it already been five? Five years ago I accepted it. I stuck out a big toe like testing the cold water of a pool - then yanked my foot back like I so often would. I wrote about it, dreamed about it, and tried it on for size in the privacy of my dressing room of life. And by the way, I still watched it, argued with it, denied it and tried to imagine a life without pursuing it.

Three - sorry, I forgot - Four years ago I made up my mind. I packed my bags, said good bye to the sanity and sanctuary of friends and family who always had thought they understood me, and I took my first hesitant and frightened step.

In these last four years I have walked, sometimes trotted, but never quite run toward a goal I think is crazy. I have stopped, I have even sat down and I have wistfully looked back to a time when I did not know and could not see what was meant for me.

But I will not stop. I packed my bags (all my baggage), and made up my mind. Armed with nothing but 2 scriptures and a great deal of hope, I continue to trudge on driven by the surity that if - just if - I happen to arrive at this awesome, fearsome destination, it will be extraordinary, phenomenal and inconceivably wonderful. This destination...

A destination, a journey to a place that is called destiny. My destiny. Destiny's purpose in life. My God given purpose.

Sometimes while we travel, we see another driver, glance in that direction and never take note or give them another thought. Perhaps that is how you will see me.

Sometimes we see another traveler and something catches our eye. We may watch a moment, muse a moment or even briefly wonder... Then they continue on their own separate way and thoughts of them fade as quickly as they do. Perhaps that will be how you see me.

Other times we get caught in traffic, bunched up with drivers because of fate. And whether we cruise along peacefully or struggle with road rage, we share a community of progress, each with our own destination. Perhaps that will be how you experience me.

And on rare occasion on our own individual roads of life, we travel a path where we encounter another driver - seemingly traveling to the same basic place. At times they follow us and then we follow them. We may take note of who they are and what they drive - possibly even read a licence plate. We'll share a moment or even a long while - silently and separately together, with maybe a glance, a smile or a brief a wave of acknowledgement. Perhaps that will be how you experience me.

I cannot say how long this path will be for me, so whether you glance and move on - never to take notice; or whether you wonder a moment at who I am and where I'm going; or whether you follow a while, smile and wave or better yet, if you decide to stay for the journey, I invite you to come along for the ride.

***
Please click on the "Stuff From Before" link to Destiny's Journey to make your comments.