“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for
another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.” James 5:16 KJV
Oswald Chambers said of this verse, “Be one who worships GOD and who lives in holy
relationship with Him. Get into the real work of intersession, and remember it
is a work that taxes every power.”
Over 100 years ago Oswald Chambers was teaching the necessity
of the Spirit empowered lifestyle. 2000 years ago Jesus and then the Apostles
were teaching the importance of the Spirit empowered lifestyle.
So why is it so hard for much of the Church to understand
and teach the Spirit empowered lifestyle? What became popular in the 20th
century and is still popular in much of the Church today is the prosperity till
rescued lifestyle. Many Christians are taught and believe that GOD wants to give them the good
life though prosperity until they are raptured out just before the great
tribulation begins on the earth.
The rapture teaching did not exist until the 19th
century and the prosperity teaching did not exist until the 20th
century. Now it is taught from pulpits great and small around the world. For
1900 years a lifestyle of seeking GOD first and His righteousness was taught. The Church was taught
to pray through the trials, testings and persecutions of life (yes they were
expected) for GOD’s will
to be done. Just like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, they prayed if it was
possible that they would be delivered, but GOD’s will be done. And many suffered and many died in
the pursuit of living the Spirit empowered lifestyle.
So why do so many Christians today believe that GOD’s Love is only expressed in
their comfort and prosperity and therefore He will rescue them at the last
minute from the great tribulation. During the great tribulation according to
the scriptures there will be a great harvest in the earth of new believers.
How? Some teach that it will be those who were not really believers but went to
Church who will then understand the Bible and become the great evangelists of
the great tribulation.
Ha! I don’t think so! As an experienced human being of 66
years, a Christian of 43 years, one who had his own falling away of 17 years, I
know that most of those who expect to be raptured and are not when the kingdom
of the anti-christ is established under the guise of the one world government
or the universal order will be hurt, confused, angry and even vengeful at the
Church that led them down the primrose path to tribulation. Some will
understand that they were deceived because of their itching ears and by not
personally seeking GOD
but letting others tell them what was pleasant; but many will turn their back
on the Church and GOD and
will only harden their hearts to the truth.
GOD
is Love! And He does want to bless, protect, provide, prosper, heal and deliver
us from every bad thing and choice we ever made; and from every evil work of
the world and the devil.
GOD
is Righteous! And His Word, judgment, justice, mercy and grace cannot fail!
GOD
is a consuming fire! And He will consume everything that is not of Him and His
eternal Kingdom. And He will refine everything that is of Him and His eternal
Kingdom.
GOD is Truth! And everything that He said will happen, will
happen! Nothing that He said will happen, will not happen!
The Great Commission; that Jesus gave the Church before He
ascended to be enthroned at the right hand of GOD’s throne and then They sent Their Holy Spirit to
indwell every born again believer; will not be completed until the great tribulation
and the great harvest are complete. How will this happen?
Christ is coming back for His Bride the Church! He is not
coming back for a beat down, beggarly, in hiding bride! He is not coming back
for and impure bride full of false teaching and sin! He is coming back for a
Bride that is pure by the Blood of The Lamb, the word of Her testimony and not
loving Her life unto death!
How does the Church become that Bride? By each person,
family and fellowship who say they are Christian and believe they are born
again seeking His Kingdom and His Righteousness everyday! By reading and studying
the Bible everyday! By praying without ceasing! By fasting to seek GOD’s presence! By
fellowshipping with Believers! By evangelizing the lost! By living as Jesus
did; only doing what He saw the Father doing; only saying what He heard the
Father saying; by yielding His will to the Father’s will!
Yes, it is not always easy, sometimes it is very hard,
sometimes it costs more than we expected, but that is usually because we are
still hoping and trying for what is easy rather than what is His will!
Everything that Jesus taught was about eternal Heavenly
rewards not earthly rewards! He did not call us to or promise us the easy life.
He called us to the life of obedience which will include sacrifice. But if we
are consumed by His Love then His consuming fire will not consume us!
For more information on living a Spirit empowered lifestyle
go to dninternational.org
No comments:
Post a Comment