"A WORD TO THE CHURCH"

FAITH, IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH ME MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. I HAVE ALWAYS STOOD BY FAITH, AND NOW, I FIND THAT I DO NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND FAITH LIKE I THOUGHT I DID. FOR THERE IS NO FOUNDATION FOR A MARRIAGE OR RELATIONSHIP, OR TRUE FELLOWSHIP IN THE BODY OF CHRIST, OUTSIDE OF "ONENESS" IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE.. OR, A 'CONGREGATION FOR THAT MATTER, AND THIS BEGINS WITH BEING YIELDED TO CHRIST, AND ONE IN COMMUNION WITH HIM.

THERE MUST BE A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION IN "COVENANT" WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR THERE WILL ME NO UNITY, OR LIKE MINDEDNESS IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS OR SERVICE IN THE LORD. SATAN HAS SUCKED THE LIFE OUT OF THE CHURCH, (FOR THE MOST PART), AND INSENSITIVITY, TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS ALMOST LOST IN THE LIVES OF MOST PEOPLE.

IT SHOWS THROUGH THEIR 'LACK OF LOVE,' AND SERVICE TO THE LORD, AND TO EACH OTHER. "THE LOVE OF MANY WILL WAX COLD, AND  LAWLESSNESS WILL INCREASE!" JESUS SAID. THIS IS NOT JUST A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS CONCERNING THE LOST WORLD. T IS A WARNING TO THE BODY OF CHRIST AS WELL, THAT LAWLESSNESS WILL INCREASE WHEN LOVE WAXES COLD....

IN OTHER WORDS.. TO LOVE, "GOD'S WAY," WOULD MEAN TO TREAT YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF, TO TREAT YOUR SPIRITUAL BROTHER EVEN BETTER, AND TO CARE MORE ABOUT THE OTHER PERSON THAN YOURSELF, AND TO BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEEDS OF OTHERS THAN YOUR OWN, AND FINALLY, TO BE WILLING TO LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR A FRIEND, A BROTHER. OF COURSE 1 CORINTHIANS 13 GIVES US THE CLEAR PICTURE ON THE FRUIT OF LOVE.

JAMES TELLS US: THAT WHEN WE MURMUR, CRITICIZE, JUDGE OUR BROTHER, WE JUDGE THE LAW! WHAT LAW?... THE LAW OF LOVE! WE'RE SAYING BY DOING THESE THINGS, "GOD YOUR WAY IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH, I WILL TAKE MATTERS INTO MY OWN HANDS." NOW, WE HAVE BECOME LAW-BREAKERS, AND LAW-LESS, (HAVING NOT LOVE, WHICH IS THE LAW OF CHRIST).

WE HAVE NOW DONE WHAT PAUL SAID OF THE ISRAELITES... " WE HAVE A RIGHTEOUSNESS OF OUR OWN..." A SELF IMPOSED LAW,( OR WAY OF LIVING), OF OUR OWN MAKING. NOT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THAT COMES THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.

THE CHURCH HAS TRULY STEPPED INTO THIS POSITION, LAWLESS..., WITHOUT LOVE, WITHOUT FEELING, WITHOUT TRUE CONCERN AND CARE FOR THE LOST, OR THE BODY. EACH HAS HIS/HER OWN WORLD, AND AGENDA, AND CONCERNS TO TEND TO, AND NO TIME FOR THE ONE WHO NEEDS THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THAT THEY MAY GROW UP INTO ALL THINGS UNTO CHRIST.

WE ARE DESERTING SOLDIERS, ON THE BATTLE FIELD OF THE WOUNDED, LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT OF THE WAR, INSTEAD WALKING BY FAITH, AND SEEING CHRIST'S LOVE AND WORD, AND BLOOD, AS THE ONLY WAY TO WIN IT!

WE HAVE NO OIL AND WINE, TO POUR INTO THE WOUNDS OF ANOTHER, BECAUSE WE HAVE NO POWER FROM ON HIGH FROM WHICH TO DRAW UPON. WE HAVE NO DONKEY WHICH TO PLACE THE WEARY AND THE BATTERED UPON, TO TAKE THEM TO THE INN, WHERE THEY MIGHT FIND REST AND HEALING.

THE BURROW HERE, IS A TYPE OF CHRIST, AS WE KNOW WE CAN ONLY LAY OUR BURDENS, AND THE PAIN AND BURDENS OF ANOTHER, UPON HIS STRONG SHOULDERS, THAT HE WOULD CARRY THE LOAD.

BUT, 'WE MUST BE THE ONES' TO UNDERTAKE THE ACT OF PLACING THAT WOUNDED ONE ON THE LORD... TAKING THEM THERE THROUGH THE GIFTS AND CALLING THE LORD HAS GIVEN US. TAKING, AND KEEPING THEM THERE THROUGH INTERCESSION! THIS TO IS ALL BY FAITH!

ALSO, WE MUST POINT AND EVEN LEAD THE WAY, GUIDE IF NEED BE, THE WEARY ONE TO THE INN, THE PLACE OF COMMUNION, THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD! THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE THEY CAN BE REFRESHED AND HEALED AND SAVED FROM THE DEMONIC ROAD ROBBERS, SEEKING TO BEAT THEM, AND LEAVE THEM FOR DEAD IN THE DITCH! AGAIN, EXERCISING OUR FAITH!

THE ROAD ROBBERS, WOULD INCLUDE ALL THE RELIGIOUS PHARISEES WHO HAVE SOUGHT THEIR OWN AGENDA, AND LIVE IN FEAR FOR THEIR 'OWN NEEDS' AND SELF PRESERVATION. THOSE WHO FIND IT INCONVENIENT, TO GET IN THE DITCH.

THESE ROAD ROBBERS, AS I CALL THEM, ARE READY TO DRAIN YOU DRY OF ALL THE REVELATION THEY CAN GET FROM YOU, TO GAIN 'KNOWLEDGE,' TO HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND PLAY TO THE AUDIENCE. THEY WILL DRAIN YOUR TIME AND YOUR COUNCIL, AND NEVER RECEIVE IT, OR GROW FROM WHAT THEY HEAR AND ARE TAUGHT, AND, THEY HAVE NO FAITH, NO POWER. THEIR ONLY POWER IS IN THE FLESH, NOT FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT.

THE CALL TO "RETURN" IS LOUD AND CLEAR TO THOSE WHO HAVE EARS TO HEAR IT!

THE LORD IS CRYING OUT TODAY, I BELIEVE, LIKE NEVER BEFORE... "RETURN TO YOUR FIRST LOVE..." WALK IN LOVE, SHOW MY LOVE! WALK BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT!   UNTIL THE CHURCH SEES THIS, AND DOES IT, SHE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE LIFELESS, COMPLACENT, INDIFFERENT, POWERLESS PEOPLE, THAT CAN ONLY MAKE A LOUD NOISE, BUT HAVE NOT, THE FAITH IN GOD TO BE LIKE JESUS.

HELP US LORD.. BRING US TO OUR SENSES, THAT WE MIGHT BE THAT PEOPLE WHO HEED YOUR CALL, AND SEE WHAT YOUR SPIRIT IS DOING IN THE EARTH, AND COME BACK TO OUR FIRST LOVE, AND DO THE WORKS WE DID AT FIRST!

THIS, IS REAL FAITH!