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god's order

Let’s Take Another Look At This

To begin with, the religious system we see prevailing in the Christian church is largely not of God.  While the major denominations were, at one time, on the cutting edge of what God did, presently they are mere forms of godliness.  In fact, they are preventing God’s children from maturing into His image and likeness.

There are several fundamental changes that need to take place in order for God’s people to move forward.  The truth is, it is necessary to significantly change the structure of what has come to be called “church”. What passes for Christianity serves more to hinder than promote what God wants to accomplish.

The foundation of the apostles and prophets

To begin with, we need to fully restore the office and authority of apostles and prophets.  In some ministries, the office of prophet is respected, but in my view most are not given the freedom to speak and act as God directs themTrue prophets need room to work God’s will as He leads them. Moreover, seers cannot be controlled by those who scarcely understand and often times fear them.

Apostles, in my estimation, should be given control of and final authority over churches and groups of churches they found.  Apostles are the only ones able to lay (or re-lay) the foundation of the church.  They possess a supernatural ability to understand and correctly handle prophets.  I believe that most prophets should seek to be under an apostle simply to relate to earthly people.

Until the offices of apostle and prophet are restored to God’s church His body will never function as intended.  More than anything else, the lack of these two ministries is why the church has fallen into disorder. 

Hear His voice

Next, shift the emphasis from teaching to experiencing God personally on a daily basis.  Many western Christians are literally being taught to death.  Clergy tie up God’s people into spiritual knots, causing them to be afraid to step out in faith for fear of breaking some principle.  Many times these “principles” are no more than what used to be called “traditions of men.”  Personally, I respect all the stories of the Bible, but I want to live out my own adventure of faith.  As good as it is to teach about what Jesus did, it is far better to talk to Him personally on a daily basis.

In order to shift emphasis to experiential Christianity, encourage God’s people to hear and trust His voice for themselves.  Teach them to first gain confidence in His voice through actually doing what He commands.  Allow believers to make mistakes so that they can personally learn what is and is not His living word.  Even more importantly, admonish them to trust and obey even if what God asks doesn’t make sense to their natural minds.  Only by hearing God’s voice will He be able to bring them out of all the false teaching they currently believe. 

Pastors and teachers need to submit to God’s order

Pastors and teachers must come into correct relationship to the higher offices also.  Currently, the clergy rule their churches with rods of iron, demanding obedience even if God leads their sheep differently.  Though babies and young children need guidance, young men and women need to become autonomous thinkers. 

Likewise, people who have walked with God should mature to a point where they do not have to look to pastors and teachers to tell them right and wrong.  Moreover, pastors and teachers need to let go and let God lead and guide His saints.  Right now there is very little freedom in religious circles to be led by the Holy Spirit.

The Bible is not God

Stop worshiping the Bible as if it were God, that is idolatry.  The Bible is not God and is not in and of itself holy.  Though the Author is holy, the words that are written are simply His thoughts expressed over many generations through people who were led by His Holy Spirit.  Be thankful for the Bible and give it all the respect that it deserves, but never worship it.  It is not like in the movies where demons cry out at the sight of a Bible. The only thing demons fear is God in Jesus and us if we are truly Spirit-filled.

The Bible is a book from which we can derive specific commandments and general principles on how God deals with mankind.  However, it is the Author we should focus upon.  The word of God that He is speaking today – and that is generally ignored – is vital because it is relevant, specific, and fresh.  The New Testament was once new revelation and this is why the church thrived in the first century.  We need revelators who will stand up and say “this is that” in our generation, too.

The damning thing about being enthralled with “the Word” is that we are actually not loving the Bible at all, but only the crude idol we have made of it.  What we have been taught in essence becomes our “Bible.” We love our doctrine like it was God Himself.  Denominations perpetrate all manner of erroneous Christian falsehoods.  Though many of these beliefs make no sense all, people insist they are true because they believe they are the word of God

Restoring God’s order

In conclusion, foundations are important and we need to re-lay the foundations of the present church so that what God wishes to build upon these fundamental structures will stand strong and prosper.  This cannot be done with the present leadership of the church.  They resist the Holy Spirit and frustrate His will in favor of holding on to centuries-old dogma.  We cannot move forward by constantly looking backward.

A new generation of leaders must stand up and preach and teach by revelation once again.  We must prepare God’s people to receive their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ directly.  If we fail to make straight the paths of our Lord in the hearts of His chosen they will not recognize the time of their visitation. God has been preparing you for such a day as this.  Take up Elijah’s mantle, strike the waters of Christianity and cry with one voice, “where is the Lord God of Elijah!” 

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