UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE!
Word For Today: September 25, 2019: UNLESS THE LORD BUILDS THE HOUSE!
Beloved,
My heart aches today in the Lord. Why can’t we trust the Lord in people’s lives? Why can’t we trust God to prove all things? Every time God births a new move, the old move of God leaders persecute the new?
I understand it is part of the new territory, but likewise, the “new of God’s leaders” can inadvertently begin to speak in “absolutes” when they can’t see the whole picture?
I think we need to tread very carefully as we walk in the new. I know God had to work in my heart even as God was giving me “new kingdom of God light.” I didn’t realize I still had some baggage I was carrying with me even as God was giving me a new wineskin.
The true pioneers of the (new) of the Lord that have made a way for us to advance the Kingdom now paid a great price for what God gave them. They were persecuted, rejected, despised, called they were of the devil, and worse. They often went without support, provision, and had to truly rely upon the Lord for everything. Yet, they kept loving those who couldn’t see and forgave them to forge a path for us to walk on.
I know I couldn’t see things I needed to see as God drew me out of the 2nd day religious system age to see the 3rd day kingdom of God age now unfolding upon the earth.
Unfortunately, I was still carrying some of the “old religious mindset” trying to bring into the new light of the “kingdom of God” God was revealing to me and in me. I was pretty sure I was right, but even if I was or wasn’t, that wasn’t the issues, I wasn’t being righteous.
The Lord told me about 25 years ago,that you can be right going all the way to hell, if you hold your “rightness” against someone and not forgive them. That was pretty sobering and made the adjustment I needed in my heart.
Beloved, as God was giving me increasing light and revelation of his Kingdom, there were things I could not understand or explain. Things that didn’t make sense to me yet because all the ministry operation I was used to was from the 2nd day church age.
So it was normal to me to minister the way I was used to. I thought I could just function like that amongst more mature kingdom minded people then me. I was like a duck out of water, because how they were ministering made no or little sense to me then.
I could not see the bigger picture of what the Lord was trying to do in his body. How each part that he has is to supply what the other body parts needed. Even though in a few cases I had the opportunity to minister, I was not conscious of the “true kingdom operation” God wanted to do in that gathering.
I know we may not want to hear this yet, but if we are still conducting our gatherings with the same structure we had in the 2nd day church age we may be using the old wineskin.
We may be allowing the Holy Spirit to minister more then before and even us a few people more, but our mentality may still be “we have to bring a message” like when we Pastored in the old wineskin.
If God does not change our understanding and give us a greater understanding of what He desires when we gather together, we may miss all the Lord desires to do and the Glory He wants to be seen upon us.
Our gatherings in the Lord as God desires do not have time restraints or restrictions. Are gatherings are not to be “services” like we have known them to be. They need to grow and change into what God desires for us.
Have you thought about the “term going to service comes from?” Where in the Word of God does it tell us to have services? I believe that word, term and operation is man made and not God made.
I can service my car, I can service my dishwasher, but I can’t “service” God’s people. In a “service mentality” someone has to be the head honcho that brings the word “they have to “service” the people. Again can we find the order of our church services in the Bible. Just because we have done them this way for centuries doesn’t mean they are right or don’t need to change.
In most “services’ there is hardly any recognition that the Holy Spirit should be the “real leader” of the gathering and He can use who He pleases. He may not even be welcomed in some services? He may be quenched in others? He may even be grieved because “man” takes control and puts him out the door.
Allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us into the manifested presence of the Lord does not diminish the 5 fold ministry gifting in the gathering at all. Actually when the Manifested Presence of the Lord is present it enhances those gifts, and they functions perfectly as He wills.
1st Corinthians speaks of the “order of worship” not by man’s design, not a service set up time frame and agenda, but the true gathering of the saints and what to expect when the manifest presence of God is present.
Good Order in Worship
26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.
Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.
31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
Notice Paul writes “when you come together” another word it is the “gatherings of the saints” not a Sunday or Wednesday weekly church attendee service.
Also, notice the instruction in that verse, each of you.... each of you.. has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Who are the each of you? The entire body that gathers can and should have something that can build up the rest of the body as God wills.
Beloved, Do you see the operation of the Holy Spirit’s work in our gatherings? He is the leader not us. The focus of our gatherings is not to get a “word, a teaching, or a message” from a Pastor or 5 fold ministry alone, or should that be a focus. The focus isn’t to have awesome worship time where we feel good.
The focus is to be placed upon Lord, His person, His presence in our midst. From His presence we learn to see what Lord would desire you or anyone to say or do, minister, in our midst.”
The focus would be on worshiping the Lord our God with all our hearts, soul and mind and strength and pouring our love upon Him, until we are lifted up out of the natural into the Holy Spirit so He can do as the Lord desires in our midst.
Our focus must be to wait on the Holy Spirit to lead and use whom he will. He is in charge! This does not challenge an Apostle, Prophet, or 5 fold ministry authority it actually establishes it correctly with each gift getting under God’s people to lift them up so they function and minister to each other to build up Christ body.
One of the reason many have left the “organized church buildings” is not because they are rebellious, some may have been, but because they are hungry for the more of God. They are hungry to grow for themselves spiritually and they are looking for good ground they can put their feet into grow.
That is why home churches have gained some popularity because with the right heart and focus the Holy Spirit is free to lead as he will, use whom he will, and yes some apostles and prophets will be found in these home settings as well that are being trained to allow this to happen. They are being taught by the Lord how to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry of the Kingdom of God!
To me that it is why it is so harmful to put out “general statements” about people who may not be “gathering to where we think they should be.” How do you know where those people are you are writing to?
Could it be possible that a trace of the “old wine skin” could be influencing your thoughts and understanding by what we may be writing? I am seeing that a bit more on many facebook posts. I just encourage us to slow down a bit and allow the Lord to give us more clarity and understanding concerning the condition of his people on whether or not they are in a “local fellowship” or not.
I didn’t understand that I was doing that when I gathered with other kingdom minded people when God was drawing me out of the church age. I held unto what I had known as it was “the last word” on things.
I regret that now. I got a bit head strong and had to repent of the arrogance that the enemy worked through me. The kingdom of God is righteouness, peace and joy... IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Beloved, I think we miss the “IN THE HOLY SPIRIT” part of that verse. My understanding of that was limited for a long time, and maybe still could be as I learn more of His kingdom ways.
But if I am open to be taught by the Lord, that’s he can change me by giving me greater light and revelation personally or those more seasoned in the kingdom ways then me. That is what spiritual growth is all about.
I pray that those of you coming into Kingdom understanding might hear me and learn for where I failed. I have scars to prove it, but if they produced a limp me, then praise God at least I am learning, I guess!!
It takes great faith and humility to get out of the way as a 5 fold minister when we are taught we have to lead everything in some places “control everything.” You see there is a real need for true Apostolic Fathers and Prophetic ones to truly disciple sons and daughters as well as true Pastors, Teachers and Evangelist.
But the House of God is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. With everyone claiming to be one these days, we must discern those who are operating with the 2nd day church age mentality, those who are coming out of that into the 3rd day kingdom age mentality and those who are in it more fully.
Each one of these have some light of the knowledge and the glory of God and the deeper the Lord works in their heart of surrender with brokenness and humility the more light of the Kingdom they receive and can impart.
What we must be careful of is not to bring the “doctrine of the Nicolatians” into the kingdom age where there are two classes of Christians, Clergy and Laity. That structure puts leaders “over people” verses underneath them.
When the word of God calls Jesus the cornerstone and he gifts gift unto men, these 5 fold ministry stones were to be laid next to him on which the rest of the house is built upon. Another words, their true gift is raise up others to be the men and women God called them to be.
In the church age, those gifts were used to often “lord” over people and demand a “submission” to them God never asked for. This is who we get 16 weeks of classes to teach everyone about what our church vision is. What about their vision? What about what God called them to be? Shouldn’t that be the true focus of our discipleship?
Should we not esteem others better then ourselves. Our “church service” mindset fits into a Doctrine of the Nicolaitans. Where the “leaders” give us everything we need and serve them in what God put in their heart.”
Not every leader and pastor in the church age or even five fold ministers did that, but a lot of them did. The reason Apostles and Prophets are not yet well received in the rest of the body is because the Pastor gift has been lifted up above the others.
So other foundation laying gifts become a threat to their security, value and worth of what they have built. They often look at these two foundational gifts as “threats” instead of blessings.
I also have seen those called to be “apostles” try to usurp their authority and lord over the 5 gifts and want everyone to come under their apostleship in a “city church model.” I have seen the heartbreak of this truth being misused by people who just wanted power instead of humility and the damage it did to so many.
That is why there is a “remnant” outside the church proper who are not rebellious or deceived. The are the Lord’s, His own ones. They have been hidden to be protected from a religious system that has filled many churches that would destroy their life in the Lord, and the Lord would not let that happen.
That is why I am cautioning those who God is rising up to not rush to “absolutes” without God giving them greater light to see “the sheep outside the camp” being fed by the Lord Himself.
Beloved it is this issue and the issue of what are gatherings need to grow into that the Lord is having me address.
In the Song of Solomon when the Lord is preparing and selecting His Bride out of the daughters of Jerusalem She notices that he is “outside the camp” tending another set of sheep in a deeper and more intimate way.
When her eyes are open to see Him more than just her savior, but her Lord, her husband to me, she wants to know where he tends his flocks. This speaks of the people I aforementioned that are not rebellious but hungry for the Lord Himself.
They are hungry to grow spiritually beyond just working for the Lord in the ministry. They are hungry for the Lord himself. The Lord is actually waiting for that to happen, where working for him will not satisfy our hunger anymore. He is waiting to see if we will go past being saved, a ministry, the gifts of the spirit to desire Him for just who He is, our God, our Husband and our King.
Let us read this beautiful picture of the “remnant people” that may be in a home church, or being fed by the Lord Himself that are not rebellious or stubborn but hungry for the Lord.
Song of Solomon 1:2-8
1 This song of songs, more wonderful than any other, was composed by King Solomon:
2 “Kiss me again and again, for your love is sweeter than wine.
3 How fragrant your cologne, and how great your name! No wonder all the young girls love you!
4 Take me with you; come, let’s run! ”The king has brought me into his palace. How happy we will be! Your love is better than wine. No wonder all the young girls love you!”
5 "I am dark but beautiful, O girls of Jerusalem, tanned as the dark tents of Kedar."
King Solomon: “But lovely as the silken tents of Solomon!”
6 “Don’t look down on me, you city girls,[b] just because my complexion is so dark—the sun has tanned me. My brothers were angry with me and sent me out into the sun* to tend the vineyards, but see what it has done to me!”*
7 “Tell me, O one I love, where are you leading your flock today? Where will you be at noon? For I will come and join you there instead of wandering like a vagabond among the flocks of your companions.”
8 “If you don’t know, O most beautiful woman in all the world, follow the trail of my flock to the shepherds’ tents, and there feed your sheep and their lambs.
I don’t have time in this post to teach on what all these verse mean, but I do want to highlight verses 7 and 8.
Tell me oh one that I love “where are YOU FEEDING YOUR FLOCKS TODAY? Where will YOU BE AT NOON? For I WILL COME AND JOIN YOU THERE instead of wandering like a vagabond AMONGST THE FLOCKS OF YOUR COMPANIONS?
This testifies of her hunger for Him alone. She is being drawn outside the business as usual church to find Him alone. She does not want to stay being sunburned where her step brother, “church Leaders) made her keep their vineyards, “their church vision” but her own vineyard, “spiritual life for herself” she has not kept.
Beloved, there are many, many, maybe millions who have been drawn out of the 2nd day church age to enter into the Kingdom age where they can have a relationship with the Lord themselves and grow into spiritual maturity as the Lord desires.
It is those maturing ones, He know wants to bring together and form them as a wheel within a wheel on the earth. In their midst are hidden apostles and prophets who will rightly discern the body of Christ and know how by the Lord to bring them together to function as in the book of Acts, but even greater in our day.
Verse 8 the Lord answers her< “if you don’t know, o most beautiful woman in the world..(he is speaking to her potential in her know that she is hungering and thirsting for him alone) follow the trail of my flock to the shepherds tents, and there feed your sheep and your lambs.
Here He says, I have Shepherds, Apostles and Prophets out side the “religious system walls that have come out like you and leaned to feed on me alone. They can help you, instruct you, connect you with me first and then one another that is pleasing to me.
They know me, my ways and they have a deep personal relationship with me and they will point you to Me, not them, not their church, not their organization or their work, but to me alone. That is the Kingdom of God work to be established each person God entrust them to.
Why is this important, because these “beautiful one” who are hungry for the Lord can’t fit into the old wine skin of church services. They have no place there. They don’t know how to function there anymore, neither do they fit in. After a while of trying, they leave not of rebellion but out of love and devotion to the Lord.
Beloved many of them are hungry for true fellowship with other saints that are hungering and thirsting after the Lord living only to do His will. That is where they fit in the body.
When they gather together they are not coming to be “fed” “get a message” alone, because they are mature that can also impart, share and have a part in the gathering as 1st Corinthians 14:26-28 suggest.
They have learned to allow the Holy Spirit to lead them personally so they are not trained to allow him to lead in a corporate setting where they don’t’ have to be “the star of the show.” This includes apostles and prophets who have been trained outside the camp sort of speak as well.
That can include Apostles, Prophets, Pastors who have that heart and are building the way the Lord desires and have 100’s or more in their gatherings. It is not about where we meet, it is why we meet? It not about when we meet, but why we meet.
I will close this post with 1st Corinthian's 14:26-28 to remind us that when we are not gathering for a “service” or to be “taught by one person brining a message of the hour” we now allow the Holy Spirit to flow, move and use as whom He will.
I ask you Apostle, Prophet, or 5 fold ministry, what if God did not let you say one word or do one thing in the gathering could you truly be at peace? Would you feel you had to do something because “you are in charge.”
True leadership is built upon the Holy Spirit being in charge and this we need a deeper revelation of in all the body so we can flow and function together as God wants. The eye can’t say to the foot I have no need of you, or the ear to the hand that I have no need of you.
It is God who arranges the body parts, and flows through them as He wills. As kingdom apostles, prophets and 5 fold ministers we must go much deeper to be trained by the Lord to allow Him to operate through his body as He wills.
We have just begun beloved to do this more and more, but it must increase until we can hear the Lord speak through his body, separate unto me Paul and Barnabus for the work that I have for them as they did in the days of the earthly church.
We must learn to cultivate and welcome the manifest presence of the Lord by true and pure worship and waiting upon Him to move and then allow him to flow, move and use whom He will to build up the body.
1st Corinthians 14:26 again says:
26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation.
Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.
31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
Do you see in verse 26 the body’s part to is to have something, so the whole church can be built up. They can have tongues, interpretations of tongues, teaching, words of instructions, prophecies to do that.
Then the work of the apostle, prophets can speak and the rest can discern. The point is that God desires THESE TYPE OF GATHERINGS OF THE SAINTS WHICH WE ARE NOT TO NEGLECT.
I am writing this for us to use caution when we write or speak about those outside the “body” as you have known that to mean. In our desire to build the Kingdom and gather the saints, we must be cautious we do not do the same sin that was found in the old wineskin of religious life.
That of beating the sheep and make them keepers of our vineyards instead of their own. Do we really want that on our hands when we stand before the Lord?
God is establishing His Kingdom on the earth.
God is rising up true apostolic fathers and prophetic ones as well in humility and brokenness to see the condition of the whole flock from his light nor ours. We must use great caution to make sure the Lord is leading us how to build his house instead of us trying to tell him how to do it again? It didn’t work last time, and it won’t work this time.
I pray if you are reading this today and you are a “new breed” of leaders God is building up that we would learn what did not work, nor did God want to truly seek His face to see what will work and what he does want.
Let me close this post with the words of the Apostle Paul to church leaders concerning the building of God’s house from 1st Corinthians 3;
10 According to the [remarkable] grace of God which was given to me [to prepare me for my task], like a skillful master builder I laid a foundation, and now another is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it,
11 for no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 But if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one’s work will be clearly shown [for what it is]; for the day [of judgment] will disclose it, because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality and character and worth of each person’s work.
14 If any person’s work which he has built [on this foundation, that is, any outcome of his effort] remains [and survives this test], he will receive a reward.
15 But if any person’s work is burned up [by the test], he will suffer the loss [of his reward]; yet he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has barely escaped] through fire.
16 [d]Do you not know and understand that you [the church] are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells [permanently] in you [collectively and individually]?
17 If anyone destroys the temple of God [corrupting it with false doctrine], God will destroy the destroyer; for the temple of God is holy (sacred), and that is what you are.
SELAH!
