Institutionalized Church / Your Input

[BrainWashed]

It’s very sad to see how institutionalized our church services have become. Our church usually has holds corporate prayer meetings once a week, and I never fail hearing the same phrases, “God, send us people so we can minister to them,” and “ God, let a fire begin in our city." Last week our pastor and others mentioned that in our prayer circle of 15 individuals. As I stood there, God gave me a word to say, but I held back because I needed more confirmation. My prayer has always been, “God, don’t let me mistake my thoughts as your words.” As we kneeled to pray, God cleared my mind and gave me scripture out of nowhere, and there I received confirmation. As I concluded our prayer meeting, my pastor asked if I had anything to say. I began to speak and say:

God gave me a word and I want to start off with the scripture He gave me as I knelt. I read - Matthew 9:38, Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” We want our church to grow, and you have asked God to send you people so you can witness to them. However, if you read through the scriptures, Jesus sent his apostles in pairs to proclaim Jesus. We also read where Jesus said in Mark 16;15 - “go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” We also read in the bible where the women swept the kitchen looking for that ONE coin (soul). It has never been God’s will to send people to us. He didn’t save us to bring people to us, rather, he saved us and told us to “GO” to the people. You must go out and reach for the sinner rather than them coming to you, which is what you desire. You ask for a fire, but the size of the fire will only be determined by the amount of fuel you contribute.

After speaking that, it became silent and the pastor said we accept that, and thereafter said, “anyways, let end this meeting.” People like hearing themselves speak about how much they want to accomplish for God’s kingdom, but it’s all talk. They’ve become engulfed in this dogma and are simply satisfied talking about it. You ask you know not what. People think that they’re advancing in God’s kingdom, but if you could see with your spiritual eyes, you would realize that they're just surviving rather then advancing. They can’t notice the difference!


I would like your input on the following. I remember God have me something, and I believe I know what it signifies. Nevertheless, your input and prayers would be appreciated.

I stood on a balcony in a room and overlooked the room. Below me laid a deceased women in a casket, and surrounding her casket were a few hundred men wearing suits, and some were weeping. A voice then spoke to me and said, “these are religious men.” All of a sudden the women and the casket disappeared from the center of the room below me and reappeared on the balcony near me, positioned upward at an angle. The casket was open and I could see the dead women. I then began to raise my hands and call on God, and breath entered the dead women and she began to revive.”


Only that was given to me. I’ve asked God about that situation, but I’m still unsure, mainly due to certain situations. What saith the forum?

[Amanah]

This is what I feel, and maybe its just for me and not for you . . .

It's not our job to change other people, we need to change ourselves, we need to pray, fast, seek God, and live a consecrated and separated life so that God can set us ablaze and use us as an unmarred channel for his Spirit to flow thru so he can minister thru us to the world.

Don't worry about what others are doing, set yourself on fire.

[BrainWashed]

Originally Posted by Amanah

This is what I feel, and maybe its just for me and not for you . . .

It's not our job to change other people, we need to change ourselves, we need to pray, fast, seek God, and live a consecrated and separated life so that God can set us ablaze and use us as an unmarred channel for his Spirit to flow thru so he can minister thru us to the world.

Don't worry about what others are doing, set yourself on fire.

Amanah,


I wasn't worrying about them. They're adults and will be responsible for their own actions. However, if God tells me to say something, the only way to prevent me from speaking it is by killing me.

That being said, I believe God still speaks to his people with correction.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by BrainWashed

Amanah,


I wasn't worrying about them. They're adults and will be responsible for their own actions. However, if God tells me to say something, the only way to prevent me from speaking it is by killing me.

That being said, I believe God still speaks to his people with correction.

So you are out there doing the very thing God told the prayer group to get doing, right?

[BrainWashed]

Originally Posted by Esaias

So you are out there doing the very thing God told the prayer group to get doing, right?

Why would you think any different?

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by BrainWashed

Why would you think any different?

Because it's a way to transfer guilt and the feeling of responsibility back onto whoever is rocking the boat while not acknowledging what you have said. It's usually a pride thing.

Now I'm not accusing Easias of being prideful or dodging responsibility. I'm sure he just wants to make sure you aren't holding others to a standard you aren't toeing the line on yourself.

That being said...I've been hit with that from those I KNOW are doing absolutely nothing.

The thing is that even if you WEREN'T doing anything you were preaching to others, that doesn't absolve the hearer from the obligation to obey the Word....It's not your word....It's HIS.

Let's just all do the right thing and love people, fight the devil, win souls and strengthen and support each other.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by BrainWashed

Why would you think any different?

How would I know? I do know lots of people complain about others not doing things they themselves aren't doing. So... your answer is that you are evangelizing people outside of the church?

So, what do you do? Open air.ministry? One-on-one? Tracts? Nursing homes? What are you engaged in, and what have you found effective?

[Amanah]

BW, are you in a leadership position in your church?

I feel that unless you are the Pastor, or a church leader, that is not appropriate to correct others, unless they are someone you have a close relationship with

[BrainWashed]

Originally Posted by Amanah

BW, are you in a leadership position in your church?

I feel that unless you are the Pastor, or a church leader, that is not appropriate to correct others, unless they are someone you have a close relationship with

Amanah,

There are 5 apostolics, strangers to each-other, and they're in an elevator.

Four of those apostolics are pastors. One pastor accidentally and unknowingly presses the "stop elevator button" with his leg, and the elevator stops. The four pastors begin to call out to God. The pastors tell God, "please, make this elevator operable again. God, we believe you can do it! Make this elevator run again."

God then speaks to the non-pastor and tells him to tell the pastors, "you are in this position because one of you pressed the "stop" button in this elevator. If you want this elevator to function again, pull out the "stop button" so the elevator can turn on."


This individual who is a non-pastor, where did he fail God by delivering the message that corrected the error and made the elevator to function again?

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by Amanah

BW, are you in a leadership position in your church?

I feel that unless you are the Pastor, or a church leader, that is not appropriate to correct others, unless they are someone you have a close relationship with

Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion. Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.
Job 32:6..-‬8.., ‬

It is ALWAYS appropriate to speak the Word of the Lord and not only speak but to obey it.

The words "send forth" in the scripture talking about sending laborers into the harvest is actually the same Greek word used when saying that believers will "cast out" devil's...There is a urgency and a more violent connotation that we do not get. It's not Jesus bending down and playfully shooing us into the fields as he would playfully with a child....

The word has always been GO!

Something I've noticed that is disturbing from people is the tendency to excuse disobedience to the Word and when you bring their attention to it they can make all sorts of arguments or deflect..."Where are those few sheep? I know the naughtiness of your heart...."

But yet your heart cries out,"IS THERE NOT A CAUSE???? WHO WILL WIPE THIS ABOMINATION FROM THE FACE OF ISRAEL???!!!"

As long as we put the blame on God for not sending us people we don't have to take responsibility....That's what it comes down to. We don't want to have responsibility...We want to be spoon fed...We don't want to work...We don't want to get our hands dirty...We want to show up for the pep rally and skip the game.

Remember when you are taken to task for speaking out of place that it is HIS Word you are reading. His Word must be heeded and obeyed no matter who delivers it.

The Word and the Spirit agree...You cant ignore the written Word and expect God to give you a different Word because you feel like ignoring what is written.

It's like a child playing "divide and conquer" with his parents playing one side against the other saying,"Well mommy said this but I'll see what daddy says."

You can't do that with the Word and the Spirit...They are in agreement.