John the Baptist came from nobody from nowhere when he came onto the scene. While God often sent a message from the establishment (Isaiah, Elisha), he often had his "outsiders" (Elijah, Amos). In John's day God completely went outside of the revealed structure that, for the most part, God ordained and setup. The followers seeking God had to go to the middle of the desert to hear a message that should have been heard in Jerusalem. However, the Pharisees and Saducees were too concerned with posturing for position and personal pietous appearances to hear God.
John had been in the desert for what appears several years before he began his ministry. He paved the way for Messiah to come. Outside of a few exceptions, God was done with the priests in Jerusalem. He was against what God was against (repent!!!), and for what God was for (He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire!!!). He was the voice of the One.
In our movement we have our pharisees, i.e. standards at the cost of spiritual life - the clothesline is more important than God, righteous, no peace and joy, no mention of true holiness being the nature of God Himself. We also have our saducees who are mostly about show, no preaching of sin or hell and, to put it southern terms, - "fat meat ain't greasy" (sorry, had to do it). Instead of seeking first the kingdom, many, like the priesthood of John's day, try to set up their own kingdom in God's kingdom. We, as a people, have become comfortable, content, complacent, critical, carnal, comatose, and apathetic towards God and the world around us. The opinion of men have become more important that "The Voice". Our own opinion pales in our spirit to the law and Spirit of God.
American Apostolics, we are not ready for "revival". I use quotations because it is a misnomer. We need a sovereign move of God, an awakening, a movement wide repentance. In many (not all mind you) of our churches mammon is the king, not the King of all Kings. To us a quote, we are saved, sanctified, and satisfied.
God bypassed the ministry of that time, He is not beyond doing it again. I was praying and the Lord spoke to me in a way He had not in some time. It was both personal and corporate. I will keep the personal word personal, but I will share the corp. word.
"My people have forgotten Me."
"They honor Me with their lips but their heart is far from me. They come to church and bless Me with form and fashion, going through the rituals and motions, but when they leave they have forgotten Me by the next day."
"There is no fear of Me anymore."
"My people want miracles, signs, and wonders; I want a holy people (NOT standards, the NATURE of God, parenthesis mine). Give Me a holy people and I can give you miracles, signs, and wonders."
"You have made My standards filthy rags of righteousness."
You may or may not believe me. I really don't care. What's going to happen when the Messianic Jews or Baptists (yes, I mean the SOUTHERN Baptist) pass us. The Word will continue to reveal Himself. Will we, the primary vehicles of God's glorious message point the way or will we have to be shown the way back? We don't have the market cornered on Jesus Christ and His message. God is looking for holy vessels to fill with His Word, Spirit, and boldness so that He can, in turn, pour it all back out to the world that need to hear about the Mighty God and Suffering Savior.
Personally, I am finally convinced the Stonekings, Barnes's, Freeman's among us are right. I am too the point in all of this I am going to be a vessel that keeps my ear tuned to Him. I don't care if I pray them through at work, Wal-Mart, or Winn-Dixie.
The 120 came out of the four wall of their meeting place when the fire fell from much continued prayer. The message and His power will leave the four walls of our churches and the confines of our mouths and spirits when there is a fire falling. I won't be bypassed by God.
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