[This is a compilation of two posts I made on the Trumpet Wind Ministries Email List. I was amazed at the response both in volume and witness that it got! It definitely struck a chord, so I have posted it here.]
I really wonder if I should write an article tonight because of the "on my
soapbox mood" I am in, but I often find that my moodiness is an extension
of God's Hand and Spirit upon my life. (Need a reference? See Ezekiel.)
I was just sharing with a friend of mine how tired I was of all these smooth, tickling prophetic words that make you feel so good and have everything all worked out if we would only do "this and that," or repent of "that and this," but never do I see a call for God's people whom He made to live a practical Godly lifestyle. There always seems to be the "in crowd."
The opposite side to the same coin is those who can only see judgment coming and the "wrath of God" as they are "in the know" and have had dream after dream or vision after vision of such things. Yet in all these words, I do not see a pleading from these prophets to turn people's hearts back to God. The mind, yes, but the heart, no.
My complaint is that we still live in Sodom and Gomorrah without the power of God that comes from real unity because the leaders are not being real! They isolate themselves from the society they are to reach in their holier than thou stance. Like I said, this is a "moody" letter tonight.
But I find so much that those who claim to be "in the know" and in "leadership" are some of the most arrogant people I have ever met! (Not all, but enough to make you wonder.) And personally we are sick of each other. Ha! (Reminds me of Zechariah 11, which is where I think we are at, and the shepherd with two staffs of covenant of Favor and Unity which were broken.)
All these smooth words are clouds without water if they do not produce the fruit of righteousness. Men's minds are for God, but their hearts are not.
I went last night to hear Handel's Messiah with the Houston Symphony Orchestra and Chorale and was blessed. It was a beautiful presentation in a beautiful church and I love this yearly Christmas tradition, yet it was also so obviously sung by many who were just singing eloquent music.
I still get a lot out of it because it is all prophetic Scripture and was written by a man who obviously had a heart for God and the blessing still goes on. (My friends who also went made a game out of "Where do you find that Scripture?" and I loved it.)
But just as the musical notes were performed with perfection, I wondered how many got the Real Message? Did they even realize The Perfection they were singing about???
I was in the church choir as a youth growing up and many of the song lyrics I sang came back to me at strategic times in my life, so I am not opposed to the singing of God's songs! The Word of God out there has power whether it is on grafitti or quoted from the highest church pulpit in the land.
But what I am concerned about is non-prophet prophets! As the New Year approaches and everyone gathers to hear "the Word from the Lord," I am going to be looking for the word that recognizes God and changes people from the heart, not just the head. (Many will cut me off here over this, but that is OK!!!)
In the head, so many have everything all figured out, yet true Godly service is not a part of that. Many will hear my saying that as a works campaign and for many, works is exactly what is needed, but I am talking about the leaders of the leaders that everyone "looks up to." What is going on in their life? Is their conference agenda just getting busier, or are people changing to live the Godly life? That is real leadership -- when it's not "the group," but the life! Selah.
You can go and point out the sin and it can cause a stir, but the dog goes back to its vomit. The sow goes back to wallowing in the mire.
I can give you my list of troubles and you know what? Those who just want "a word" could care less! They will get offended. They will give you their own list of troubles, but they could really care less about meeting the needs of others or those in ministry. Ministry to them should just be free, after all, couldn't anybody do it??? "Sure!" in their minds...
They don't want to give whether it's physical or social or spiritual, much less pray about it. And they don't understand how it works. For them, it's every man for himself! They have head knowledge and want more. Don't bother them with your personal life! They are obviously not the true Body where every joint supplies, not just some of the joints!!!
But to take it one step beyond, and THIS IS WHAT IS SO CRUCIAL, if the people are "warmed and filled" in the natural, it seems to be enough. Most leaders cannot take others into the next step of Godliness or know when they have done all they can do for the moment and pray.
We are at such a soulish level, that even the unity is based on the soul and not the Spirit. Once we "arrive" at some spiritual step, arrogance sets in a stronghold. It's one thing to hold firm "the Word," but it's another to have a lifestyle that continues to seek God and find the new gifts and blessings for the Body that we so desperately need!
Sin is assaulting the righteous on one hand and the other. The power of conviction on the unGodly is not seen. The holidays are more secularized than ever. Evangelism stops at the altar call. If it goes beyond that, it is seemed to regiment people into a system rather than a Godly lifestyle.
There is joy in God!!! But until the power of the joy goes beyond the church steps into the streets and convicts of sin, we have as one person put it, "made the demons comfortable living on the streets." We feed and clothe them and they preach to us to give from the street corners with their "Please help, God bless you" signs, sometimes including Scriptures references, and people pay to maintain their lifestyles. (Many will give to that quicker than the local church! That makes the street people their pastors!!! )
Oh, we can hear, "Pray for the President!" and make his demons comfortable too, but where is truth? People can't tell the difference between governmental and pastoral leadership and if they do, they seem to compete! That won't put me on the "prophetic hit parade," but where is true faith???
(continued on 12/21/99)
Am I referring to the false prophets here? Not really.
I am referring to those who have risen in Spiritual rank and gotten comfortable and complacent, and who have ceased to use their Spiritual gifts and abilities for the Body in the true Christian sense of raising and being a Family. (Hint! If you aren't being fed, maybe you are old enough now to meet a need! Just think about it!)
Because of a following and because of the favor, many don't just seek to protect that, but they also STOP laboring and breaking out their lives in service to God's people. There are many changes that go on in the Christian walk. We are developed.
Someone wrote that they agreed that we do not sell out for Christ, but I would contend that many do sell out and then fail. Because of this, they are in offense, and have fear -- and I say that as something that is understandable and justifiable, to a certain point. There is absolutely no condemnation in that statement!!!
Comfort, fear and persecution are elements we must deal with if we are to be Christian leadership examples, even on a local level. As a young one in the Lord, I had many goals. And now MANY of those goals have been wonderfully reached, more even, than I could believe at that time. And once that happened, comfort came in as an enemy.
The earlier years were struggles with fear, after that came offenses, and believe me, if the enemy sees a calling in you he will hit hard and fight HARD. ONLY with the help of the rest of the Body can we make it, and I truly believe that dependency is one of our tests in the Lord. It's a pride issue in us when we can't and need to say, "I can't do it alone, I need someone else and I can't predict, or format, who it will be."
See, we start off in that way when we say we really and truly do need a Savior and Deliverer and God. Only when we yield to God in helplessness and acknowledgment of Who He is as God can we enter into the relationship of salvation. Of course as a Body, we are at many different age levels and circumstances when this happens! And this is where the conflicts come in!!!
I have been dealing the past few days with just such a conflict where because of misunderstanding and not reading the other person right and vice versa because of differences, the enemy was STRONGLY trying to get in and destroy faith, hope, trust and relationship in the Body. It was a very hard thing to go through.
The way it has been overcome was to take it with the Biblical approach of lovingly and humbly submitting to the other person the knowledge of the offense. And thank God, it worked both ways. Both of us shared and the ground the enemy sought to steal was kept. But it was a hard battle.
Fear of rejection, fear of offense, and retaliation temptations that rose up were all the elements looking to feed strife and war. Compromising truth to get along was not the answer. There would have been a loss of respect and trust for people who are committed in the Body to the Body. Oh, how the enemy would have loved it!!!
The problem? The human element. The imperfect human. The flawed weak vessels that are to carry the Spirit of the Awesome God. Satan had something to fear!!!
It is not just a matter of not being sold out. We must be that! That's the First and one of the Greatest Commandments, along with Love. But it is a matter of keeping God the Answer to the human race's daily desperate needs that requires a continual and diligent seeking and receiving from God. Not just enough to get by, but to answer many needs! To forsake this spirit and attitude after having arrived to a certain place of wisdom is corrupting! It's the evil leaven of the Pharisees.
We cannot forget that the 12 apostles were once the 12 disciples and were not overnight sensations and success stories. Jesus was hard on them, yet compassionate. They stuck with Him and He will stick with each of us.
They were sold out, but most all had flop stories. They blew it! They quarrelled. They got into unbelief and even denial. They ran. They gave up, they got offended, they feared. They were not perfect, though some would put them on a pedastal.
They failed at their mission one time when trying to cast out devils and Jesus had to come up behind them and take care of it. He rebuked them and showed them the problem was because they were not seeking God enough. They may have been satisfied just to have "the Name" and a little power...
But human need and purpose of the Mission requires more. God wants to honor us with His Covenant of Favor (Beauty) and Unity (Power). But it requires effort on our part. We have the answers in seeking Him!
Looking for perfection in ourselves or others is not the answer. Complacency loathes the one who says changes must come. Anyone raising kids or disciplining one's self knows how hard it is!
It can't just be a social gospel that says be warmed and filled, as important as that is. It can't just be a comfortable situation that has arrived at a certain level with personal needs and desires met, and then forsakes the world for which they came out equipped to minister to!
It can be so misunderstood with all the different callings and places of election. Job descriptions are different. Zeal has different viewpoints. Understandings of all things can be most different. But will we let the enemy get in here??? Will we allow him to short-circuit and/or steal from the work of the Lord??? Only you can answer that for yourself.
Can we have compassion and faith for others for what comes easy for us? Can we stretch when someone else is crying out in pain? Can we point the way amidst persecution? Can we live the life He calls us to live???
Any minister will tell you that the needs are overwhelming once you actually get into ministry. As Jesus said, there are so many sheep without a shepherd!
Many people think you can help things that you cannot help! People see Light, or His Name, and want help and that right now! We are not God. It's hard not to shut yourself off to it for the sake of your own peace of mind and spirit. Some do spread themselves too thin trying to meet the needs, and some hate themselves for not being adequate.
But it's the Spirit that is within us that is adequate and He gives it out in due measures, not in unlimited, untrained measures. (It's line upon line, precept upon precept. Isaiah 28:10, 13) We must grow and mature. No one is alike, so He works with each one differently and according to their heart's desires.
We have to learn when to say we can't, but we also must NOT stop seeking to find the ways that work! We have to acknowledge the Supreme and Third party to our relationships and ministry to one another.
The gifts have to be honored in their places. If they are not honored appropriately and correctly, they cannot function! Believe me, I know this and have had to eliminate many good and Godly friendships over improper familiarity. It is indeed heartbreaking!
The anointing will just not flow in accuracy and fullness if things are out of order and not in honor; and it is wrong to fake it or bluff it. (Ask Moses where something may be won, but something seriously may also be lost.)
Misunderstandings are the devil's delight! But IF we see God as the Author and Answers to Life for all kinds of situations, and KNOW that we must continually be on guard and seeking Him, I think we will find that fulfilling and lasting joy.
Thank you for your patience and prayers for me, as I seek to offer the same for each of you.
God bless you! I wish you all His Best!
Pam Clark