As Christ loved the Church #2

Last time I offered reasons why husbands and wives experience disunity while seemingly 'serving the Lord.'  Anyone can dispute that their covenant relationship is less important than 'The lost' but the facts about God as revealed through His word do not bear this out.

In the beginning Adam was made in the image of God.  This was Male and Female in one being until the Female 'side' (not rib... tut) was taken out.  This being the case 'the two become one' in the union of marriage.  The picture here is that a couple represent the image of God to raise a family.  If someone embarks upon marriage and the wife is just the one who aids their calling we would be mistaken.

The Marriage IS the calling!

It seems clear to me that Godly families, sourced in the risen Lord, comes before any sending from the Lord.  So, ipso-facto, if your marriage is seeing continual unresolved strain you should examine if you are actually called by God to do what you are doing.  Here is a list of reasons people feel called of God but aren't:

• The Pastor thinks I'm good at it
• I feed from the attention, adoration and applause
• I need to be needed
• I have qualifications
• I need to be in charge
• I have to be in control
• A bunch of men laid hands on me
• I'm on the Pastor production line
• 'The done thing'
• Jesus sent me 2000 years ago while speaking to 11 Jews
• People say I make sense when I speak
• I'm a good communicator
• I understand the Bible
• I haven't realized my ego often dresses up like Jesus

I know this is brutal but we need to be shaken from the assumption that we are 'in something' that somehow 'flows' yet has none of the biblical markers that say 'sent.' 

While some of the above list can be components in a genuine calling and sending from God, a sending from God is outlined in many examples in the Bible.  It has a core element that cannot be produced by a Senior minister taking on a promising leader under his wing.  It has authenticity when Jesus can accost the heart on every level.  It is Him who does this and He doesn't need a Man to do it.  This is not to say men / women will not be involved, but the initiative must be the Lords'.

So the difficult part of this is that many have taken part in programs yet are not sent by God.  The answer to this is to prayerfully get before the Lord and begin the painful walk of re-calibrating yourself to His will and ways.  The first step to this is to make your marriage a priority.  The church at Ephesus lost their first love because they got too busy.

Many are at risk of losing their second love as well.

Gary Ward

As Christ loved the Church... #1

I wanted to start this series by outlining some problems we have in the DNA of 'our callings' and how it sits with wives and husbands.  This is a complexity that we have had to walk out so rather than this being theory, we have been dragged through this personally.

Firstly Christians are the ones who have legitimate distractions.  This is what we perceive as God's calling. The work we do for the Lord can have two forms.  One is the thing that is so rife in the Church - people running around doing works that are not specifically God's sending.  These are not always error.  Social action flows from a heart of compassion.  Problems begin when we label our own embarkation on meeting needs as 'God's calling.'  Social action may sit as a parenthesis of God's bigger picture yet if we call the works 'Gods call' we will miss the sending He may be preparing us for in the clamor to be validated in our tent making.  This is another issue I don't want to focus on here yet is a serious problem for the Church.  

In all cases, sent or not sent by God, it still falls onto the wife to serve the husband.  However if this is not carried out in the way the Lord intended it, there can be problems.  I had to readdress my thinking on this some time ago and what the Lord showed me was breaking to me yet exactly what was needed.   What I did was calibrate myself towards the perceived calling of God and my wife was my help meet to see that calling out.  I didn't pull this teaching out of the sky or base it on a superior mindset towards women.  It is a popular belief in the Church.  Also it isn't entirely in error.  What happens is we prioritize the 'mission' over our partners.  "But isn't the salvation of the lost (for example) of primary importance?"  Frankly, no.  It is... but not at the expense of the Holy union He has called us to in our marriage.

I didn't understand that for some time and as I aspired to follow my perception of God's calling my wife was more and more not getting the core investment from me that she needed.  My core investment was in my calling and to my shame I had to admit that my perceived calling met my core deficits.    Meanwhile my wife was coping with my expectations as a husband but the object of my affection was that which met my inner deficits.  "Wow Gary how screwed up are you?"  Oh Lots!  But I think many have this issue and sadly this breaks up marriages.  Allow me to illustrate it slightly differently:

Imagine the perfect marriage is two tuning forks resonating with the Lord's frequency.  Both the wife and the husband are able to engage each other because they are both resonating with the glory and life of Jesus, our risen king.   Now if these two go to a place where the husband is filled with mission opportunities, he may begin to resonate with that.  Now because it is related to the 'Lord's work' it seems alright to have this 'frequency' resonating.  Now the expectation is that the wife also resonates with the heart of the perceived calling and be the 'help meet' she is supposed to be.  We have a problem.  No calling from God shifts the focus from the Lord himself.  All legitimate callings to a Husband and wife will protect and secure the mutual resonating in Christ.   Because the church generally teaches that 'Mission' is the focus and purpose of the church most couples never really get hooked up with Christ as He is, risen and glorified.

With both husband and wife out of sync there are many complexities as to why this can cause disunity and problems.  Typically it is the wife who has to put up with the issues as the husband gets his 'fix' through his works.  The wife longs to be met by her husband and because she isn't the whole thing becomes a drudgery.  Next time I'll try to get over how to solve this issue.

Gary Ward

Do not weep...

In Revelation 4 and 5 we learn that the 24 Elders represent the Church in Heaven.  The redemption song they sing among other things point this out.  In Chapter 5 we find the title deed to the Earth being offered to anyone who could open it.  John, who had been translated to Heaven to view these events is bitterly weeping  because no-one could be found to open the title deed.  A question I had was:  Why is John the only one distraught because no-one could be found to qualify to open the title deed?

The story continues where an Elder calmly informs John that the Lord was worthy to do it and this transpires to be true.  Why would the Elders be so unmoved?  The answer is because they had all read Revelation Chapter 5! Only John was not in the know because he was the one to write down Chapter 5 for the benefit of the Church!  John, having written Chapter 5 was informing the believers to expect this scenario when they are before the Throne.  So the events being portrayed are more like theater to underline the redemption story just prior to the unleashing of the three and a half years of the great Tribulation.  

It seems to me that God is telling everyone how He has redeemed the Earth and the cost of that Redemption.  So when the wrath of God is unleashed upon the earth everyone in heaven is entirely clear about His Just and Righteous actions. At that time we will see the wickedness on the earth from a perspective of total Righteousness.  For now we have to still wrestle with all sorts of things.

The other side to this coin is that when we are in heaven having been Raptured (Rev 4:1-2) we will see John observing these things as we behold the Throne of God.  We know this because an Elder addresses Him.  Believers will see John who is charged to write the things down, the very things we see in Revelation!

One very weird thing to consider is that John will also see himself weeping and beholding the Revelation because John will be resurrected with the rest of the Church.  It is little wonder that John's Gospel, which was written after the Revelation,  is so different from the synoptic Gospels.  Also  2 and 3 John is written 'from the Elder!'  Can it be that John in his Resurrected body was the one to tell John, the translated visitor, not to weep?  I would expect that God could and would pull this sort of thing but it is just speculation.   I often imagine my resurrected self saying to me here and now,

"Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”  

All is well!

Lastly, if you are a born again believer you are present for this event.  That is not speculation!  You have your immediate future in heaven described for you.  You will have a front row seat to the Tribulation and applaud the Justice and Righteousness of God as He unleashes His fury on the earth. After three and a half years of that Jesus leads us as an invading army to take over the earth.

I'm sorry, did you say Christianity is boring?

  Gary Ward

As in the days of Noah...

Jesus told us (Matt 24:37) that the last days would be like the days before the deluge in Genesis 6.  Looking at the Greek text we find he said it wouldn't be just a bit like those days but the same.  I want to encourage  you to read Genesis 6 and Peters warnings in 2 Peter 3.   There are many elements to focus on here but I want to simply describe the Ark and who was on it.

Firstly we find that Noah was, by our standards a rubbish preacher.  Only his family responded to over 100 years of preaching whilst stood next to a massive boat.  So what we find is scant response to the true message of God.  'Judgement is coming' ... 'Get on the boat' was ignored.   Today this is our message and people are ignoring it.

15 years ago I was led by God to leave the ministry and set up small groups in our home.  We have seen some scenarios where people have come to us but numbers wise it is perplexing.  This bothers me because I still haven't become fully free from my western mindset and AOG teaching that big is beautiful (and a sign God is on your side).  It so happens that our home is like the Ark and few will take on board the message we live out that The Day of the Lord is at hand and we must get with His program.   It seems counter intuitive but we are in the last days and we should be looking like Noah with his family safely tucked into the Ark.

So where you are obedient (like Noah was) you wont see people coming to attend 'the show.' Faithful obedience to the Lord means not conducting meetings that really look after our own need to be recognized as spiritual.  Peter tells us that scoffers will come following their own evil desires.  Because we may not be able to see sexual sin occurring we think that is an indication to do with 'evil desires.'  However even though the evil desires can include sexual impropriety, it also includes those who are setting up church meetings to serve their own core desires.  These are to make self feel special / authentic / valued / respected / validated etc.  The problem is that these things can be found in the Lord but many in the last days will develop identity from ministry... following their own evil desires.  Let us not forget that the earth was destroyed by water because of this.

Judgement is coming.

All this is not to say that the Lord cannot or will not cause many to come to meet with you in the last days.  It is more to say 'don't fret or be concerned that you have perhaps only your own family meeting faithfully, only 8 of one family survived the Flood!'  And as in the days of Noah so shall the end times be.

Gary Ward

How to speed up the second coming...

WHAT?  Can we do anything to speed up the second coming of Jesus?
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In Revelation Chapter 19 we see that the saints are wearing white linen.  The text tells us (Rev 19:8) that the white robes stand for the righteous acts of the saints.  Wait... people who believe have Jesus righteousness imputed to them so as to stand Justified before God.  No-one can contribute to this as Salvation is not by works (Eph 2:8-10).  So what do the saints do to make Jesus return occur?  It is my opinion that they practice church as Jesus commanded at the last supper.  When the believers return to meeting around a meal in family orientated environments, they do something right... obey Jesus.  This doesn't affect your salvation but it does allow Jesus to have His will done.  How? Because how we do church either steps on Jesus toes or allows Him to be the leader and head that He is.

The entire chapter of 2 Peter 3 is about scoffers, those who have no faith in Christ and His return.  Peter chillingly underlines that from their perspective Jesus will return and the heavens and the earth will be destroyed.  Is Peter denying the Millennial reign of Christ?  No, he is saying that unbelievers will not take part in it.  They will see his return but then their next appointment is to be Judged after which the New Heavens and New Earth are made.  Peter tells us that we need to live right before God to speed his coming.  But how do we succeed in this, is he appealing for perfection?  The answer is no, perfection does not hasten Jesus coming but those who are engaging with the Lord in Sanctification.  The process where we have faith and are repentant for our stumbling is a Godly life and being 'holy' (being set apart.)  A believer who is not repentant and the Lord has to be bringing them to chastening awareness of His requirements hinders the Lords return. But why would obeying Jesus' command for church and walking well speed Jesus' return?

Paul is clear that the full number of the Gentiles have to get saved before the Rapture (Rom 11:25).  Unbelievers remain unconvinced by a church that meets like any old organisation and walks and talks like any old everyday person.  When believers meet the way Jesus said to do so (see my numerous other blogs on this) and walk well, it's not like it is some magic formula!  The simple truth is that Jesus can head-up and lead people who are doing what He said.  If Jesus is in charge the unsaved can be reached and the full number of the gentile come in quicker.  

You can be as loud and relevant as you want... marketing isn't Jesus!  You can paint it with attractive, contemporary colors... if Jesus cannot work through your body of believers you will not see His will done and you will hinder His return.  Some Mega Churches are using Mans wisdom and do see growth but growth is not what Jesus had planned.  Explosive and aggressive revival is what He wants and we know this because of the book of Acts.  "I've got 10,000 people in my church"  But what about the 2.5 million in your city who will not fall for the cheap Gospel that filled the seats?

So it's about doing what He said in the first place.  No surprises there.  But the challenge is to revert back to Jesus' plan.  That could take some time.  We can help you on the journey should you want to follow Jesus.

Gary Ward