YCCM PT4 DETAILS CH15 A DELIBERATE DETOUR
YCCM PART IV DETAILS
Chapter 15
A DELIBERATE DETOUR
My Brothers and Sisters,
Even within the vilest of men, there is something that wants to hang on to humanity; for it is that, which separates us from beasts. These vile men are compelled to surround themselves with that, which they see as being good, believing they have covered the stench of sin and death and proven themselves righteous. Do not let this fool you.
What is humanity, if not the act of loving and serving our neighbors, which comes from God? For God IS LOVE. For within love we find hope, faith, peace, and joy. For without the act of love--charity--we are nothing. If you have not found GOD, then you have not found LOVE!
What is righteousness, but to love even our enemy? Yet, vile men have not love or righteousness for they walk in darkness and have not found God! There is no darkness in God. He takes no pleasure in death. God seeks no reward nor does He render a reward for killing.
I have seen things in the faces of men, who have tried to cover their sin, but left their face exposed. Their character revealed the Darkness which was in their heart. It could not be hidden from God.
They use others as wood to kindle their fire. Their relationships are self-serving; for they are not One with God.
KNOW this of men who send young children out to fight their battles and die, they are not interested in peace; they serve no cause, but to fill the pits of hell with wayward souls. They are as rabid, diseased dogs, knowing only the taste of blood. Darkness releases them upon the lost, weak, suffering and wounded.
They would rather lap up ignorance thrown down to them, than work for the fruit of wisdom and righteousness.
They believe that killing is profitable, but cannot see the holes that Satan has put in their pockets, nor the price they have paid. Their wounds never heal and their stomachs are never satisfied. Water cannot quench their thirst, nor wash the blood from their hands.
They have erased their future; for children are our future. What future do they have if they have taught them to sin, hate, and die? For the wages of sin are death. Woe to anyone who leads a child astray; for they are precious in God's sight.
I have seen things and my heart was wrenched with terror and sorrow. Visions of children in despair, because of the heartless deeds of men.
What if these were my children or my grandchildren today?
Why must I see these things, I asked the Lord? For they brought me great distress. Write about them, He said. You must touch and change a heart. There are men with hardened hearts who cannot feel these things for others. They think only of themselves and the protection of their own.
But what kind of heart could be so cold not to feel the pain of an injured man, be he friend or foe laying upon the war-torn ground, drinking his blood, gasping for air as tears seep from his eyes fixed hopelessly upon the pure blue sky, as if it were an out-of-place picture, but the last that he would see?
Or a bewildered, young child, whose face is contorted in a mask of terror; standing in the midst of chaos, who barely escaped death, only to see her mother's lifeless body mangled among the dead? A child locked in a state of terror; knowing not what has happened--what to do--where to go; unable to move or speak; unable to contain their bowels; their ears deafened by the rain of impaling gunfire around them. Father, what drives men to be thoughtless and uncaring?
We have spent years and decades diagnosing what is wrong with the church, taking bits and pieces trying to mend or start over with a new model. Now it is time to look at the church for what it is--the people--God's people--His sheep. They belong to HIM! And what has been done to HIS sheep? They have not been healed, not even a little bit.
At this point in my writing, I stopped and asked, "Father, why have we arrived here?" Wherefore, He answered, "We are at the point of change. "
We must not only look at what is wrong, we must look at and continue doing what is right.
If we are to preach, let us continue preaching. If we are to teach, let us continue teaching.
We need only to look at the Body as a whole, with Christ as the Head, to see what needs to be done. What does the Head require for the body to do in order to function? What does the Body do for the Head? If we are Christ's Body, how are we taking care of all of it? Are we following the mind of Christ, or are we trying to lead, instead of following; working against the Mind of Christ?
Then, it is time to seek out the True Worshippers and have the Body of Christ function as it was meant to be. Jesus has provided us with EVERYTHING we need to take care of the Body and His sheep.
Let us go behind the façade of false worship, behind closed doors, into the homes to root out disease and heal. How can we show the world a risen Savior, when we have tried to bury Him and keep Him out of our homes?
In working with those who are homeless and people who have and do not have a place of worship, I've found that the best way to reach people is to meet them where they're at. Jesus did this, knowing that people are more relaxed, comfortable and less likely to be guarded and defensive, having walls up around them. Meeting them where they were at, He was able to better communicate and have a relationship with them.
Maturing the Saints goes beyond improvement of self and the structural church. Christ is Living Water and as His Body, we are water bearers, ready to pour out to others who thirst. As we rest in Jesus, humbling ourselves and surrendering our will to rest in His perfection, we are released from being self-absorbed, having died to our flesh. Then, with the Mind of Christ, we are compelled by love to bear good fruit, imparting God's Wisdom, Holiness, Righteousness, His Will and Way, through our way of living abundantly .
We can bring people into places of worship and discipleship houses, but without continuing the work within their homes, change or Transformation, becomes problematic. The Body needs to know how to survive and thrive within it's environment.
So many people return to their old habits because they do not know how to apply the Word of God to their own lives.
Within our mission work, we encounter many people who SAY they are ready for change, but who are unable to commit to change because of their learned way of coping with their environment. They need examples and accountability, within their environment.
The Body of Christ should also be accountable in its environment and not function as a separate entity, disconnected from the people, families, neighborhoods and churches around it.
MY LORD!!!
You needed new wine skin and had to seek out a child. The people had forgotten You. The priests were corrupt.
The war--the suffering...
You have shown me these things because we are at the point of CHANGE in the world! New wine skin is needed, once again; for man has corrupted himself.
Yet, God continues to call out to our children's children. He continues to give us another chance, as He did before.
God knows that our heart (spirit) CAN change! He created it.
God says to the nation...
The battle is mine, saith the Lord. Obey me and the enemy shall not prevail.
Be not like those who say they trust and believe, but their faith is only as far as they can see. They live in fear, building fortresses, storing up food, water, supplies and weapons, knowing not when and if the enemy will come.
If the enemy comes, men and weapons cannot save your soul, for you have entrusted it to fear; food and water cannot nourish the lack of faith that has caused drought and famine within to rot your soul.
When and if the enemy comes, you will be saved: not because of fear; not because of self; not because you are prepared; not because of men; not because of weapons, but because, thus, saith the Lord. Trust in me. Obey me. Allow me to strengthen and fortify you. Know that I am with you and I will deliver you.
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