church systems.... without God's power.... just playing church?

October 27, 2004

And when I was reading this morning I was so convicted that our church is not going places because we don’t have the real power and glory of God. Oh, once in awhile we have a “moving” Sunday morning worship, but that’s about it. Our life groups are perhaps growing a bit, but not like God wants. Because we sit around and have our little discussions and sing our little tunes and talk about how wonderful it is that we’re following the cell church model. Well, one thing that a cell church or any church, any gathering of believers, needs is really truly deep repentance and sorrow and humility and willingness to totally lay each of ourselves on the altar and die as a total sacrifice to God… every aspect of our beings. Total sorrow for our sins, the sins of our families, churches, community, region, world.

October 27, 2004

Until we reach that point, which includes a huge amount of deep, intensive, repentant and intercessory prayer and fasting (which we do not do) then we’re just going to keep sitting around and talking about how we should operate our cells and our church, and complain and criticize our leaders and our path, instead of praying, praying, praying for them and truly supporting them. Until we do that, we’re really just playing church. Sure, once in a while we get a “blessing,” but are we actually getting God? No! Because if we were, we’d get blown away! We are willing to settle for so little, a few converts and baptisms, a few good services, a couple new life groups, a very occasional healing. But oh, oh, oh how much we are missing.

October 27, 2004

I don’t care so much about “blessings” or even “gifts” anymore. I want God Himself in His power and glory. Yes, I know He is “dangerous.” I know it will truly require death of all I hold dear. But without really pursuing God and experiencing Him on that level, what really is the point?

No wonder most people don’t go to churches. They truly don’t see anything really worth having in the lives of most Christians. People are spiritually hungry, they can’t help it, God made them that way, and He’s pursuing them – but His plan is to use us – for people to see Him rather than us (no matter how nice and spiritual we might be) when they look our way. And how are they going to see Him, when we’re holding so much back? We’re so easily contented with scraps of things, gifts, blessings, when our Father really want to give Himself. But we don’t want to go that far. Or do we? I want to.

I want to throw myself on the altar of sacrifice and die to all that is me.

I want God alone. I want people who know nothing of God (other than the empty longing in their heart) to be able to just look my way or stand beside me, and see God! (not me).

"God's Almighty Transforming Power Poured Out in Our Midst"

I want to pray and pray and pray, and fast and fast. I want to fall on my face before God. I want to get together with God’s people and weep and cry and intercede for my family, my friends and relatives, my life group, my church, the church of Christ in this community, the huge masses of lost people in this town.

I want to see my church repent so deeply that people going by will be pulled inside, and stumble to the altar and cry out to God in repentance, and be saved and baptized and know God! And then go out and pull others in. I want the power to go out of the church door and down the streets of my neighborhood and city and region in such a powerful way that crowds of people will be falling on their knees, weeping and crying out to God in repentance and humiliation, right in the streets and malls and schools and businesses and churches and hospitals and homes… everywhere. People running up to Christians and begging them to tell them how to know God, how to know Jesus, how to be saved and sanctified.

I want to see Christians whose lives are so holy and pure and God-enveloped that people see God in them instantly.

I want to see jails and bars and clubs and covens and temples of false religions just fold up because no one goes there anymore, because they are pouring into churches and cell groups to seek God, and pouring out into the streets to preach the gospel to every creature.

We’re busy preparing the system of the New Testament church, but without the power of God that they knew and experienced, and that surely God intends for us too, if we’ll only truly want Him, pursue Him until He turns and lifts us up into His arms. Without God truly at the total center and right out to the farthest reaches of our beings, without that, all our imitating of the system of the early church is only creating empty containers. Oh God, fill us! Not just with occasional blessings, occasional warm fuzzies or even temporary “power” but with You, You, You! In all Your power and glory, in all Your aspect, all Your fullness, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, One God now and forever. Amen!

Oh dear God, start with me – now!