Why I HATE and LOVE organized Religion

I just came from the funeral. Painful. Wonderful message delivered by a wonderful man. Pastor Smith.

BUT, there in the room were people, my relatives who have comfort in organized religion. No life in Jesus. Just Church stuff.

I get so angry with traditional church. With a form of religion. With lukewarm uncommitted faith. With the vanilla faith many of us grew up with. Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist.

Good, but mellow. Not challenging.

One man I love very much can't come to Christ because he saw his own father being one way at home, abusive, mean, cruel and then on Sundays act all holy. He saw his father talk about people's giving in the church. He was a board member. His importance was being special.

His only understanding of the things of God is his earthly father. He rejects the duality, doubleminedness.

What is so sad to me is eternity hangs in the balance. He is out of the Kingdom because of the sin of the father visited on his son.

For this reason I HATE, DESPISE, REJECT and like Jesus VOMIT OUT of my mouth lukewarm mellow religion. I understand in my spirit how horrible it is.

We need Jesus. He is all we must have. If we offer only milk it will sour us on reality later.

This isn't denomination. This is leadership unwilling to hold people accountable. I am thankful for Lord of Life. For good men and women of God. I am thankful for Faith Center with Leaders who care enough to confront. I am thankful for the E4 Church.

I'm speaking the very word of the Father. If you are in leadership and you wink at sin, wink at lukewarmness, you curse the generation to come.

It's time to get serious about serving GOD.

NOW!

Unless a Seed Dies it cannot produce new life

Today we will put our Nephew Luke in the earth. I looked at him in the coffin and knew right away as I already did, that's not him. It's an empty shell. An 18 year old empty shell, but he will live forever in memories.

He is gone. Elsewhere.

But, from this I believe new life is sprouting. Life in Jesus. A purpose under heaven.

I won't say any more about this, but sometimes crisis brings people to a place they had no interest in going before.

To everything there is a season,
a time for every purpose under the sun.
A time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
a time to kill and a time to heal ...
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance ...
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to lose and a time to seek;
a time to rend and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A Disturbing Vision

Last night I sat with relation and watched the election returns. Then we came home and went to bed.

In the early light of day when I was half asleep and half awake I got a vision. I get them. I will let you judge if it's of the Lord. I'm not sure. But I submit it for your consideration.

In that nexus of consciousness I saw before me an image from the day of the dead. A skeletal face and body. I had seen candy like this in Mexico during this celebration.

It wasn't moving. It was dead.

Now, you can or could put all kinds of meanings on this. It seemed a little ominous. It seemed a little scary.

I don't know what it means, but I thought you should know. Watch and Pray.

The Phone Rings in Heaven

If you see my other posts on the topic, I have been seeking God intensely over the election and what it all means. I have imagined the phone in Heaven all lights lit and God's not returning any calls.

Oh, there have been the occasional pronouncements. I have read them all. Judged them carefully. I won't say they were accurate or wrong. I enjoy reading them. But it doesn't influence what I hear from heaven.

I have learned to hear the voice of God and it's so distinct and clear that all other voices that try to speak in the areas he speaks to me about are drowned out by the thunder of HIS voice.

I know most people that flow in the prophetic will get this. Kelly will. When you hear Him often enough everything else sounds counterfeit. Now, don't get me wrong. I like to hear and read other prophetic utterances. I respect them. I even (for the most part) accept them as a part of the fractal of God's prophetic word to us.

Last night I listened to Kim Clement. Found it very interesting. I believe him to be a true prophet. So when he speaks I listen. But, I need to hear from the throne for myself. Again, those who operate in this will understand.

God's phone has been pretty lit up. And so has mine. I have had several people call me in the last 24 hours from all over the country to ask me, "Whats going to happen"? Is Obama or McCain going to win. If he does what does that mean?

I posted what the Lord told me Friday night. I still stands.

One man who called me from North Dakota asking me said this, " I believe we have fasted, prayed, sought God, been obedient, done what we knew to do, now God will do what he will do".

He also said that AFTER the election is over that there will be a great deal of prophetic flow in reassurance of what this all means and why God has been so silent.

I believe that was a word for me. I pass it along.

Every prophet I am in one on one communication with is hearing nothing. Not a word. It's like last March where the heavens seemed to shut for a season.

But, prophets around the world have been hesitant (wisely) to post anything that could be interpreted wrongly. I haven't certainly.

This reminds me of the story of when Moses had just led the children of Israel out of Egypt and they were being chased by the Egyptians. They made it to the Red Sea but were trapped. In Exodus 14:13 it reads:

And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.

Sometimes in life you have done everything that you can do in a situation and the only thing that you can do is put it in God’s hands.

As much power as God has given us there are somethings that we need to rely on Him for. We need to know this and except it and let Him demonstrate His power. The best part of this is that when you give the situation to Him he gives you peace in return:

Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

It is like when I went thru some serious difficulties some years ago. In my prayers I instructed the Lord on how to do what I needed done. He didn't listen. He did it another way. His way in the end was better. I didn't get it then. I do now.

In 2 Chronicles 20 there is a great story that came to mind early this morning. About what seemed to be impossibility, when the polls were all against them. THEN. Well you'll have to read it yourself.

Here's the passage that jumped out at me.

17b Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

18 Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.

I only know this, there is now and is coming a great divide. It had to come. Christians look too much like the world. The world looks less and less christian. Something had to give. Like the cracks that emerge in a great earthquake. This has been the word of the Lord to me for two years. Something has to give. God will separate out his peculiar people, his chosen generation, his royal priesthood that he might show forth the salvation of Our God.

I'm sorry that I can't say what you want to hear. If I did I would be an unrighteous prophet. King Ahab had his, there were many in Babylon that Jeremiah railed against. I won't even declare what the printed word of God says unless he gives it to me to declare. Sometime I'll explain that. I think that those who operate in the prophetic will grasp why.

God is obligated to carry out his word for his name's sake when the prophets declare it. The issue is you better be really sure you heard from God before you say anything. I am.

So, we have done all we can do, fasted, prayed and prophesied. Now, I'm going to stand back and watch the salvation of the Lord. I have news for anyone. Tomorrow Morning God will still be on the throne no matter how it all comes out.

Psalms 31 (NLT)

23 Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
but he harshly punishes the arrogant.

A Lesson About What Might Happen to the Church from Germany

Sometimes past is portent. Sometimes what was will be again.

I won't say much more, but a pastor's daughter in Hitlers day has written of what it was like for her and her family.

You will want to read it and heed it.

If you ever doubted the reality of Christian Persecution, you must be made aware.

The Energy of a Church Plant

Peggy and I are in Lincoln NE. We are in the middle of a family situation. If you read my other blog you will get the story.

I wanted to connect with someone I could trust in case it was needed so the phone call to Barry was really worthwhile. He connected me with a man who is in the process of a Church plant in Lincoln. Word of Life Church.

We went. It was like old home week. I sat down next to a guy who I knew. Lee Veilselmeir. He owns a nursery west of Lincoln. There were about 50 people there. All set up and tear down every Sunday. The pastor is Larry.

Larry preached fine. But his heart is that of a Pastor. He's about my age. Maybe older. And he's about to be ordained. WOW. This gave me hope.

Something they do on line now in the LCMS. This is his fourth career. Good move Missouri.

We have been part of 3 church plants. They are hard work and can be discouraging. But they are energizing. A person is in the middle of a blank sheet of paper in formation.

Now, what made this so wonderful is this is an LCMS plant. Yet, it looks like for all practical purposes exactly like every other church plant I have been part of.

The music was words on a screen. The leaders was 3 singers, keyboard, drums, guitar, bass and us. Very wonderful. They sang the same songs. The same spirit. The same freedom. I know it grates on the days of OLD but what works today is not found in the format at the front of a hymnal. It's freedom in worship, expression and ministry to needs. The word of truth proclaimed. I have blogged on this before. The future of church in this century is freedom and transparency.

Pastor Larry got up, not eloquent, transparent. Humbly in love with Jesus and inviting us to come along.

Then in the middle of all this, there were prayer requests. One was for Brandon who our nephew Luke's best friend. That he had lost his best friend and would be pray for him. It was amazing how small a world we all live in.

I have to admit, as much as I enjoy the work of the ministry in renewal for a large church, I do miss the raw unfettered energy of a church plant. Doing it out of whole cloth. No rules. No board. Just Jesus and the lost world.

And there is one other thing. A church plant will typically reach more unchurched and lost people than an established church can. I don't know why. But it's true.

I just don't know if I have the energy to set up and tear down every Sunday again. Who knows? I'm busy now, but the open frontier calls sometimes.

Those Tears I Cried

Friday night I did what I do most Friday Nights. I went to the IHOP in Bolingbrook. I needed a word from God. Sometimes when I'm there I get something. Most of the time. It's the atmosphere. It's the music, it's the combined prayer of several dozen people. It's the sense of God's presence in the room.

The music started. This isn't Organ Music. 3 percussionists, congas, drum kit and an Indian drum, 3 guitars, a bass, a flute, keyboard and 3 singers as well as the miked guitar and keyboardists.

Friday night it was loud. Not bad. Just loud. As the musicians swelled I became aware of a profound sense of grief. I started to cry. Then Sob. Then Bawl. I turned and hid my head under my jacket. I tried to keep from becoming obvious. This went on for over an hour.

The the word of the Lord came. He pointed me to Matthew 24:

What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?^[a]”

4 Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 5 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

9 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.^[b] 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations^[c] will hear it; and then the end will come.

I know what he was telling me was that the current election cycle, the current economics cycle, the current cultural wars, the rumors of wars that exist are not the end. Until the end.

Now, was I grieving over the circumstance? Or what? Was I being prepared for the sudden turn that would come?

One of the things I heard the Lord say to me clearly as I sought him over what was about to happen, "Do you trust me, can you rely on me to order your steps, is my grace really sufficient or do you need to depend on another".

I do trust you Lord. I get it.

The reality is this, God's goodness is such that we never ever miss what God is offering when he assures us of his sovereignty and goodness.

My fears and my sorrow are not well understood. I don't know for sure what they were all about.

But, I just checked, He's still on the throne.