For the building of the church, we need precious and crucial experiences of Christ

Allow me to share some riches with you from our review of “Crystallization-Study of Daniel and Zechariah” in The Holy Word for Morning Revival. I trust you, too, will be fed and enriched by the sharing.

The burden of the word of Jehovah concerning Israel. Thus declares Jehovah, who stretches forth the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him…. – Zech. 12:1

Of one thing we may be assured: our God is full of INTENT—that is to say, He is never purposeless in any action He undertakes. Therefore, we may know that Jehovah had great purpose in His actions described in Zechariah 12:1. All the heavens—all the rest of the universe—were created for and exist for the earth; the earth was created for and exists for man; and the spirit of man—formed by Jehovah within man—is what gives all the rest of creation meaning and purpose.

Man was created for God, and it is man’s spirit that is the organ by which God and man, man and God, may be joined into one (1 Cor. 6:17) for the carrying out of God’s eternal economy.

It is not enough simply to read the scriptures and agree with them. It is not even enough to simply agree with the Lord Jesus, or simply to be obedient to Him (as after the Law). Rather, we must touch our human spirit learn to EXPERIENCE and ENJOY Christ by exercising our spirit.

• We need to experience Christ as the MAN with a measuring line (Zech. 2:1, 2; Ezek. 40:3; 47:1-5; Psa. 139:23f). Zechariah inquires of the Man as to His purpose and he is told that it is the Man’s intention to “measure Jerusalem,” but not to discover how short it is of God’s intention—not in a negative judgmental way. Rather, the Man says, “To measure… to see how great its breadth is and how great its length is.”
  
  Our Christ comes to us as the people and city of God to test us, judge us, examine us and wholly possess us, but not in a negative way. Instead, He comes to encourage us unto greatness in our growth and spreading in life.

• We need to experience Christ as a wall of fire round about us and the glory within us (Zech. 2:5). We must experience Him as our centrality and universality. He must become to us—in our experience—our center and our defender (Rev. 21:23; 22:1, 5; 21:11, 18a, 24). We must find all our glory in Him dwelling within us, and we must trust Him to defend us from every distraction, every wile of the enemy, and every working of death and deadness in our members.
   
• We need to experience Christ as the pupil of His eye—knowing our preciousness to Him and His desire to protect us from every harmful thing.
   
• We need to experience Christ as the shepherding One, shepherding us day by with is rods of FAVOR and BONDS (Zech. 11:7; 2:1f, 5, 8f, 11; John 21:15-17). By His precious shepherding we find GRACE to be mingled more and more with the Spirit in our spirit and thereby increase in oneness and one accord with all the saints.
   
• We need to experience Christ as the One who sends rain as we pray (Zech. 10:1; 12:10; Ezek. 34:26). The Lord is so full of favor toward us and full of rich supply. Nevertheless, we need to call upon His Name for more grace—more “rain”—time and time again.
   
• We need to experience Christ as the One who has the power to transform us as we trust Him and turn to Him day by day. He, and only He, is able to transform us from our weakness as sheep and cause us to become “horses of majesty” for His Name’s sake (Zech. 10:3; cf. 9:13, 16; Dan. 11:32b).
   
• We need to experience Christ as the One who gathers us with His gentle whistling if we will but hear and respond (Zech. 10:8).
   
• We need to experience Christ as the One who strengthens us in Himself by His transfusing and infusing so that we become those who “walk about in His Name (Zech. 14:9).
   
• We also need crucial experiences of Christ for the building up of the church as the temple of God:

o    As the foundation stone—the One who holds and supports the entire church (1 Cor. 3:11)

o    As the cornerstone—the One who joins us to one another and cancels out all our natural distinctions (Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:6)

o    As the precious building materials—gold, silver and precious stones (1 Cor. 3:12a)

o    As wisdom to us from God (1 Cor. 1:30)

o    In the power of resurrection (and not in our natural life and power) (Phil. 3:10f)

o    In His death (not attempting to accomplish our own crucifixion and death) (Phil. 3:10; S.S. 4:6)

o    In His love (2 Cor. 5:14; Eph. 3:17-19; 4:16)

Dear brothers and sisters, we need so many precious experiences of Christ to rescue us from what may be only head-knowledge and agreement with God in the scriptures.

I, myself, am so short of these experiences. I freely confess that I need more and more real, precious and sweet experiences of Christ as I spend time with Him and in His presence.

Join me in this prayer:

Lord Jesus, come. We are open to You! We open every avenue of our being to You. Lord, again we say, we are open to you. Come and shine upon us and shine from within us and enlighten every avenue and every corner of our being. We would like to be exposed, purged, and purified.

Here is a wonderful hymn we enjoyed recently:

1.    "Seven Spirits" of our God —
Lo, the age has now been turned
To the Spirit with the Son.
For the churches He's concerned.

Chorus:

Come, O seven Spirits, come,
Thy recovery work be done!
Burn and search us thoroughly,
All the churches are for Thee.
Burn us, search us,
All the churches are for Thee!

2.    Sevenfold the Spirit is
For the deadness of the church,
That the saints may turn and live,
That the Lord may burn and search.

3.    Now the Spirit of our God
Has become intensified:
'Tis not one but sevenfold
That the church may be supplied!

4.    Now the seven Spirits are
Seven lamps of burning fire,
Not to teach us, but to burn,
Satisfying God's desire.

5.    See the seven Spirits now —
Seven piercing, searching eyes.
In the church exposing us,
All the church He purifies.

6.    Seven Spirits doth the Lord
For the churches now employ;
All those in the local church
May this Spirit now enjoy.

Gaining the Christ unveiled in the Book of Zechariah

I thought it might be worthwhile to share with you some of the riches our dear Lord dispensed to the saints in the meeting on last Lord’s Day (14 April 2013). We were covering the portion “A Word concerning the Human Spirit and Aspects of Christ Unveiled in Zechariah for His Move on Earth” from the HWMR Crystallization-Study of Daniel and Zechariah – Volume Two.

Scripture reading: Zech. 2:1f, 5, 8f, 11; 10:1, 3; 11:7; 12:1, 10

The burden of the word of Jehovah concerning Israel. Thus declares Jehovah, who stretches forth the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth and forms the spirit of man within him. – Zech. 12:1

In His creation, God made three crucial items—the heavens, the earth, and the spirit of man. The heavens are for the earth, the earth is for man, and God put a spirit within man so that man may contact God, receive God, worship God, live God, fulfill God’s purpose for God, and be one with God.

For this reason, God intends that man should be governed by his spirit—and not his soul (i.e., his mind, his will and his emotions). A man who is under the governing of his spirit is a spiritual man (1 Cor. 2:14f; 3:1; 14:32; John 3:6; Eph. 3:16; 1 Pet. 3:4; Dan. 6:3, 10).

Properly understood, Zechariah charges us to pay full attention to our human spirit so that we may receive the Christ revealed in this wonderful book and may comprehend all that is revealed therein concerning Christ (Eph. 3:17-18a; 3:5; Gen. 2:7; Isa. 42:5; John 4:24; Phil. 4:23).

The way to fulfill God’s economy is by Christ as the sevenfold intensified Spirit in our human spirit. Zechariah reveals that the building of the church will be consummated by Christ as the sevenfold intensified Spirit of grace to be the topstone of grace (Zech. 4:6f, 12-14; 3:9; 12:1, 10’ Rev. 4:5; 5:6).

Much of Christianity today remains ignorant of the fact that man has a spirit. Many believe that man has only a body and a soul. Seeing that God formed the spirit in man as the organ by which man receives God, joins with God and mingles with God is crucial to our dwelling in Christ and Christ dwelling in us—the mutual “abiding in the Vine.”

But, once we realize that we have a spirit by which to contact God, we must also learn to exercise our spirit. It is by the exercise of our spirit—our spiritual “muscle”—that we experience and enjoy Christ as the sevenfold intensified Spirit in many different aspects.

We must exercise our spirit to experience and enjoy Christ as a man with a measuring line in His hand, measuring God’s people in order test them, judge them, examine them and make them His possession for His kingdom. When we agree to buy something, we test it, judge it, and examine it before we make it our possession.
When Christ comes as the man with a measuring line in Zechariah 2:1 and 2, He is not coming to judge and examine us in a negative way. The scriptures plainly say that He is coming to measure the greatness of Jerusalem, His city; He is not coming to measure to see how short we are—how we do not “measure up” to His expectations of us.

We must exercise our spirit to experience and enjoy Christ as the One sent by Jehovah. But He is also the Sender! The Triune God is both the Sender and the Sent One to care for His people, who are so dear to Him. Whoever touches us—His people—touches also the very pupil of His eye (Zech. 2:8f, 11; cf. John 14:26; 15:26).

We must exercise our spirit to experience and enjoy Christ as the good Shepherd, shepherding us in Favor (grace) and Bonds (binding into unity in Him and with the saints). His shepherding grace is for our being joined and mingled with God and His shepherding in Bonds are for our being bound into oneness in His Name and for His purpose (Zech. 11:7; 2:1f, 5, 8f, 11; John 21:15-17).

We must exercise our spirit to experience and enjoy Christ as the One who sends “rain.” The Lord is so full of grace and supply to us. Nevertheless, we should not hesitate to ask Him to send us even more favor; more grace; more “rain” (Zech. 10:1; 12:10; Ezek. 34:26).

We must exercise our spirit to experience and enjoy Christ as the One who shepherds us in such a way that, having been visited by the Lord in His grace, we weak sheep are infused by Him, transfused by Him, and transformed by Him to become horses of majesty (Zech. 10:3; cf. 9:13, 16; Dan. 11:32b).

Finally, we must exercise our spirit to experience and enjoy Christ as the Lord who strengthens us in Himself so that we may “walk about in His name (Zech. 10:12; Col. 3:17). “Jehovah will be King over all the earth; and in that day Jehovah will be the one God and His name the one name” (Zech. 14:9).

As you have already begun to see, dear brother, all of our experience of Christ is not to make us better individual Christians just so we can stand around awaiting our own death or the Lord’s return. Rather, the all-inclusive Christ is working in us as the sevenfold intensified Spirit in our spirit in order to gain the building of God for the manifestation of God and His testimony (witness) in the earth (Zech. 4:9; 6:12-15; Matt. 16:18; John 1:1, 14; 1 Cor. 15:45b; Rev. 4:5; 5:6; 21:2).

Not only should we conduct ourselves in such a way that we “let all things be done for the building up,” but God Himself has ordered His entire economy so that “all things” are accomplished for the building of His house, His dwellingplace and His expression consummating in the New Jerusalem.

This is so rich! Amen!

Let me end by sharing this wonderful paragraph from The Holy Word for Morning Revival:

Zechariah is a book unveiling Christ as God’s center and circumference, yet this Christ is intimately involved with human history. Not just anyone can know this One, but God’s chosen people who realize that they have a spirit can know Him. In reading the book of Zechariah and in contacting the Christ revealed in this book, we must first know that we have a spirit. Then we need to exercise our spirit to pray, saying, “Lord, I want to gain the Christ who is unveiled in Zechariah.” If we exercise our spirit in this way, we will sense something living touching us deep within. This is why there is in this book such a verse as [Zechariah] 12:1, a verse that charges us to pay full attention to the receiver within us, our human spirit, that we may receive the Christ revealed in the book of Zechariah. [Emphasis added.]

We sang this hymn, also. I think you will enjoy it and it will help you touch your spirit in order that you might contact God in a richer way and gain more of the Christ revealed in Zechariah:

1. God's glorious substance Spirit is,
His essence, holy and divine;
To contact God and Him enjoy,
His Spirit I must touch with mine.

2. The spirit is the innermost,
The part of man most deep and real;
If he would contact God in life,
'Tis with the spirit he must deal.

3. The worship which the Father seeks
Is in the spirit's strength alone;
His Spirit into man's would come,
That His and man's may thus be one.

4. When Spirit unto spirit calls
The two commingle and are one;
Man's spirit is the Spirit's home,
The Spirit doth man's life become.

5. Man's spirit must God's Spirit touch
If in God's fulness he would live;
'Tis only with the spirit thus
That he to God may worship give.

6. In ministry and fellowship
Man to the spirit we must bring;
All ministry should turn to prayer,
Spirit to spirit answering.

7. In spirit we must pray and serve,
In spirit touch the life divine,
In spirit grow, in spirit build,
That Christ thru us may fully shine.

8. Lord, to the spirit I would turn
And learn to truly contact Thee;
Thy Spirit thus will flow with mine
And overflow eternally.

May the Lord Jesus, Who has become the life-giving Spirit, be with your spirit! Amen.

Why I hate religion, but love Jesus

This is another piece I first heard performed at my son’s school on “Entertainment Night.”

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What if I told you, Jesus came to abolish religion?
What if I told you getting you to vote republican, really wasn’t his mission?
Because republican doesn’t automatically mean Christian,
And just because you call some people blind, doesn’t automatically give you vision.
If religion is so great, why has it started so many wars?
Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor?
Tells single moms God doesn’t love them if they’ve ever been divorced
Yet God in the Old Testament actually calls the religious people whores
Religion preaches grace, but another thing they practice,
Tend to ridicule Gods people, they did it to John the Baptist,
Cant fix their problems, so they try to mask it,
Not realizing that’s just like sprayin’ perfume on a casket
Because the problem with religion is that it never gets to the core,
It’s just behavior modification, like a long list of chores.
Let’s dress up the outside, make things look nice and neat,
Its funny that’s what they do to mummies, while the corpse rots underneath,
Now I ain’t judging I’m just saying be careful of putting on a fake look,
Because there’s a problem if people only know that you’re a Christian by that little section on your Facebook
In every other aspect of life you know that logics unworthy
Its like saying you play for the Lakers just because you bought a jersey
But see I played this game too; no one seemed to be on to me,
I was acting like church kid, while addicted to pornography.
I’d go to church on Sunday, but on Saturday getting faded,
Acting as if I was simply created to have sex and get wasted.
Spend my whole life putting on this façade of neatness,
But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness.
If grace is water, then the church should be an ocean,
Cuz its not a museum for good people, it’s a hospital for the broken
I no longer have to hide my failures I don’t have to hide my sin,
Because my salvation doesn’t depend on me, it depends on him.
because when I was Gods enemy and certainly not a fan,
God looked down on me and said, “I want that man!”
Which is so different from religious people, and why Jesus called ‘em fools
Don’t you see he’s so much better than just following some rules?
Now let me clarify, I love the church, I love the bible, and I believe in sin
But my question, is if Jesus were here today, would your church let Him in?
Remember He was called a drunkard and a glutton by  “religious men”
The Son of God not supported self-righteousness, not now, not then.

Now back to the topic, one thing I think is vital to mention,
How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums,
One is the work of God one is a man made invention,
One is the cure and one is the infection.
Because Religion says do, Jesus says done.
Religion says slave, Jesus says son,
Religion puts you in shackles but Jesus sets you free.
Religion makes you blind, but Jesus lets you see.

This is what makes religion and Jesus two different clans,
Religion is man searching for God, but Christianity is God searching for man.
Which is why salvation is freely mine, forgiveness is my own,
Not based on my efforts, but Christ’s obedience alone.
Because he took the crown of thorns, and blood that dripped down his face
He took what we all deserved, that’s why we call it grace.
While being murdered he yelled “father forgive them, they know not what they do”,
Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you
He paid for all your sin, and then buried it in the tomb,
Which is why I'm kneeling at the cross now saying come on there’s room
So know I hate religion, in fact I literally resent it,
Because when Jesus cried It is finished, I believe He meant it.

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Copyright Jeff Bethke

Text found here.

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Commentary

Though we are told many things “concerning the Jews” in both the Old and New Testaments, and God had every reason to put His stamp of approval on religion by bringing forth Christ and manifesting Him in every way in and through the religion of the Jews, all of the following are true concerning Christ:

1. Christ’s birth was outside religion
2. Christ was found by others outside religion
3. Christ was introduced by John the Baptizer outside of religion
4. Christ’s followers became His disciples outside of religion
5. Jesus presents Himself as “the bridegroom” and sets apart the bridegroom concept as being versus religion
6. Christ introduced four “new things” – the new garment, the new wine, the new wineskin, and the new cloth – all in apposition to religion
7. Christ exhibited the law of life versus the law as outward regulation (religion)

There is much more to be said, but I think you get the idea.

I have a confession to make

Here is another piece of poetry I first heard performed at my son’s school. This piece also reveals how close some trapped in traditional Christianity are seeing something more real that the “milk” continually fed to them by those who have nothing deeper or more profound to offer them.

My comments are inserted in italics.

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I have a confession to make
Grace is more racy than homosexuality

Yes! Grace is more—much more than the watered-down definition assigned to it in traditional Christianity. Grace is not just “unmerited favor.” Oh, it is certainly that, but it is much, much more than that. Grace is the whole triune God dispensed into us as Christ, through the Spirit, for our enjoyment. We are to be vessel for God and God desires to dispense Himself into us as life. “He who has the Spirit, has life,” the scriptures teach us.

More full of life than teenage pregnancy

So, yes! Grace is more full of life than teenage pregnancy.

More captivating than pornography

Since grace is for our satisfaction—to fully satisfy us by fulfilling God’s real plan and purpose for His creation of us—when found and received as God intends, it will captivate us. Christ, “taking captivity captive” will liberate us from every lesser satisfaction if we fully open to Him.

Grace is far more potent than anything that could make us guilty

Ditto above.
 
But we treat grace like a child

Yes, we treat grace like a child because traditional Christianity has lost sight of the fullness of God’s grace as it really it. Grace is not a “thing.” “The law was given,” the scriptures tell us, but “grace came” in the person of Jesus Christ as the whole God (not just one-third of God) [John 1:17]. And, “of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace” [John 1:16].

When we hide our sin and question its ability

Again, yes! We do this because traditional Christianity fails to teach us concerning the reality of grace. Therefore, instead of “coming forward with boldness to the throne of grace,” we find ourselves shrinking back and being fearful of, rather than enjoying God.

 

I have a confession to make
The measure of a Christian
Is not how well their sin is hidden
Or how many church services they have attended
Or how low the number of transgressions
They have committed is
The measure of a Christian
Is hidden in Christ
Whom they have been given

To this verse, I can only say a resounding, “Amen!” Not only is “the measure of a Christian… hidden in Christ,” the whole believer is “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

I have a confession to make
There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
And that goes for
The Gossip as well as the Alcoholic
The Greedy as well as those in adultery
The Apathetic as well as the Addict
The Judgmental as well as the Homosexual

”Amen!” And again I say, “Amen!” Traditional Christianity, much like the Jews of Jesus’ day, has wrapped its religion in outward forms of “rightness” and “wrongness”—returning unwittingly to the tree of knowledge of good and evil—in order to keep its adherents from discovering the hollow shell it really is. In doing so they have rejected Christ as the Tree of Life, even as Jesus warned the Jews: “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that testify concerning Me. Yet you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” (John 5:39f)

We're all looking for something we can throw
At anyone whose sin looks worse than our own
But we are all sinners, we've all been exposed
So none of us are left with even a single stone
I have a confession to make
Anyone who calls themselves a Christian
Makes the ultimate confession
For Christ did not come for
The healthy, but for those who need medication
The prostitutes,  murderers and those in rehabilitation
So if you claim to be a Christian
You claim to be in need of powerful salvation

I have a confession to make
We are all trapped in shame
Until we give sin a name
For we all play this game
Where we try to look the same
By modifying and hiding our behavior
So no one can see our sin and make us a stranger
But what we don't realize is that we are in danger
For if we live like we have no sin, then we live like we need no savior

The problem with giving sin “a name,” in traditional Christianity, is that Christianity—to far too great a degree—has no healthy teaching to bring real liberty from the power or sin that resides in the flesh. As long as the Christian is left to “do the best you can,” “pray every day,”  and “just hang on,” he remains impotent in the face of sin. Therefore, the weak sinner find that he is loathe to confess this selfsame weakness in the face of ever-present sin. Contrary to the teaching of Scripture, though he now has Christ, he still—all too often—finds that the lack of healthy teaching leaves him still “without hope in this world.”

I have a confession to make
My eyes, lips, and mind are stained and unclean
From images, drinks, and words that would have condemned me
But I'm not saved because I'm perfect or have my sin under control
I'm saved because I need saving and that is the Gospel

I have a confession to make
You no longer have to hide
For God has seen everything that you are
And still came for you and died
It doesn't matter if everyone rejects you
You are still his spotless bride
Come join me in confession
Where we still every brother's suspicion
Every sister's suggestion
Because we have stepped fully in the light
Without any hesitation
No longer can we hide
Nor do we feel the inclination
For freedom's far better
Than staying in incarceration

Many saints today feel that the Scriptures ring hollow when they declare, “Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty, wherewith Christ has set you free,” for they do not yet feel free. Oh, they might momentarily. They might even feel freshly cleansed after some soulical experience during some retreat or meeting. But the sense of being truly free never seems to last long.

This is not the Christian’s fault. This is the failing of traditional Christianity to bring the reality of God’s eternal economy to the man for a full, organic salvation.

Come make your confession
And rob sin of its power
For what strength does it have
If its shame's been devoured

Come make your confession
And make room for healing
Both for yourself and for others
Whom with your very sin they have been dealing

Come make your confession
And rid the church of its judges
For if everyone is confessing
There's no room to make judgments

Amen!

I have a confession to make
God is not condemning
And we should not be trying
To play his role

Let us start to pick up our cross instead of our stones
Hurl rocks of Gospel at each other instead of blows

Open our mouths to confess and forgive instead of keeping them closed
And overlook the speck in another's eye so we can attend to the plank in our own

I have a confession to make
And, church, it's time you made yours too
For Christ did not die so that we may hide
But to love us in spite of the wrong we do

So come, speak your sins
On the alter of confession
It doesn't matter if the world says you're condemned
Because all God speaks is salvation 

Yes! God speaks salvation—a full, organic salvation—through a reality that includes an organic union with His Son, Jesus Christ. In fact, “God, having spoken of old in many portions and in many ways to the fathers in the prophets, has at the last of these days spoken to us in the Son.” (Hebrews 1:1f). The very language by which God is speaking His eternal salvation today is these last days is “the Son” and His speaking is found in the church—His Bride—called by His Name. “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’”

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Poetry copyright David Bowden

“Ready or Not”

The following are lyrics from P4CM (Passion for Christ Movement). I heard them at my son’s school on “Entertainment Night.” They were performed by a young lady dressed as a bride and her gentleman counterpart.

I was pleased and somewhat astounded by the insight offered by the words. Yet, the writer (or writers) still remain somewhat veiled with regard to the economy of God. My comments are insert in the context of the lyrics.

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Janette: I’m trying to remember why I was created or at least, that’s what I’d like you to think. Because amnesia sounds a lot better than just plain ignorance.  Well...even ignorance is defined as a lack of knowledge, see I’m just faking it. Pretending as if I don’t know, when really I do.  I felt less than what my designer thought was best. So I sup “pressed” who he super “natural”-ly intended me to be. No lie I; got relaxed, then I combined, by “weaving” in a little bit of His will with a whole lot of mine.

[The church has, indeed, forgotten why she was created. Traditional Christianity has become almost entirely about redemption and “church” has become little more than a gathering of believers simply waiting for something—the end of the age? their own death? the second coming of the Lord? But as they wait, the have no sense of purpose. They do not comprehend God’s eternal purpose for man in the earth and for the church in this age.]

So how do I look? ‘Cause I think I look good!

[Yes, many in traditional Christianity are smug and self-satisfied at what they think they are “doing for the Lord.” Yet, the satisfaction of God is not found in our “doing” for the One who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.]

And yes, I know its not His original design.

[There is a certain nagging discomfort among more and more believers with the utter lack of purpose found in traditional Christianity. Sure, we can serve others doing good deeds and we can preach to gospel. But even our traditional gospel rings hollow: “Come. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, get your sins forgiven, and then hang around with us until something happens—like you die, or Christ comes back again.”]

I have time to change; Fix any minor things I may lack. It’s not like He's coming back... tomorrow.

Seriously, how long have we heard, these are “the last days”? It’s the same old song. I mean, is it just me, or do these last days seem to be lasting kinda long?

[Yes, the longer traditional Christianity’s purposelessness lingers, the more hollow rings the Lord’s promise to “come again” until “the last days” themselves seem to be eternity to us.]

I know I’m not perfect. I’ve had so many I couldn’t count my falls—Niagara. Rather than responding to His call, I’d rather schedule Him—Viagra.

[Somewhere, deep inside, genuine God-seekers in traditional Christianity have a sense of their failings. The problem is, there is so little healthy teaching available among traditional Christians as to how to enter into God’s eternal purpose for man and the church.]

Whatever is wrong He can heal; but I want the cattle on a thousand hills with the ability to take the wheel—grasp will like Jacob to Esau’s heel. His love is based on how I feel—He loves me… He loves me not—like pullin’ petals off flowers.

[The degraded church—believers wandering in traditional Christianity—find themselves bound by two factors: On the one hand, they want to “drive” in their relationship with God. This is a natural response to the purposeless they feel in just “hanging around” waiting for God to do whatever comes next. Instead of being trapped in that purposelessness, they would rather seize the wheel and drive—drive somewhere—anywhere. On the other hand, in the absence of healthy teaching regarding God’s eternal economy, they are also trapped into gauging their present relationship with God based on their present “feelings” about God and about themselves.]

Yes, He’s coming back but no man knows the day or the hour…?

Together: Where have you been. I've been at the altar, waiting For you...

Ezekiel: To repent...  What happened you've...

Janette: Lost weight? Yes. I wanted to look good for you so I haven't been eating my daily...

Ezekiel: “Bread of heaven” is who I am; but its scary. I give you loaves of my Word but you get by with the crumbs of commentaries.  You needed...

[What about this daily bread and the “Bread from heaven”? Read more here.]

Janette: I needed a make over.… No one was attracted to me, so I dressed up the gospel; stayed silent seeing sin saturate sanctuaries—shadowing sight, smoky eyes—because… You know… You are love,  

Ezekiel: No, I am your "cover...girl." I "make up" for your lacks and deficiencies,  I'm your very “foundation.”  See, I blend with you perfectly—no need for concealer—for I’m the revealer of all. Don't you recall when I tore your veil?

[Christ is everything to the church. Sure, the scriptures say that Christ is head of the body, but how many times have you sent your body to work without your head? The head and the body are one. The head has a unique function in the body, but it shares one life with the body. Just like when Jesus told the disciples, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” Have you ever seen a vine with no branches? If Jesus is the vine, then He’s the whole vine—including the part that is found “in the branches.” The branches share one life with the vine and so are incorporated—made into one body—with the vine. The vine is in the branches and the branches are in the vine.]

Janette: So, you’re saying you don’t like my lashes and you don’t like my nails then?

Ezekiel: You don't understand. You don’t understand.  I took lashes for your lashes, and nails for your nails; but If I'm not gaining your heart, then I'm just losing time... ‘cause more than I want you to  be outwardly beautiful, I need you to be mine,

Janette: Okay. But we're here now so let's just go on with this ceremony…

Ezekiel: Knowing… there will be no one in attendance? You never extended invitations. Too excited about the reception, and the gifts that you would get that you forgot my (presence).

Janette: (Presents). And dollar dances… quarters… nickels and 

Ezekiel: The world could keep their dimes. Pieces of silver don't impress me... don't forget what happened to Judas... 

Janette: You just failed to see that I've changed. I admit I grew distant. I lost sight of You—the  absolute value, missing the sin. So now with ignorance, at times, I “cosine” unable to stay away from “tangents.” I thought I had the “right” angle.

Ezekiel: Look, I know your heart has been broken, but if you can Keep your eyes “fixed” on me I can re-pair us. And we will be one no longer be Fractions—being dominated by denominations.

[Yes! If we are “one Body,” as the scriptures say, then we cannot fulfill God’s eternal purpose as long as we “denominated”—literally, separated according to name. There is no other Name than that of Jesus Christ our one Lord by which we should be named. The scriptures tell us that God chooses—not man—the place where He will place His “Name.”]

Janette: Yet, I choose to stay divided like Palestinian nations.

Ezekiel: Yes, your fouls have been flagrant… your fouls have been flagrant; but I am positive I'm the one for you! But we equal nothing if you continue to be the negative one in this equation.

Together: Can you sense... my frustration?

Janette: You are Holy. So I impose what’s legalistic: making appeals for what you already acquitted, obsessed with overruling your objections purposely plucking purpose

Ezekiel: Professing prosperity, practicing pride, prosecuting people persistently; and, when you became the judge, you took away the saint’s defense and see, you've silenced the miraculous testimonies of my witness. So no one’s ever convicted, yet so many of children are turned away from life because you condemn them with your death penalty sentence.

[Just a with the Jews in Jesus’ day, the more empty is the underlying reality of religion, the more outward is the show and the binding become the restrictions of that religion upon its adherents. Of course, the binding of the laws upon the followers is—to a very great extent—intended to keep them from discovering the hollowness at the core of the religion. When Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders, “I leave this temple to you desolate,” He revealed something significant. The temple was already “desolate.” Christ didn’t need to make it thus—as soon as He left the temple, all of God was absent from the temple despite the claims of the religious leaders to the contrary.]

Janette: Not all of them. Which reminds me.. about their entrance: In the Lamb’s Book of Life some names you may have skipped. With attendance, I stamp their wrists so that they can get in—the  VIP section: we don't address their sin; neither do we offend. Bouncers don't trip on those who abundantly give—all of their praying grandmothers had a plus one on the list.

Ezekiel: Well, tell them, they wont see me, by visiting you routinely. Be the example that  you need relationship with Me. You are more than stained glassed windows, pulpits, pew and singers, ‘cause If you want to see My church, just Look in the mirror.

Janette: But you wanted me to be fine, perfect, righteous, and eloquent. But this land seemed desolate and needed development. I exceeded your budget so I withdrew from Tyra’s “bank” and continued to remodel  staying culturally relevant. My girl, Katrina, called said hurricanes and hard times came and You didn’t make Yourself evident.

Ezekiel: But I told you I would never leave thee nor forsake thee.

Janette: I hear you but I had immediate needs.

Ezekiel: But [you] promised that you would… wait for me.

Janette: Wait for you?

Ezekiel: By the way what happened to your ring?

Janette: My ring?

Ezekiel: You don't remember the ring when I called you out of darkness into marvelous things. You wear it IN you not ON you. It was My Spirit, my sign to, and remind you AND your ex who you really belong to.

Janette: My ring? I pawned for money to get back to who I thought was my first love. He spoke to me with words so sweet. He “waves” and I feel the “shore”ness of my wrong decision shifting my view. He wanted me to “sea” breeze, so I could forget where the “Son” sets next.

I was convinced I didn’t need to repent of my sin. He told me he could wash me with the “Tide” that was coming in. The weather was pleasant on the Atlantic surface, but as I got to his core the temperature drastically changed. Yes, I contacted an STD, he “burned” me at 9,800 degrees. He was my earth, he was my world. I'm sorry to tell you, but there's more….

Ezekiel: Did you think I wouldn't notice... the symptoms and the signs, and your unexplainable cravings for sin of all kinds? Even had trouble sleeping.

Janette: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy didn’t come in the morning sickness. So, in my shame and my mourning you witnessed me take the pill for the morning after coincidently located right next to my box of alabaster. I was to shameful to bring forth Al a bast…

Ezekiel: Stirred lies of wicked men's tongues started deceivin’ you, then automatically planted the seeds of deceit in you. And when you were pregnant with falsehood, it became impossible to “conceive” the truth.

Janette: (The truth) made me free, but I ran back to what was comfortable—being enslaved, a mind depraved. I'm sure you don’t want me now. I’m not worth the price you paid....

Ezekiel: They flogged me with whips,that left my flesh stripped, I was beat with their instruments, rhythmically, which caused my skin… I bleed symphonies. I can still remember the hooks—like a chorus—and those weren't just 66 letters, they were musical scores, which contained the every note to keep us on one accord—for you to always  have the right keys to my hearts doors.

Janette: I just wanted a sample-repeat sin like loopin’ eight bars, on my own tempo, I embarked, instead of following Your instrumentation, I drown out your heartbeat of tympani, and strings of harmonies, ignore the woodwinds of Your spirit. If Your trumpet sounds, I wont hear it or even the brass ring, ‘cause I’ve laid tracks and tracks of acapella. But, so I can hear myself sing, majoring in minor, has left me scratched like broken records, causing my life to, causing my life to, causing my life to—stutter. I’m a false instructor, pretending as if I’m watching the conductor. I'm too unlawful to be your wife and probably never recover....

Ezekiel: My WILL was put to the test when I had to choose to escape glory to escape in glory, or bear torment upon my flesh, YOU were the reason I embraced that rugged cross, like my child, who was long lost. MARRY, my own mother couldn’t even recognize [the] disfigured the face of her son. ME, is what I gave you on Calvary, when it was done.

I told you I loved you. How much? Well, I showed you. You called it crucifixion; I call it “proposal.”

WILL YOU MARRY Me...?

You don't need a third party. You have direct access to Me, and we won't ever have to worry about remembering our anniversary, because I've yet to find a calendar with a date for eternity.

Janette: I need your…

Ezekiel: GRACE and MERCY is what I lavish upon….. There's  a recession of My  presence. I see the demand, so I supply the missing peace that your heart demands.  And then….

Janette: …some cry over spilled milk. I weep over spilled...

Ezekiel: Blood that could not be measured in pints to count…

Together: …My love…

Janette: …was contingent on what was instant.

Together: I know I had to come…

Janette: …to repentance.

Ezekiel: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.

Janette: Father forgive me for I know not what I’ve done.

Janette: I’ll get myself together. I’ll clean myself up.

Ezekiel: Please, allow me, I’m the only one who can make you clean.

Together: Without spot, wrinkle… without blemish.

Ezekiel: Your bridesmaids, goodness and mercy, will follow you. It is already finished. It was you who I chose even though I called many. I am coming back for you.

Together: Will you be ready OR NOT???

[Interestingly, the Lord’s return is predicated upon the Bride having “made herself ready.” We cannot know the time of the Lord’s return for His Bride, but we can hasten that day by endeavoring to understand God’s eternal purpose, and His eternal economy is entirely bound up with the church—the Bride of Christ—His eternal counterpart and His Body.]

God-seekers or letter-keepers

[God] has also made us sufficient as ministers of a new covenant, ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

– 2 Corinthians 3:6

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Among men there are two types of people: God-seekers and letter-keepers. Even so-called atheists are letter-keepers. Their lives are governed by rules. Rules they have created for themselves or acquired from some other person but, nonetheless, rules by which they have chosen to live.

Among Christians it is easy to tell which camp we fall into. When, in the scriptures, we hear or read the word “law,” do we immediately think of “rules” to which God intends that we externally conform? If that is so, we remain a letter-keeper. We are still not fully governed by the Spirit of God dwelling in our spirit.

Psalm 119 is a God-seeker’s psalm

Consider, however, the writer of Psalm 119. No psalm is more notably associated with “the law” than this one, commencing as it does with

“Blessed are those whose way is perfect, / Who walk in the law of Jehovah.”

But, what we New Testament believers forget is that to the Old Testament saints, “the law” didn’t mean just commandments and ordinances in their formal “command” form. “The Law” to these O.T. saints included the whole of the first five books of the Old Testament (i.e., Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).

If, then, we consider the contents of just the first book, Genesis, we find all of the following dealings with God in His work to gain men for His purpose and His plan:

• The Tree of Life in the garden of Eden
• The generations of man
• The choosing and calling of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel)
• The coming of Melchizedek as the mystical King of Salem and and King of Righteousness
• The offering up of Isaac
• The life Joseph

Now, consider for a moment what God felt was so important in this portion of “the Law.” The entire act of creation of the universe and man was covered in less than three chapters. Joseph—God’s dealings with man to gain a man for His purpose—covers 17 chapters.

So, when the psalmist says, “Blessed are those whose way is perfect; who walk in the law of Jehovah,” I don’t believe the writer is speaking of letter-keeping. He is not saying that the blessed ones are those who are flawless in keeping all of God’s commandments and ordinances. For, if he were saying this, then only Jesus Christ Himself can meet this requirement and blessed.

Rather, the writer is speaking of God-seekers. He is speaking of those who “walk” in all of God’s dealings with men for the gaining of men for the purpose of God. Joseph was such a man. He submitted to God’s dealings, enduring the chaos of his circumstance by taking God as his grace and  his supply, in order that he might fulfill God’s purpose and become a supply to others.

Joseph was not a letter-keeper. He was not seeking retribution under “law” for what his brethren did to him. Rather, Joseph was as God-seeker—finding God and God’s grace in all his circumstance—and understanding that “the law” of God had to do with revealing God’s heart toward man, not merely seeking to make man simply outwardly conforming to the letter of ordinances. For, the letter kills, but the Spirit of God working in man’s spirit gives life.

Our experience of Christ

One of the things I found lacking in traditional Christianity was the genuine experience of Christ.

Oh, I found plenty of people who had “experiences” related to Christ. They attended meetings, “revivals,” prayed with others and had “experiences” that encouraged them, strengthened them, blessed them, made them feel forgiven. Even I had such experiences.

But, upon deeper inspection of myself—or in conversations with such genuine brothers and sisters in Christ—I found that the “experiences” were very superficial. They were experiences in the believers’ minds, their emotions, or even (sometimes) affecting their wills. But the experiences remained in their souls and had little lasting affect on their life and living.

What I did not find in myself or in the other believers with which I was surrounded was the genuine experience of “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27). I did not find that, in myself or others, there was the ability to say with any sense of reality that “for me to live is Christ.” Nor did I find in myself or others under the general teaching of traditional Christianity the reality of any of the other experiences expressed in Colossians, such as:

• “Full-grown in Christ (1:28)
• “Walk in Him” (2:6)
• “According to Christ” (2:8)
• “Made alive together with Him” (2:13)
• “Died with Christ” (2:20)
• “Holding the Head [Christ]” (2:19)
• “Out from whom [the Head]” (2:19)
• “Grows with the growth of God” (2:19)

These verses, taken together, constitute a full and proper experience in Christ, with Christ and of Christ. They go well beyond the experience of most in traditional Christianity. Yet, most Christians today know only redemption and some tradition of teaching that amounts to little more than “hanging on” until they either die or their idea of “the rapture” arrives.

I knew, however, that some had had a deeper, richer, more complete and more proper experience of Christ than I had. I knew this from reading books written by so-called “Christian mystics,” such as Madame Guyon, Andrew Murray, and others.

These people had touched Christ in their spirit and through the Holy Spirit indwelling them as Christ Himself. That, is the experience I sought and that is the experience that the Bible teaches.

These believers had had experiences “in” Christ, “according to” Christ, “with” Christ and “out from” Christ as their very center.

I prayed fervently, as I know some of you are praying even now:

“O, Lord Jesus: If there are those who have found a way to discover, receive, enjoy and grow more in You, with You, by You, according to You and out from You, then bring me to them that I might also have such a sweet, rich and full experience of You.”

The Lord Jesus answers such prayer and I have found such a wellspring of His riches.

In this I rejoice!

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What is your experience in Christ?