thinking out of the box

If you want something badly enough, I suppose, you will find a way to it.  Orville and his brother Wilbur wanted to fly.  Of course, that was impossible: 6,000 years of human history had proved that man is just not made to fly.  But fly they did.  And I am flabbergasted at how simple the answer really was.  The whole secret lay in the cross-sectional shape of the wing: flat on the bottom and curved on top; simple in the extreme!  For six-thousand years, that secret stared man right in the face, as it were, being displayed by every flying bird.  But Orville and Wilbur discovered the secret of flight, in order as they were willing to think "out of the box".  Because they tenaciously pursued their dream ~ and the secret things of God, so, they changed the world.

No one but God knows how deeply and how long I have wrestled with trying to find answers to the problem of how to advance the Kingdom of God, in apostate America ~ especially, given the constraints I am faced with, personally.  But faith doesn't (often) bother to look at the obstacles or opposition; faith looks at the goal, and tries to discover how to get from here to there.

I honestly believe I want Revival no less (if not in fact more) than Orville and Wilbur wanted to fly.  For, Orville and Wilbur could have gone on building and selling bicycles even if they had failed to discover the secret of flight.  But I know for certain that America cannot any longer survive as a nation without Revival ~ and I cannot accept that.  In fact, I see very clearly that this nation has already reached the precipice of destruction; and that is not hyperbole.  Nor is it my mind to "ride out the storm and pray for the Rapture".  For, I believe we (the true Church) are still here for the same reasons for which Christ himself came, namely, to build up God's Kingdom and to tear down the devil's.  In other words, I believe that the "Great Commission" is still our mission.

I do know, too, that Deliverance shall not come by any art of man's device.  "Salvation belongeth unto the LORD" (Psalm 3:8).  Yet, I also know that it is God's will and God's way to accomplish his work in and through man, by the Holy Ghost.

I am desperate ~ but never so desperate as to entertain any heretical ideas.  Yet, I am desperate enough to be willing to consider ideas which, even to me, may seem way out of the box, so to speak.  I will give you an example of what I mean.

A few years ago, I began to think deeply about the real meaning of "unconditional" love, as that is very commonly called.  Nearly every church teaches the idea that God's love is "unconditional".  And as far as my experience goes, that idea is practically universally believed amongst professing Christians.  But is that idea true?  Does that doctrine square up with Scripture?  Well, it didn't take very long for me to figure out that there can be no such thing as "unconditional" love.  Yet, that idea ~ at that time in my life, at least, was way "out of the box", contrasted with conventional "Christian" teaching.

What other forms of "Christian" teaching, I now question, may be discovered to be responsible for the gross Apostasy which has destroyed the foundations of American society?  Even that idea ~ that the destruction of America's foundational principles was (and yet is) ultimately the fault of the Church, is (or, at least it once was, for me) one of those "out of the box" kind of thoughts.

To be sure, there is no getting around the fact that we can do nothing for God ~ apart from God.  Not that I would even think to attempt anything apart from God, mind you.  But I mean it is imperative that we must know something about God's mind, his will, if we hope then to move in accordance with that.  The discovery of God's mind and of his will, involving America, has in many ways been no easy task for me.  (Perhaps, others, who are more spiritual than me, have not had so difficult a time of that.)  Yet, I have encountered very few who seem to have any certain knowledge along those lines; whereas, I myself am still very much seeking to understand many things about that ~ as evidenced in this essay.

I do not question the means whereby God must work to open doors of opportunity for soul-winning: it is ever by means of his own Spirit that God works.  "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zechariah 4:6).  Still, I believe we must discern the reasons why that God, evidently, has withdrawn himself from the midst of the churches. For, understanding merely that we need the power of the Holy Ghost ~ without understanding what, exactly, caused the Spirit of God to withdraw from the churches, in the first place, cannot help us to repentance and to rectify the error(s) of our ways before God.

God has indeed shown me many things, concerning various offenses to his Spirit, amongst the churches (I rarely if ever speak of the "churches" in universal terms; but only in general).  Tax exempt status, and the wicked covenant that entails; complicity with multifarious policies and practices of wicked governments ~ including denominational governments; incorporation of antichrist (and even explicit Occult) symbols and ideas: just to name a few, are some unspeakably important reasons why the Holy Ghost has withdrawn from the vast majority of America's churches.  And I don't think one has to be a spiritual giant in order to discern those factors and their spiritual consequences.

But how can Revival come ~ until and unless those sinful practices are repented of, by the host of the churches (their congregations) themselves?  Especially I wonder how Revival can come, when every church I have ever yet tried to instruct in these matters has rejected both me and my message?  I know, too, that it is not a problem of my personal "demeanor" nor of my "approach" (which I have oftentimes been accused of).

Thus, I observed, some time ago, that Revival is not likely to come to such churches; which happens to comprise the vast majority of churches in America.  And that idea ~ which, I suppose, is pretty far "out of the box" ~ in turn, has profound implications for discerning the mind of the Spirit concerning Revival in America.  If God may not be able or willing (because of the resistance of the churches) to bring Revival to many churches in America; does that necessarily mean that we are wasting our time praying and seeking God for Revival?  Absolutely, not!  For, we have the Word of God which reveals the mind of God, in just such a case as I have described:

"Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.  And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.  And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.  And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.  So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. 

"Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.  And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.  And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper."  (Luke 14:16-24)

There are several very important truths in the above passages.  The invitation was first sent out when "all things" were "ready".  That seems, to me, to have prophetic implications for the End-time Church.  That idea is further reinforced by the fact that "they ALL with ONE CONSENT" declined the Lord's invitation to come.  Does that not invoke the idea of a great Apostasy?  Moreover, the idea that this passage does have special reference to the Apostasy, appears to be confirmed by the fact that the "master of the house" (who is Christ) was "ANGRY" at those who first were bidden.  Which tells me something about the mind of God toward the apostate churches!

Still the idea that this passage is prophetic of the End-time, is yet further strengthened in the second paragraph, where the servant was told to "Go out QUICKLY", etc.  Finally, there is a tremendous revelation of the mind of God, given in the closing verses, where the "master of the house" told his servant to "Go out into the highways and hedges [not in the churches], and compel them to come in, that my house may be FILLED".

God's will is that his "house" shall be "filled" ~ not empty!  The Lord's command to his servant (singular: meaning, the Holy Ghost?) to "Go out QUICKLY," suggests, to my mind, that God's Word thus foreshadows a "quick" work is forthcoming: wherein the Holy Ghost will move amongst the un-churched, through the faithful Remnant, in a powerful, End-time Revival ~ just before the Rapture.  And I believe we are right there.  Everything I see in the Spirit points in that direction.

Those ideas ~ which, I recognize, are way "out of the box," in contrast to what most of the churches are teaching, greatly influence not only my prayer life, but they also influence my thoughts pertaining to how that we may, or should, focus our efforts in ministry.

My prayer life increasingly involves calling for God's judgment in America.  For, I believe that something is desperately needed to shake Americans loose from their apathy and indifference toward the Gospel.  Right here, though, is one area of great searching, in my soul.  For, I also believe that the form and content of the message which we are communicating (or, rather, failing to communicate), may be as important ~ if not in fact more important, than any kind of "shaking" which may occur as the result of some calamity. In fact, my "out of the box" thinking often involves contemplating just what kind of message ought we to be communicating ~ as opposed to the message of the apostate Church.  I am certain that the message which needs to be proclaimed ~ but seldom is, must not neglect to explain sinners' impending peril, in the face of God's wrath toward those who reject the Person and the authority of Christ.

As far as it concerns my own efforts in ministry, those are almost wholly outside of the organized Church ~ albeit, not at all by reason of my own choice.  For, I feel very much like the Apostle Paul did, as I understand his writings, when he spoke of his burden for his brethren the Jews; and, notwithstanding his avowal to "turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46-7), Paul persisted to seek opportunities in the synagogues of the Jews.

We thus find ourselves (some few of us) in uncharted waters, so to speak.  We are living in a time and in circumstances peculiar to us ~ especially, to those of us who have spent many years growing up in the mainstream churches.  And we perceive there is a tremendous vacuum, an awful lack of truly spiritual (Biblical) leadership anywhere to be found in the culture.  I completely stopped listening to any so-called "Christian" TV or radio, a very long time ago.  (If there may be a truly godly radio station operating somewhere deep in the hills of eastern Kentucky or in Arkansas, I can't get it.)  Even amongst what I used to think were rather spiritual churches (I hate to state it publicly), there is evidently still a great deal of ignorance (at best) which prevails.  I will merely point out the fact that those churches which embrace so many self-proclaimed, so-called "prophets" and/or "apostles", are not thereby demonstrating a healthy measure of spiritual understanding and discernment; to put it kindly.  At any rate, I haven't yet seen any signs of Revival Fire amongst the surrounding churches; although, I do see signs that God is moving to raise up some individuals who are seeking God for that, according to the leading of the Spirit.

There is lately a powerful movement in the political realm (of "civil" government ~ what an oxymoron that is!), to throw off the shackles of so-called "political correctness".  And we see proofs of how important ~ and how powerful ~ that movement is, to society's ability to take a stand (even though it may be too little, and too late), in the hope of preserving at least a vestige of civil liberties which remain in America.  I am convinced that that same kind of reform is needed ~ that is, to throw off the shackles of "political correctness" with regard to the ministry of Christ, in order to promote what spiritual truths we now possess (after much contending for the faith), and to make further advances to recover "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3).  "Tiptoeing through the tulips" of social etiquette is anathema to the demands of spiritual warfare we are confronted with.

There is a well known saying: "Desperate times call for desperate measures".  When the Titanic was sinking in the black waters of the north Atlantic ocean, in the middle of the night, those relatively few souls who managed to get aboard a lifeboat were thus able to make it back home.  Not one of them would ever have imagined, when they left port, that very soon every soul on the Titanic ~ many of whom were wealthy and influential, would desperately seek to abandon that majestic ship, in exchange for an open dinghy amongst floating boulders of ice in the middle of the ocean.

A more relevant example, however, is the case of the then-fledgling Church in Jerusalem.  Which flourished during the generation following Pentecost, but which was scattered abroad, as the result of the horrific destruction which befell Jerusalem in 70 A.D.  At least a million Jews perished in that holocaust.  But those, disciples of Jesus Christ, who knew and believed Christ's prophetic words of warning ~ and who obeyed those words, thus managed to escape the slaughter, notwithstanding they had to take drastic measures in order to be delivered.

Judgment is coming not only to America but, significantly, to the churches in America.  Anyone who understands much of the Bible must recognize that fact.  It is astonishing to me, therefore, to observe how few professing Christians seem to be taking God very seriously, especially, at such a time as this.  I cannot say it often enough: that the only reason that anyone comes under the judgment of God, is because they do not take God seriously.

May God have mercy upon our souls ~ not only to spare us in the midst of the rapidly worsening storm of civil disorder and lawlessness, but, certainly no less important, to spare us from in any way being complicit in the Apostasy: which is more fearful, in my opinion, than anything we might yet suffer at the hands of the world.

I'm believing and trusting God for greater things to come, in and through Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Ghost ~ according to his Word.

Orville and Wilber discovered a fabulous ~ and long hidden ~ secret, in the subtle contour of birds' wings.  I believe there are still some mighty ~ and long hidden ~ secrets concealed beneath the wings of heaven's Dove.

"O, Father! may that Dove which abides without measure in Christ abide also in us.  May He continue to guide us into all truth, and tell us of things to come, and comfort our hearts together in love.  And may we be worthy instruments in your hands, as you perfect the glorious building of your Church in the earth.  May our lives and our service be acceptable unto you, our most gracious Lord.  Give us wisdom, we earnestly pray, that we may know what we must do.  For, it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.  Our eyes are to you, only.  Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!  And may we rejoice to meet you with our arms filled with sheaves of your harvest ~ multitudes of souls, for whom you suffered and for whom you live to make intercession.  Even so, come Lord Jesus."