"SHE-KIN-AH GLORY OF GOD"
Posted by: Shalomyshua <Shalomyshua@...>
This prayer teaches us that if G-d's conditions are met, which are that we humble ourselves and turn from our sin, He will hear, forgive our sin and heal our land. This prayer today on May 2, 2002 the National Day of Prayer is of vital importance concerning what is happening in most nations, communities and homes in then world. Violence, child abuse, drugs, alcoholism, crime, divorce, sexual perversion, economic problems, credit card debt, poverty and disease are rampant in this world. However, G-d's people, the Church, can do something about it! If they turn from their sin, "They" is G-d's people, His Church! Then we can expect G-d to do what only He can do!
As we reflect on this verse, we must wake up, take inventory, examine ourselves and see our condition! The Hebrew word "Chabod" means glory and the Hebrew word, " Ichabod", means the glory has departed. But, Ichabod means more than a word, it is a condition. It's a condition whose end result begins with loose morals which originate in the house of G-d. Shamelessly, denominations are debating and implementing same sex marriages, ordaining homosexual priests and ministers and Sunday school teachers! No consideration is ever given to the "Veto" of G-d.
Shamelessly, congregations see elders, church leaders and pastors decide to compromise the Bible in order to appease the latest wave of protest. Jo-ann and I know of a church that just a few shirt years ago had over 800 members. To appease a group that wanted to see more people join the church, they went to screaming guitars, blasting drums and luke warm messages and today that have 50 people in attendance.
Criteria for the Shekinah Glory is determined by high churchmen,,advisors of church growth or charismatic projectionism. People leave the services and they say; "What a wonderful service!" "The spirit was moving today!" "Wasn't the choir anointed today, it was like angels singing!" They are the only judgments heard in the foyer! We look around and evaluate those making these comments. Do you know what the real angels were singing? They were singing; "Holy, Holy, Holy."
A wonderful service, according to the Book of Acts was much different! They did not pull into the parking lot with a new Lexus or Mercedes, adorned in the latest clothing, wishing to be "seen" entering church...The early church operated on the W.I.S.E theory. First of all they came to Worship G-d! They wanted the fullness of His presence, they wanted to praise and exalt Him, they adored Him! That is "W." Secondly they came for Instruction. They wanted to learn more about the Man from Galilee who claimed to be the "Living Way." That is the "I". Thirdly they came to Share. They came to share one another's needs. They came to feed the poor and clothe them, to minister the love of a true congregation,,to help the widow and her children. They truly loved the body of Messiah! That is the "S". Lastly they came to Evangelize! All of the worship, all of the things that had learned about Messiah Y'shua, their sharing their mutual love for each other, they took to the streets! They told fellow strugglers about Y'shua! They were like a beggar telling other beggars where they found the bread of life! The service in the early church ended by crowds crying out; "What shall we do?" The presence of the Ruach ha' Kodosh called for the death of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5} and all other hyprocisy made manifest before a Holy G-d!
Have you noticed that when Sunday mornings come, a message is expected from the pulpit as a routine part of service, whether G-d sends one or not? Have you noticed that Churches are expected by the general public to offer social clinics, substance abuse classes, divorce recovery shops, hospital visitations, hospitality ministries, and ministries to special groups like the elderly, singles and youth? What has been described here is nothing evil, nothing bad, certainly some help, but nothing out of the ordinary.
When the She-kin-ah glory filled the Temple so that no priest could stand up, when the cloven tongues of fire sent out to the street a group of spirit-filled folks, when Elijah stood alone and challenged the prophets of Baal, when miracles and supernatural outpourings were standard fare at the early church, things were not ordinary!
"Ichabod" is the result of "humanism",,which shouts out the message;"Man can do it!" Man can do religious things, but only the presence of She-kin-ah can do the satisfying things. Many "mega" Churches today boast of the massive attendance's. Whether we rent Soldiers Field for rallies for Y'shua or build new Churches with sanctuaries to seat thousands is immaterial; if the Lord did not specify the hiring or the building it is done in vain and "Ichabod" is the name for it!
Dry eyed status quo Christians are going to receive what Israel received, Ichabod. Because they had forsaken their "First Love." In the past few days leading up to today, May 2, National Day of Prayer, Jo-ann and I, when we think of our Churches, cannot help crying out; "O, G-d save us!"
Let us close this message today by reading the Scripture that is addressed to pastors, pastors that want to satisfy their hunger for G-d but on their own terms. Their words sound good, their ministries look good because they want them to! Their base is one error, and it is the error of Baalam, whose adherents believed that there is room for everyone, repentant or not!
Here is the beautiful letter from 1 John :
"But in the anointing which ye have received
of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any
man teach you; but as the same anointing
teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is
no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall
abide in HIM." { 1 John 2:27}
John was always scanning the horizon with an eye for the wolf that might tear his beloved sheep, tells us that our dependency is not based on vigilance so much as it is with a close walk with the Ruach ha' Kadosh! He, who warned of the antichrist and whose Epistles are the only place the name is mentioned, says there is a test! The test of the Spirit! We know there is a contest between spirits!! John tells us that the spirit of the antichrist is already in the world {1 John 4:3}
Let us pray today for the She-kin-ah Glory to take up permanent residency in the Church of Y'shua ha' Mashiach!
His bondservants, Pastor Dick & Jo-ann