The "UNSETTLING"
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
a wonderful gathering in Dallas. More to follow all around the US,
God-willing! Thankyou again.
TWO ARTICLES are below - pointing to the divine "dissatisfaction"
growing in the Western church all around the globe:
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(1) LETTER - Dateline: 2 May 2005.
Colin Wilson of 'Highland Christian News' writes:
Dear Christian believer,
For a considerable time now you have been strangely unsettled in
your spirit. This has perplexed you - as you have just been getting
on with your Christian walk and participating in the general life of
the church. But you have been disturbed in yourself. You have
re-read the pages of the Bible relating to the dynamic works of the
apostles and the early disciples; and then compared these with
what you have been experiencing in your own life and fellowship
setting. And you have perceived a huge "mis-match"; a yawning
gap between where (spiritually-speaking) things are now, and
where the early followers of Christ were in their day. (Note: I am
not suggesting that Pentecost is to be repeated; but rather
continued.. Eph 5:18.)
In different times and circumstances you may have felt that it was
time to "move on to a new situation" in your journey with Christ,
but in a strange way you have not felt any clear direction regarding
which way to go. You have not felt called to "re-locate"; indeed you
may have been feeling and continuing to feel that you need strive
to indentify more closely with your immediate neighbours and that
section of society (neighbourhood/ workplace, etc.) in your
immediate orbit.
In a strange way, any striving that you have done to draw closer to
Christ, and to be more committed to His calling and God's word,
has increased rather than reduced the dis-satisfaction and unrest
that you have been feeling. And you have felt lonely even when
surrounded by other Christians who do not seem to be disturbed
in spirit in the way that you are. Most other Christians in fact seem
to be just happily getting on with their lives. And this adds to your
perplexity. "Is it just me? Why am I feeling this way? There must
be something wrong with me; as most others seem to be getting along OK."
You have been concerned that you might be getting cynical and
critical over what you see as the increasing worldliness in the
church. And you long for fellowship with others whom you feel might
understand - in some measure at least - "where you are". But as
you cautiously yet honestly open up to others whom you sense
may be walking the same path, you find that they too in their heart
of hearts have been going through exactly the same inner spiritual
processes and turmoil as yourself.
If you have been sensing or experiencing any of these things take
heart dear child of God. I believe that what you have been going
through is a God-given unsettledness, a Holy dissatisfaction with
"what is"; and what He has been creating in you is to prepare you
for the days to come.
I believe a great crisis lies ahead - for society, its peoples and the
religious system which many would call "the church"; and God
needs those who have been weaned away from dependancy on
the structures, programmes and other facets of organised
churchianity. He is looking for those who hunger and thirst after
righteousness; and long to be filled with the life-giving Spirit of God.
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is searching for those who
are - and will seek to be - Kingdom-builders (as opposed to empire-
builders). He is desiring and preparing those who will seek to know
nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified; those who will find no
satisfaction in the trinkets of this world and who will spurn the
carnal methods, the fixation with "success" and the worldly
measurements of "spirituality" and "commitment" that have invaded the church.
But, if you have not done so already, please consider some
questions. Are you a believer who is prepared to "abandon all" in
the cause of Christ and His Great Commission to reach the lost?
Have you considered the cost, and are you prepared to pay that
price in the context of the measure of grace that has been shown
to you? Indeed, in your spirit, you realise that nothing short of total
submission will slake your thirst for God and satisfy the desires
of your heart. The way ahead could involve great sacrifice; and you
may face rejection and much criticism - even from those around
you and close to you in the "church", but it is this type of sacrifice
in which the Lord delights (Matt 5:11&12). And indeed the cost of
turning away from His calling upon your life will be even greater.
Take heart dear follower of "the Way", you are not alone. Many
others are being spoken to in exactly the same way as God is
speaking to you. If it is not apparent to you yet, time will reveal
those who will stand with you. Meanwhile equip yourself with
(a knowledge of) His Word and abandon yourself to (the leading
of) His spirit, that He might use you to the extent that He would,
as the God of all ages works out His purposes in our fallen and
needy world; both now and forever.
Your God and my God has clearly stated through His Son Jesus
Christ: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteous-
ness, because they shall be filled. Blessed are those who are
persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute
you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven."
-Your brother, Colin Wilson.
<cteditor@btinternet.com>
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(2)
"The BARREN HEIGHTS"
-extracts by Marc Pranger, The Netherlands, Europe.
I believe that Creator - Adonai is moving forward to a new movement
of people following Him instead of following a religion, church or
denomination that speaks of Him.
People who do not believe in God, but people who believe God.
Some people wonder why Christianity seems to be something I am
against. They tell me that there are many good things in many
churches and many ministries.
I can not speak against that, I see the good things; I see the good
deeds, the genuine faith.
But this will not blind me from seeing that the whole structure of
Christianity is slowly falling apart because of all the negative
associations people have with it. I see the Spirit moving away....
Seeing the good doesn't hinder me from seeing that many churches
have become prisons of religion, with guards called pastors, priests
or whatever title they wear. Who teach people to be Under Cover
of someone else than Jesus.
It is taught that this cover is not only when they are babes in faith,
when they need protection from human leaders (if they are
appointed by the Spirit of Truth) but also when they are adult, yes
even when they should be mothers and fathers in faith themselves.
Maybe because Jesus is coming sooner than we think, Creator -
Adonai is shaking the church, and many spiritual, creative Jesus-
following, and especially prophetic people are leaving the structural
system of Christianity. Because they feel that even though there
is a good level of teaching and some good deeds to the poor and
needy they are hindered in going where they KNOW they are called to go.
I believe that the message is this:
I the Lord of Host call you out of your comfort zone, I call you out
from under the cover of human leadership and structures that seem
to save but they are going forward on age-old roads of being fed
by some leader, and of being protected by structures and living on
a safe island of religion. These are prisons built by your own hands,
where you proclaim to be free.
Build on once found treasures.
Listen to My voice. I am still calling through whispers that there is
more, there are more treasures, more ways to follow and serve Me.
Don't you see that the freedom you proclaim to have is bound by
the many, many rules you (Not I!) invented:--how to dress what to
eat, what to do, how to live. These rules are hindering the lost and
lonely, the creative spirits, and prevent them from coming in.
Don't you understand that I am the never-changing God, and that
my way of being consistent is to constantly change within My
once set order?
Angels have been circling around my throne for ages, and they are
still praising Me because they see something new in Me every second!
I am the God of adventure, of peace in the midst of suffering,
persecution and pain. I am the God that calls you off the road of
"Christianity" and on to the small and winding Way Home.
I call you to come out of the box, out of your comfort zone. I call
you to go where the hills are barren. Climb up to Me my children.
And where you think that there is
nothing to eat,
no lesson to learn,
no fellowship to attend,
there will I be the one that feeds you,
there will I be the wings that cover you.
There will I send the Rain of the Spirit to refresh you,
there will I raise my army of Children of the Living Light of the world.
Yes, you will not be alone there;
I am building My community of diversity all over the globe.
Some will stay in the church, but being freed from the church, they
will look and meet outside their own little box.
Others will leave the church altogether, but stay close to help others
to become free too, others will.
And this will stir the uprising of the upright; the people who Love
Jesus with all their heart, soul and body.
Feel the stream, touch the Wind,
and see Me Move
from the North to the South,
from the South to the North,
from the West to the East,
from the East to the West.
Come in the River of the Spirit,
not to walk in it, but to swim!
Hear Me calling;
Shouting the whisper of LOVE.
-Marc Pranger,
28 April, 2005.
- http://www.ruachstream.com
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