Morning Moments

THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD

The government of God has never been democratic!  From the very beginning God initiated a Theocracy with men and women He raised up that met certain conditions, under certain circumstances, to fulfill certain purposes.  Anytime God’s leader’s mislead, they were dealt with and replaced by God Himself in one way or another.  He used individual leaders, then added assistants, the Judges of the people, and Prophets also during those historical times to advise and consent, correct and challenge leaders when necessary.  That was the Old Testament economy, but God has always done things decently and orderly by and with established AUTHORITY.

When the people of God rebelled against the established authority they suffered and when the established authority was corrupt they suffered, but the hand of God was in it all - guarding, guiding, and growing His people.

In the New Testament Church we also find God established authority, but sadly the whole idea of who is in charge has become a major problem for today’s “church”.  Our whole approach has presented some troubling problems.

In the first place, we prefer men to be educated than anointed by God and so we “teach” them to preach and “train” them to be “pastors” of these modern day messes which have become big business centers with the CEO (Pastor) at the top, a few deacons who may or may not be qualified Biblically, teachers who do not have the spiritual gift of teaching who lead classes as “facilitators” for people who have no clue about the Bible, its origin, preservation, inspiration, or revelation, and then expect them to speak openly about what the text says to them.

We are locked into a system of non-education in the most important discipline of life - the discipline of the study of God’s Holy Word.  To top that off, we expect the Pastor in 20 minutes to give us the whole ball of wax (Background, culture, history, grammar, word studies, and interpretation} without explain the genre, influence of the author, impact upon the readers, intent of the message, or any of the customs that conflict with our own or the mindset of the people being written.

I’m just saying that we have created a vacuum which we have tried to fill with everything but GOD!  Jesus simply said, “Come!”  “Follow Me!”  A little later Paul came along and said, “Follow me as I follow Christ!”  He took a boy who had been taught the Scriptures from childhood by his mother and grandmother, filled him full of the Word of God and sent him out to stir up the people of God by the gift that was given him.

God gifts his leaders and regardless of what anyone might tell you, a gifted man of God is far better than a graduated seminary student.  Of course, one can be both, but we have taught preachers to be politicians rather than prophets, administrators rather than ambassadors, and given them the idea that the “Church” is their means of support when GOD MUST BE!  Look to HIM, not to material substance, and avoid filthy lucre.  Forget early retirement!  Forget retirement altogether...We’ll work till Jesus comes.

One more thing for today!  You young men and women who have a zeal that is not according to knowledge, need the wisdom of elderly godly men and women!!!  I am so tired of a new generation throwing out the old because of traditional ways and vice versa.  I am sick of seeing Preachers allow the Body of Christ divided into “contemporary” and “traditional”!  Let’s just make it BIBLICAL and honor God and not get stuck in a rut with music or ministries or ministers (some of which were never ordained of God). 

The world is so in the “Church” that one can hardly tell the “Church” from a Western Corporation.  If you can’t reach your pastor and he is too busy to chat with you, visit you in need, or be available to you, he is not a pastor, but a CEO of another American Corporation.  The Good Shepherd knows his sheep by name!  

Finally, I visited a lady who is 97 and is bed ridden on Saturday.  I am not her pastor, but I have been her friend for many many years.  Her husband was helped with our seniors citizens ministry many years ago.  

He has been down for several years and is one of the most godly women I have ever known.  I looked into her big blue eyes as she squeezed by hands not wanting me to go and saw the holiness of God as I have rarely seen in anyone’s eyes before.  They were penetrating the very depths of my soul.

At 2:30 Sunday morning I found myself crying out to God for that kind of purity of heart and soul and for every speck or shadow of darkness in me to be dispelled and that my heart and life and lips would be should a reflection of the presence of God in my life that should young man or woman might, when that moment comes for me to cross over, that someone might see such a clearness of God in me.

BLESSINGS!