Why doesn’t the modern church witness the miracles of the early church?
It’s partly because it isn’t willing to endure the persecutions that the early church endured! That’s why!!
Today’s church has compromised so much that they’ve gone completely off Biblical course. Compromise only leads to more compromise, which always leads to worldview ideologies over God-view Truth. The church is at an impasse right now… Where the rubber meets the road (so to speak). We are living in a time where lines are being drawn and faith is being tested. A time when believers show what they truly believe. A time where the wheat is being separated from the tares.
As such, I have a question… When will all this illogical and inconsistent C0VID craziness be enough before the church finally steps up and shows the POWER that it’s supposed to possess?
My Church
I was super excited and proud of my church for having service when all other churches had closed their doors. What fearless boldness the pastor displayed!! Now this is a leader I’ll gladly follow as we enter the end times!
Unfortunately, that boldness was short lived. A mere three days later, President Trump came out and advised (note the word “advised” not “made law”) that there should be no gathering larger than 10 people. Bamm! The pastor and church that I had been so proud of caved and instantly closed its doors right along with the other churches.
Furthermore, when I attempted to share ideas/ways around this very “unconstitutional” government edict, it was completely and quickly shot down without fully addressing my suggestion. Via the church social media page, I proposed we gather outside on church grounds, which was large enough to ‘social distance’ appropriately. Without even an ounce of consideration, the page moderator completely rejected my suggestion with a prompt response that was totally unrelated. Even though it probably wasn’t even brought before the pastor, this quick dismissal caused me to feel totally duped in my previously mentioned excitement.
What happened to all the bold Christian Leaders?
These last couple of weeks, we’ve been able to get a glimpse of two such leaders… Pastor Rodney Howard Browne and Pastor Tony Spell. These courageous pastors were both arrested for continuing to hold church services. Did you ever before think such a thing would happen in America?
Even more shocking were the many Christians who condemned these spiritual warriors. Foolishly, these believers have fully embraced the propaganda that local ‘mandates’ (again, not laws) somehow usurp the highest law of the land (aka the Constitution). They don’t even realize what this means as they willingly surrender their freedoms and join the band wagon of attacking their brothers in Christ.
With the arrest of Dr. Rodney Howard Brown and Pastor Tony Spell, my hope is that church leaders will finally rise up and say, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”
Will You Be Able to Stand When the Real Persecutions Begin?
If Christians aren’t even willing to stand up against and undergo possible fines, how on earth will they be able to endure the promised prophetic persecutions? Persecutions that all this C0VID-19 mayhem is quite literally a preview of?
The church is being tested right now; and sad to say, they are failing miserably. If Christians are so quick to give up constitutional rights of “assembly” and “worship” over something that simply isn’t adding up, then what will they do when the real persecution begins? And make no mistake, this is a precursor/test-run to what the apostle John prophesied over 2000 years ago in Revelations 13 where forced mandatory vaccine chips are the ultimate objective.
These obvious end time signs that we are witnessing should be preached in the pulpits to prepare God’s children for what’s to come. Jesus said often and preached many parables about watching and praying ALWAYS, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We are literally living in a time like no other time in history where there is worldwide Marshall Law, where biblical prophesy about Israel, pestilence, wars and rumors of wars, weather effects, etc… These are all being fulfilled right before our very eyes.
The Church’s Responsibility During Trying Times
The church is where people go for healing, for comfort, for the full operation of the gifts of the Spirit. Instead, it’s closed for business as it reveals to mankind how little FAITH and POWER it actually has. Zilch! Nada! None whatsoever!
Isn’t the church supposed to represent Christ to a dying and hurting world?
The reason today’s church doesn’t witness the miracles that the early church witnessed is partly because modern believers aren’t willing to endure what they endured. Instead, we play it safe in our homes protecting ourselves from something that simply doesn’t add up. What ever happened to WWJD? Hmm, what did Jesus do? Jesus touched the severely contagious lepers fearlessly and selflessly. That’s what he did! He certainly didn’t ‘social distance’.
People’s hearts are failing them (Luke 21:26). And sadly, there’s nowhere for them to turn; no church to go to; no hug to receive; etc. The love and ministry of Christ is sparse these days as His children are too busy preserving their own lives.
The Hypocrisy
Admittedly, one of the most frustrating things for me in all of this is the hypocrisy throughout the land by church leaders and fellow believers. The following are some things that many are now touting to justify their lack of faith. These things contradict and misconstrue the Word of God, along with pre-‘PLAN’demic preaching.
Ok, so let’s address a few of these newly propagated common statements and philosophies.
Misapplied Hermeneutics #1: Sometimes God must remove the idols in our lives so we can seek HIM… for some that is the church building and music and programs.
I actually wholeheartedly agree with this, and have voiced this for years… much to the chagrin of the common pre-‘PLAN’demic church teachings. It is absolutely my hope that God’s people are convicted of their idols during this time of forced self-imprisonment as they seek HIM with their whole heart. My concern and prayer for them, though, is that they are able to discern God’s still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) over the antichrist spirit’s loud obnoxious voice that screams fear and hysteria via the different virtual mediums. Unfortunately, as many believers fall victim to the lies of despair and outrage, it seems these screams to be so loud that they are essentially drowning out voice of God.
Rather than removing the idols of church buildings and programs, it appears people are simply exchanging them for the other bigger idols of social media and worldly knowledge (which is fake news). All of which, continue to censor and manipulate narratives to promote and cultivate mass hysteria that shuts down churches, the economy, schools, etc.
Believers Are Turning On One Another
I pray that these ‘believers’ will stop turning on their brothers and sisters who are attempting to stand up for righteousness’s sake. Unfortunately, all I see is the majority posting condescending and judgmental statements towards those who challenge the worldview beliefs that have replaced reality, science, common sense and truth.
A Doctrine Never Before Preached
It’s interesting to me that nobody from the church EVER preached this theology before the worldwide Marshall Law took place. In fact, quite the opposite… they frowned upon this kind of crazy talk and judged people who did occasionally stay home for the purpose of seeking HIM and HIM alone.
It had always before been widely preached and implied that people who stayed home from church were sinning by “forsaking the assembling of themselves together” (Hebrews 10:25). These same people are now encouraging congregations to do just that; but, of course, with a virtuous spin. To appear holy and righteous in doing so, they assert statements like #1 to justify their complete theological turnabout.
Sidenote: Ironically, many of the people who post these types of sayings are the same people who spend their waking hours at the church, talking about the church, the pastor, the worship team and the programs; all while being a jerk to the waitress right after service. Admittedly, sometimes I just wanna scream as loud as I can, “Look at the three fingers pointing back at you while you point your pretentious finger at others with virtuous statements like these. But, I digress…
Misapplied Hermeneutics #2: The church isn’t a building… You are the church.
Yet another statement that is absolutely true. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; and therefore, I am the church. The problem with the new ideology surrounding this truth is the same as with #1… it is a continued virtuous excuse/reason for bowing to the prince of this world.
Keep in mind that the Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, KKK, Westboro Baptists, cults, etc., all use scripture to justify their chosen beliefs/actions. Question to consider… How are these posturing declarations of today’s fear-based-online-church any different?
Besides that, promoting this creed to convince believers to now stay home sets a dangerous precedent. If it’s ok for me to have church at home now because I am the church and because the church isn’t a building, then why wasn’t it ok before? What’s to say I can’t continue to “be the church” in my own home ALL the time, even after this is all over (assuming that it will one day be over)? And are you really being the church at home? Like, really?? How?
I don’t have time to go over what the church (aka the bride of Christ) is supposed to look like, but maybe one day I’ll write about it.
All I ask is that you please stop putting a positive spiritual spin on worldwide Marshall Law. It is true that God cannot be contained in boxes or buildings. However, He is supposed to dwell within us in power and light for all the world to see. Instead, we’re “staying safe” in our little boxes at home; thereby containing God in a box of fear… fear of man, fear of government and fear of sickness. All while telling others not to fear. Geesh!
This is NOT okay!
When it’s ok for a person to go get an abortion, but not go to church, it is not ok. When it’s ok for a person to go to a liquor store for comfort, but not go to a church, it is not ok. When pastors are arrested in America for standing on the Word of God and the Constitution (which, btw, is the highest law of the land), it is not ok.
Meanwhile, there are those who are hurting, who are anxious, who are depressed, who need salvation and healing; with nowhere to turn and nobody to give them a hug. Perhaps an air-hug from 6 feet away is good for some, but most people need more than that to truly feel love. Love that the church is supposed to show. Love that the church should be allowed to show. That bold fierce love is what spreads Christ throughout a nation; throughout the world!! But, instead, we’re safe in our homes while others who have nobody and nowhere to turn are suffering in forced isolation with suicide rates being at an all time high. This is NOT OK!!
Misapplied Hermeneutics #3: Scripture tells us submit to authority and obey the laws of the land (Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Peter 2:13-14).
Let’s start with the first scripture mentioned above… The book of Romans is believed to have been written by Paul. Get this… while he was in prison. Why was he in prison? For obeying the law? Nope! The authorities told Paul and the disciples not to preach the gospel in Jesus name. They disobeyed those mandates and ended up in prison because of it. In fact, Paul wrote two-thirds of the New Testament… while in prison for disobeying the laws of the land.
Romans 13:1-7 is taken out of context here; as it was during the American Revolution when the colonies debated about rebelling against the king of England; as it was when Hitler divided the church against one another; the same as it is for our persecuted brothers and sisters in China and around the world who disobey the law to congregate underground. Fyi…Romans 13:1-7 is about paying taxes and paying debts for wrongdoing.
Speaking of China…
China is an excellent example of where our country, nay, where the world is headed with ALL rights being taken and freely given away. The main difference between modern Christians today and the Chinese underground churches (along with other Christian-persecuted nations) is that true Chinese believers still congregate despite laws (not mandates) sanctioned against them. People in China (and other places like the Mideast, Korea, parts of Africa and India, etc.) are jailed and killed for congregating.
But here, in America, we are afraid of fines and/or of contracting a super suspicious virus. Worse than that, we are judging and condemning pastors who have been arrested for refusing to bow.
I can’t help but wonder what ya’ll would’ve said about Daniel, Mordecai, Shadrack, Meshack, Abednego, etc., who openly defied the law.
Furthermore, the next scripture in question is found in 1 Peter 2:13-14. This letter was likely written during the reign of Roman Emperor Domitian, who expected everyone to recognize his aggressive claim of divinity. In other words, it was the ‘law of the land’ to acknowledge Domitian and his Flavian family as gods. Christians and Jews were severely persecuted during this time. Do you honestly believe Peter was telling people to obey this law? To bow to a self-proclaimed god? To essentially deny their faith in the One True God?
Based upon what I’ve witnessed thus far this year, I fear that in today’s society/culture, most Christians would certainly comply and bow. But they would do so in a pharisaic manner while quoting scripture to justify their prostration.
The Highest Law of the Land
I feel the need to reiterate that the highest law of our land is the Constitution! This supersedes any other law of the land; especially illogical and unreasonable ‘mandates’ not voted on!
The First Amendment in the Declaration of Independence includes the right to assemble and the right to worship. Why do you suppose that is? Have you ever wondered why our forefathers thought to incorporate these declarations as the very FIRST one? Think about it. Fifty-six founding fathers from thirteen separate colonies came together to discuss and pray about how to break away from a tyrannical government. They came up with a document that declared their independence, our independence. And the very first Amendment that they incorporate as part of the unalienable rights included the right to assemble and the right to worship.
Whenever anyone writes up a list of any kind, the first point usually reflects the most important. So, why do you think the forefathers considered these two things the most important? Consider this for a moment. History repeatedly demonstrates the ultimate goal of those who infringe upon these two freedoms. Likewise, you’d better believe there is a more sinister reason today than the ridiculous narrative you’re being fed.
Greater Works Than Jesus?
Both, China and the early church, witness(ed) miracles; the same types of miracles that Jesus performed. Jesus said we would all do more than He did (John 14:12) with the same Holy Ghost power that raised Him from the dead. Why do you think these believers experienced and are experiencing these promises and we aren’t? One of the reasons is that they were/are willing to endure things that we simply aren’t.
Do We Really Believe? Either we believe that Jesus walked in power, fearlessly laying hands on contagious lepers or we don’t. Either we believe we have that same power or we don’t. Either we believe in the Word of God or we don’t!
Church, rise up! Be BOLD!!
Though I’m ready for what’s to come, for what John prophesied over 2,000 years ago, I don’t think the church as a whole is. It is the shepherds’ jobs to care for and warn the sheep; to protect them and to gather them; not let them be scattered for the wolves to pick off one by one. Leaders, rise up! Be Bold! Prepare your sheep for what’s to come!!
The Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand! Jesus maintained an overall theme throughout most of his parables, “Watch and pray, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And to a dying world of unbelievers, “Repent and be saved!” More than ever before, we need to preach the same! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!!
Revival Coming Soon
The good news is that I firmly believe something that God spoke to me in 2012 will first take place… Revival. I’m waiting expectantly for one final Holy Spirit revival (the Greatest Awakening we’ve ever known) to eventually come of this. This revival will serve two main purposes: to bring about the greatest spiritual harvest there has ever been and to empower God’s weak children with the Holy Spirit. It is only by Him that this power will completely awaken and saturate His children to be able to endure what lies ahead. That’s my hope and my continuous prayer.