A few days ago I was watching a documentary which included a clip about the early Americans who, against incredible odds, made their way out west. Convinced that there was something better, they risked all to get there.
As I seem to be on a personal journey in my walk with God, where I am convinced that there is something better – convinced that we the church have settled for far too little – I wondered. . . are there any pioneers left that are willing to face this frontier?
In many cases, fields we see today were not always fields. They were at one time cleared to become fields. Over time, if the owner of the field does not stay on top of it, the edge of the woods can gradually creep in and eventually some of the cleared ground is lost.
Has that not happened to the church? Have we not given up ground to Satan’s lies and slight twists of the truth until the church no longer has the power that it should have? Have we not allowed ourselves to be ‘dumbed down’ until our lives haven’t even the slightest hint of the abundance we claim we’re supposed to have?
There is a battle going on. We’re not doing so good. Are there any pioneers left who believe there is something better and are willing to risk all to obtain it? The church needs you.
Hunger and Thirst 
Yes, indeedy! There are many children of God who are too afraid to stand up for what is right in the church — or they have just given up. From what I have seen, they have been put down by church leaders when they did speak up. And, it just so happens that the church leaders are the members who contribute the most money. Therefore they have more “influence” in governing the church.
This is a very sad situation for those children of God whose love for our salvation in Jesus Christ causes them to honestly seek to live the way God wants His children to live and not allow money do all the talking.
But, we are to always and continually praise our Lord for being in control of all of this. God told us about this years ago in Revelation. Because all of this sort of apostasy has been prophesied, we can continue to be true to our Lord, while acknowledging that God is in control and truly knows what He is doing — even in allowing our pains.
My reference to Revelation includes everything John says there, but in particular, I am referring to Revelation 13:7, “And it was given to him to make war with the saints and TO OVERCOME THEM; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.”
Even though the saints are to be overcome by the influence of the “beast”, they are to persevere in the true faith until they reach their home in heaven.
So, no matter what happens, we are to continually praise our Lord for keeping His word and being in control. God’s children have been physically scattered through many different persecutions throughout history. But, that does not matter. God looks at what is in the heart and there He recognizes His true children.
Margaret
Margaret,
Not exactly sure where this journey will take me, but convinced that He is leading on it.
Mike
You are right, Mike. The church is not as powerful now that compromise has settled into the pews and in the pulpit!
Yet I believe that there are those who long to hear the undiluted truth and the hope that comes only from knowing the God we serve!
You wrote: “until our lives haven’t even the slightest hint of the abundance we claim we’re supposed to have?”
Sometimes I do wonder about this in my own life. Good questions. I want to see revival, but am I willing to make the sacrifice?
Brian,
As I have experienced God in a way that I never have in all my years of trying, I struggle to understand exactly how I got here. I know there is a battle to keep us from it. I have gone through the years of thinking that more and more church work would lead to God, but it didn’t. I have often thought that discepline and avoidance of immoral pleasures would lead to God, but it didn’t.
I think that was why, 5 years ago, I decided to start over. I put aside all I had come to believe and started fresh. As I read through the Bible, if I came across something that didn’t line up with what I had come to believe, I wrestled it out and adjusted my beliefs. Not to plug my book, but that is what it is all about – the things I learned during that period that has transformed my life.
There is no way to do this justice. I don’t even know for sure why I tried. We could talk for days. Maybe one day we will.
All for now,
Mike
Mike,
True post!
Yes there are pioneers out there still. I am blessed to have met them from time to time. They are sold out for Him. They don’t care for this world and the things in this world. They speak the truth in love. They are not afraid to speak out on sin. They know that they have not delivered the true gospel unless they have. They are not easily offended.
I can hear them shout just now, “take this world, give me Jesus.”
Bless you brother,
Richard
Tough stuff Mike.
But absolutely true.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut up the kingdom of heaven to men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
Much of church actually shuts heaven by simply creative entertainment. The saints never realise that all they are witnessing is a dreadfully poor substitute of the real thing.
So often I hear Godly saints deciding to stay within the “system” so that they can change it for the better. I watch them for years gradually dying down as they are simply overwhelmed by the predatory institution.
True pioneering inevitably means LEAVING the system. It also means not recreating the same system at the next stopping place, but only this time with yourself at the helm.
The hierarchical system is plain wrong, and terribly ungodly, it has no scriptural backing, but is rather an import from the world by men who do not believe that God can father his own children.
God called me and my wife out of church system a few years ago. Our relationship with Him has grown hugely since.
I still meet with a few other saints, and God has taught us so much more without the traditional deceptions getting in the way anymore.
For the last 25 years I have been enjoyably walking with God in my business, and have seen more of His reality there than I ever did in church.
Frank,
I am fortunate to attend a good church. We have a pastor with a heart for God. It is a shame that both are rare. As good as it is though, still the highlight of my life with God is the time I spend with Him during the week.
Though I can relate to your pulling out, as I have done that myself to an extent, I do have a passion to see those within the church find God as I have found Him. At least from my perspective, I sense God is pulling out all the stops to reach as many as He can by any means He can. Whether through a church who’s pastor has a heart for God, or other means outside the church; to me, it is almost like the banquet call.
I can relate very much to the last line of your comment. I too have experienced God more in the past 5 years than I ever did before in church. It has been a pretty cool experience.