Come Let Us Reason Together

In the previous article, the language was more prophetic than originally intended. This is the fourth entry on the FOB web log and the direction of travel might be apparent or even obvious to some. The journal began by speaking of God as a seeker of men. He is unique in the universe of gods because none of those who are falsely thought to be gods seek men, or minister to them.

But Jesus seeks the lost to save them. He seeks the upright heart to show Himself strong in their behalf. He seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth or reality. And He has put in the hearts of all men to seek Him. It is we who settle for lesser principalities who are not gods at all.

The next article is a short view of a mysterious and, perhaps Billish (more Bill that Bible), perception drawn from the OT and the NT. The OT speaks briefly of a clan among the Hebrews known as the sons of Issachar. They were of some repute among the Hebrews because they knew what Israel should do at any one point. The mention of them is written in such a way as to infer they knew progressively what was next for Israel.

This article connects the testimony concerning the sons of Issachar with the rebuke of Jesus to the Hebrews in the book of Matthew. He chided them that they did not know the times or the day of their visitation. They could tell the weather by the skies, but not the times and seasons of the Lord.

It was a stinging rebuke. Maybe it sounded unreasonable to them and maybe to us, too, except that God always addressed Israel as a spiritual people, a chosen nation. The nature of the sons of Issachar to know what is next is part of what God wants to perfect in all believers today and He wanted it for them then. Despite the times of the sons of Issachar, the Hebrews inculcated nothing of the instincts or reflexes of Issachar’s facility to seek God. So Jesus rebuked them openly, en masse. This was not the first time.

The prophet Ezekiel rebuked the Hebrew leadership for leaving the peoples without shepherds, leaving every man to go his own way. Ezekiel used many words to describe the scope of the sin of the priesthood. However, lest any of us glory in their judgment, Ezekiel then turned on the peoples. He sternly rebuked them saying that they have not sought God nor heeded His instructions and commandments. Ezekiel’s rebuke of the people was just as stern and incisive as to the priests.

Well, here we are today and what can be said for our version of the congregation of God’s chosen people, the church? Would His rebuke of the Hebrews scald us as it should have scalded them? In the large part, I say yes. We may have good intentions as church people, but intentions do not exonerate us any more than sincerity would. A person can be sincere and still be sincerely wrong headed.

The church is an organism, not a human possession. The church is the bride of promise for the Son of God. She is not her own and does not have the privileges of self-determination. She cannot be so selfish and shut-up and remain the Bride of promise, the betrothed of the Son.

That is as ridiculous a proposition as Esther assuming to herself the necessary preparations to be presented to King Ahasuerus for betrothal. At Mordecai’s word she consented to the regimens of separation from her loved ones and months of beautification in a culture not her own just so she might lay with the King for a night on the prospect of becoming his queen. All of her decisions over her time and disposition were made for her by others of the King’s servants. Why? Mordecai could only propose to Esther that perhaps it was for just such time as that one for her to come to the place of imperial influence that she gained.

So it is with the Bride of promise;  she must be spotless and without blemish. Whew!

We, the church, are being beautified for a time of imperial influence which begins here, on the planet. We are not our own. The one Who is our Lord, however, is slow to judge. Because of this it is thought that He will not judge our attitudes of puniness and rights and ownership of that which is not ours. We sink to the depths of those who have gone before us and think to tell God what is decent and in order within His congregation. In this we ere just as Michal erred in her heart to despise her husband, David, the King, for his abandon in celebration and worship on the streets of Jerusalem.

So if we are to wake up and smell the coffee and see the reality of the times of the Lord, and if we realize that newness in praise, worship, the prophetic and prayer is a priority of God, what must we do? Well, if you hear the call, the invitation to join the break-out, there is more ground to break and more ground to cover. Just remember that to go where He is going is a valiant quest. Daniel would call it a great exploit. Paul would call it apprehending that for which you were apprehended. Peter would call it partaking in The Being. Jesus would call it, “Take up your cross and come, Follow Me.

Do you have to leave your present fellowship to make the changes? No, but you do have to leave the unrighteous trappings and subjugation and imposition. But the Lord Who suffered and lives again is worthy. Remember, if you fix your eyes on the prize of present tense fellowship with the Father and with the Son among the congregation of those who reverence Him as the Apostle John spoke about in 1 John 1:3, … if you do gain sight of that prize, no price is too great.

So! What is daring about Daring Praise? And what is fearless about Fearless Worship? It is daring to break the molds of your own confinement. It is daring to make solid plans to take your personal worship up a notch or two or three. It will feel so awkward and clumsy at first.

It is fearless to defy your inhibitions and the reckless warnings of our own congregations and to set your heart to draw nearer to God than anyone you know. It is fearless to cultivate your appetite for fellowship with Jesus. It is fearless to notch up your devotion to all you understand of the purposes of God for you personally. Have you ever looked to see how many times Jesus said, “Do not fear …” It might be interesting to look it up. You can do this thing… I believe in you.

See you in the Holiest of Holies.