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“Christ True Church is Alive and Well”
By Duane Stewart,
The United States of America, a nation founded upon Godly principles and blessed by God because those principles were being practice. The blessings of God upon this nation, from its foundation, have also become a blessing to many of the other nations around the world. However, liken into the nation of Israel, this nation has also become rebellious concerning Godly principles. The USA, in general, is pursuing and running after the arena of lack when considering these same Godly principles. This lack is the results of most politicians pursuing and desiring unity concerning other nations with the same ungodly principles as promoted by the carnal nations around us. In this, the USA’s political arena are mentally agreeing to become one of a one-world order without God. These other nations, ruled over by ungodly men, have become the influence ruling over the populace, with the USA becoming the tail and not the head.
In our country, the U. S. of A, the political and the populace, for the most part, have lost sight of anything Godly. In this they promote the godlessness that is ruling most of the globe. Why has this become a problem? Could it not be that the church is at fault? While disregarding the warnings given by God in His word, America’s populace has promoted the political arena that promotes this godlessness. Often as not, this godlessness is being declared as God’s modern ways in allowing man the right to become self-promoting in what seems good for self despite God’s word. In this, the Christian community has followed suite, and in many areas have led the way. Thus, men find themselves ruled over by political and religious leaders that call evil – good and good – evil.
In this, the excepted blindness rules and reigns, not only in America but worldwide as the major influence of America becomes one of being disobedient to God. Herein it has become a nation of the blind leading the blind.
Isa. 29:9-14 speaks clearly, “Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. For the Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the seers. The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, read this, please, and he says, I cannot, for it is sealed! Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, read this, please, and he says, I am not literate. Therefore, the Lord said: Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among the people; a marvelous work and wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall parish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden”.
During all this rebellion and blindness, with the world’s populace looking for some kind of carnal Savior, they find themselves for the most part, electing and promoting, in both political and religious arenas, men who are blind, deceitful and corrupt without any Godly wisdom or understanding. Therefore, instead of the populace looking for and turning to God, they seek for a Savior, from among those of darkness, those of black narrow places which are promoting ignorance concerning God’s ways. In this they are leading the world into a place of destruction. Note, from scripture, Egypt and the Pharaoh are types used by God concerning Israel, in seeking out those world leaders of darkness, those without the light of God. In this, Israel, a type of the church, sought out for support and help from these sources, that is, sources other than Gods available truth.
Isa. 30:1-5, “Woe to the rebellious children, says the Lord, who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise [weave webs of deceit] plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; Who walk to go down to Egypt, and have not asked My advice, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore, the strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame, and trust in the shadow of Egypt shall be your humiliation. For his princes were at Zoan [object of God’s wrath], and his ambassador came to Hanes. They were all ashamed of a people who could not benefit them, or be help or benefit, but a shame and also a reproach”.
In all this stage of darkness, which covers the earth, and with man’s mind covered with gross darkness, where is the church of God’s making? The church, a people alive upon the earth currently, is finding themselves living in perilous times. In this, we can know and observe that the fullness of the last days is upon us. With perilous times being of an increasing seed, we should understand that the word “perilous”, means and speaks of a time when harsh, savage, difficult, dangerous, painful, fierce, grievous ways, are becoming hard to live with. This describes a society that is barren of virtue but abounding with vices. In this the church must awaken to the truth as Paul writes to Timothy.
In 2 Tim. 3:1-5, “But know this, that in the last days’ perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away”. Consider, that while your testimony may not be of the sort that promotes such activity, what about the Christian community around you? What principles are they promoting among your groups and peers? Is compromise becoming the order of your gatherings or is righteousness as promoted by God the ruling factor as it flows from your meetings and ministers?
Again, where is God’s true church? Today’s gospel promoted among much of the Christian community is a gospel that robs and steals from the people. In this, they take away the power and authority of a present tense God living daily in and through their lives. Most principles of today’s churches put God in a-far off position, a removing of His presence and leadership from today’s society. In some cases, the ideal of a God living within a people is considered a myth while making each person a god unto him or herself. Thus, the moral decay that is evident today, is replacing the Holy God and the power of the Holy Spirit to minister to each person on a day-by-day moment by moment basis. This means that humanity is saying they have no need for a God outside of that which man himself is. What and who is this gospel as it comes from the self-made men? Note that this ministry of becoming self-reliant is ministered to a large portion of the Christian community, but what is their fruit?
Rom. 1:20-25, “For since the creation of the world His [God’s] invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man – and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen”.
Notice that the word “futile” in the above scripture states that men have become futile in their thoughts. This word points to a life-style that makes for one of emptiness, vain, foolish, useless and confused. This describes the perverted logic and the idolatrous presumption of those who do not honor God or show Him any gratitude for His blessings on humanity.
Meanwhile, God’s church, that is, the true church, is alive and well on the planet earth despite that which the natural mind conjures up. This true church is a people who know who they are in Christ as they move into the power and authority given them through Christ and His death on the cross, which includes His blood shed on behalf of humanity. Through this blood, each member, by the power of the Holy Spirit can now ascend into the inheritance made available through this same Christ. This new man can become a manifestation of He who sits in the heavenlies as Christ has released these same heavenlies to His people.
Heb. 12:22-24 & 28, “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant [that which resurrects man’s fallen soul], and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. … Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear”. In this, we see a church receiving their God given rights to become His visible expression on the earth. This people are the visible manifestation of the invisible God. This gives redeemed humanity the right to move into that inherited authority that comes through the throne-room dwelling of a risen Christ.
Has the church fallen short of its purpose? While most of that which the world looks upon as the church does fall short and is out of line with God’s true purpose, His true church has never failed. Those ones who truly become a fixture in the church of the first-born, they have and do remain faithful in knowing the God of the present tense now. They have not only been cleansed of former sins, but this true church knows the progressive workings of God’s redemption plan made available through Christ Jesus’ blood shed on the cross as well as the power of His resurrection. These have and do stay steadfast in the progressive sanctifying work of Christ and His available salvation in becoming the expression of Christ on the earth.
This expression of Christ increases in a line upon line, a precept upon precept, here a little and there a little as the Holy Spirit changes the man. How, but by the increase of revealing Himself, as the indwelling completed work of the Christ within brings forth the outward manifestation of that Christ. A people who are obtaining their inheritance in Christ as He manifests the “fullness of times” through that same people, a coming into the purchased possession, spirit, soul and body. Is this too good to be true? Nay, for these are simply the spiritual blessings from God that the rebellious church has robbed and stolen from the people.
Again, we now see a people coming into the reality of every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Eph. 1:3 & 7-14, “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. … In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth – in Him. In Him, also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory”.
Thus, we are now seeing a church coming forth from Zion in the glorious power of Christ’ full redemption plan. A plan that is not now nor will it ever be brought to naught, to nothing, but one that knows the reality of the risen Christ. These ones are those who are the manifested purpose of a God who has worked in them the counsel of His will, a church without spot or wrinkle (blemish). God shall present these people to the world as His glorious church without corruption. These are those wherein the will and purpose of God is being accomplished and completed. Eph. 5:27, “That He [Christ] might present her [church] to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish”. As this people, responding to God, take their eyes off that which the world calls church, they shall begin to see that Christ’ emerging true church is coming forth. This church is one without spot or wrinkle as they manifest the nature of God in the establishing of His eternal kingdom throughout all His creation. Again, we say along with God to His true church, come forth.
“A Voice for the Gathering Saints”
Duane Stewart
http://www.avoiceforthegatheringsaints.org
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