Like many others, I have been pondering what God is really up to in our world with the move towards simple/house churches (and the other things He seems to be stirring up as well). There is clearly a move towards simplicity, community, intimacy, mission, etc. But are there some even deeper things going on? I think so.
To me, there are two major things happening. From God's side, I believe that Jesus is wooing His people (His Bride) back to Himself. As people have for years been stirred to pray for revival, God is beginning to answer those prayers by calling the church to humility, intimacy, community, purity and authority (preparation). I will write on these five things later.
From the human side, I believe that God's work in our hearts has created a tremendous, growing discontent with the gap between our experience and Scripture. Have you noticed how much the Western Church has historically re-written the Bible to match its experience or else ignored what's written there because it was not experiencing it? Let me cite a few examples.
First, let's start with something easy: joy! The New Testament is filled with references to joy as one of the distinguishing marks of early believers (Galatians 5:22 "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy..." and 1 Peter 1:8 "you are trusting in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…"). So...where's that kind of joy among God's people in the North American Church?
How about another one? Paul in writing to Timothy says, "if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." (1 Timothy 6:8 NIV) and later says, "Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them." (1 Timothy 6:17-19 NLT). Keeping in mind that almost all Americans are wealthy by the world's standards, try sharing those two thoughts with US believers. Where indeed is our trust? I don't mean to be negative here--just wondering out loud about the gap between Scripture and reality.
Okay, just one more for now. I am meddling for sure. How about John 14:12? Jesus says, "The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." (NLT, emphasis mine). I believe that the increased hunger for the supernatural is happening among God's people because this verse is so clearly not our present experience! (To say nothing about the hundreds of other "power and authority" passages like 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 2 Corinthians 4:7, etc.). Notice, too, that Jesus said, "anyone" not specially gifted folks! Hmmm. What could that mean?
Well, you get the point, I think. God is calling His people back to a place to where anytime Scripture challenges our reality, we allow Scripture to win and subsequently ask God to rewrite our reality. Many of the posts in this blog will focus along this theme. Stay posted to see the dozens of other discrepancies between experience and Scripture that I believe God is now addressing.
Tom, one of Abba's children
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