Thirty years of pain coupled with the grace of God we still stand. in a nut shell we have discovered. me and my wife,that the two chief corner stones of the church are arrogance and avarice. as an evangelist i humbly submitted myself to pastor after pastor. the Holy Spirit would honor my efforts greatly never to be invited back again to minister.
Jealousy and envy rule in the hearts of pastors along with the pride and greed. For most of these years i simply blamed myself. What's wrong with me, what's wrong with me. to the point of severe depression.
No more. God has set me free with ALL the truth. We are not to set a man on high. The results are all too predictable. It was never intended to be this way. The best thing that could happen to the established organised churches would be to bulldoze them all down and make the egotistical leaders go get REAL jobs.
Then and only then could God begin, for the first time in about 1800 years, to have the full supremacy over his starving sheep, and to raise up TRUE servants who contend for the true faith which is to become smaller and smaller,in their own estimation, of THEMSELVES. Like i said...in a nut shell.
Br. Devon Leesley
*******
FREE, FREE AT LAST
Me and my wife left one bondage 30 years ago only to go into a different kind of bondage. From the ravages of sin to the ravages of religion. I am a nut case. When my wife and I found the 'PEARL" of great price, we just thought it was the greatest thing in the world. My boast is in the Lord. We sold out to Him completely, without reserve.
Isn't that what we are supposed to do? God delivered me completely from alcohol and a thousand other things. When the smoke cleared and the fog lifted we found ourselves standing on the firm foundation of Yehowshua [Jesus], which is His real name.
But we soon discovered that we also stood pretty much alone. Were we better than everybody else? No, because you are simply saved or not saved. Grace being the conductor of the free gift. But I do believe that not every believers' surrender is at the same depth.
Both my wife and I grew up in homes that determined to instill in us our worthlessness as human beings. So when I discovered by the revelation of the Holy Spirit that Jesus really cared for me and my wife, and wanted us on His team, I flipped out literally. I was ecstatic with joy and grateful relief that Someone did care about us and did love us.
I think of the verse 'he who is forgiven most loves most.' That can also be applied to those who have spent their life in ‘much pain.'
To try to make a very, very long story short, I will proceed. From the 'git-go' we felt something was not totally right in the established churches. We were so on fire and excited about Jesus that it did not altogether resonate with other christians, especially the 'pastors'. So there was, to a degree, a cold shoulder present, a wall if you please. A wall that we tried to scale for years on end without any satisfactory results.
So what did Mr. and Mrs. 'Self Confidence' do? We started blaming ourselves of course. For the next 27 years it was a pretty much constant “what's wrong with me, what's wrong with me?”
Early on I knew, beyond any doubt, that God called me to teach and preach the gospel. I know all about the scriptural facts that there is to be a humbling process in our lives and a 'waiting period', a ' trying time', and a 'total dying time', to be worked out in us, but even beside all that we knew something else was afoot also.
Oh how I ached to work for God. So from the very start I was out on the streets witnessing and soul winning. The church couldn't stop us there. God's favor was on my efforts or rather His efforts found a conduit in me, giving Him all the praise. But alone I was and alone I stayed for years. I finally stepped out in faith as an evangelist. Walking into small churches, mainly black churches for I couldn't even get the 'time of day' out of the pastors of white churches, let alone talk to them about the ministry God gave me.
A few more years down the road and I finally was able to get into a couple of 'white' churches to hold revivals. Wow! Finally God is letting me do what has been burning on my heart for 18 years. I have now arrived! I always treated the pastors with reverence and respect. But here is where more rejection started flaring up again.
You'd think that I would be used to it by now. The Holy Spirit would bless in incredible ways. Families restored. Souls saved. Bodies healed. Only one problem. The pastors everywhere I preached would fail to resist jealousy and envy. They did not want me to ever come back again. You see those blessings are to come through him to his congregation, not through some stranger like me.
Well after 2 years of going through this mess, I gave it up. Just keep working my job and deal with the pain some more for the next 10 years. What I am going to say now I do not believe was just because these men rejected me, but my part that I played is just a small part of the reason these things happened. In '78 a pastor rejected me. Years later he went to jail for locking a family member in the basement and literally feeding them 'under the door'.
In the latter '80s, a preacher cold- shouldered me. A year later he was caught and arrested for molesting boys. Also in the latter ‘80s another pastor rejected me with a cold snubbing when my friend Rocky introduced us telling him how I was a soul winner on the streets.
I shared these things with my friend for years and he really couldn't believe me until he saw it first hand. He said “Devon, I can't believe he did that to you.” I said to him “I've been telling you Rocky. It's like that everywhere I go. No exceptions.”
A couple of years later this 'pastor' was caught and arrested for flashing himself on an open high-way. Another pastor about 34 years old rejected me when I held two successful revivals at his church. A couple of years later he died of cancer. Another pastor allowed me to play my guitar and sing a couple of songs in his church of about 300 people. The anointing was precious. Tears were filling eyes.
At the end of the service I waited and waited for an opportunity to speak with him about coming back to preach for him. He continued to pay attention to 'every mothers son' which is perfectly alright, but after 30 minutes of me just standing there 'with hat in hand' over in the corner, I knew he was avoiding me. No way was he going to let me come back and preach. I have experienced that 'avoiding program' more times than I care to count.
About a year later his wife was driving a car with another sister. Both were killed in an accident.
Now let me stop here and explain something clearly. Some of you may be thinking that I am just being a baby. To be honest with you, that is exactly what I thought about myself too. "What's wrong with me, what's wrong with me?”
But God did indeed finally make me realize that 'YES!', I did have a problem with the feelings of rejection which stemmed from my childhood, and for some reason God had not given me total deliverance yet. But He also showed me clearly by His Spirit and by the word of God that the leadership of the organized church are stuck on themselves more often than not.
The two foundational stones of the western church are avarice and arrogance. I will not at this time even go into the financial hardships we suffered because of 'tithing.’ We couldn't even get the groceries we needed for our 3 children while the pastor is going on his 4th vacation this year. Vacation...what's that???
Well I'd better move on and finish this up quickly. Well actually I think I'll stop here. Real quick, we quit with the tithing after 27 years and started doing what we always wanted to do but could not, and that is to be led by His Spirit in helping the needy. Oh how it hurt not to be able to do this for 27 years because we were commanded to dump all our money on the church.
The few times we did spend our 'tithes' sneakily on the poor, God's power and presence was so awesome in those acts, that we really started to analize this 'church doctrine’ a lot closer. We always felt bondage dumping tithes on to the chuch but when we helped the needy, God never failed to place His approval on it. Well now we are free to be directed to do what God has called us all to do. And that is to be ready to distribute to those in need as He directs.
But remember..charity begins at home. It is not scriptural to take the food out of your babies’ mouths in order to feed someone else who is hungry, let alone to use it to finance a self-serving pastor's 4th vacation of the year!!!
Br. Devon Leesley
p.s. Much more could I write.
*******
Also i'm a song writer. my songs are at:
for whoever wants to listen or burn to c.d.'s and freely distribute. devon
*******
If you are led, you can add this to the one i already have posted. 'Battling the Church System.' God bless. devon leesley
I do identify with anyone who has succumed to defeat, partial or otherwise. 31 years i have prayed like this ' Lord, i'm 25 now..how much longer before you open my doors for what you have called me to be and do? i'm not getting any younger Lord!' then down through the years, the same prayer..'Lord, i'm 26 now...i'm 29 now...i'm 35 now...i'm 42 now...i'm 49 now...i'm 55 now..i'm not getting any younger Lord..how much longer?' But i say today..thank God He did NOT let me scale the ecclesiastical ladder of 'church' success for i have learned more in the last 4 years than in all the previous when i was under the heal of the O.C..now my health is failing and i lost my 26 yr. job. i used to pray 'Lord..since i am not allowed my hearts desire and passion for ministry, can i please at least have my health and my job.' well..those were both taken away as well..but i do rejoice..i STILL know that God has a plan and i am in the middle of it. He won't even let me into the music arena, which has caused me great bewilderment and sadness for i know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He has given me the songs i've written. but when i see the competiveness and arrogance in that realm, i begin to thank Him. you see bro. i believe when a person really..and i mean really wants the 'real' deal' with the Master, it won't be 'business as usual' for them in the 'christian realm'. while others effortlessly soar to the top, you'll soar to the bottom and stay there, outta sight, outta mind and out of the way. BUT..God has that person 'in training', i believe for the 'last hour'. God has His Pauls and Peters...hidden out of the lime-lite. one day God is going to say to these faithful 'NOW!!!' and look out hirelings and look out wolves. i believe it is near. this is the hope that sustains me and many others who have been rejected and relegated to the back of the 'ecclesiastical bus'. God is tired of all the 'movie stars' in control of the situation. the 'sheep' are dead and don't even know it for they love it so. a remnant is being prepared, for decades now. But unless we have a real compassion that dispels any bitterness or wrong spirit, we'll be left out a second time, this time by the Lord Himself. From wine skin to wine skin. from one dry place to another. from one cave to another. we do indeed need to shore up our brothers and sisters who have been called out to this wilderness...restore their hope, restore their zeal, and restore their all but lost dream, the one that God gave them in the beginning of their walk! help me to do this brother. i feel that's part of our calling as well. to help strengthen the disenchanted and broken hearted, the Josephs that have been cast away into egypt and left in a prison hold. the Davids that have had to 'run' for their lives before a leader that was out to javelin them to death re-ignite their anointing and let them know that they DO NOT stand alone in this thing. atcha later bro. a fellow laborer. devon
*******
An Open Rebuke..long over-due!
A letter to the ekklesia [church]!
(this message is motivated by a broken-heart and contrite spirit!)
3John 'I wrote unto the ekklesia [church] but Diotrephes, who loved to have the PREEMINENCE among them, receiveth us NOT!'
Christ hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans! Nico: power over! laitanes:laity! World's form of lordship and hiearchy soundly condemned in Matt. 23
Paul never ever began any of his letters with Dear Pastor: but they were always adrressed to the ekklesia except for one time when he directed one to the Elders!
This is because there was not a local body with one man over them called pastor as we know it today!
But I am directing the first portion of this treatise to those that have assumed a position and a title as such! The second prtion to all elders in general!
Dear ones that are called pastors:
Could you please tell me where in 1Cor.12 does it describe a one-man show. Where does it lay out the description of a 'stand-up comic' with an audience? Can you extract from these verses the idea that 'one man' is to 'do it all' while all the other numerous body parts are to sit and applaude. Is there any hint in this chapter, which is clearly setting forth God's plan for His body in fellowship, the M.O. that we see in christendom today, that is a passive group of body parts staring at the back of someone's head as ONE man is gazed upon and paid attention to as he rattles on week after week. month after month, year after year, decade after decade about the 'things of God' and how we'd better surrender all and start doing His will?
Yes Paul is found expounding the word of God to the unlearned, this is called 'preaching[witnessing]. And yes there is a place for 'teaching' by teachers to those that have accepted the gospel. But when you look closer at the maturing 'body', Christ is Head, not man and ALL the body parts are to be in operation in their respective parts, ministering 'ONE TO ANOTHER' decently and in order. This constitutes their gathering together. Dear sirs that call yourselves 'pastors',, with all due respect, as you are my brothers, you are all 'out of order' and have taken unto yourselves a 'position' that is NOT found in the holy writ.
Pastors is plural. It means shepherds, those that can guide, encourage, meet the physcal needs of and lead by example, and also but not necessarily teach the newer believers of HIS fold, not man's fold!
Maturity is the aim, the desired end to be reached in the saints. Then they are to be 'cut loose' and spring forth into their varied functions and giftings, ministering to the whole and to 'one another' as the scriptures perpetually elaborate.
This is the true 'FELLOWSHIP' of the believers. Breaking bread, sharing teaching and prophesy over God's doctrine and ways, prayers and fellowship.
God commanded and demanded that we pattern NOT ourselves after the worlds ways[read Matt.23], titles, class-distinctions, positions, offices [read the greek sirs], and salaries. These things had aught not be. Jesus condemned them most thoroughly and soundly!
Then why do they exist? These traditions of men and of devils...why? Answer: FLESH. The control mentality and just plain ole arrogance, the sin that is okee dokee in the 'church'!
Not forgetting avarice and greed. Who wouldn't want to trade a 'sweat-shop job' for the plush position of the modern day 'pastor' complete with hefty salary with stip-ends and vacations called 'checking the work'!
His body parts have been duped and dumped. A few paid elderships not-withstanding, most of His parts sit in apathy and dryness, dying and blowing away forever waiting for 'their open door' to arrive, year after year, decade after decade. For the true 'seekers', they lose all hope of ever fulfilling their God-given calling so they either let the calling die completely as opposed to sitting 'in pain' over it or they up and head for another 'church' where the same scenario awaits them all over again until they do finally throw in the towel of hope concerning the 'burning calling' in their life.
This mis-quoted scripture 'touch not mine anointed, neither do my prophets no harm' being used as a cover/shield by pulpiteers to avoid scrutinity or challenge to what they endorse and teach as 'gospel', is fraudulant at best and blasphemy at worst. This verse was telling the heathen kings to 'lay off' Israel if they knew what was good for them! Gently disagree with the 'anointed' behind the pulpit [pulpit?..where'd that come from?] and you'll be sent packing...don't worry about finding the door, an usher will escort you!
It's as though the mere sheep must hang their brains at the door of the 'church house' before entering. I mean you have every right to your opinion as long as it lines up with the 'pastors'! Well I'll have you know that inspite of 'prohibition', boot-leg thinking within His body has been going on for centuries and is at a ground-swell as I write! Thank-You Holy Ghost! I'm beginning to think that the greatest fear of most 'pastors' is not that THEIR people [note the possessiveness] won't surrender all and start digging deep into the scriptures Berean style and seeking God with ALLLLL their hearts but their fear is that they might !?!?
Well thousands, if not millions, of Jesus loving, born from above [born again] christians are doing it all around the globe and the first 'word' they are getting from God is 'come out from the institutional 'church' and be seperate!'
Guess who is getting the 'great falling away' label hung around their necks? Yet I tell you that the 'falling away' started while the apostles were yet breathing. Paul sadly exclaimed [para] 'I fear before the last shovel of dirt is thrown on my face, this 'thing' will 'FALL' apart!'
Well, lo and behold here we are! The number one prophecy in the N.T. is the back-slidden condition of the ekklesia due largely to doctrinal impurity and the traditions of men and of devils! Don't get mad at me. I did't write it!
You that call yourselves 'pastors' will be held to give an account on why these things are so. Jesus has forfeited His rightful position in our midst centuries ago in order to accomodate man's lust for power and prestige. So at least those that are left perpetually on the 'back burner' are in good company...Jesus sits on the back burner as well! In fact He 'stands at the door' of the 'church house' and knocks! Why? That's easy! He's on the out-side looking in! He does not feel welcome! His pure, simple gospel that 'was once delivered unto the saints' has been abrogated and way-laid! This is even more true than what you think. For He longs to express Himself in varied ways through His sons and daughters, not just through one 'Pastor Wonderful!'
My whole summation could be defused by you sirs if you could only produce from the scriptures full proof that what we call 'church' today is clearly and unequivocally laid out and described line upon line and precept upon precept.
Again. what you must prove is that His body is to sit year after year in our 'gatherings', so-called, and do NOTHING but say amen in the baptist church and praise the Lord in the penticostal church. So far, 'pastors' have written this letter off with a 'sounds like you have a personal problem.' That is as deep as they can go with it. And yes I do have a personal problem with all this heresy. It tears me up personally that God's functions have no place to be fulfilled in me or in thousands if not millions of others just like me! And not only are we and our families being ripped off but Jesus Himself is as well! Yea it's personal alright!
Pardon me if I slip away for a moment and throw-up!
Paul warned that these things/ways would sneak into the ekklesia[church] and render it impotent and of little value. We wonder why the world worsens and the 'church' follows with hat in hand!
Praying for revival are you? Pray on, it will NEVER come, no more than I could set the table with a pot-roast after cooking it by following the recipe for a green tomato pie! I prayed with a 'church' for revival for about 20 years....ZIP, ZERO...nothing! We are 'out of order!' The game plan has been infiltrated by birds, tares, leaven, and old wine sacks! Read the scriptures!
We chide the hindoo's for not switching religions by now, after suffering the famines and hell it's constituents suffer. Yet we continue on in our folly and heresy hoping God will one day, if not soon, bless our abominable heresies with some great revival!
Harsh words? You bet! I'm thinking of God's harshness on judgement day. You'll wish you had me back.
What about the harsh pangs and suffering of the myriad of families that have caved and fallen for the lack of spiritual power in the gathering, in our so-called fellowships that are nothing more than a chance to lavish our love and praises and adoration on one gifted man! 'OOOO, didn't Pastor Onthetake preach a house fire today!?'
Harsh, again, is what we can use to describe the judgement that will befall the last days Laodecian 'church'.
All the big 'money preachers' use the term 'Clarion call' in order to whip up their audiences into a frenzy in order to lift their rent money from their wallets, promising things that they know they can't deliver on and threatening those with damnation and a curse if they don't cough up the bucks they just don't have!
Again, please pardon me for a brief moment while I go puke!
This is the 'CLARION CALL'....repent you leaders for equating My inheritance to merchandise, for keeping the sheep of My fold down and out, for Keeping Me out of My rightful position in the midst of those that I purchased with My blood. For keeping My perfect plan for My 'body' out of reach of My true servants, those that desire NOT the 'things' the Harlot Gathering has deemed high and mighty..the things of this world. Repent of these deeds of the Nicolaitans that I, Jesus Christ, hate!'
Wow! They are not entering in and they hinder everbody 'underneath ' them from entering in!
According to the N.T. scriptures this sort of appeal will fall mainly on deaf ears...but say it I must for I will stand accountable to Him and His true intent, His truth.
my songs available for FREE at
www.soundclick.com/devonleesley
A couple of out-cast servants.
devon and kathy leesley
The Monster!
Funny looking varment I saw today, a creature like a science fiction movie display:
no legs, no arms, no sinews, no bands; no bones, no hair, no feet and no hands;
no torso, no neck, no nose, no eyes; so what was this monster that caused me surprise?;
twas the 'church' I beheld that brought me to tears, one single mouth and a whole bunch of ears!;
A Compassionate appeal to the Elders
'..these things sayeth He that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name THAT THOU LIVEST, and art DEAD.' Rev.3:1
The real question here is what 'life' are we talking about. Elvis Presly had life. The Beatles had life. Babe Ruth, Johnny Rogers, John Wayne, Jerry Lewis, Joe Lewis, and the Barnum 'n Bailey circus had life, all! But it was all carnal, worldly, terrestrial life. Life it was and alive indeed but life that was detached from God's presence and attributes. Non-spiritual as it were, and we all know what Jesus said about this earth-bound form of life...it is tainted with the death of the original fall of man. For man sinned and death came upon all! We, as christians, know these truths but yet have fallen into the designs of the arch enemy of man-kind when we substitute the true life of Christ by the subtle transferance of our own traditions and carnal ideas into our M.O. for christian fellowship and gathering.
Why have we allowed the 'sower of tares' to work his detrimental concoctions into the pure simplicity of God's program? Are all asleep that master the helms? Are the 'watchmen' on the wall taken by bribery and seduction? Have the sheep fallen content with being mere chattle to enable fulfillment for the desires and ambitions of a few self appointed 'religious CEO's? Has many a man or woman fallen for the old offer of satan that Jesus Himself was tempted by...'see all these things and kingdoms.....you need not wait for them...you can have it all...right now..no fuss, no muss, IF..you do it my way!!'
Has the very words of the Son of God fallen on totally deaf ears these past two millenia? Paraphrased; ' the world has its lords that lord it over its subservients, BUT..not so with you!' Do you suppose that tampering with Christs commands to His body and its proper function just may have caused a 'quenching of the Spirit/spirit'? Do you suppose that the purpose of His injunctions to the ekklesia were to stem the tide of fleshly ambition which spawns and generates arrogance, avarice, and spiritual apathy?
Do you suppose that satan being privy to these warnings of Jesus and Paul and the other writers, [has the inside scoop on these things] and therefore has ever so gradually deconstructed and twisted these injunctions to the point of obscurity in the reading of the word?
We have heard many a sermon in our life-times about the 'devil trying to destroy the word' and yet fail miserably at ascertaining the actual damage that has been incurred over the past two thousand years! We pray 'God, Your will be done' and yet we are clueless to date, what that will is! How many sciptures do we skirt over for we cannot fit then into our traditionally indoctrinated minds? How long will this continue? Till He returns I am afraid for the word paints an ugly picture of the end-times church [ekklesia].
A remnant is in the making but yet it is still just a remnant!
My urgent plea is to the body of Christ who have lamps but without oil. Few leaders will heed the call for doctrinal purity for they have much of this world to lose if they take the proper course of action for change. Most of the hunger for change and desire for the 'true gospel' will and can be found in the hearts of the sheep, [the little folks], for they have nothing to lose but everything to gain!
"The world yes...but not so with you..."
The veil remains over the eyes and heart of anyone who continues to mix the old covenant decrees with the new covenant. Out of fleshly fear and/or greed, most if not all 'church leaders' continue to use coersion, fear tactics and promises of worldly gain to constrain it's members to support the 'leaders' ambitions and dreams.
This has been solidly and soundly renounced and denounced by Christ and Paul and other N.T. writers yet it continues unabated. We continue to pray weekly/weakly for 'revival' that perpetually evades and ignores us for we are praying with pre-concieved notions and traditions that we refuse to repent of.
Traditions of men and doctines of men and of demons!
We'll have it 'Our Way' or not at all...well...so far it's been 'not at all' and will continue to be 'not at all 'until we quit trying to put 'new patches on old wine skins'. We really need to try to figure out why We think that the New Covenant just isn't quite good enough as it is. Why we must pretend that certain parts of the Old Covenant Law are still binding upon the New Covenant believer when the New Testament reveals no such notions whatsoever but quite the contrary!
Traditions of men and doctrines of demons are the hardest things on the planet to break, especially when it means that a lot of folks may lose out on their 'easy street' life-style and exalted position. Therein lies/lies the problem.....flesh! The 'ways' of the world are way to tempting yet these are the very things that are condemned and warned about in the N.T., and by Christ Himself..Matt.23.
Are we of the flesh or of the spirit? Do we begin in the spirit only to operate in the flesh? Do we 'freely receive' and then turn around and 'exorbitantly charge'? Do we teach faith to the pew sitter and then turn around and pull, plea, beg, threaten, constrain, coerse and twist the mammon from their wallets and purses and call that 'faith' to?
These methods will not/cannot be found in the New Covenant but are rather condemned by the same. Believers were taught and encouraged to be generous and the gospel worker or missionary was taught to distance himself from receiving help.
In other words, don't fall in love with the idea of support. Paul's example was that he worked with his hands to supply his own and other's needs!
The 'mixing' of the Old wine and the New has been forever condemned in passage after passage yet we vehemently refuse/fail to take them seriously. And for THAT, God refuses to take us seriously! Seriously!
Pray on for that great revival of all revivals...it will not come sirs..not until we repent of our coersive and unbiblical tactics in order to 'Gain'. And repent of the class distinction, clergy/laity falsehood, Matt.23.
All the believers are of the 'priesthood'
have you not read???
We are to give to the needy cheerfully without constraint, have you not read??? The elders [leaders] are to work jobs in order to support the poor among us, Acts 20, have you not read??? All the body parts are to minister 'one to another' not one to 5, 50, or 5,000, 'one to another', have you not read?
Christ wants to operate through ALL His body parts, not just 2 or 3 while thousands sit idly drying up, have you not read??? We are not to adorn our 'awesome' names with religious titles, Matt.23, have you not read??? We are not to seek after Mammon [money, esteem, position], but God and His Son Jesus Christ, have you not read? We are to 'contend for the faith that was once delivered unto all the saints', not contend for power, positions, mammon or the praise and adoration of the masses, have you not read???
For further discussion I am available. If we'd dare repent of these abominable practices/tactics, we would see Jesus afforded once again His rightful position in our midst.
Man has taken His place from Him. Brothers and sisters, this is the spirit of anti-christ!! ....and guess what...are you ready for this?..'.He would supply all our needs according to His riches in glory' and the long awaited 'awakening' would hit us like a' ton of bricks' if we'd DARE clean this mess up and get our house in order! He is able to make every grace abound unto us...believe it or not! So far it is 'not'. So Elvis did it 'My Way'...well where is he now?? It's gonna be God's way or nothing........nothing, the choice
is ours!! Please let's change that! devon leesley, a reformer. One of many.
* * *
Sleep On
I'll set my tomato plants out every year, 4 or 5. Sure 'nough, here come the weeds of every variety. Sure 'nough, here come the tomato loving insects of several varieties. I have discovered that if i simply plop my tail down and allow this invasion of weeds and bugs to 'have their way', hijack my efforts as it were, I can kiss my tomato's good-bye.
Oh the plant itself will grow and grow and grow taking up a quarter of my yard looking just as lovely as can be. The stalks doing well, the leaves spreading out 'like a green-bay tree' decorating a corner of my yard with it's eye-drawing beauty and pomp...BUT...BUT...NO fruit worth picking. Fruit yes, but not worth picking let alone eating. But be pleased to know of a surety that the neighbors see from their vantage point, a well set planting sure to vield an abundant harvest.
But deceived they are. What little fruit I gleaned, I had to cut away the half eaten parts and then hope my palate wouldn't experience a surprise of a six-legged sort...or a many-legged sort.
If only I had kept the weeds at bay by spending some sweat and energy in up-rooting the invaders. Some would up-root easily, others took a cable and wench with excruciating efforts.
If only I had attacked the attackers, six-legged and all, risking bites, stings and possible infection or poison, but alas, what fruitful harvest could have been mine, pure and undefiled. What glory in such a yeild. The real question here is "what price glory'? What sacrifice and cost am I willing to pay for such an out-come.
Cost and sacrifice in a land of ease and entertainment is anymore a joke of a sort. Christ refused compromise and paid the ultimate price for His narrow-mindedness. Should one that claims to belong to Him settle for any less of a stand. Should rotting fruit be 'acceptable' and a quiet, comfortable place under a juniper be the desired position to maintain?
Should peace, peace be the ultimate attainment at any cost though that peace be of a corrupt nature, a compromising falsehood, an apathetic appeasement, a subtle surrender to the unstoppable forces around us?
If dying fruit borne upon beautiful extravagant displays of spreading plants be of no concern or of any forseeable consequence, then sleep on vine-yard workers...sleep on...
* * *
THE TEMPLE OF DOOM
Most of us remember Indiana Jones working his way through the labyrinth of tricky steps and dangerous moves in the finaly of the movie trio. He had a burning curiosity and desire to find, what his father searched for all his life...the cup that Christ drank from, the coveted chalice that was used at the last supper. The holy grail as it were. Willing to even suffer death itself in order to drink from this cup that Jesus drank from. More on this as we dealve deeper.
I find in it an interesting analogy as well as a definitive process laid out by God for His children or at least, many of His children. Without going into all the snares and pits and dangers that have been clearly mapped out, catalogued and discussed at great length by many a good writer and expositor who are a part of and represent the 'out of church' movement, I would like to avoid here any be-laboring that long list of stark and vivid anomalies that have been clearly set forth already to anyone reading this in order to keep this piece concise and to the point.
I'll read from Matt. 16:21-28:
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
25 For whoever wants to save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
In prayer while I was reading this I quickly noticed a parallel with Jesus' next moves and my and many others journey in Him. Jesus set His compass for Jerusalem where the enemies of God were entrenched. He was headed for a hornet's nest of religious teachers, leaders and hiearchal defenders. He was willing to suffer death itself in order to gain that prize that was set before Him.
Interesting is that death became the means to an end of His quest. He was going to settle the issue once and for all. By proclaiming boldly the futility of man's schemes and religious efforts as void of any real redeeming value, He placed Himself squarely in the hands of those that claimed supremacy and superiority in the matters of religious thought and truth, the venerable dispencers of the 'things of the Most High God'.
Why did He do this? He knew He must die for the 'sins of the world' and this group was more than willing to accomodate Him. Jesus knew full well the path He was on, the cup He must drink and the sufferings He must endure at the hands of the religious leaders of His day.
Trying to Figure it All Out
I think I spent most of my 'salvation years trying to line up the dots. Examining my own heart countless hours in search for the reason/reasons why I perpetually felt totally out of place and alienated in the midst of institutional religion, the local 'church house'. I didn't start to see certain truths unfold in my heart until I reached year 27 of this wild and many times painful journey. Though I see many things clearer today than yesteryear, I do not hold any claim to 'all knowledge'.
One of the things that has really bothered me in recent months is this. 'Why Lord, why could you have not clearly shown us the condition of the apostate 'church' early on so as to avoid it all together, though in our spirit we knew something was awry, out of joint, out of 'kilter' but still lacking the knowledge to pin-point all the heresies? God spoke to my spirit ' There was a death process I had to send you into. Even as I had to submit my Self to the extremes of religious falsehoods and tyranny and brutality, you had to walk the same path of pain and confusion in order for your own worldly and fleshly dreams and aspirations might be laid to rest.....in a word, you had to die, completely.'
What better 'killig machine' than that. The very system that promises hope and refuge actuall y being the un-holy harbinger of the very tools for our own demise.
Even as Christ and Paul and others beat the battle drum against apostate heresy, they knew full well that subterfuge and subtlety would evidence themselves early on in God's pure and simple plan of redemption. The wolves were lurking and waiting. When the 'cat's away, the mice would begin to play'.
This gives a whole new meaning to 'take up your cross and follow Me'. We all knew it meant to follow Him in death, death to self and all our self-centered inclinations but did we realize, at the time, that the way to Golgotha was through religious Jerusalem? Indiana, by this time[a little humor here] knew that to find that 'eternal life' was to be had by drinking from the same cup that Jesus drank from, and knew that he may have to dodge flying circular saws and 'watch his step' for the place where he was walking was heavily booby-trapped. What a profound kodac moment picture of 'christendom' and all the traps and dangers it holds all in the name of Christ.
Peter's Lame Stance
Peter bagan to try to persuade Jesus that He need not go the route He set forth.
I believe with all my heart that my wife and I and many others were led by His Spirit, in the early days of our salvation, to enter the organized church. I do admit that I felt a conflict in my spirit as though God was saying 'it's not here' but attach yourself to it for now. This caused some confussion but we acted by faith. So as 'sheep led to the slaughter' we obeyed. I'll not give the details here, for anyone who has read thus far, has only to look to their own experience to know the things we suffered.
Jesus rebuked Peter and his carnality. Peter was still acting 'in the flesh' and savored not the 'true' things of God just yet. Peter had his own funeral to attend to yet and, like most of the 'church', refuses to even think about dying to his own plans and visions of grandeur.
A hostile and unmerciful environment can persuade us either to exit altogether back into the world or help lower us into our grave. I am not saying that the I.C. is not without some 'good things'. But I am saying that the subtle and not-so-subtle things that are contrary to the gospel of Jesus Christ are a continual 'knife jabbing' to those that have set their 'hand to the plow' and refuse to turn back. Oh the horrors and eventual delights that await them that 'dare to surrender all'.
There are asigned spirits, I believe, that will do their best to dissuade you from total sold-out surrender. They'll show you an aluring panaramic of all you can have if you'd just go his way. Forget this trail of tears thing. Calvary was reached by a path that was marked by religious persecution, a thought we'd do well to consider.
Some will Live to Die
Jesus told His disciples that 'some are standing here that will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom'. Do you see Him coming yet. Have you traveled the trail that leads to death of self then to life everlsting?
Like I said, if you have read thus far, probably you have endured those pangs of death, those hours of confusion, the times of ostricisation, of rejection, of worthlessness. Be glad to know you are part of a vast eternal plan that few, if any, pulpits are able to disclose. These things I have written were born in my spirit.
There is indeed a coming of Christ that will be literal and the establishment of His kingdom in a tangible form but I also see this spiritual coming and revelation that is for only those that have soaked their beds in tears and bathed the altar in heaven with enteaties and 'groanings that cannot be uttered'. Prayers that were concieved in the inner depths of fire and tribulation. Supplications that caught the notice of God's ear, causing Him great consternation toward the offenders but also prescribing the aforementioned offences as a nessessary part of our 'forming unto His image'.
I look back now at those travailing years of confusion and pain, spotted intermittingly with His benefits and I can truly say 'if I had it to do all over again', as Dallas Holm sang, that sore path would hold little change, except for the change it wrought in me. It had to be that way. We had to walk it, my wife and I. At the very end of the movie, Indy had to 'let the cup go'. Yes we drank of the cup Jesus set before us. It led to death and annialation of our own little self proclaimed world but now we need to 'let that cup go' and start living not a crucified life but a ressurrected life. Crucify daily yes, but not forgetting that 'NOW WE LIVE IN HIM'.
So I guess if their is any attribute or good that is in the I.C. it is the fact that it was intrumental in leading me to a place called Golgotha. As Jesus faced apostate Jerusalem head on and lived to tell about it shows us a clear and pronounced path!
Many of us who have 'been around the block', were compelled to walk that route. We blazed a trail even as Daniel Boone blazed the Cumberland gap so others may find, maybe not so much an easier path but, a clearer one. Jesus went that way to His death that others may live and find their freedom in Him, by-passing 'Religious Jerusalem' altogether. Maybe that's another analogy for another moment.
devon, a fellow contender
Ways to aid this ministry include praying for this site www.TruthSeek.net, www.DeceivingtheElect.net, and www.DramaticParables.com, donations and provision may be gifted using the TruthSeekGift page (and please only use this if you feel you are inspired by God to do so), and also feel free to use the Prayer Request page to submit prayer requests, and praying for the prayer requests of others, as well as exploring the various advertisements and links on these pages (regrettably, the advertising is necessary to recompense the many costs of keeping a website running, so exploration of the advertisers, which are not connected to any of these studies, is greatly appreciated). Any aid is joyously accepted, even if that means a smile and a well-wish. Thank you so much!
Art et Amour Toujours
