"The Watchman's Perspective"
The Watchman has a peculiar position on the wall. His perch affords him the ability to see threats from outside the wall, and inside the wall as well. The Watchman's ministry is not a popular ministry kind a like the Old Testament Prophet's ministry. Its a ministry that is not always welcomed because the nature of that ministry is to bring bad news. Its been my observation that people have a natural aversion to negative news, they just don't want to hear it. This is evidenced in the Old Testatment when the people told the Prophets, ".....speak to us smooth things...." But God has put these ministries in place for the protection of the people. The warnings of the Watchman may not be comfortable or pleasant, but very necessary. A wise people will have ears to hear and a heart to perceive and understand the ministry of the Watchman. God, for the past several months has turned the eyes of this Watchman inside the walls of the church. The threat inside the walls give rise to alarm as much as threats outside the wall. The enemy's Trojan Horse has moved inside the camp, inside the walls of the church. The belly of this Trojan Horse did not open all at once, but rather slowly, blending in at first, then subversively little by little taken over until the church now has and is becoming something foreign to the Biblical model. In the following blogs, this Watchman, in fear and trembling before God will introduce you to the 'new' church, piece by piece. The positive dynamic of the Watchman's warning is realized when he is heard, heeded and cleansed and made whole. God help us all in this last day deception that the enemy is unfurling at the church. We shall overcome in the Name of the Lord.

"The Well-Oiled Machine - Part III"

According to Paul in Ephesians 3 it was the Lord's intention to show the church as the eternal vessel of Christ's glory on earth. As we look for the glory of Christ in the church today we are hard pressed to find such a church. And that is the problem we face, the visible church. The visible church that seems to dot every other street corner in North America is now so far removed from the example Jesus left us in scripture, that we might NEVER be able to divorce ourselves from our traditions, and experience the pure bride of Christ in all her fullness. NEVER, at least not within our current church structures and religious mindsets. First a word of encouragement.

I want to encourage the true, sold-out, stand-alone beleivers in Christ - the real deal Christians. The 'called-out' ones. As you stand for Christ today, He will stand for you! His grace will give you overcoming power even in the face of the rising apathy of the current church, the Well-Oiled Machine, trying to drown out your voices. You are called to be a voice crying out in the wilderness of Laodicea, which is the modern church today! I write to encourage those of you who have genuinely experienced first hand, His unfathomable love and unmerited grace. I encourage you, for it is YOU who must now stand and proclaim the truth about what now is and what must be! It is you who must weather the storm from within and without! Lift your voice and heaven will speak through you! God give you grace as you stand and speak a word for those who have ears to hear and eyes to see! God bless!

"The Well-Oiled Machine - Part II"

In my last blog I mentioned the question, "Where's the beef?" This question is asked in context of the church. In other words the question is posed to the church......where is the goods, where is the substance, where is the meat, which is to say in the church context, where is the Presence of God, where is the moving of the Spirit, where are the gifts of the Spirit. In today's church environment these are pertinent and relative questions. If we cannot, or worse yet, if we do not answer these questions, the church will continue to spiral into oblivion. In relation to the church let me make some qualifying statements.

I believe in the church because of what Jesus, the head of the church said. "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" I have some awful good memories, good experiences, and some wonderful encounters in the supernatural world in the church. The church is that city set on a hill that reflects the light of the Lord to a world that sits in darkness. We are to be a living organism reverberating with the life of God. We are to be Spirit-led and Spirit empowered to advance the Kingdom of God, and diminish the kingdom of darkness. We are to march with the sword of the Spirit in our hand, wearing the armor of God to fight the good fight of faith. We are to rule with Kingdom authority, not as subjects of the Kingdom, but as sons and daughters of the King! We are to have dominion, not to be dominated. We are to rule, and not be ruled. We are to love the unlovable, care for the forsaken, and bring hope to the hopeless. We are to represent Christ with Christ-like behavior. We are to lead the lost to the Savior, not to a charasmatic personality who has no power to save. In light of all this the haunting question dogs us like our shadow......"Where's the beef?" "Where's the beef?" With God's help and grace we will attempt to answer the question in the next blog! Tune in!

"The Well-Oiled Machine"

What we see masquerading as the church is, at best, but a dim reflection of the Lord's intention. Lenny Bruce said, "Every day people are straying from the church and going back to God. " Someone said, 'What do you mean by church?" I'm talking about the church of our creation, the church created in our own image - our own Frankenstein. I'm talking about the man-made insititution we call church. I'm talking about the club, the structure, the established entity we vainly try to infuse atrificial life into each week with our hyped-up praise music, our social programs disguised as ministry, and the self-affirming, feel-good speeches we attempt to pass off as Spirit-empowered sermons. I'm talking about the Well-Oiled Machine. We look so good, but like Wendy's commercial, the question begs to be asked......'Where's the Beef?' The church is miseerably failing.......we live in a Post-Christian society. The church needs a renewal and a reformation. God help us!