"This Ministry....."
Second Corinthians 4 starts like this......Therefore seeing we have THIS MINISTRY.......What ministry? Well, when you look back into 2 Corr. 3 you will discover that Paul is referring to the ministry of the Spirit vs the ministry of the law or death. The church today needs to hear this text and get back to Spirit-led ministry again. The experts tell us that the church is failing today. This is true. The problem comes in when in response to a failing church we are coming up with all kinds of inventions and paradigm changes trying to revitalize the church and revive it. All of these efforts originate in the arm of flesh. We are now resorting to trickery, free cruises, and different allurements to get people in church. We have streamlined our services into professional entertainment centers. Paul rebukes us for such behavior. Look at verse 2......But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully........" Do you hear that? A direct rebuke to the modern church.
Can we (church) not learn from Coke-Cola? Coke had enough sense to get back to the original! The church was born in the wind and fire of the Spirit. We don't need a new paradigm, we need to get back to the moving of the Spirit. We need to crucify our flesh and remove it from center stage. We need to get out of the way and let God be God. God will manifest His power and glory if we can but get out of the way! There is way too much proud flesh promoting itself in the name of God. God forgive us and get us to the place where we realize "its not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts." If we don't get back to the Spirit the church will be reduced to powerless professionals with empty hands and empty hearts. God help us, and God give us a fresh wind from heaven!
Second Corinthians 4 starts like this......Therefore seeing we have THIS MINISTRY.......What ministry? Well, when you look back into 2 Corr. 3 you will discover that Paul is referring to the ministry of the Spirit vs the ministry of the law or death. The church today needs to hear this text and get back to Spirit-led ministry again. The experts tell us that the church is failing today. This is true. The problem comes in when in response to a failing church we are coming up with all kinds of inventions and paradigm changes trying to revitalize the church and revive it. All of these efforts originate in the arm of flesh. We are now resorting to trickery, free cruises, and different allurements to get people in church. We have streamlined our services into professional entertainment centers. Paul rebukes us for such behavior. Look at verse 2......But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully........" Do you hear that? A direct rebuke to the modern church.
Can we (church) not learn from Coke-Cola? Coke had enough sense to get back to the original! The church was born in the wind and fire of the Spirit. We don't need a new paradigm, we need to get back to the moving of the Spirit. We need to crucify our flesh and remove it from center stage. We need to get out of the way and let God be God. God will manifest His power and glory if we can but get out of the way! There is way too much proud flesh promoting itself in the name of God. God forgive us and get us to the place where we realize "its not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts." If we don't get back to the Spirit the church will be reduced to powerless professionals with empty hands and empty hearts. God help us, and God give us a fresh wind from heaven!
posted by Mickey Istre at
6:34 PM
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