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NOT BEING WHAT WE ARE NOT: THE PRECIOUS ORDER OF GOD

( please read scriptures before text below)

1 Corinthians 12:27-31 -

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Philippians 2:12-13 - [Verse 12 in Original Greek]

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

2 Peter 2, 1-3

1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Vv 9-10

9the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

10but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness,

and despise government.

Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Galatians 5, 19-26

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,emulations,
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings,

murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God .

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love,

joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

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Having stepped through the Gospel doorway to be born again by the Spirit of God, through trusting Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins; and having recognized the desire for doctrinal purity that the Lord has placed within us, it remains that we should find out who we are in Him, and be that person to the fullest of our potential, according to the working of God, as has been discussed in recent posts.

Along that path it is good for us to recognize that the enemy has a process at work which will tempt us to be who we are not. His intention is to undermine the holy order of God, feeding on the pride of our hearts which has not thus far been cleansed.

It has already been stated that, if we are found in Christ and He in us, that we have our own place within the body, as precious, and none other can take it. It is therefore a waste of time that could be better spent seeking to be something that we are not.

Why would we want to do that? Why would we want to prefer someone elses’ ministry and calling to the one God Himself has placed upon us?

If we have found ourselves ignorantly labouring under a yoke that the Lord did not place upon us, it is a matter of simplicity to put it aside and continue on with Him in repentance and holiness.

But if this false yoke has been taken on in pride, because we want authority, or admiration, in order to lord it over others, or seek positions of power in the flock, we will not easily repent of this, because it has its roots in the pride of our hearts, which must be eradicated and killed as the pernicious weed that it is.

Without this pride being eradicated, the foundations of fellowship and order are undermined to the extent that people rise to power to teach what they do not know, and to preach what they have not received.

The result of this is that the flock remains hungry and confused, not knowing the benefit of the spiritual bread that comes down from heaven in the working of the Spirit of Christ.

If we are attending fellowship that leaves us hungry though being full of religious activity, we should consider whether the Lord has placed us there at all. And then we should consider most seriously whether He wants us to continue there.

The Lord will not have His sheep wander like this on any path that would end on a cliff-edge: He Himself will provide us with the way, and with the food for the way, for He IS the Way.

These are days when we are busy with many things: many commitments and labours and responsibilities that we have taken on of necessity. This leaves us with little time to study for ourselves in the presence of God, and to know His working personally, so that we may discern the heresies and the false trails and the ungodly yokes and bondages that the enemy would put upon us, to divert us from Gospel purity in what we know are the last days.

Instead we are forced to rely for food on the teachings of men and women who are not called of God, and whose bread is not formed from His working.

The body of Christ, which is the church, works in humility through holy order. As each of us finds out what we are called to, and functions as such, we find we have the wherewithal to supply others, and that they are able to supply us, according to the individual working of God among us.

Without this holy order and humility, false teachers and prophets arise in the assembly, taking on duties presumptuously in the leading of their prideful hearts. When falsehood has taken hold like this, heresy is received unnoticed, and hungry sheep are fed error and led astray.

The order of God comes effortlessly in the humility of the flock who loves their Lord and hears His voice.

When order has been established in pride however, it must be fed on pride, and the authority that rises of the flesh as a result is not Godly authority. Leaderships become established in the flesh regardless of the calling of God, and His authority is thus abused, along with His people who sit along the pew submitting to every wind of doctrine and opinion of man that is offered from the pulpit.

We need to come back to the simplicity that is in Christ, recognizing His sure working in us, and shunning all temptation to follow a route which makes the flesh feel good: the feather-in-the-cap of theological achievement, position, leadership, and the subsequent desire that others should follow “us”.

The simplicity of Christ’s working is found best at the feet of Jesus, where Mary sat with her heart of hunger and holy love. This is the place where we learn most and best: where we are able to lay aside all responsibilities that the Lord never gave us, and receive from Him what we need to know, about ourselves, and about His desire for our lives.

These are serious days which require the exercising of discernment and a willingness to step away from all impurity in the body of Christ, so that Godly order may be re-established.

Father forgive us for not taking time with You, not listening to You, but following after the reasonings and the teachings of men without Your heart.

We realize that we have not seen true Godly authority established in Your church, but another species that works by pride and the attraction of climbing to fame and position.


Lord Jesus we claim Your authority, and this we do in sitting at Your feet, and listening and learning with a humble heart, what you need to be telling us personally.

Help us to put away all prideful pursuits, for they run contrary to Your will.

Lord show us who we are in You, and help us Lord, not to be

Who we are not.

In Jesus Mighty Name we ask,

Amen!!

Thank You Lord.

Much love from Mary xxx