"You have to work hard to offend Christians. By nature, Christians are the most forgiving, understanding, and thoughtful group of people I've ever dealt with. They never assume the worst. They appreciate the importance of having different perspectives. They're slow to anger, quick to forgive, and almost never make rash judgments or act in anything less than a spirit of total love . . . No, wait--I'm thinking of Labrador retrievers!" David Learn, 1998

Monday, January 30, 2012

Grace under Siege 62: Tell. Stay. Stand.

      Tell. That was His command to us. After 21 years of our leadership instructing members of the flock whom they had wounded, "Don't tell," God told us to tell: Bring the deeds of darkness into the light for My judgment.
     At that point we only knew of a few "deeds of darkness." But as we obeyed, other people started contacting us: "That's what happened to us!" "That pastor refused to listen to me, either!" That elder yelled in my face, too!" "That's why we left!"
     Stay and stand. That's the other thing he commanded us to do. Not only is He still saying this every time we check in with Him but others who get discernment for us as they pray for us and for Grace Brethren Church confirm it over and over:
     "You can't be moved.You are to stand. Don't slide from that decision. You've got to do this on your knees. There is an all-out attack. It has been camouflaged. You are feeling the backlash."
     "You are in a fiery furnace--and all that will burn off are the shackles. You and Jerry are going to be able to walk out of the fire into freedom, without even the smell of smoke on you."
     "You two will stand through the test, through the fire. Others will come to you. You're going to come through this because your beliefs are strong. God has got you where He wants you. Both of you have had bold leadership, standing on the Rock. Those around you are beginning to turn. The tide is beginning to turn. You are a beacon in this church. There are those who respect you, who trust your judgment. They look to you for guidance. Some are saying "If they're standing, there must be something to it. What do those two people know that we don't." You'll show the body at church how to stand.
     "Something is wrong. There is a breach of contract somewhere. A covenant has been broken. They are not obedient to the Holy Spirit and there is a Satanic covenant.  Somebody has made a vow to the enemy. They got off track. I feel a spiritual disconnect. There has been a disconnect in the head of the church whether it's the head pastor or executive elders, a disconnect between the pastor and the elders. Something is not right. Something he's been into is not right. He needs to repent or he's going to fall. He's going to his knees on this.
     "Stand strong. They're picking on you because you're willing to stand for the truth. You're the head of the turnaround. God says, 'I'm going to put their feet on that Rock.' You will stay solid on the Rock. You will not be moved. God says, 'Those who've misrepresented you I will deal with at my time. I will give you wisdom and discernment. I will call people to surround you. This church will be restored. My written Word and the work I have done in this church will remain.'
     He's going to expose those who are playing games. Something's going to get tripped up, will pop up--a red flag so big they won't be able to get over it." 
     Stand. What does that look like? Stand when they won't let us speak, stand when they tell us not to pray without their permission, stand when they tell others we are liars, stand when the doctrine (or lack thereof, like the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20, which has become the Great Omission)* coming from God's pulpit defiles it, demeaning Him and incurring His wrath. Stand when they shun us, stand when they slander us, stand when the poisonous fog of deception soothes people with a distorted view of the truth, preventing them from believing God's opinion of this farce. 
     Stand when I am too intimidated by their power and fury to say a word.
     Whatever the results of the vote on the elders and the Statement of Faith on February 5th, we will keep staying, standing, and telling until God tells us to stop.


*Thank you for the way you put it, Jerry.

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