Love

The solicitation of funds has become common in My houses of worship, where the act of giving has turned into a sales pitch from most pulpits as parishioners are encouraged to open up their wallets each and every time a service is held.

Now, it’s not that I am against giving. In fact, I promote the spirit of generosity amongst My flock. For when the early church was established, an open-handed culture was adopted because nothing (no worldly possession they owned) could compare to the gift of eternal freedom they had gained. And so, out of sincere gratitude, these believers laid all they had before Me, leaving what they owned to My disposal, regardless of their current living situation or life status. For these knew what really mattered was the eternal destination of their soul, which was safely tucked away in My Son; leaving all who accepted Him as Savior to walk with this same attitude of thankful abandonment, for the concerns of this world no longer had such a tight hold on their hearts.

Yet, today the underlying message of generosity seems to be centered more on giving to gain, where what one donates to the church automatically garners them the right to worldly wealth and success. And though I do enjoy blessing My children, the real point of giving seems to have shifted to hold less than pure intentions, where releasing tithe into the offering bucket qualifies believers to, not just expect provision for their needs, but entitles them to have any request answered simply because they gave away some of what they earned. And so, every Sunday without fail, a specific time is set aside within the programmed flow with the sole purpose of pressuring believers to give to this or that church. 

But, how much of what is gathered is allotted to helping those found within the fellowship who are truly in need? Since most current leaders have adopted more of a business structure to the running of their local body, the larger portion of what is taken in goes to staff salaries and the funding of buildings. Although some leaders are really sincere about bringing change to their towns and communities, what concerns Me is the greater number who have limited their vision to seeing just the internal needs of the church being met.

Therefore, this insular view will not do, for I am looking for those who are more interested in actually investing in their communities by using a bigger percentage of their funds to impact the lives of those who are lost. And though some money should be set aside to support those within the Body who are suffering, to have a more expansive view is what I am after, where their current boundaries of faith are challenged so that affecting their communities for the sake of My Son is established as the greater mission over the funding of bigger sanctuaries and buildings.

For if My body will alter its position, and return to the simplistic mission set forth by My Son (which is to seek out the lost sheep who belong to Me), then something extraordinary will happen as a massive sea of salvation fills their cities and towns. For My goal has never been to expand meeting houses and chapels, but to fill the courts of My Kingdom with the souls of believers: those who have been called into the greater congregation of fellowship in My Son.

Then, “build it and they will come” is not the correct approach, since the multitudes of the lost would not dare set foot inside a house of worship. Just as My disciples were sent out, My body now must walk in the same manner, where heading out into the highways and byways becomes the normal operation found in My own. For if many more believers will take this charter seriously, then rapid growth will come into My fold because an increase of conversions will be known. And from this, a steady stream of financial blessing will flow so that My body is able to continue with its efforts of expressing My love through testimony and good works.

So though the lights and the stage have been an avenue for seeing many salvations, the direction I am heading is down the route of a less flashy approach. For the Truth doesn’t need any of these extras to shine because it already contains the whole of My Son, which holds the power to change even a heart of stone. For when someone encounters the authenticity of His love, it doesn’t matter where they are standing, whether it be on a street corner or the altar of a church. The physical environment is not a factor, for it’s the sincerity of His affections that will win over the lost. 

While some of what has been done amongst My body has been effective, to the larger extent, too much has been spent focused on entertaining the masses, where many conferences and services resemble concerts found in the world, as My children flock to these events hoping to be wowed by the show, all the while just outside their doors, many are those who are perishing. Then what is the point of these displays? Do they appeal to the thousands who don’t know Me?

There is no doubt that My sheep are well fed in many current churches, but a journey with Me is meant to encompass more than learning the do’s and don’ts of Christian living, and those who are Mine were not created to only congregate amongst themselves. So then My children should go out onto the streets, expressing My love through kind words and deeds so that many more are added into My fold. For the Good News of Christ was meant to be shared with all who will listen (yet delivered without a tone of judgment since it was compassion for humanity which compelled My Son even when He was at the end of His life).

Therefore, it is time for My children to venture out beyond the borders of their churches and step into the places where darkness is prevalent: to venture beyond where they feel comfortable. So, let each one be reminded of what they have gained through salvation. Then in fondness and with gratitude recall when they first encountered My Son: that moment when they were undeservedly given freedom from their sins. For this recollection should be the motivating force within that causes My children to want their fellow man to enjoy the same relief from bondage. Then, it is time to redirect focus and realign with the simple message of the Gospel, which is so irresistible on its own that it doesn’t need any added bells and whistles to attract the unbeliever.

Then, what if I am asking My children to go further into the place of surrender: to move beyond their common practices of Sunday services and ten percent offerings? And what if I am asking My leaders to stop focusing so much money and effort on buildings and conferences, but instead, center their attention on reclaiming their communities, where the equipping of the Saints means that time and space is devoted to train up My children by teaching them how to flow in the gifts I have given to each one, so that they are well armed when they step out to engage the darkness. For these gifts were not given simply to build up and exhort My body, but also, as supernatural evidence, to demonstrate My existence to the lost. 

So then, I am calling My children away from the trappings of flashy and bright lights as instruments used to entice the world, for the love of My Son holds enough light to attract even those who, in the natural, would seem beyond help. Then out of the pews, My children must rise up, and out of the church doors they must march into the streets so that the downcast and brokenhearted can find the means for their souls to be uplifted! Because when the outpouring of My Spirit spills out of My own and is released into the surrounding atmosphere, it invades the darkness covering their towns and communities. 

Then it is time to stir up their gifts, for I have called each of My children to illuminate the love of My Son to their fellow man, where strangers become friends and neighbors become family because all are united together by the same chord of mercy, as these are now joined with the eternal bond of everlasting Grace. So My own must stand to their feet (for many have been seated far too long), and prepare themselves to join in the battle: the real “War to end all wars”, for it is the most significant campaign ever fought; it is the struggle to reclaim the souls of humanity: that part of a person which lives on forever.

No higher calling, therefore, exists than this: To speak out the name of My Son into the sinful places of mankind by declaring the righteousness that can come only through Him, and then, to lead those formerly held in a wretched state into the joy and tranquility of saving Faith.