The Lord spoke these words recently:
"The time of restoration is at hand, just as I have spoken through the prophets since the world began! Whatever can be restored will be restored, and whatever can be shaken will be shaken! What is of God will be restored, and what is of the flesh will be shaken!"
The Lord spoke further:
"In times like these, choose My way, and I will know how to back you up. Choose man's way, but man cannot back you up. Look to Me therefore, for I will not fail you, even when man fails you. I am a faithful God, and will still be faithful till the very end."
People of God, you and I are living in a time when whatever is of God shall be restored, and whatever is not of God shall be shaken (see Acts 3:21, Hebrews 12:27-29). These two are happening at the same time, and apply both in the Body of Christ and in the world at large. If any 'house' is built on the 'rock', even if the rain descends, the flood comes, and the winds blow and beat on that 'house', it will not fall, because it is founded on the 'rock'. But if any 'house' is built on the 'sand', and if the rain descends, the flood comes, and the winds blow and beat on that 'house', it will fall, and great will be its fall (Matthew 7:24-27).
Now, what does the 'rock' represent here? In Psalm 89:26, the Lord says, 'He shall cry to Me, "You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation."' And what does the 'sand' represent here? Interestingly, the Hebrew word for 'sand' is 'chol', which is the same Hebrew word for 'secular' (meaning 'not set aside and holy unto the Lord'). Therefore, 'chol' represents 'worldliness'.
So, what can we learn from the above verses here?
In these times of 'shifting sands' and great uncertainty in the world, choose Him and His ways, because only His ways are sure, and only His ways fail not. Good idea of man may not be God's idea. Just look at the building of Tower of Babel those days (Genesis 11:1-9), and you will know whatever that isn't God's idea will not stand, and this applies even more in these last days. Why? Because He is in the midst of preparing a holy, pure, and unblemished bride for His glorious coming! (Ephesians 5:27)
If you look at the book of Acts and the patterns of the early church, you'd see that His church has never been meant to be 'institutionalized'. Church is an organism, not a man-made institution. Church is a people, not a man-made building. Church has never been meant to pattern after the structure of this fallen world and its man-made ways of doing things! Because if this is so, all the 'sorrows' of this fallen world will also rub off on the church! Strife, competing for 'members', competing for 'numbers', comparing with one another, desire to outdo one another, desire for greater influence, desire for greater fame, power struggle, power play, politicking, backstabbing, running down one another - just to name some - and the consequence will always be hurts, wounds, and even further sorrows! What is the difference then between the church and the world?
But the good news is the Lord will never give up on His church. The last book of the Bible is the book of Revelation, and this book prepares us for these last days. Have you noticed that 'church' (i.e. His bride) is the main focus of this book? (see Revelation 22:16-17) How can He forget His church then? He is certainly in the midst of opening the eyes of many to see 'the way He sees His church, not the way man sees', and 'the way He builds His church, not the way man builds'. He is in the midst of raising up a people who will not be afraid to stand up against the works of 'the prince of the power of the air' that have infiltrated the church of our Lord Jesus Christ! (Ephesians 2:1-2) And He is in the midst of raising up a remnant in this end-time who would rise up and 'stand their ground' against the tide of worldly influence and the enemy's influence! (Romans 11:5) May you be one of those whom He raises up!
People of God, choose God's ways, and choose not the ways of man. Return to Him, and He will return to us. This article is not meant to judge anyone or any church. When one finger is pointed out to judge, three fingers will point back, if you know what I mean. We are all one in the Body of Christ. We all call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ all the same. Let us therefore listen to His heartbeat for His church again, and not the heartbeat of this world. We are in the world, but we are not of the world (John 15:19, John 17:14-16). He will show Himself faithful (Lamentations 3:22-23, 1 Thessalonians 5:24), and He will show Himself strong and mighty (Revelation 12:10-11) when we choose to 'let Him have His church again'. Amen!
