Strength in Weakness
God has called those that are His to weakness...so that he may be their strength.
It is one thing to know this in your mind, and another to embrace it with your choices.
Mankind has been covering his weakness and shame ever since Genesis 3, but Jesus is taking away every covering but Himself...every covering but righteousness, and man's righteousness is filthy rags.
Only one righteousness will withstand the coming years, and it's Jesus'. He gives it freely to all who accept it, but it is the embracing of our own weakness that is required to have His strength cover us.
It is one thing to know this in your mind, or even for yourself, and an entirely different thing to choose this as a church.
In our hour we have become very confused about church. In a time of powerful media, resources, buildings, instruments, and fashionable clothing, we find ourselves putting forward a face of strength. This is entirely opposite the New Testament church mentality. We exchange messages about humility preached in the Bible and instead accept messages about excellence in human accomplishment. Watch. Jesus will change all of this in one hour. As we attempt to build a house of cards higher and higher, Jesus is unleashing a storm to blow it all down.
We don't need to forgo talent, but we do need to take what is of value and offer it on the altar. Humility isn't falsely acting weak, it is actively choosing to not rely on man's strength. We aren't called to feign poverty, we are called to sow wealth to the point that we need God again.
This is the point of the Sermon on the Mount. The point of praying secretly, giving secretly, fasting secretly, seeking first the kingdom, praying for enemies, blessing those who use you, judging a tree by it's fruit of the Spirit-led life, and not it's abundance of height or leaves...it's external measurements...is voluntary weakness. Meekness.
This isn't for any reason other than man's ideas of strength and shame are counter to God's.
God is calling worshipers, not musicians. Prophetic (yielded to the wisdom of the Spirit) preachers, not teachers of man's wisdom. God is calling interceders, not self-eaters. God is calling a family together, not professionals to perform.
If we do it Jesus' way, it has to look like the church in the Bible: weak, yet brilliantly resilient. Entirely dependant, but dependant on the one who never runs out of strength. Foolish by the standards of performance, but wise by the standard of humility and love.
Every covering will be cast aside besides Jesus, the one who displayed the ultimate strength...the one that defeated death...by letting what died be resurrected. Any covering but His righteousness will simply be seen as not enough and the glamorous will be naked in years, not decades.
Look, even now, every secret thing is being exposed. Many of the mega-leaders are walking away in shame. Jesus will humble the proud and exalt the humble.
As decision makers in churches (which we all should be), it is tempting to put your best forward, always, to the exclusion of the weak. It is tempting to make the weak cheerleaders of the strong. We have to move in the opposite spirit. We have to let the strong support the weak, and not the other way around, or the whole thing will fall.
We have to reset. We really do.
Take a new stance. The storm is about to break. Ground yourself, because even now the shaking is tottering the highest places of the church.
When the storm has washed away the makeup and shorted out the lights no one will look pretty but the humble. When the stages fail, and the young and excited, but ungrounded, have moved on...He will beautify the humble with salvation.
Revelation 3:1“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
2“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.
3“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
4“You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
7“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
8“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
9“Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
10“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
12“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
14“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
15“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
18“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
20“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”
It is one thing to know this in your mind, and another to embrace it with your choices.
Mankind has been covering his weakness and shame ever since Genesis 3, but Jesus is taking away every covering but Himself...every covering but righteousness, and man's righteousness is filthy rags.
Only one righteousness will withstand the coming years, and it's Jesus'. He gives it freely to all who accept it, but it is the embracing of our own weakness that is required to have His strength cover us.
It is one thing to know this in your mind, or even for yourself, and an entirely different thing to choose this as a church.
In our hour we have become very confused about church. In a time of powerful media, resources, buildings, instruments, and fashionable clothing, we find ourselves putting forward a face of strength. This is entirely opposite the New Testament church mentality. We exchange messages about humility preached in the Bible and instead accept messages about excellence in human accomplishment. Watch. Jesus will change all of this in one hour. As we attempt to build a house of cards higher and higher, Jesus is unleashing a storm to blow it all down.
We don't need to forgo talent, but we do need to take what is of value and offer it on the altar. Humility isn't falsely acting weak, it is actively choosing to not rely on man's strength. We aren't called to feign poverty, we are called to sow wealth to the point that we need God again.
This is the point of the Sermon on the Mount. The point of praying secretly, giving secretly, fasting secretly, seeking first the kingdom, praying for enemies, blessing those who use you, judging a tree by it's fruit of the Spirit-led life, and not it's abundance of height or leaves...it's external measurements...is voluntary weakness. Meekness.
This isn't for any reason other than man's ideas of strength and shame are counter to God's.
God is calling worshipers, not musicians. Prophetic (yielded to the wisdom of the Spirit) preachers, not teachers of man's wisdom. God is calling interceders, not self-eaters. God is calling a family together, not professionals to perform.
If we do it Jesus' way, it has to look like the church in the Bible: weak, yet brilliantly resilient. Entirely dependant, but dependant on the one who never runs out of strength. Foolish by the standards of performance, but wise by the standard of humility and love.
Every covering will be cast aside besides Jesus, the one who displayed the ultimate strength...the one that defeated death...by letting what died be resurrected. Any covering but His righteousness will simply be seen as not enough and the glamorous will be naked in years, not decades.
Look, even now, every secret thing is being exposed. Many of the mega-leaders are walking away in shame. Jesus will humble the proud and exalt the humble.
As decision makers in churches (which we all should be), it is tempting to put your best forward, always, to the exclusion of the weak. It is tempting to make the weak cheerleaders of the strong. We have to move in the opposite spirit. We have to let the strong support the weak, and not the other way around, or the whole thing will fall.
We have to reset. We really do.
Take a new stance. The storm is about to break. Ground yourself, because even now the shaking is tottering the highest places of the church.
When the storm has washed away the makeup and shorted out the lights no one will look pretty but the humble. When the stages fail, and the young and excited, but ungrounded, have moved on...He will beautify the humble with salvation.
Revelation 3:1“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.
2“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.
3“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
4“You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
5“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
7“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
8“I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
9“Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
10“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
12“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
14“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
15“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
16“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
18“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
20“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”
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