Click on following for earlier articles: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11 and Part 12.
Would the Holy Spirit really say that about His church?
After all, look at the forefathers of our traditional church system: Martin Luther. John Wesley. George Whitefield. Jonathan Edwards. Charles Finney. Dwight Moody. William Booth. Maria Woodworth-Etter. Smith Wigglesworth. Katherine Kulhman.
Plus, what about the leaders of today’s traditional churches? Billy Graham. Oral Roberts. Bill Hybels. Mike Bickel. Rick Warren. Joel Osteen. T.D. Jakes. Joyce Meyers. Charles Stanley. And many, many others.
All of these great men and women of God have been proponents of the traditional church system. If the “old time religion” was (and is) good enough for them, shouldn’t it be good enough for you and me?
NO! Absolutely not!
When Jesus arrived on the scene in 30 A.D., the Judaic Temple system had its forefathers and heroes, too. Moses. Joshua. Samuel. King David. Elijah. Elisha. King Hezekiah. King Josiah. Ezra. Nehemiah. Jeremiah. Etc.
And yet, Jesus became the Head of a new wineskin: the ekklesia or the assembly or the called-out ones or the church.
Jesus is the Head of the Church. Period.
Yes, it is important to learn truths from our church forefathers, but we are to follow Jesus. If He turns right, we must go right. If left, go left. If He stands still, do the same. He knows where we are going and why. Our duty is to follow and trust in Him…even if He walks out the doors of our traditional churches.
Okay?
When the Holy Spirit called the church “a bunch of nice losers,” He wasn’t talking about our personal beliefs in Jesus as the Savior or Lord. No, not at all. He was referring to who we are as sons of God, walking in the kingdom of God.
Do you realize each believer is:
When we do not walk in our royal benefits as sons of the Kingdom of God, we are losers; and always will be. Every wave, every wind of doctrine, the trickery of men and their craftiness will toss us here and there like cork bobbers in the midst of a hurricane.
And guess what?
(Continued in Part 14.)
Larry Who 
John Wimber said, “If there is anything that characterizes Christian maturity, it is the willingness to become a beginner again for Jesus Christ. It is the willingness to put your hand in His hand and say, “I’m scared to death, but I’ll go with You. You’re the pearl of great price.”
Wow, this post and the last post are powerful. I believe you’re right. We are satisfied to be a bunch of nice losers–with an emphasis on the nice.
I am personally struggling with becoming a beginner again. Life as I’ve been living doesn’t cut it. God has something else, something frightening and exciting. It’s overwhelming, but I want to respond to Him. Yet, He had to bring me to this place, because I didn’t even see it on my own.
Solveig,
Thanks for your comment.
My biggest problem in walking with the Lord is my brain. Sadly, it only sees problems, and not how big God is.
Well summed up! Interestingly, those statements you quote from scripture which define our identity in Christ are the scripture upon which our recently appointed pastor focused his second sermon on to establish that we are not to worship him as the new “king” just arrived on the scene, but Christ as Lord and Saviour of ALL.
Blessings,
ransom33
ransom33,
Good comment. Christ in us, the hope of glory.
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Larry, Keep walking with the Lord. We get better as time goes along. With things the way they are today, it won’t be long now before we are with Him. 🙂
God bless.
Rapture Forums,
Thanks. I will keep looking up. God bless you.