God is setting the global stage for end-time events. The prophecies of the Bible pertaining to the end of Gentile times, the Great Tribulation, the Battle of Armageddon, and the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ, will come to pass. But before God opens the curtain on these dramatic events, He first must prepare the world stage.

As watchmen, as men with an understanding of the times, we are prayerfully observing God’s work in the body of Christ, in the body of the beast, in the body of Moses, and in the body of Mohammed. We’ve seen great healing in the body of Christ. Can anyone seriously doubt that God is working? What about the body of Moses? The return of God’s chosen people to the Promised Land is a fulfillment of prophecy and a necessary predicate to other end-time events. Surely, God is working there.

Then there is the body of the beast, human governments. Are we aware of the great changes that have occurred? Imperialism died early in the Twentieth Century. Communism essentially died as the Twentieth Century ended. Democracy was expected to flourish, but routinely fails in the face of extremism and despotism. Pure capitalism is held in low esteem, with governments rushing to supply what many perceive capitalism fails to provide. Nationalism has declined since World War II, being replaced by multinational coalitions and associations based on religion, race or other common interests. The new world order that is emerging is not based on patriotic national interests.

And in the Middle East, ruthless leaders are being overthrown by revolutions. Time will tell whether these forces produce better or worse results. Some revolutions are beneficial, like the American Revolutionary War. Others lead the people into even worse conditions, like the Russian Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 or the overthrow of the Shah of Iran. Some of the radical Islamic factions now seeking power in these Arab states advocate the re-establishment of a multinational caliphate – uniting the strong currents of multi-nationalism and aggressive religion.

There is an increasing conflict between Christianity and Islam. Both are missionary religions that seek to grow through conversion. Both believe that only their faith is correct and that others are infidels. Both seek to mold their society according to their values and beliefs. Further conflict, violent conflict, is inevitable. Powerful forces are at work.

As our world changes, and likely changes for the worse, the only safe place to be is in the body of Christ. Psalm 91 will become more precious to God’s people, with its promise of protection for the righteous. This is no time to get worldly, or to become lukewarm in your service to God and His people. If anything, the acceleration of preparation for the future we have been taught about should inspire us to re-double our efforts, and to ramp-up our zeal. Let’s be busy about our Father’s business.

Is this an apt description of our society? Our nation is bankrupt – economically and morally. Our government has amassed a debt load that is unthinkable. It is now more than $13 billion; about $43,000 per person. It will be a terrible legacy for our children and grandchildren. We have a President who denies the Christian history of our nation, and has publicly declared that American is not a Christian nation. Our society has embraced homosexuality not only as something to be tolerated, but to be acceptable and accepted. Every society that has ever embraced homosexuality has suffered terrible judgment. Our nation’s educational philosophy is now one based on situational ethics and secular humanism. Sin is no longer shameful.

Sadly, our society is corrupting America’s churches. An overwhelming body of research by the Barna group and others has demonstrated that evangelical Christians no longer display a transformed lifestyle. It is getting hard to distinguish Born-again Christians from the rest of society. The divorce rate is the same, as is the prevalence of drinking, sex without marriage and venues of entertainment. So-called Christians in America dress like, talk like and act like their unsaved neighbors.

We aren’t shocked by this phenomenon. The scriptures said it was coming. But it shouldn’t be this way in the body of Christ. In the midst of corrupting culture, we must remain true to our biblical culture. That is why verse 14 of II Timothy 3 says to continue in the things we have learned. As the world gets darker around us, our light should stand out more. “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” Philippians 2:15.

Light is different from darkness. We cannot be lights if we blend into the darkness of our world. Biblical holiness has meant separation from the world. If we let the attitudes of the world infiltrate the church, we will lose our calling.

The August 11 issue of USA Today reported that teens are getting less involved in church groups. Only one in four teens now participate in church youth groups. Prayer, Bible reading and church attendance are falling. They don’t see the church as relevant. Other Barna research found that over 70% of evangelical Christian youth walk away from church by age 21. Let’s make sure it doesn’t happen in the body of Christ. While only God can give young people a revelation of our calling and purpose, we can do everything we can to explain why we are a separate people. We are not like everyone else, because God has asked us not to be like everyone else.

That is the way of the “Christian” Evangelical world. It should not be that way in the body of Christ. As the Apostle Paul taught us, we are not to be conformed to this world, but we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Romans 12:2. We are to shine out of darkness as the radically-transformed disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The true church is a counter-culture church. It is unique and distinct from other religious endeavors. It stands out, because its members are different – gloriously different – from the rest of our society. In these “perilous times,” let’s refuse to compromise with worldly attitudes and ways. Let’s continue to swim against the currents, and promote a radical concept of holiness and righteousness for all the world to see.

The palpable presence of God was wonderful. We felt His Spirit and His anointing on the preaching. The fellowship was sweet. We ended the meeting singing “It is Well With My Soul.” And it is well. The ministry and the saints were embracing each other in the closing minutes of the meeting, expressing the love and unity that God has brought to us.

The theme of the 2010 May Meeting was that God may have brought us to the kingdom “for such a time as this.” See Esther 4:14. Every age has been dangerous for the true believers. Certain times have been dark times, when there was no open vision, and when it seemed that the light of God was about to go out. But in every one of those times, God had a Noah, a Moses, a Samuel, an Esther, a John the Baptist. He has always had people ready when needed to carry on the work of God.

What about us in our time? Has God brought us to the body of Christ for such a time as this? Is our time critical? Is our mission strategic? What happens if this body fails? What if we don’t realize how important it is that we hold to the truth, seek further restoration, and resist worldliness and iniquity? God could raise up another people, but we don’t want that to happen. We are volunteering to be God’s people, to let Him use us as He determines.

After the May Meeting, I attended a wonderful weekend in Green, Ohio, commemorating Bro. Rick Moore’s twentieth year as pastor of that church. The spirit and feeling of that weekend was as if it were just a continuation of the May Meeting. My wife and I also were blessed to attend services in Mansfield, Ohio and to continue on to the Shepherdsville Camp Meeting. I was particularly impressed with the zeal and the depth of worship of the hundreds of young people at the Campground. They were seeking God, and we didn’t have to compromise with worldliness to attract them.

These meetings displayed further, tangible evidence of the healing of the body of Christ. This healing is not theoretical, nor potential; it is actual. We can refer to it now as an accomplished fact. God has brought together ministers and churches that were separated for decades. With man, this would have been impossible, but with God all things are possible.

We have been taught that coming together was a beginning, staying together was progress, but working together was success. The Lord has provided the miracle of the healing of the Body of Christ. Now it is up to us to learn to work together. We are seeing this happening now.

This is our time; our day. Others have labored and served God in their day. But this day is ours. Our serving the Lord will prevent the light of God from going out in this generation. We must let our light shine.

The economy, the political system, crime and terrorism, the moral decline of society, the threat or reality of unemployment, marital discord, illnesses, raising children, and so many other stressors pressure us every day. These conditions cause people to become tense. It is hard to relax or find a way to get any good rest. The soul becomes disquieted. There is no peace. Modern people, even many blood-bought, Spirit-filled Christians, are “stressed”.

How can you live a life free of stress? I believe I can give you the secret. Whether you implement this secret strategy or not is up to you. But God’s good people, in the Body of Christ, are entitled to the knowledge that will lead to a life free of stress. The word “stress” does not appear in the Bible. It is a word used today to describe the mental or emotional tension we experience because of the hardships of life. Biblical terms with similar meaning would be “anxiety,” “fear,” “anger,” “despair,” and “guilt”.

We must understand what “stress” really is. It is not the same thing as the pressures or hardships of life. Stress is not even caused by the pressures of life. Stress is the biophysical reaction to the pressures of life. Stress only occurs when we react to the pressures of life in an unbiblical manner. If our responses were biblical, there would be no stress.

Paul and Silas had no stress in a Philippian jail. Their stress-free response to pressure resulted in the conversion of their jailor. The Hebrews who were about to be thrown into a fiery furnace were not stressed. Their response impressed the King of Babylon. True champions of the faith have faced adversity, sickness, and suffering with no stress. Were the heroes of the faith any different than you and me? Or did they have something we can also possess, which will teach us how to live a stress-free life?

We can do very little about the pressures of life. Yes, there are some things we can do to relieve the pressure, but despite our best efforts, there will be pressures and stressors in this life. But an appropriate biblical response will preclude any real stress. Why? Because a Christian is at peace, even when in distress. Paul wrote in II Corinthians 4:8 that he was troubled, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair. And he said in Philippians 4:4 that he was always rejoicing – in every situation.

It is our duty and our privilege to rejoice in the God of our salvation, and to rejoice in Him always; at all times; in all situations. Even when we suffer for His name’s sake, we rejoice. Even when we are afflicted by Him, we rejoice. In good times and in bad times, in tranquility and in great distress, we rejoice in the Lord. Philippians 4:7 speaks of a peace beyond understanding that will keep your heart and mind. The “heart” here is the emotions; the “mind” is the rational thinking process. Stress can lead the emotions into a panic and can lead the rational mind into despair. The peace of God will keep us from sinking under our troubles, and sinning as a result of them. It provides a calm assurance, a blessed assurance, in every condition.

This is why Isaiah 26:3 refers to “perfect” (complete) peace, and Romans 8:28 says we know all things work together for our good. Godly peace is the antithesis of stress. Pressure will always come. It is the result of the curse. But the peace of God banishes stress. The secret to stress-free living begins with trusting God in the midst of pressure. Maybe we shouldn’t pray that God would remove the pressure, as much as we should ask for grace and strength to face the pressure. Our goal in this life is not a life free of all pressures; our goal is to learn to depend on God and to please Him in every situation.

The promise of Proverbs 1:33 is that if we hearken to the Lord, we will be quiet from fear of evil. That is a powerful promise; not just safe from evil but quiet from the fear of it. Three times in Psalms 42 and 43, David asks why he has allowed his soul to become disquieted. It is not right for a child of God to allow his calm to be disquieted. The message of Psalms 46:1-7 is: no fear; thus, no stress. The secret to a stress-free life is to respond biblically to the pressures of life. So why are you stressed-out? God’s grace includes the ability to live free from stress.

You would think we’d know better. Every one of us has been tempted by sin, and resisted sin, many times. But even those considered to have been great Christians have fallen prey to sins that they should have resisted and overcome. It is sad when the name of Christ is drug through the mud because someone who should have known better fell into diverse lusts, temptations and sins.

Preachers can wax almost poetic in calling sinners to repentance. The God of mercy can extend forgiveness to those who have fallen into failure and shame. But do not wait until then to call on God. We need to be prepared today to resist the temptations that will come to us. The time to defeat sin is before you fall into sin.

You need to constantly renew your zeal and commitment to serving God. Every great saint of God has had one thing in common. Whether you talk of Abraham, David, Elijah, Peter, Paul or William Sowders, they all had one key ingredient in their lives: They all were intoxicated with the holiness of God, and were consumed with a desire to know Him. Paul expressed his longing in Philippians 3:10, “that I may know Him.” (He said he wanted to win Him in verse 8; be found in Him in verse 9; and know Him in verse 10.) Our only hope of spiritual success is to re-kindle and to maintain our passionate zeal for God. Our heart must pant for God. See Psalms 42:1-2.

Just because you are God’s purchased child, and have the baptism of the Holy Ghost, does not mean you will make the right decisions and wise choices. We do not naturally gravitate to that which is godly and holy. There is still a sinful nature in us, and we are still tempted by our adversary to choose wickedness and evil.

We make choices daily. Those choices will either lead us closer to the Lord or they will lead us further away from Him. We choose whether to attend church services. We choose whether to yield to temptation. We are not immune. You have made many wonderful and right choices in your life, and declared your commitment to the Lord repeatedly. Those decisions are the reason you are serving God today. They have brought you to where you are in the Lord. But tomorrow, you could make a foolish choice that would wreck all that has been, and all that might have been.

That is why I Corinthians 10:12 warns us that even if you stand, take heed lest you fall. We must not only fix our heart on God, Psalms 108:1, but we also need to daily maintain that godly fixation. Remember that David had a heart fixed on God, but still yielded to temptation in the matter of Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba. A false sense of security fosters an inviting vulnerability to temptation and sin. Don’t rest in the fact that you have served God for years, that you know the doctrines, or that you are a pretty good person. You need daily convictions about living right, doing right, and being right with God.

As ministers, we strive to see to it that each member of this body develops a close relationship with God. As our world grows more wicked and perverse, the task is increasingly difficult. Temptation is pervasive. Today, even the radio spews lewd, suggestive and filthy music and words. The telephone is now used for obscenity, such as datelines, and even sexting. Television and movies are reaching new lows in their promotion of immorality and sin. The computer, which nearly all of us have, is a channel by which hearts and minds can be influenced by sin.

James 1:14 declares how easy it is to be drawn away, and enticed into sin. In today’s world, sin can be done so easily and so privately. We are tempted to believe no one knows, and no one will ever find out. Sin can be done anonymously and secretly. But God knows. And you cannot cover your sins and prosper. The Bible says in Numbers 32:23, be sure your sin will find you out.

Yet there is a remedy. God has a way to help us cleanse our hearts of the sin that resides there; and can give us strength to resist temptations for the sins of today and tomorrow. But remember, you got into those sins because of your choices. And I am telling God’s people today not to make those choices in the first place. It is better to prevent sin, than to repent from committed sin.

You can ruin your life, ruin the lives of your loved ones, and wreck your relationship with God by “choosing” sin in a moment of weakness. You can give in to the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life, and open your mind to sin. Jesus said in Luke 9:23 that we are to take up the cross – daily. That word, “daily,” is very significant. Taking up the cross is a constant, ongoing action. It is not something done once at the altar. It is a present duty. You are to take up the cross today. You may have borne it yesterday, and for months and years; but you must pick it up again today! Strive against sin, again and again, continually and constantly.

So how can we get our heart right? How can we develop this relationship with the Lord? How can we be consistent and constant in our vigilance and determination to be God’s holy people? The answer is in Colossians 3:1-3. We must seek a closer relationship with the Lord.

These verses are very important. We seek this relationship in many ways. You cannot have a relationship with someone if you never communicate with them. We talk to the Lord in prayer. I can cite you a hundred scriptures on this point, but you already know that you need a strong, frequent prayer life. Personal prayer is perhaps more important than the public prayer. Pray; pray more.

Next, you need to hear the Lord talk to you. This is most common in times of meditation. When the radio or TV is blaring, when you have the IPod on, when you are busy bustling about from here to there, you probably couldn’t hear the Lord if He shouted. In quiet meditation, thinking about your life, and the things of God, you might learn how to hear His voice. It isn’t always in the storm, or the earthquake, but it is often a still small voice.

Then, you need to read the Bible. God is revealed in His Word. If you want to know Him, read His book! You can better understand the Lord when you learn how He thinks. That is all in the Bible.

Finally, make right choices. Note that Paul said to the Colossians to “set” your affection on things above. It means that this is a deliberate choice you make. You can set your affection on the Lord, or on things of this world. You choose. God doesn’t make that choice for you. You have to direct your mind in the right way. Decisions are not to be made based on feelings or emotions. Decisions are made according to principles and the emotions follow.

We learn in Romans 12:1-2 that it is by the renewing of your mind that you can prove what is God’s good and acceptable and perfect will. This only happens after you present your body as a holy sacrifice. As we yield to Him, choosing to be committed to His will and way, we change our thoughts. Our minds can be radically changed – transformed – to understand and know God’s will.

This will only happen if we crucify the flesh, and die daily. It will only happen if we set our affection on things above. This transformation does not happen in a cocoon like a sleeping caterpillar; we must be conscious throughout the entire process. Our minds are transformed by a series of choices, made daily, to serve the Lord and to resist the devil. If you are struggling; if temptation beckons; call on the Lord today. He will give you strength. In Him, you will find perfect rest and peace. He will satisfy your longings, and will banish your desires for wickedness.

Our local assembly is committed to proclaiming the truth and building the body of Christ worldwide. Nearly 25% of our annual expenses are for outreach efforts beyond our local church. Over the years, we have spent millions of dollars on travel, printing, mailing, duplicating and broadcasting. We believe it is part of what we are to do. Freely we received; freely we will give.

We have sent ministers out to pastor churches overseas. The pastors of our church have logged many miles in nearly 50 years. Untold thousands of tapes, CDs, DVDs, letters, emails, and phone calls have been used to build up the work of the Lord.

My mentor, Bro. Lloyd Goodwin, taught that a grain of corn, planted anywhere in the world, will grow corn. He said that the message and order of the body of Christ, planted anywhere, will grow the body of Christ. We have not tried to build an African body in that continent, an Indian body there, and other national groups with their own culture, their own order, their own songs, etc. There is only one body. The order, the spirit, the messages, the songs, and the worship in every church should be very similar to that found in every other church – anywhere in the world.

Today, we see some of the results of years of effort. The message and order of the body has taken hold in other countries. Some of their ministers now are coming to the decadent West, to preach and establish the work here in America and Europe. The gospel does not just flow from one place, but there is to be a seamless network of ministers and saints, interacting on a global basis, for the greater glory of God.

This issue of The Gospel of Peace contains some excerpts of messages preached in an international convention in Mbale, Uganda. There are photographs of that trip, as well as a subsequent trip into India, and the nations of Botswana and South Africa. Perhaps it will be helpful for us to understand that the Lord has opened many doors and we cannot refuse to reach out to those who are hungry for the true way.

It is not just our church. Many brothers in the healing body of Christ are seeing the Lord open opportunities for them to reach out in South America, Asia, Africa, and countries other than the USA. I believe this is the will of God.

We have so much to do locally. The local church needs to be nurtured, fed, and blessed. There are many in our communities we have not reached with the gospel. The restoration of the order and message of the early church must continue. Our congregations need to be encouraged to continue to overcome sin. But in our local efforts, we should not forget to reach out beyond our borders, and walk through every door the Lord opens.

One of the end-time prophecies in the Bible says: “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4. It can be interpreted several ways, but I believe many in the body of Christ will travel back and forth – not in just one country; but globally. Truth will be spread to every nation. It isn’t just pastors, but many saints will be a part of this networking. Save some money for international travel – the rewards outweigh the cost.

If you cannot go overseas for the Lord, you can give financial support to those who do. You can certainly pray. Many brothers and sisters in third-world countries are in desperate straits; living in hunger and poverty, and in fear of disease, crime, and political unrest. Some are in danger just because of their faith. They, too, are part of us. We should feel their need, and spend serious time in prayer for them.

The local church is called an elect lady by the Apostle John. She is called a body, the body of Christ, by the Apostle Paul. The New Testament, therefore, compares a local church with a human body; specifically, a woman. This local assembly is not a storefront mission, or a newly-planted work. It is an established church, with all the benefits and detriments associated with age. This elect lady has the wisdom of experience, the accumulated knowledge of years of Bible teaching, and the spiritual understanding that comes with those years of operating in New Testament order.

All of those are benefits of the years. But the detriments of aging can also affect this elect lady. Just as a human body weakens and gets frail in its advancing years, even so a church can lose vitality and zeal over time. Every assembly has the potential to become lukewarm. The warning of Revelation 3:15-16 is that if a church becomes lukewarm, it will be spewed out.

An assembly becomes lukewarm whenever a significant portion of the saints become lukewarm. A church is not a building; it is a group of people who have been called out of the world, and called into the body of Christ. There are ten signs to tell if you are losing the fire of your zeal for the Lord. You have become lukewarm when:

1. Prayer ceases to be a vital part of your life.
2. Your love to read and study the Bible ceases, and you are content with the knowledge you already have.
3. Compassion and love for others grows cold.
4. Sports, recreation, entertainment and vacations become a large and necessary part of your thinking.
5. Acquiring money and goods is more important than acquiring the things of God.
6. You carry bitterness, anger, or hard feelings toward other saints, and murmur against them.
7. You watch morally-degrading movies, TV, web sites, and read morally-debilitating literature.
8. You find yourself adapting contentedly to the world’s lifestyle.
9. The slightest excuse seems sufficient to keep you from doing your spiritual duty.
10. Church attendance, especially midweek prayer services and Sunday night worship, is no longer important enough for you to make the effort to be there.

The danger of lukewarmness, of course, is that if you don’t repent and become zealous for the things of God, Revelation 3:19, the Lord will spew you out; or if enough saints become lukewarm, He will remove the candlestick. Elsewhere in this issue, we have a feature article on the effects of aging on an assembly. But here, we sound the warning trumpet: be sure you aren’t becoming lukewarm in your passion for serving the Lord.

Churches and movements have represented the present move of God, grown lukewarm and cold in less time than has passed from the calling of William Sowders to today. The early church became apostate in less than 100 years. Iniquity destroyed every church the Apostle Paul built – in just a few years after his passing. How long was Corinth or Ephesus a shining beacon of truth and godly order? 40 years? 60 years? How long has your church been a part of the body of Christ? It is hard to keep a “candlestick” assembly in existence as part of the true move of God for more than a couple of generations. What the first generation fights for, and the second generation builds, subsequent generations often lose. Hopefully, the feature article in this issue will help to identify the issues of an aging assembly, and point out the biblical remedies that can be employed.

Really, the message of the prophets – all of the prophets throughout the Old Testament – was a call to the people to obey the Lord. Exodus 19:3-8 is a good example of His call to obedience. That’s all God requires: obedience. See Jeremiah 7:23; 11:4, 7. But again, God asks this because it is for our good. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 is a summation of the blessings of obedience.

Holiness is living a life in conformity to the commandments of the Lord. It is being obedient to our Lord. Romans 8:13 says we are to mortify the deeds of the flesh. Another way to translate that verse is to say that we are to put to death the misdeeds of the body. Note, however, that this can only be done through the Holy Spirit. Without this source of great spiritual strength, there can be no mortification. But it is not all done in the Spirit – there is a work we must do as well.  Mortifying the deeds of the flesh means to destroy the strength and vitality of sin. How do we do that? This requires two things.

First, there must be a conviction that living a holy lifestyle is the commandment of God for our lives. This conviction is not just general, but it must be for specific sins in specific areas of our lives. This is important, for Hebrews 12:14 tells us that without holiness, we will not see the Lord. We develop these convictions from exposure to God’s Holy Word. We can become accustomed to the world around us. It is an evil world. Even though we are Christians, the world around us is constantly trying to conform us to its value system.

The warning of Romans 12:2 is: Don’t let the world squeeze you into its own mold. It is through God’s Word that our minds are renewed and remolded, and our values are made new. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:21.

Obedience is the walk of righteousness. But we can only obey His commandments if we know them. God’s Word must be so thoroughly fixed in our minds that it becomes the dominant influence in our lives. Think about this: What is the dominant influence in your life right now? Is it the influences of Madison Avenue, or Hollywood, or Sports or anything of this present generation? Or is your life influenced most greatly by the Bible?

David said: “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin.” Psalms 119:11. This is one of the greatest weapons in our arsenal. Let God’s Word condemn the wrong we are tempted to do. The choice to obey necessitates that you know the scriptures. You must know God’s will so you can choose God’s will. As I said, you develop convictions by bringing God’s Word to bear on specific situations in your life.

But, someone may say, the Bible does not cover every single situation. There are no scriptures condemning cigarette smoking, or earrings or motorcycles, or many other situations that crop up in this life. True; but there is a biblical method that employs four questions, based on three scriptures. If you ask these four simple questions, you will know what your conviction should be regarding any situation that presents itself.

Question One. Is it helpful – physically, spiritually and mentally? See I Corinthians 6:12: “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient.”

Question Two. Does it bring me under its power? Again, I Corinthians 6:12: “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

Question Three. Does it hurt others? I Corinthians 8:13: “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”

Question Four. Does it glorify God? I Corinthians 10:31: “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

So, it takes conviction to be obedient to the Lord. There must be a conviction that living a holy lifestyle is the commandment of God for our lives. But that, alone, is not enough.

Second, in addition to conviction, there must also be commitment. It takes commitment to put to death the misdeeds of the body. Romans 8:13. Jesus said in Luke 14:33 that if you do not give up everything, you cannot be His disciple. Ask yourself, “Am I willing to give up this item or practice that is keeping me from holiness?” Many fail at this point. They feel they’d rather dally with sin, trying to play it a little, without getting in too deep.

The command of Colossians 3:5 is: Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature. God doesn’t do this all for us magically. Yes, we receive power from the Holy Ghost, but we must employ that power to bring into obedience every thought. According to II Corinthians 10:5, we are to be casting down wicked thoughts,  and bringing our thoughts into obedience to the teachings of the Bible.
In James 4:7, that apostle said we are to submit to God and resist the devil. Is that so much to ask? Sure, it takes effort. II Peter. 3:11, 14 admonishes us to employ our will; make every effort – to be spotless and blameless. Your dependence on the Holy Ghost does not mean you get to do nothing. You have responsibility to make every effort. The Holy Ghost won’t drag you into an unwilling obedience. No, the Holy Ghost gives you the power to obey.

You cannot say you lack the power or ability. If you sin, it is because you choose to sin, and not because you lack the ability to say no to temptation. Don’t say you were “defeated” by sin. “Victory” and “defeat” are not the best words to use when talking about overcoming through progressive sanctification. You weren’t “defeated;” you were just “disobedient.” It is better to use terms such as “obedient” and “disobedient” rather than terms like “victorious” and “defeated.”

When you say you were defeated by sin, you are saying you succumbed to a stronger force. You are subtly denying your responsibility for the choice you made. But when you say you were disobedient, that places the responsibility for sin squarely on your shoulders. You may have been defeated, but the reason you were defeated was because you chose to disobey. There is no point in praying that the Lord will help you rise above a certain sinful habit in your life, if you are not willing to make a commitment to say no to the temptation.

Christianity is a religion of obedience. There are dire consequences for not obeying. The warning in II Thessalonians 1:7-8 ominously states that the Lord will take fiery vengeance on those who obey not the gospel. And Romans 6:12-18 points out that we now live under obedience. Let’s live a life of holiness. That is, let us live in obedience to the will and the Word of God. As Peter said in I Peter 4:17, we in the house of God should obey the gospel.

There is so much that is wrong with modern churchianity. Most churches operate in a way that is not biblical. We want to follow the pattern of the Bible. Modern religion is need-based. That is, churches are constantly introducing plans and programs to cater to the whims and perceived “needs” of the people. Do not misunderstand me: the true church of Jesus Christ will meet your needs. But do not confuse “needs” with “wants.” The true church is not need-based; it is God-focused. We are not just here to cater to your needs; we are here to worship God!

Modern religion is man-centered. But true religion is redemptively-centered. It is not all about you; it is all about Him! It is not all about what the church can do for you, as much as it is about what God can do for you. And, it is about what you can do for God and for His people. The church exists not only to serve you; but also to give you an opportunity to serve God by serving others.

Modern religion is consumer-driven. But true religion is scripturally-prioritized. Our members are not consumers in the pew, looking for bargains and value for their purchase. They are here in obedience to the Word of God. They come to find out what the Bible says about our salvation, how we are to live our lives, and our hope for the future. Then we go out and live a life of worship.

Modern religion is culturally-defined. But true religion is biblically-defined. Modern religion follows the latest trends in psychology and sociology as much or more than it follows the Bible. It is very trendy, technologically-savvy and media-oriented. But true religion looks to the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit.

The choice is either accommodation or confrontation. We can either accommodate the spirit of the age or we must confront it directly. There is no in-between.

The consumer church is made up of people who are “consuming” the church’s products without connecting with the other members in a meaningful way. Really, we should come to church to interact with the community of believers and experience the transforming power of the Spirit and the Word.

Consider this important point: modern churches are a collection of people acting independently; but a biblical church relates as a community. A community develops when individuals in the church experience deep, caring, relationships; social connections; and a strong personal commitment to the church’s mission.

Consumerism is about “me”. Community is about “we”. We are not just to consume; we are part of the church in order to create. We create worship; we create an atmosphere of caring concern; we create love and humility and service.

Our quest is to do something extraordinary for the Lord. We don’t want ordinary religion. We want to go beyond the ordinary.  Why settle for ordinary religion when you can restore the true church of the New Testament? Ordinary religion is preaching without the power of the Holy Ghost. It is a feel-good message of syrupy love, rather than the confrontation that comes with preaching the truth. Ordinary religion is one hour a week in a church building rather than a life-transforming experience with Jesus Christ and His own ransomed church. Ordinary religion is going to church; true Christianity is taking church with you wherever you go.

We issue an open invitation to all to join our quest. It is the adventure of a lifetime. It will provide joy in the midst of tribulation, thrills that outshine all disappointments, and the opportunity to lay up treasure in heaven.

“The followers of Brother William Sowders, the Israel of God in our day, must close ranks, experience a healing, before we will be in shape to face God’s enemies out there. But peace among us will only come when the war among us is over.”

At the time, many of us did not believe or see how there could be a healing of the fractured and divided groups that were once a united fellowship. But this man of God just kept preaching that message. Later, he began to repeatedly say, “A healed beast necessitates a healed body; not the entirety but a remnant of the whole.”

We are living in historic times. The war among the divisions of the body of Christ is over. Not everyone is ready to lay down their armor, but God has moved in the lives of so many ministers and saints. Continued division and bickering is unthinkable. But it wasn’t that way just a few short years ago. God is working.

Brother Narain Richard, Brother John Githinji, and myself recently visited Brother Billy Brown’s church in Houston, Texas, and Brother John Budd’s church in Sebastapol. The gracious manner in which we were received attests to the healing of the wounds. Recently, eight of our pastors from Africa attended the Shepherdsville Camp Meeting. Brethren from other branches of the fellowship have been attending and speaking in our meetings.

Communication, contact, and visiting are occurring. Long-severed friendly relationships are being restored. Amazingly, this is not being done through politics or chance for advancement. Each party is taking significant risks. But the Lord is speaking, and someone must hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Every movement that God has raised up to be His people in the last 2,000 years has drifted off the foundation into apostasy. The powerful churches the apostles built in the first century were destroyed by the “mystery of iniquity”. 2 Thessalonians 2:7. Religious Babylon was raised on the ashes of the truth. Great reformers stepped out at times depending on God, but their movements drifted into institutional harlot daughters. What about our fellowship, the body of Christ?

Are we destined to fail? We would, if the Lord tarries. See Luke 18:8. But time is on our side. The Lord is healing and restoring His church. There is still a great work to do. Some men and women may fail, and even assemblies may fail, but the body of Christ as a whole will not fail. It has a destiny foreordained in the plan of God. May God help us to see His will, and be a part of His end-time work.

While we were in Texas, Brother Richard preached a message analogizing the history of the body of Christ to the story of Isaac’s wells in Genesis 26. When Isaac’s servants dug the first well, they found springing water. Genesis 26:19. The center column reference says the Hebrew would be better translated as “living water.” During the time of Brother William Sowders, we had living water in a wonderful fellowship.

The next well was called “Esek”, or contention, because there was strife between the people. Verse 20. As a fellowship after the death of Brother Sowders, we moved from living water to contention. The third well was enmity, called “Sitnah”. Verse 22. We are at a time where there is room for all and no strife. it is an exciting time as we see peace, communion, friendship, and fellowship.

Isaac did not stay there, however. He moved on to dig yet another well. The first wells were re-digging that which his father Abraham, had dug. See verse 15. Isaac moved on beyond his father’s wells to dig his own. Verse 32. There he built a city. Verse 33.

We need our own well. We cannot just restore what our fathers had – as wonderful as that was. We need to move on, to dig our own well, sufficient for our time and build our city. It must be a city set on a hill and a city of refuge. May God help us to heal the wounds of the past and go forward into the future He has appointed for His people.