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Discussion Forum : General Topics : How a Pearl is Made

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 How a Pearl is Made

Everyone knows how a pearl is made. A bit of sand gets into a pearl and then it goes to work covering it up.

We also know that man knows how to manipulate and make a pearl. How do you tell the difference?

There are several methods to determine the differences between real pearls and imitation pearls, they can be found here and many other sites.

Man knows how to manipulate and make a church, too.

I have been in churches where doctrine and teaching are what that church is known for. They will have doctrine and teaching but not necessarily Jesus.

I have been in churches where activities and programs are the highlight, or where they are known for worship and great music. Other churches are known for their evangelistic thrust and still others are known for their "family centered "emphasis", while still yet others are known for feeding the poor.

But, Jesus could be missing. Afterall, He is not the thrust. He is not central.

I have been in house churches where it is all about the community and all about the church, as if that is what the thrust of the scriptures teach.

No, even finding a community of believers that concentrate on each other is not what it is all about. There too, Jesus will be absent. They will miss Jesus and they will also miss the Church. They will just have community. The church without Jesus is not really the church.

We think if we can just duplicate certain things in the New Testament that we will have what the NT Church had and God will be obligated to come to us, to ratify what we are doing.

But what the New Testament Church had was not so much the right doctrine or right structure but what they had was the Pearl of great price. The Lord Jesus! We get hung up on ways, means and methods and miss completely and entirely the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is such a simple thing and yet we make it so complicated.

Back to the real pearl and the fake pearl.

Psa 127:1 <A Song of degrees for Solomon.> Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Try getting with some brothers and sisters and without any agenda, just come together unto Him and love Him and worship Him with your whole heart and watch what He does in your midst. Let Him bring your portion of Christ out of your life to touch others. Once you are quiet from all churchy activites, will there be any life of Christ in you that is recognizable? Busy, busy, busy.

If you have any life with the Lord at all, He will bring that deposit of Himself that is in you, out. And when you meet with brothers and sisters, the Life of Christ in you will bless everyone and vice-versa.

Does this seem so complicated? It really is not. Jettison all of man's ways and methods and just come together in Him an unto Him. Don't plan that you have to knock on each other's doors at least 3 times a week and give all your stuff away and invite people over every night. Just stop!! Cease all of what you think is what is needed to bring God down to your fellowship.

You come to Him with all your heart. That is all it takes and we all have a heart. Come to Him, and love Him and worship Him and tell Him how grateful and thankful you are and enjoy His presence and let Him minister to you. Walk before Him daily in obedience and love and you will slowly apprehend more and more of Christ and have more of Him to share others. He will have your heart and you will have Him.

We need to be touched by Him, we need to see Him in each other. And we need to meet in such a way that the Lord has freedom to express Himself through His Body.

How much more can you continue to take of lectures and sermons and yet not be touched by His life?

Don't you know when you come together as a Body, that the Lord has been working in the background of your lives and when you come together He has much He wants to say to the Body through each member? He shares Himself through each other, not through sermons and lectures.

Do you know what I am talking about? We all need to start experiencing the Word and walking in the Word and walking with the Word and stop living vicariously off of others experiences with the Lord and have our own experience with Him. We need to surround ourselves with people that are taking God seriously and experiencing Him daily in holiness, purity, surrender and victory.

We need to hear from all the Believers in our midst and see with our spiritual eyes what God is doing and saying to us through their lives. This is not learning through textbooks and dissecting doctrines. This is seeing Jesus Christ alive in each other as we come together and share His mercy and grace in our lives.

I really hope this becomes your aspiration. Everything else is DEAD. Everything else in and of itself, apart from Jesus Christ being our overarching desire, is completely and totally dead.

Nothing will get you through this life except His life. Nothing! Not your doctrines, your head knowledge, your beautiful voice, your job on staff at the church, nothing!

I pray that you who are desperately searching for brothers and sisters that just want to simply love the Lord with one another will find some like-minded sheep. Sheep with His mind, with no Agenda (with a capital "A"), no desire to be the "leader" and regurgitate all your head knowledge on others.

Too simple? Yes, this is too simple for many. I'm sorry, you are just going to miss out on Him. You can keep creating your elaborate doctrines and structures and rules for people to follow. But, you and those you are leading are going to miss Jesus Christ.

For others, who have been around the mountain for decades, they are ready to do things His way and they have finally come to the place where they are not looking for a reputation anymore. Funny, how God knows how to bring us to this place. Oh my, what trouble that brings, trying to create a reputation for yourself. Then you have to maintain it!!

Sweet surrender. Yield to Him. His way is perfect. His way, no wiggle room for us. His way, His time, His methods, His voice, His love.

Does that make you feel like a zero? Feels good doesn't it?

To be nothing? No fear of man when you have no reputation, you know. If it does not feel good to be a zero, then there is still a mountain that you need to go around at least one more time.

Lord, we are happy being nothing and you being everything. Show us your ways.

Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

 2010/11/14 23:11
Joyful_Heart
Member



Joined: 2009/12/8
Posts: 1795


 Re: How a Pearl is Made

Amen Pilgrim, Amen!

I am excited about being in a Church that goes to the streets, cares for the neighborhood has awesome worship etc. I was thrilled to be in a Church that did this and not just ingrown eyeballs! But your point is perfect. I have done it and been there and tired of Church as normal myself. So this seemed really a really great place to be. And the Lord put me in this Church I have no doubt.

But I too have asked the question. Is Jesus the main focus here? I have not been here that long but I do know the alters are pretty bare. But the young worship team is a praying worship team and this is awesome. The assistant pastor has no problem coming forward when the Holy Spirit has touched him and pour out his heart weeping. But still no one comes to the alter. The good news is. I know there are saints praying for Jesus to be first here and I know Jesus wants to be first. So, I will go forth, praying & loving and letting my light shine as long as the Lord has me here.

I totally agree with you Pilgram. We need to be prepared for when the Holy Spirit is poured out and people come to Him. The Church needs to be ready in closeness to Him individually and as a body to receive, love & disciple the new converts. We need to be with Jesus daily so we can take others to Him. Glory to God. And thank you for this.

 2010/11/15 11:11Profile









 Re:

Amen Joyful_Heart. Keep emphasizing the Lord and be an example. Men are easily moved away from the Centrality of Jesus.

Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

There was something about Peter and John that made people stand up and take notice that they had been with Jesus.

It certainly wasn't their knowledge or education or theology, was it? The scriptures say they were unlearned and ignorant men.

When we interact with people, do they think we have "been with Jesus"?

 2010/11/15 13:55





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