Below are ten scripture passages that will open your eyes concerning the content of the book ‘What in Heaven and Hell is Happening.’ They are scripture passages that ministers generally do not share with their congregation. Below each scripture passage I provide a brief thought to help expand your thoughts.
1. Isaiah 43:26-28 (NIV) ‘Your first father sinned; your spokesmen rebelled against me. So I will disgrace the dignitaries of your temple, and I will consign Jacob to destruction and Israel to scorn.’
(Message Bible) ‘So, make your case against me. Let's have this out. Make your arguments. Prove you're in the right. Your original ancestor started the sinning, and everyone since has joined in. That's why I had to disqualify the Temple leaders, repudiate Jacob and discredit Israel.’
Thought: God reaches points with the ministers and leaders where He takes action that brings shame and discredit. We as Americans think this could never happen, or our ministers are above reproach. Does this passage indicate that God has to bring us down to earth at times? Do you think some modern day ministers may need a return journey to humility? Could this possibly be why the sin of the clergy is bringing great shame to the church?
2. Hebrews 9:24 (NIV)For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.” (KJV)“Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary made with hands that was only a copy of the true one.”
Thought: The Church building as we know it is only a figure of the truth and not the full truth. Yes, according to scripture the church is only a figure of the truth. Sit back and meditate and pray on the specific scripture below, and come to your own conclusion. Unfortunately, we have often times made the church buildings what we worship and put our hope in.
3. Mark 2: 1-2 (NIV) A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.
(Message Bible)After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out.
Thought: When it was noised around that Jesus was in the house they could not contain all the people. Imagine a day we all have Jesus in the midst of the church and you cannot contain them all. Do you use music, dramas, preaching, or children’s programs to think you will draw people; or do you just come out and tell the truth that Jesus is in your Church where you can meet him personally? Do we lure people through means other than Christ being present in our churches? 4. Revelation 1:10-11 (NIV) On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea
(Message Bible)It was Sunday and I was in the Spirit, praying. I heard a loud voice behind me, trumpet-clear and piercing: "Write what you see into a book.
Thought: John was in the Spirit on the Lord ’s Day (Revelation 1:10-11). Notice that John was in the Spirit without a church building, without a choir and without any corporate worship. John was without a Church, yet had the belief that true worship was between him and God. He somehow knew that no man or church can work him into worship, or out of worship; he simply knew God was Worthy of His friendship (Worship). For every person who cannot enter into times of worship without all the warm-ups, choirs, talents, and people… please pray for understanding of true worship. I say all this with much conviction because in Revelation 1:17-19 John falls down as a dead man in the presence of Jesus who says he wants him to record some of the greatest words in the history of the world. John did not put the Lord on hold and say ‘I can’t enter into worship without hymns or praise songs.’ God was there because John worshipped in truth and spirit. The modern church has trained and convinced people that they cannot worship until they have the right tunes of music, and have gone through the motions of ‘patterned behavior’ which we have titled modern worship. In many cases we have trained the musical ear to only think that we can hear from God when the music and people are all in tune and we have a sweet sound. The reality is that being in tune and making sweet music does not indicate true worship. I agree it may feel like worship because all the talent has created a sense of group karaoke; giving us just the right feeling of emotion and satisfaction.
5. II Thessalonians 2:4 (NIV) Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. (Message Bible)Second, the debut of the Anarchist, a real dog of Satan. He'll defy and then take over every so-called god or altar. Having cleared away the opposition, he'll then set himself up in God's Temple as "God Almighty." Don't you remember me going over all this in detail when I was with you? Are your memories that short?
Thought: How will satan enter the sanctuary; through people. Have you seen some churches where satan has taken over the attitude and behaviors of the ministers? If this truly happens; could this be the explanation on how ministers (over 4,000) have molested young boys?
6. II Thessalonians 2:9-12 (NIV) The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (Message Bible)The Anarchist's coming is all Satan's work. All his power and signs and miracles are fake, evil sleight of hand that plays to the gallery of those who hate the truth that could save them. And since they're so obsessed with evil, God rubs their noses in it—gives them what they want. Since they refuse to trust truth, they're banished to their chosen world of lies and illusions. Thought: God does send a powerful delusion upon people who rejected him: Does this shoot the whole left behind series, that people who are taken in the rapture get a second chance. This portrays a possibility that people may not have a second chance.
7. Matthew 24 1-2 (NIV) Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." (Message Bible)Jesus then left the Temple. As he walked away, his disciples pointed out how very impressive the Temple architecture was. Jesus said, "You're not impressed by all this sheer size, are you? The truth of the matter is that there's not a stone in that building that is not going to end up in a pile of rubble."
Thought: The disciples were somewhat proud of the buildings of the church and Jesus set the record straight. Don’t marvel too much as in the end there will be nothing left of the church buildings. Interesting, every time a major change came; the building was destroyed. When Jesus died on Calvary the temple was split in two. The verse here is a double prophecy stating that in the last days the church buildings will not exist (remember Hebrews 9:24 states they were only a figure of the truth.)
8. Joel 13-20 (NIV) Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament, O priests; Wail, O ministers of the altar! Come; spend the night in sackcloth O ministers of my God, for the grain offering and the drink offering are withheld from the house of your God. Consecrate a fast, proclaim asolemn assembly; gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty. Has not food been cut off before our eyes, Gladness and joy from the house of our God? The seeds shrivel under their clods; The storehouses are desolate, The barns are torn down, for the grain is dried up. How the beasts groan! The herds of cattle wander aimlessly because there is no pasture for them; Even the flocks of sheep suffer. To You, O LORD, I cry; for fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness and the flame has burned up all the trees of the field. Even the beasts of the field pant for you; For the water brooks are dried up and fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness. (Message Bible)And also you priests, put on your robes and join the outcry. You who lead people in worship, lead them in lament. Spend the night dressed in gunnysacks, you servants of my God. Nothing's going on in the place of worship, no offerings, no prayers—nothing. Declare a holy fast, call a special meeting, get the leaders together, Round up everyone in the country. Get them into God's Sanctuary for serious prayer to God. What a day! Doomsday! God's Judgment Day has come. The Strong God has arrived. This is serious business! Food is just a memory at our tables, as are joy and singing from God's Sanctuary. The seeds in the field are dead, barns deserted, Grain silos abandoned. Who needs them? The crops have failed! The farm animals groan—oh, how they groan! The cattle mill around. There's nothing for them to eat. Not even the sheep find anything. God! I pray, I cry out to you! The fields are burning up, The country is a dust bowl, forest and prairie fires rage unchecked. Wild animals, dying of thirst, look to you for a drink. Springs and streams are dried up. The whole country is burning up.
Thought: This passage portrays the last days and the preparation that needs to take place. Read the passage again and start wondering if we as a people are being led down this path of preparation, or if we will be ready. Have we been entertained to death and be completely caught off guard.
9. Hebrews 25-27 (NIV) See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. (Message Bible) So don't turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—he's told us this quite plainly—he'll also rock the heavens: "One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern." The phrase "one last shaking" means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.
Thought: The shaking has started and coming with more intensity than we could imagine. God makes a clear statement that He will shake both the heaven and the earth one more time to see what will remain. God has made a clear statement that He wants to see what things will remain when all things we have put our hope in have been shaken. He did not say he would shake people, rather, He stated that He will shake the foundations of what has been created. This is the primary cause for what we see happening with financial structures, government structures, religious structures, social structures, political structures, and even weather patterns.
10. All verses pertaining toAbraham, Moses, Noah, Ruth, Joseph, David, Daniel, Amos, Jonah, Moses, Joel, John the Baptist, Luke, Apostle John
Thought: Were all these great men and women of God ministers or clergy? The answer is no they were not. The question based on this must be where and when did things go astray where the Church started believing that the only great men and woman of God were Ministers and clergy? Something has gone astray and we have focused on paid positions to be the only interceptors for God. Let’s pray and wake up to the reality that all people who love the Lord could have mighty words for and from the Lord….yes that includes you!! Ministers may find that the coming days includes many more people than just the paid profession called clergy!
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." ~Matthew 13:45-46