E.F. Ortega
07-19-2008, 01:29 AM
If you've been in church long enough then you are well acquainted with certain catch phrases and code words that preachers have used and still use today to rile up support for the ministry. "God has a calling upon your life and you've got to answer that call today," is pretty much what most preachers say across the pulpits of America. The inferred meaning of The Call of God is always mentioned in the same breath as other code-words such as, "The Great Commission," "Saving Souls," and, "Serving God." The implication is that The Call of God is simply reaching out to souls. The Bible shows us otherwise.
While The Great Commission is of great importance to the church, it is not the top priority on God's to-do list (that may sound heretical as first but let me explain). Jesus was asked in Matthew 22:37 what is the greatest commandment (this meaning the top priority on God's to-do list). Jesus responded as follows,
"Love the Lord your God with all of your heart . . . soul . . . and . . . mind."
Notice that Jesus has not mentioned anything about ministry, service in church, tithes and offerings, outreaches, or any other such church activity. The first activity that God requires from his bride has nothing to do with the four walls within the church but with a secret place where there are no audiences to woo or people to impress . . . the Throne-Room of a love-sick King (Song of Solomon 3:9-11). Jesus was telling us thousands of years ago that His ultimate desire and the greatest commandment to His bride is to love Him.
The church apparently has not gotten Jesus' memo yet. Yes, [B]there is much church activity about the world . . . many "bless me conferences," "get my money now camp-meetings," and, "abbra-caddabra, hokus-pokus positive confession teaching on how to create your own future, but the one thing that Jesus desires before any level of service is that we sit at his feet and listen to what He is saying right now (Luke 10:38-42).
This is why so many preachers can only preach about what was or what happened in the Bible in the past (the logos) and not on what God is doing right now and in the future (the rhema). They are not hearing prophetically from God because The King only shares his secrets with those intimate with Him, with those closest to Him (Psalm 25:14; John 15:15) who live within His chambers . . . in the secret place of The Most High (Psalm 91:1) Am I saying that God is a respecter of persons . . . no . . . but God is a selector of persons.
Those who hear from The King, those prophetic Throne-Room dwellers, have become the fire-branded remnant that have chosen to remain longer on Mt Zion . . . to hear the voice of the God-King . . . to love on Him extravagantly as He so richly deserves.
The large remainder within the church is nowhere near Mt. Zion . . . having camp-meetings and conferences that talk about The King without fully being ravished by the heart and presence of The King. This is the greatest dilemma of the church . . . not division, heresy hunters, 'denominationalism,' or corrupt leadership . . . it is a lack of desire to fully ascend up to the mountain of God, thus knowing and loving the heart of The King.
It is this lack of knowing the personality and heart of Jesus that Hosea spoke of when he said in chapter 4 and verse 6 of his prophetic book, "My people perish for lack of knowledge. . . " It is clear that the rising problem of church scandals, divisions, and pastoral excesses of greed and immorality would be quickly dealt with if we, as believers, could answer the Call of The King, The Call to The Mountain.
The Great Commission tells believers to tell all people about this wonderful lover and King but there is only one problem . . . before the Great Commission can be fulfilled the Greatest Commandment must take precedence. We must be lovers of The King before we are speakers for The King. Matthew 22:37 is the kingdom mandate decreed by The King himself. The first orders of this mandate were not to go into the world and preach the gospel . . . it was first to love The King with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
When passion is aroused in the Throne-Room, in the chambers of The King, then our speaking for The King will be lit afire with a tangible passion that will resurrect dead, cold, and lifeless hearts alight with newness of spirit. Personal evangelism has failed recently in the Church for this reason . . . because believers are not speaking out of a burning heart filled with love for The King but out of a burnt-out spirit that speaks of God more like their boss saying things similar to, "Mr so-and-so said that you can't do this and you can't do that because that is bad and the bossman doesn't like that."
Beloved, evangelism is not true evangelism unless your heart has been sealed with the fire of God's love, brimming with vibrant passion for Him.
Look what our Lover-King says after Matthew 22:37 . . . "This (loving The King) is the first and greatest commandment . . ."
Thus we have in the greatest commandment, not the newest church growth fad, or the proverbial five steps, or keys to this or to that . . no . . . we have an upward connection to a Lover-King that is still, until this day, waiting for His Bride to answer The Call of God. Beloved "The Call of God" is the call to Zion, the call of a wonderful and glorious Lover-King wanting us exclusively unto Himself . . . before ministry, before careers, before anything . . . even the things of God.
While The Great Commission is of great importance to the church, it is not the top priority on God's to-do list (that may sound heretical as first but let me explain). Jesus was asked in Matthew 22:37 what is the greatest commandment (this meaning the top priority on God's to-do list). Jesus responded as follows,
"Love the Lord your God with all of your heart . . . soul . . . and . . . mind."
Notice that Jesus has not mentioned anything about ministry, service in church, tithes and offerings, outreaches, or any other such church activity. The first activity that God requires from his bride has nothing to do with the four walls within the church but with a secret place where there are no audiences to woo or people to impress . . . the Throne-Room of a love-sick King (Song of Solomon 3:9-11). Jesus was telling us thousands of years ago that His ultimate desire and the greatest commandment to His bride is to love Him.
The church apparently has not gotten Jesus' memo yet. Yes, [B]there is much church activity about the world . . . many "bless me conferences," "get my money now camp-meetings," and, "abbra-caddabra, hokus-pokus positive confession teaching on how to create your own future, but the one thing that Jesus desires before any level of service is that we sit at his feet and listen to what He is saying right now (Luke 10:38-42).
This is why so many preachers can only preach about what was or what happened in the Bible in the past (the logos) and not on what God is doing right now and in the future (the rhema). They are not hearing prophetically from God because The King only shares his secrets with those intimate with Him, with those closest to Him (Psalm 25:14; John 15:15) who live within His chambers . . . in the secret place of The Most High (Psalm 91:1) Am I saying that God is a respecter of persons . . . no . . . but God is a selector of persons.
Those who hear from The King, those prophetic Throne-Room dwellers, have become the fire-branded remnant that have chosen to remain longer on Mt Zion . . . to hear the voice of the God-King . . . to love on Him extravagantly as He so richly deserves.
The large remainder within the church is nowhere near Mt. Zion . . . having camp-meetings and conferences that talk about The King without fully being ravished by the heart and presence of The King. This is the greatest dilemma of the church . . . not division, heresy hunters, 'denominationalism,' or corrupt leadership . . . it is a lack of desire to fully ascend up to the mountain of God, thus knowing and loving the heart of The King.
It is this lack of knowing the personality and heart of Jesus that Hosea spoke of when he said in chapter 4 and verse 6 of his prophetic book, "My people perish for lack of knowledge. . . " It is clear that the rising problem of church scandals, divisions, and pastoral excesses of greed and immorality would be quickly dealt with if we, as believers, could answer the Call of The King, The Call to The Mountain.
The Great Commission tells believers to tell all people about this wonderful lover and King but there is only one problem . . . before the Great Commission can be fulfilled the Greatest Commandment must take precedence. We must be lovers of The King before we are speakers for The King. Matthew 22:37 is the kingdom mandate decreed by The King himself. The first orders of this mandate were not to go into the world and preach the gospel . . . it was first to love The King with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
When passion is aroused in the Throne-Room, in the chambers of The King, then our speaking for The King will be lit afire with a tangible passion that will resurrect dead, cold, and lifeless hearts alight with newness of spirit. Personal evangelism has failed recently in the Church for this reason . . . because believers are not speaking out of a burning heart filled with love for The King but out of a burnt-out spirit that speaks of God more like their boss saying things similar to, "Mr so-and-so said that you can't do this and you can't do that because that is bad and the bossman doesn't like that."
Beloved, evangelism is not true evangelism unless your heart has been sealed with the fire of God's love, brimming with vibrant passion for Him.
Look what our Lover-King says after Matthew 22:37 . . . "This (loving The King) is the first and greatest commandment . . ."
Thus we have in the greatest commandment, not the newest church growth fad, or the proverbial five steps, or keys to this or to that . . no . . . we have an upward connection to a Lover-King that is still, until this day, waiting for His Bride to answer The Call of God. Beloved "The Call of God" is the call to Zion, the call of a wonderful and glorious Lover-King wanting us exclusively unto Himself . . . before ministry, before careers, before anything . . . even the things of God.