Tuesday, March 13, 2012

What's on my Heart Today

It was brought to my attention yesterday that The Watchman's Cry forum has been retired. I commend Nathan Leal for making that move. The issue on my heart today is related to his reasoning for closing the forum, pertaining to the comments that are fielded on this blog and emails I receive. If you read The Open Scroll it has probably come to your mind at some point that I really don't much care who I offend except for the Lord. This is not just me with a cavalier attitude. I've been humbled over and over again, enough times to realize the Lord who humbles me is the only one whose opinion of me really matters. His judgment is righteous and it stands and will stand. Kindness and gentleness and mercy are wonderful but sometimes a wider range of interaction is required in ministering. Some of you won't like what I will write, and so be it - it's not written to please men. I do a lot of teaching here, but this is a time for preaching hard words of correction.

My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
Isaiah 26:9

That verse sums up what's going on. The hour is late. Now is when it really matters to get things right, to get our act together, personally. What everybody around us does or doesn't do must not be what drives us. A small number are going to be found worthy of the Lord and included in a precious company known as His Bride. It's that small number I'm here for, and through them, those she is here for. It's through the Bride that a great work gets done, but the focus is now on the Bride.

Most will continue to dismiss whatever I say about matters of propriety in the church and the exercise of proper behavior amongst the saints. This is as it must be. Yet, the Lord will have a people, and I am continually encouraged that this work the Lord has engaged me in, along with a few others, is one that will ultimately bear much fruit. So, for those who will hear it, here's another plea, another call to wake up and to come out from Mystery Babylon, to repent of rebellious ways and separate from those who will not repent.

Some hard tests have been administered over the past year and a half, mostly dealing with gender roles, friend and family relationships. Some of you can attest to this, having passed. Those of you who have failed will not likely have a clue about it, unless the Lord grants you extraordinary favor. The few of you whom the Lord is qualifying and preparing still will hear what I'm going to tell you. Some who read may want to respond by being cheerleaders on the comments in response to this post. If you're so tempted, don't do it. It won't be published. What will prompt you to want to cheer lead should be looked at real hard. If you are truly motivated, pray and settle in on what the Lord has for you.

What I wrote last year in the Jezebel vs. Sarah series of posts was important. Many who read and failed to respond appropriately have missed out. This means, forfeit. No joke. Because The Lord gave me to write this now, I know some have an opportunity before them still. Seize it, my friend. Whether or not you've read what I've written over the years, the spirit of the Lord has been bearing witness to His people about repenting of lawless attitude and behavior. Rebellion in our hearts will not qualify us for promotion in Him. Here's how it works. We humble ourselves, and He exalts us. What he dictates is what we must abide. It's pretty simple.

46) Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
47) Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like:
48) he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
49) But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.
Luke 6:46-49

What He says about gender roles, whether we understand anything about why or why not, we must accept. I have compassion for men and women, being painfully aware of how few of us have had the truth taught about propriety or having it rightly modeled to us. This compassion, you have to know; it cannot be my fleshy version that seeks to compromise what's right because I have an evil heart. It has to be the Lord's compassion, imparted to me by grace. Then, when instruction is given, the wise give heed. To the rest of you, yes, reading here right now, it's like the proverbial beating of a dead horse when I bring forth another word of instruction in righteousness.

I teach on this platform the Lord has provided about signs and symbols as our provision for the opening of the ears and eyes, which is really about character and humility. I teach and sometimes prophesy on the theme of signs and seasons, which is also about character and humility. I teach and preach about propriety because this is an honest expression of how humility is manifested, the obedience that testifies of genuine love. Genuine love is what He's looking for. It's due Him, and He's worthy.

My buddy Aaron Hermann and I have been engaging very closely together in trials and tests for well over a year now. Unless we were continuing to faithfully abide in the Lord's direction about gender propriety, we would not be where we are today, doing what we do. The hearing ear depends upon being willing to get with the Lord's program, doing according to what's heard. The gender role propriety, the willingness to “hate” father, mother, sister, brother... summing it up - NO IDOLS. There's no game on here. This is not about money or popularity. If I've earned your respect here you should know I'm telling you straight.

So, propriety in the church: Let me get down to brass tacks.

First, ladies: The majority of you shouldn't even be here. Let me explain why, and I really want you (and the men reading, too, for what this implies) to give this some hard thought. Most are here now because you are not content with the Lord's provision. You've been tricked into acting on your own behalf instead of accepting the Lord's provision. The Lord's direction here isn't given to frustrate or quench your desire to learn. He just has something way better in mind than to leave you to take care of yourself.

34) The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.
35) If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35

It is written: “If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home” More accurately, “husbands” should be translated “man.” It may be a father, brother, uncle or another who accepts the responsibility. If you don't like it, fine. I don't either. My stinking flesh rebels at everything good. Your's does too. But this is the Lord's provision! There's nothing written that contradicts that. I've written about this before. I'm not going to get into the long version about why. Submit to the Lord and accept His provision and He'll probably teach you Himself and maybe even through your man at home. If you think you'll really get the reason out of Him when you haven't submitted, well, good luck with that; your pride makes you easy prey for the father of lies.

If you, as a woman, want to kick The Open Scroll to the curb and scurry over to site A, B and C-Z... and book ... and church meeting... and get your fill, you might feel justified in doing so, but you'll forfeit whatever is offered to you right now, where the price tag involves actual humility. The pay-off, if you don't forfeit, will be beyond imagination, and I'm well assured of that. Recognize a promise when the Lord makes one, and take Him up on it. If He has narrowed the path down to reliance and dependence on your man, there's an implicit promise in that. Sarah, Abraham's wife, understood.

Ladies, yes, this does mean I will not be answering your questions about the Bible. You can thank me, share some testimony (without teaching), ask about other things, but don't expect any in-depth spiritual counseling or Bible answers. I do not want to put myself between the Lord and His provision for you through your man. If I'm not your man at home, don't ask me for explanations. I want no more part of subverting the Lord's plan where, in my arrogance, I ignorantly deprive others of His intended blessing. That temptation to "do evil so good may come" is something I've pretty much outgrown. The Lord's provision is better then mine. My ways are not above His.

Some women contact me without questions or teaching, instruction, manipulative agendas, etc. I encourage that. I have a few dear sisters in the Lord. Many women possess insight and wisdom and knowledge beyond many men, and I rejoice in that, as with men. Yet, it must be declared that men and women both who think to cheat their way into the Bride company without paying the “gender propriety dues,” submitting even that idol, I'm here to tell you, don't bet on it. If submission is required of me, isn't it required of you? Lawlessness is sin and there will be a forfeit of reward for what amounts to cheating, basically. On a test, should you pass if you cheat, even if you get all the answers right? It's not the Lord's way to promote cheaters.

Men, I'm addressing you second only because you're certainly welcome to be here. Yet, many of you reading here are responsible for the rebellious behavior of the women through your own rebellious behavior. The man is the head of the woman, the gender with authority and attendant accountability. With few exceptions among all who come to read here, you're sponsoring the impropriety, passively or actively. Do you give or permit women a platform, a voice to speak in “church,” in mixed gender assembly (where saints assemble to do what saints are inspired to do when they assemble), through the posting of comments or the posting to a forum? Do you participate with others who do? How about locally, in gatherings at home, restaurant, church... Hey, what excuse are you going to offer when the Lord calls you on it?

11) A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness.
12) But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
1 Peter 2:11-12

Woman who are not disobediently engaging in lawless behavior do not speak in church and they do not teach or exercise authority over a man in any context. It's not my word. I'm not that smart or wise or good. Other passages present what the women should be doing, and I've addressed that already. It's implied in the revelation of what women should not do what it is that men should not permit. We are to follow Paul's example. It's the Lord's business to command and ours to obey.

This is no rant. No less consideration has been given this post compared to others. Whether I write about the Olympics, Madonna and MDNA, Rango, signs of judgment on the church or the impending war with Iran with severe consequences for America, it's all the same to me. I'm at my assigned post, dealing with whatever the Boss puts in my inbox. I have no personal stake in this, no affiliations or associations. I have no reputation to protect. I'm not going to defend Steve Quayle for promoting Ann Graham Lotz, or Rob Skiba for Sharon Gilbert, or Tom Horn for Sue Bradley, or Joseph Herrin for Glynda Lomax, or Zen Garcia for Joye Pugh....

But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
1 Peter 2:12

If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.
1 Corinthians 14:35

You might think I won't have a friend in the world if I keep this up. I will agree that I won't have a worldly friend - and I shouldn't. Honestly, any friend of the world is not my Lord's friend, and shouldn't be mine if I'm His friend. It's not an inclusive deal. Such diversity as that, as it's referred to now, is not in my Lord's plan. If I'm only popular with the Lord I serve, it's enough. He is love. Friendship with Him is not easy. It costs you everything, but what a bargain!

I do expect to die at the hands of the religious, and expect to be hated by all the worldly. As expressed in Rango, the Bride is considered "the source of the societal discontentment." I would be honored to be accounted worthy of sharing in what was assigned to the martyrs, apostles and to the Lord Himself. How about you? You can live too long. I'm in no hurry to go but neither do I intend to delay whatever my appointed end might be. If I make it to the Bride Theft alive, fine. If not, fine. It's not my call.

Well, I think that covers it for now. Thank you Lord for this grace!

1 comment:

  1. I can be reached at my gmail address, theopenscroll

    ReplyDelete