A House Divided...
Our fervent prayer is
that as you continue to read through this material; the Spirit of God will
quicken His word to your heart, in sincere hope that
“He
would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with
might through His Spirit in the inner man.”
Many brothers and
sisters in Christ believe there is a "second reformation" or paradigm shift
beginning to take place in the body of Christ. According to Revelation 19:7
before the marriage of the Lamb occurs His bride will have
"made
herself ready."
This I believe speaks of the paradigm shift currently
underway.
Some do not
acknowledge this shift at all, while others level charges that sound
very much like the Catholic church in Martin Luther's day. On our part, it
is so very difficult to share thoughts that seem (at least on the surface) to come against the local
church. In truth though, what we stand against are the practices that have
crept into the midst of the church, choking off the fruitfulness of what God
intended His children to walk in.
Jesus said that
"...if
a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." While
the original context concerns satan and his kingdom, certainly the principle is
transferable to any endeavor. While we can all point to endless examples
of good that have been accomplished by local congregations, many know that there
is something amiss in many churches. Instead of addressing the root causes
of why we lack the power of the 1st century church; we've adopted theology that
relegates the power of God to a bygone era.
I am convinced however
that much of what the modern church lacks in biblical authority and anointing is
a direct result of the house being "divided against
itself." Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 5:7 encouraging the church to
"purge out the old leaven;" which I believe
speaks of the methods of man that are employed to accomplish God's purposes.
In
this present day; we make many decisions and are committed to many programs
conceived by the soul of man rather than by the Spirit of God.
While this web-site
has words of rebuke for the present state of the church; I believe there is also
a foundational framework for those who would identify with or understand this
need for a paradigm shift as the bride of Christ is 'made ready' in these last
days.
The part that offends
many who are traditionally minded, is based on Jesus' assertion that
"new
wine must be put into new wineskins." It has been and will continue
to be impossible to accomplish all that the Lord is calling forth in these last
days if we hold onto practices within the church that are not biblically
ordained; causing the best intentions of God's people to be undermined by our
fleshly practices, i.e. a house "divided against itself."
The bible says in
Romans 11:22 "Therefore consider the goodness and
severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you
continue in His goodness."
Since there is much to
cover, I would rather first offer some assurances. our motivation is Jesus, plain
and simple. What is written, is with a sense of reverence and fear; knowing that
those who teach receive a stricter judgment. (James 3:1)
As Paul anticipates
traveling to see Timothy, he gives him instruction: "Till
I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with
the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give
yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed
to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you
will save both yourself and those who hear you."
(1Timothy 4:13-16)
Paul also speaks to Timothy explaining about perilous times ahead: "Preach
the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort,
with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will
not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because
they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will
turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."
(2 Timothy 4:2-4)
We
are in perilous times now and if you are going to read through this material,
then I charge you to be a Berean, and read your bible, look up scripture
references, YOU are responsible as well. We can no longer ignore the
complacency in the body of Christ.
We
can either accept business as usual, (and die in our sins) or we can accept our
mandate from God as believers to take His good news to a sick and dying world.
As You read through
portions of this website you may feel that we are being arrogant. We hope you
understand that God's word charges us to "Speak
these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you"
(Titus 2:15). The bible echoes these thoughts in 1 Peter 4:11 as well
"If
anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone
ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in
all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory
and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Why Shilohouse? In
Genesis 49:10 – Shiloh is first used as a name representing Jesus (or if you
prefer Yeshua). The scripture verse concludes by declaring
“And
to Him shall be the obedience of the people."
Remember
HE IS
And He is looking for
Obedience
NOT LEGALISM
But obedience.
The Lord spoke
through the prophet Samuel saying —
Has the LORD as
great delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices, as in
obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice,
And
to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion
is as the sin of witchcraft,
and stubbornness
is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have
rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has
rejected you from being king.”
1 Samuel 15:22-23
As you read
what is here, it is our prayer that you will be prompted to think
carefully about your relationship with Jesus Christ, and be willing to ask
yourself some penetrating questions. It is important to remember to “Examine
yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.” Colossians 1:21-23
says in part that “He has reconciled in the body
of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above
reproach in His sight —if indeed you continue in the faith,
grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the
hope of the gospel which you heard."
Paul wrote in 2
Thessalonians 2:3-4 “Let no one deceive you by
any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away
comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who
opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is
worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that
he is God.”
There are many
perils facing our world today, and more importantly much of what we would
call THE CHURCH OF TODAY is in crisis. Why is the crisis in the church more
important than what is happening in the world? The answer is simple --- WE
as the body of Christ are suppose to be the ones with the answers. Which
prompts the next question. Are we in the midst of what the apostle Paul
called “the falling away?”
ALL SCRIPTURES UNLESS
OTHERWISE NOTED ARE FROM "NKJV" VERSION OF THE BIBLE