“A Voice for the Gathering Saints”
Duane Stewart
“God’s Way – Restoration”
Most parents, as we see the life-styles that are lived about us in the world today, are strangers to the Word of God, His commandments and promises. For this reason society has formulated laws, a mind-set, which reveals a type of anarchy within the homes which in turn affects and influences the world about them. For this cause, parents do not know the inherited rights that belong to them such as we read in Eph. 6:1-2, “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise”. Because the world in general has rebelled against God, the break-up of the home results in children that oppose almost everything that results in a godly home structure. Could this not be the results of parents and generations before them that likewise rebelled because of a perverted mind-set. Where are the godly fathers who are requested to as spoken in Eph. 6:4, “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord”. Evidence also reveals for us that this broken down structure called the home is but a reflection of a religious system which likewise is out of sync with God’s proclaimed ways. This religious system appears, in the eyes of the world, as a system which is not important in life and doesn’t even need to exist. This system does not seek to minister change to the people, but to rather appease the people in their natural appetites and conditions, to make of them just another member of religious circles which, in their actions, deny the power of God to bring change. They delight not in change because their comfort zone demands to be fed that things might continue on as they are which is, having a form of godliness only. Thus, the generations, from father to son, continue on in its state of progressive anarchy.
When God requested in Matt. 5:16 that we let our lights shine forth to glorify God, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”, it was because of this light that men might be changed. What light or influence is the church having upon today’s society? Has the light of God, which is to rest within the church, been shining forth or has darkness permeated the church? Because of a lack of the light of God, does darkness prevail to become the way of life for most? If so, what is this fallen world to do? If it follows after the mind-set of a fleshly minded society, they walk in darkness. If the fallen world follows after a church system without any light, they likewise walk in darkness. And it is for this cause that God is moving among us to raise up a people called “the first-fruits” that they might become, before mankind, the light of God that rebukes the darkness. To those who might think this is an impossible task, let us consider Enoch. Enoch was a man who walked with God in such a way that the world lost sight of him. Heb. 11:5, “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, and was not found, because God had taken him; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God”. This is pointing to a “first-fruits” company of people who are today likewise coming into a place wherein they please God alone. In pleasing God, they are now being sent forth to become the light of God before the world. As this light so shines, darkness shall rescind from off a people that they might begin to see Christ as He appears before them.
Thus, we do have a people that are beginning to stand up and become that for which they have been called. The time of Christ appearing has come when He begins to reveal Himself through His first-fruits. These one’s thus called are even now being elected and are being sent forth in the Spirit without measure. These are the one’s who have heard God’s Word and in their love for Him are standing forth by fulfilling II Peter 1:10-11, “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”. There is an ascension taking place. The heavens and the earth are coming together again to shout as one, even as according to God when He spoke in Job 38:7, “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy”. A coming together with much rejoicing because now, at the end of an age, with the beginning of another, it is our time.
What time is it? Isa. 60:1 shouts out, “Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you”. A speaking of God’s coming glory which is not only His honor, renown, and majesty, but also His visible splendor. God’s glory even as it was manifested in David’s tabernacle and as it will also fill the earth. How is this to be done? God has a people, a people hidden away from the eyes of the world, because they, though in the world, are not a part of the world. I Cor. 1:27, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty”. (Read I Cor. 1:26-31).
What about the world and it’s present condition? Has not God exercised His mercy and grace while still being rejected in the hearts of most of mankind? With much patience and longsuffering God is not willing that any should parish, wanting all to come to repentance. But, let us consider this truth; there is a day of the Lord in which to some He comes as a thief in the night. It is a time when Christ, head and body, make their appearance. An appearance when His kingdom shall bring forth judgment to establish God in all the earth. The rejection of God by man who will have no excuse is declared in Rom. 1:20-21, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but become futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened”. The word “futile” is a word describing the perverted logic and idolatrous presumption of those who do not honor God or show Him any gratitude for His blessings on humanity.
A hardness of the heart and unbelief are among the greatest stumbling blocks to the Christian community. The enemy of God has found grounds to stand-on because he has been received through deception and error of doctrines. God’s enemy promotes doctrinal error among religious communities by encouraging the people to except the promoted errors used to satisfy the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Motives inspired in the hearts of men who refuse God’s leadership and the refusing to be obedient to the Spirit of God has caused the people to become a people of unbelief and thus their hearts have become hardened. Mark 16:14, “… He (Jesus) rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen”. Is it not so that Jesus has risen, ascended back unto the Father to dwell within the hearts of receiving men today? Unto those who believe with a contrite heart, the glory and power of God can become a present day life-style. As Rev. 21:7-8 says, there is a separation that takes place among mankind, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death”.
How is it that mankind can avoid such a time of separation? Has there not been made available to mankind a part of God called love? Yes, God is love and within the breath of life breathed into each human is the characteristic call love. And when man is awaken or restored back to God, love is also awaken. I John 4:8, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love”. Thus, to receive God through Christ is to receive love. And this love cast out the fears that control the thoughts and motivations of the carnal, fleshly man. There does exist within fallen man a fear that separates the man from having reverence and humility toward God. This fallen man lacks the ability to trust God and therefore is motivated by worldly lusts. I John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love”. It is perfect love then that separates the vessel from religious philosophies, traditions and terminologies to become the overcomers who are restored to their rightful inheritance in God.
Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths”. This scripture speaks of specific opportunities given to experience Him on a day by day occurrence. In these encounters we should acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths. This suggests an intimacy with God in prayer that conceives and births blessings and victories. Thus, a God directed life that moves us toward a fruitful, life-begetting journey. “Direct” as used by God in this scripture means to “make straight and right”. God will straighten out the path of His devoted, trusting servants as they progressively mature into knowing the complete restoration of God.