Reflections 18 Jan 07

Church without Holy Spirit

A good analogy of a Church without the Holy Spirit is like a tree without zap circulating to the branches that produces life.

There should be no dichotomy between the Word and the Spirit. But Churches today are being organised and structured in such an sophisticated manner that she can function without the presence of God and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

The service starts with the pastor or minister saying a few politically right statements and the worship band rolls into action and take off the service. The heavenly arrangement of the music brings people so high that they lose the presence of God below the CD like quality of what the band can produce.

Preaching is always a major segment of the worship. The pulpit is often abused to drive and to persuade people to build a kingdom on earth thinking that numbers pleases Him who created people and HE is unable to bring them back to Himself. Is it no longer as the prophet Isaiah as saidthat one entering into the temple, seeing the work of the Almighty on earth should feel so ashamed of his or her weaknesses and consumed by the awesome holiness of the creator. Don't blame the preachers.. they go out of job if a member complains that he or she felt unrest after God spoke through the preacher.

Collection of pledge is never a problem but the minister have to end of the happy gathering bringing the blessings of God with right wordings so that worshippers will have a good night sleep.

But yet many complained that they are not being feed, not growing, pastors not dynamic and worship is so so... The Church seems to be the blamed for the reason of their spiritual 'stroke'; losing the first love since conversion; unable to recover as they once was before.

No members would blame themselves for not proactively seeking God as Josh demanded his people in Josh 1:8 to do... "study it (The Word) day and night!!"

Thus to justify that lack of love for the word that harnesses a loving relationship with God, they hook on serving in Church ministries as an placebo to replace the being. As an result, the inner being is not nurtured by the word, instead the role of the Holy Spirit of bringing the Word to remembrance becomes dysfunctional.

The Holy Spirit is to bring life. He is the person after the session of Christ to regenerate our hearts and minds. Those who believe out of their belly will come living waters (Jn 7;36-38) How can a christian life be pleatu and dry if the Holy spirit is dwelling in him? the gushing power of living waters will not hold and produces 'dunamus' the power to driving our lives.

This gushing water should not stop till barriers are being set up. Barriers of disobedience, sin, pride and hardening of hearts.

If such barriers are up, the only way for the water to flow once again is to demolish them.. This is the most painful and humbling experience one can have. The challenge is whether one is game to bare the consequences. The process may seems 'hell' but the promise of life with Christ, the promise of the life in the Spirit will once be so real and tangible. The bi-focal lenses will once again tell the difference between the damming world and the salvation of God. Love, Joy , peace and Hope will once again overwhelms your heart as you travel in the vulnerable path of the cross.