THE NEW TESTIMENT CHURCH -The Yearning For Freedom

The Yearning for Freedom

Part 1 of 12, by Attorney and Pastor Joseph Scott Jr., Prelate of LMI

Beyond the machinations of sensory perception, beyond the mystery awaiting in the realm of faith, within man, pulsating, alive, and vital with the shed blood of Christ, there exist spread through all time and space, rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners, the “True Church”. A spectacle which the boldest of tempters, principalities, powers and rulers of darkness will one day yield, as every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

I do not mean the half-finished, sham Gothic erection on the new buildings, or even the myriad of store front erections filled with variation of the extended family.  I certainly do not mean even the most eloquent and splendid of architectural brilliance. Ah these may contain members of the church, but they are not themselves the Church. If by evidence of the fruit we recognize the tree, then many, if not most, are the enemy’s greatest allies at present.

The sheepfold, as with the oil that flowed down from Aaron’s beard, is a mere “sound bite” of true power. The claims of oneness and intimacy with mystery and power on Sunday morning is replaced with doubt and fervent unbelief on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday morning (bible study on Wednesday night), Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

But God has a plan. And what our Lord has started He will complete. From the valley of fallen man, behold I show you a mystery. You may not see this with human perception, but you will not long be able to deny its truth. The Church, true Church has risen. It is all about us. It is without walls, terrible as an army with banners. It is rooted in eternity; all of creation waits, and yearns, with expectation for the final awakening, for the completion of the journey, for the completion of the city wall.

If you want to know where God is, he is here in the midst of the true Church. Where two or more are gathered in his name, by grace, he is in the midst. Oh yes the sensory world cries for peace and safety, and find it not. For such peace within the Kingdom of God, within the unbounded walls of the New Testament church passes all human understanding. In the midst of the valley of the shadow of death, in the presence of our enemies, we rise with confidence that our God will never leave us or forsake. He is here, with us now. He prepares our table in the presence of our enemies.

Keep hope alive. We  are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Hold onto the Christ within you, for the trying of your faith is more precious than gold, Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Watch and be sober.9For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another. It is the time of the great awakening. God is before us, about us, behind, and within us. And if God is for us, who can be against us?

My friend, know this with a certainty, today as you re-affirm you membership within the body of Christ, within the Kingdom of God, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Be persuaded and doubt not; be convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Behold the yearning of the True Church. –to behold his face, and to have him say, well done my good and faithful service, enter into the Joy of the Lord. This is who and why we are. This is you., Welcome fellow traveler. Welcome Holy Spirit.

Next step, the Church and the essence of true freedom; the paradigm of endless and ever present joy.