[Steel]

Originally Posted by leastofthese

Why do you think the elder "jumped all over" you? Or this other brother "shouted" at you?

The elder... Because he perhaps saw me as trying to cause division by directing the discussion towards a matter that he had not considered to discuss.

Which may have been the result of a past experience regarding my speaking to him about religiousity entering into the church life of some very senior saints (their declaration, not mine... I just thought to mention it to him so that he may perhaps address it openly before the congregation... Which is a story for another day).

Additionally... When I prophesy at meetings I often take a different way of speaking than that of sticking to the specific line of the Morning Revival topic... Which I have been told can be confusing to some saints.

When you hold offenses in your heart these can build up and eventually overflow at just the slightest hint of what you may see as provocation.

Originally Posted by leastofthese

Your post below is interesting to me. You don't deny the Church in Austin to be "...lifeless..." or part of the content of a "...museum display case... but say that you are not those things.

It's not that I don't deny these accusations... I simply chose to address the matter from a different angle than might have been expected.

I have the life of Christ in me... And I am a part of the local church here in Austin... Therefore... If just by me... The local church here in Austin is not "...lifeless..."

But I am certainly not the only one with the Lord's life.

As I've said in other comments... All born again believers in Christ Jesus possess life... Divine life.

And I even got up and declared this at the past Lord's Day meeting.

A young university student who has recently come into the meeting prophesied about the matter of rejoicing... Saying how important he has realized that it is for us to rejoice in the Lord.

I considered this as the meeting was going on — specifically what rejoicing is — and felt the Lord's shining regarding what the reality of our rejoicing actually is...

Our rejoicing as believers in Christ is the divine life we possess... Being expressed.

This was, for me, a rhema word... But as I was speaking this and looking at the faces of some others there (not everyone)... I saw their faces shining with life... Divine life... Even as they received what I was saying.

They were rejoicing even as I was speaking the reality of what our rejoicing is.

How wonderful is that.

And what does the above have to do with what you asked?

A church that is lifeless is a church that in not rejoicing...

A church that is... NOT... lifeless... Is a church that is always rejoicing.

1 Thessalonians 5:16... "Always rejoice,..."

Now I know that none of us (most of us) struggle to rejoice... Always...

But...

Scripture tells us that when one of us falls short, this shortage can, and should, be made up by others who have the measure of grace that is lacking in the shortage of other believers.

So if I have life, and others lack life, then, according to scripture, if I choose to, I can help make up this lack.

Which would mean that the local church here in Austin would not be "...lifeless...".

And this goes for the situation/condition of all born again believers in Christ Jesus... Meaning... All local expressions of His one church.

Originally Posted by leastofthese

You say that there is no leadership other than the Lord - but that brother that yelled at you clearly thought otherwise.

I certainly did say that a brother yelled at me regarding how he thought I was speaking to an elder.

But praise the Lord...

The headship of the Lord was quickly expressed in the action of this same brother immediately coming to me after the meeting to ask forgiveness.

And that is to the glory of the Lord... And is what I consider of importantance regarding what our experience was.

Some people may choose to stop at the yelling... I choose to move on to the taking of the cross and the bring into resurrection life.

Originally Posted by leastofthese

I have found that there is a implicit and explicit hierarchy of leadership in the LSM churches - with Austin being no exception - I'm sure you'd agree as well.

Sure...

Again...

There's folly religion with all its folly within every single human... Including every born again in Christ human.

And often, the way of religion gets the better of us.

But praise the Lord...

He who is in us is greater than the way of the folly religion in us.

Originally Posted by leastofthese

It seems like you are looking for the best in the church, or finding opportunity to see with Christ's eyes... the situation in the church - which is very commendable.

Many years ago I was studying the matter of God taking Abraham up to Mount Moriah to sacrifice Isaac. During this study I came see that this is indicative of God bring Abraham up to His level so that Abraham could see as God sees.

When we're told by scripture that God (the Angel) said to Abraham... "...Do not stretch out your hand upon the boy, nor do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." . . . I found it strange...

Why would God say to Abraham... "...for now I know that you fear God,..."

We know God must have known that Abraham feared Him... We know this because He said it.

But why did God need to tell Abraham this?

I believe the answer is found in the meaning of the Hebrew word "...Moriah...", the name of the place God took Abraham to.

There are a few definitions of the word "...Moriah..." put forward... But one in particular fit the context... And this one definition is simply "...to see Jah..."

And, to "...see Jah..." is to see as "...Jah..." sees.

I came to realize that God spoke this to Abraham so that Abraham would know how God saw him... So that Abraham would know who he was in the eyes of God.

Seeing this revolutionized the way I started "seeing" scripture.

Shoot... Seeing it revolutionized the way I see everything... Or at least know I can, and try to see everything.

And I don't think of it as "..looking for the best in the church..." or anything else... I simpy see it as looking for the reality in all things.

And since scripture tells us that Christ is the reality of all things... Then it is simply to look for Christ in all things.

Which is what I believe all believers in Christ are called to do even now, and will do one day.

Originally Posted by leastofthese

What has made you choose the LSM affiliated Church in Austin, rather than another local church in Austin?

This is a question I will answer in a following comment.

Thanks for asking... I know it is in the Lord and have been patienly awaiting it.