For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
The logos. The complete Word of God. What exactly is that?
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5
Jesus IS the Word! Is Jesus dead? NO!!! He is alive and currently sits at the right hand of the Father. Jesus ALSO ministers to the chosen, which are those who are called according to His purpose. These are those who have made the decision to give their lives unto death and now accept His life within them. Jesus also now has the attributes of the God-Head. Omniscient. Omnipresent. Omnipotent. Jesus can be in many places all at once. He can be personally speaking to you and to me in different places at the same time.
We need to see Jesus as the center of our faith and life. He is the One who bestows upon us His faith and inserts it into our soul and spirit. Jesus makes the testimony (Bible) of His works effective as a ‘sword’ in which the Holy Spirit uses to show us our real heart and intentions, and which thoughts are His and which are not that are rolling around in our minds. Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit so that we might be led by Him and that our minds and hearts would be enlightened by the scriptures and understand them for our direction and instruction, so that He might mold us into the likeness of Jesus.
The ekkesia / Body of Christ is His representation on earth currently. Jesus has given ‘gifts’ (Ephesians 4:11-12) to the ekklesia so that they might be equipped for the service He has for each one of them. These ‘gifts’ are individuals who are mature spiritually and have longer life experience and are called and have made the decision to give their lives for Him and for His ekklesia. These ‘gifts’ have been elevated by the religious system to be something Jesus never intended. These are ‘GIFTS’ and not rulers to be above the people BUT actually are supposed to be BENEATH the people in service, calling, and to be giving their lives for them, not getting rich off of them. The kingdom of God is OPPOSITE than the ways of the world. Instead many of these people (spiritual leaders) have made these ‘callings’ and titles and the ekklesia the center of worship on earth rather than the preeminence of Jesus Christ as the Center of Worship. The American Church has made most of their system as ‘Church-centric’ rather than Jesus centric. In America most see the Church as the center of the religious ‘order’. People invite others to their Church rather than inviting them to know Jesus and the life filled with the Holy Spirit. The Church is NOT the answer, Jesus is! The Church is supposed to be where the faithful to Jesus are equipped for their service to Him — not a gathering place for unbelievers.
Jesus IS the WORD! Jesus IS the LIGHT! Jesus IS the LIFE! Jesus IS the TRUTH! Jesus IS our CENTER! We don’t follow another, WE follow Jesus! It is His Voice we know!
Unfortunately most of what happens now in the institutional ‘Church’ is ritual and lecture, and not real equipping. It isn’t a place of questions but of ‘party’ rule. Don’t ask questions – just obey — is the atmosphere and culture. The only ones who get to ‘question’ are the ‘rich’ who contribute the most to the offering / tithe box. The Holy Spirit isn’t allowed to convict hearts and expose sin for the ekklesia to see in the open. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is now limited to what the leaders will ‘allow’ in the time they have allotted. Prophecy and Words of Knowledge and Wisdom are greatly hindered and seen as suspect. Why? True discernment has been lost because the ministry of the Holy Spirit has been squelched. So many of the leaders have now created doctrines that undermine the work of the Holy Spirit and now say He no longer does these super-natural things, because we have the Bible, and everyone must listen to them for what the Bible means in all situations.
I say follow JESUS! I say be FILLED with the Holy Spirit. For HE is your Teacher. He will enlighten your minds to understanding what Jesus wants you to do. The Holy Spirit will then empower you to do that which He is asking you to do. For without His power we can do NOTHING that will have eternal value. The Holy Spirit is what helps you understand the scriptures and then He tells you how they apply to your current situation. Without the Holy Spirit the scriptures are NOT understood .. for they were spiritually inspired and given, and only the Holy Spirit can interpret them correctly for …you personally.
Have your Sundays become a ‘ritual’ … that puts you to sleep? OR a place where you rehash the third grade teachings you’ve learned many many years ago? Is anyone allowed to ask deep penetrating spiritual questions? Or are you just encouraged to follow along and just fill in the blanks. Your time with the ekklesia should be one of challenges and conviction to your heart and spirit. The ekklesia should be sharpening your soul and mind to grab ahold of truths that convict your heart and motivate you to ask the Holy Spirit even more questions. The ekklesia should be asking you questions and actually wait for you to respond in kind.
What is the ekklesia? (ekklesia has been translated into the word ‘church’ in most English Bibles) But in reality it is those around you who also follow Jesus. These should be those you speak to … and encourage daily.
For where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them. Matthew 18:20 This is the ekklesia. It is NOT a building or a liturgical ‘service’. It is a living spiritual ‘body’. So find those who will be the ekklesia to YOU! Spend time everyday talking with them, eating with them, laughing with them, mourning with them, suffering with them, working with them — and always keeping Jesus in the center of all you say and do.
Seek the Word. Seek Jesus.