Many, will have to decide; do we go forward, or do we hang back. The prophet Joel, said there were multitudes and multitudes in this place; they were going to have to choose, which side they were going to be on; one way, or the other. The day of the Lord, is approaching; there is no doubt of that. If for no other reason, just as it did in the days of Noah, because wickedness has abounded, in every street, on every corner, all over the world. God, can only tolerate just so much.

The church, as we know it, was to obtain the fullness of Christ. We were supposed to come into the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. Jesus said, greater works than these, shall ye do. I don’t know that most of us even understand exactly what He was talking about. What we can be very honest about, is that we haven’t reached the level of demonstration and power, the early church had. Christ said, these signs shall follow them, that believe. Most of us, have not seen those signs following us; at least not on the same level we expected. The question to ask, is will we see it even yet?

Persecution, is going to arise. That, is what most church folk don’t want to hear. As we speak, people are being slaughtered for not denying the name of Jesus Christ. Too many of us, are not moved by that; and here’s the likely reason why. They are not part of our group; they do not belong to our particular denomination or rank; we don’t feel they are true believers. I have a feeling, many of us do not know what we are talking about. In whatever light these dear people are walking in, if they are willing to give their lives for the name of Jesus Christ, they are already far ahead of many of us.

Our harsh condemnation of others who do not agree totally with us, will be one of the things, that will cause us the most oppression, in the days that are coming. We may have been too quick to forget, that God, is still to this day, no respecter of persons. Souls walk in all the understanding and light they know, and we pick them to pieces because we say we have the truth, and they do not. Henceforth, there is a line being drawn in the sand, if you please. We either stand on the side of those who have decided to love all people and reach out to them with mercy, or we remain with those who dare continue to live as they have been; unmoved, and very unloving.

We the people, the church, were offered great things when we were born into this experience we still claim today. A fully developed church, with fully maturing people, all seeking the same things of God. We actually claimed all of the promises made to us by the Old Testament prophets and also by the early church after the power fell on Pentecost. We preached it, on the street corners, in every place there was to tell it, and we said we believed it was for everyone of us. There is a battle coming, that many are not near about prepared for; sitting idly between some four walls in our own comfort zones; being fed what we ask for, will come to a close. It’s not real meat.

I cannot believe I am saying this at this time in my life, I never thought to be here like this. But, we will go forward as we were meant to do, and gain the things in the Spirit we were meant to have, or we are going to get run over by the powers of darkness and get swallowed up in defeat.

Some, are already crossed over to the other side of the line; they won’t stir until they hear the sound of a trumpet; but, too much, will already be lost. It’s a one on one thing now. It’s not about what somebody’s group is doing or what their fellowship is following. It’s about what we, as individuals, full saints in the Kingdom of God, have decided about our depth in Him. The Holy Ghost is going to teach us how to finish this; in the power, we were meant to have.

Robert Blackburn