Download PDF: But God is in the Church.3.19.16
Originally released March 19, 2016
This quote comes from a conversation with a Bible believing Christian who is part of a local church. It comes from a belief that the Lord’s blessing is upon the local church. The premise is that since the Lord is moving, although in very small ways, the Lord will bring His revival into the walls of every church found on the corner of 1st and Main St., all across the United States.
But this position does not consider the fact that the Lord was also in the Church of Laodicea, but He threatened to spew them out of His mouth (Rev 3:16). We should also consider that the Lord was also in the Church of Ephesus until He removed their candlestick (Rev 2:5). We would do well to realize that neither church exists today.
The point is not whether the Lord is in the Church or whether or not His word is true in that wherever two or three are gathered in His name there He is in the midst (Mt 18:20). The real point is that the Lord rules His Church and He is proclaiming by His Holy Spirit that we are blind, naked, wretched, miserable and poor (Rev 3:17). Furthermore, the Church stands condemned for not acknowledging the truth of this verse and for also preventing His Holy Spirit from moving, while leaders have the audacity to proclaim, “The Lord is with us!” – attempting to convince their followers that they are seated in a place of blessing.
Truly these leaders are those who the prophet Micah prophesied against saying, “Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, her priests instruct for a price, and her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord saying, “Is not the Lord in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us.” (NASB95 Mi 3:11) But in our day surely Micah would prophecy, “Therefore on account of you, Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins and the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest…” (NASB95 Mi 3:12) To the Church leaders in America I prophesy this – change or perish!
It is because of the pride of American church pastors and leaders that judgment is coming! He will bring out His sheep from the burned wasteland that leaders want people to believe is green pasture. Do not look for the Holy Spirit to be poured out within the four walls of the organized, petrified, systematic, fossilized, gear-driven Franken Church of North America! No! The Holy Spirit testifies that the coming revival is coming to the marketplace, homes and gatherings that will not be under the control of the local pastor. Surely the Lord will be with His people and will be free to minister in the way that He always wanted to bless His people. The Holy Spirit will fulfill the Great Commission through the true disciples of Jesus Christ who have learned to submit to the promptings and leadings of the Holy Spirit.
Mark Biteler
