The Shift in the church, as we know it, is taking an incredible turn!  Just in the last month, since the beginning of the second half of this year, July 2012, we are seeing the people of God beginning to be mobilized from just special seasons, or Kairos, into a quality time of walking in alignment with the Father!  This is the “chronos time”, or “chronological” time!  It means a “duration of time, which may be a point, a lapse, a span, a period, a quantity, a measure, a duration, or a length.”  Kairos (seasons) suggests kind of time.  Chronos tells what day it is.  Kairos tells of special happenings occurring during the time frame of Chronos!

The church, as we know it, has come to its “wit’s end!”  It has come to the end of it’s own wisdom.  I keep using the phrase, “AS WE KNOW IT”, because what we’re entering into is a prophetic cycle that will bring us back to our ‘apostolic course.’  I want to bring I Peter 4:7-11 to your attention, with an emphasis on what the Lord spoke to my heart when bringing a message to a conference in a church in East Texas in 1999!  “But the end of all things, AS WE KNOW IT, is at hand;  therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.  And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”  Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.  As each one has received a gift, minister in to one another (employ it in serving one another), as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.  If anyone ministers, or serves, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.”

The End of all things is not the finality as we might think, it is the ‘END’ of the transition, from one age to another!  Again, the end of all things, as we know it, is here!  The church can no longer operate out of its own strength or wisdom, we must have the “manifold wisdom of God!”  (Eph. 3:10)  This present evil age is being swallowed up with the ‘powers of the age to come’, that is, those who have been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,… (Heb. 6:4,5)   This manifold wisdom of God is helping us transition from the old to the new, being made known “to the principalites and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed, or accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him.”  (Eph. 3:10-12)

So, through His grace and wisdom, we are moving from “crisis to commission!”  The love of God must increase in His people, not wane, or decrease.  Our hospitality and fellowship must be sincere and done without murmuring, or complaining.  Every one must be equipped to serve and minister to each other, being good stewards of what the Father has given us.  Two areas are addressed in I Peter 4:11-  If anyone speaks… and, If anyone serves…If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracle, or the utterance of God.  If anyone serves, let them do it as to bring glory and honor to God through Jesus Christ.  This will restore his dominion (his power, authority, and rule) and glory through Christ in the church.  To come out of the crisis, we’ve had to experience the baptism of fire and the baptism of suffering.  I. Peter 4:12-14 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;  but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.  If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.  On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.”

THE KEY TO COMING OUT OF CRISIS:  JUDGMENT!

When many hear the word “judgment”, they immediately think of “hell-fire and brimstone.”  But the word “judgment” is from the Greek, krisis, or where we get our english word ‘crisis.’  Isn’t that interesting?  What does it mean?  It carries the idea of a “separating, the process of distinguishing, and selection, making a decision.”  Another word for judgment is a legal term describing the judicial process of dealing with guilt or innocence.  The word if used chiefly for the verdict itself, reached after an investigation.  That’s why, continuing in I Peter 4:17-19 says, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house, or the household, of God;  and if it begin with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?  Now “if the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”  Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful creator.”

This judgment that is not coming, but is here, is discerning the things that are different!  The reason why we have not been able to judge or discern good from evil, is that we have never learned to discern or recognize, that different is not necessarily demonic!  In fact, in Phill. 1:10, that says “that you may approve the things that are excellent”, means to be able to discern the things that are different.  Difference, or diversity, is a part of the manifold ( multi-faceted, much colored) grace of God!  We will not have true unity out of “sameness” but out of diversity.  Unity is not everyone looking the same or being able to parrot the same doctrine but comes out of the “unity of the Spirit” that brings us to “unity of the faith!” (Eph.4:3,13)  God made us all different, each one with a unique quality to respond to him, so He could take the differences of many, and bring them into harmony, or agreement, with Him.  Coming into agreement with Him, is arriving at the same time for a “divine appointment” with Him!

The goal of the “Great Commission” (Matt. 28:19) is to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, not just converts…”  The church has been in crisis because we have been content to preach the gospel to a few just like us, rather than to receive the authority that Jesus has given us, not only in heaven, but on earth, to “make ALL see what is the fellowship (stewardship, or administration) of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 3:9)  The mystery is being unveiled, or made known, through the “preaching of Jesus Christ and made known by the prophetic scriptures to all nations…” (Romans 16:25-27)  This is according to the “commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience of faith–to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever.  Amen.”

There we have it:  Because of the righteous judgment (crisis) of God, we are able to be commissioned with the commandment of the Father, to carry out the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.  I Peter 5:10,11 says, ‘But may the God of all grace, who called us by His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, AFTER THAT YOU HAVE SUFFERED A WHILE, will Himself restore, establish, strengthen, and settle you.  To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever.  Amen.”

Ephesians 3:20,21 sums it up:  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory (in the church) by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen!  Yes, Yes, Yes, and Amen!!

Blessings,

Jim Becton