THE BOOK AND THE (church) BUILDING
ARE NOT ENOUGH
May the grace and peace of God be with you!
The Bible is indeed a wonderful book. It is God’s love letter to us. Everything in it is truth and speaks of Jesus in some way, shape, or form. It contains writings that give us a glimpse into God’s mind and heart, and illustrates His will for us. It speaks of man’s fall and iniquity that bar us from His presence, but it also speaks of God’s grace-filled solution of the redemption that reconciles us to Him. His solution is Jesus—His Blood, Cross, and death that tear open the veil that stands between us and God. But the Bible, as good as it is, is not sufficient to change hearts (only Jesus is) or stem the tide of rampant gross evil such as we have never yet seen which is now coming upon the world. Yes, the Bible is good, but it is not Jesus—God’s Solution.
The church building is indeed a wonderful and blessed meeting place for the Church. It receives the people of God who house Jesus, being a place of the gathering of the community in whom God’s Spirit dwells. But the church building, as good as it might be, is only an edifice of man’s brick and mortar, totally insufficient to change hearts or stem the tide of evil now coming upon the world. Yes, the building is a blessing, but it is not Jesus Who dwells in buildings not made with human hands: men’s spirits (2 Cor. 5:1).
The Bible book and the church building are not enough to deal with evil, but a great majority of Christian people and Church leaders think they are. They won’t say so, but they believe so. In this Letter, I will illustrate the promulgation of these dangerous beliefs and offer God’s Solution, Jesus, Who alone is the Living Book and the Living Building (Rev/ 21:22)..
Let’s pray: “Oh, precious Heavenly Father, we have read about Jesus and have entered men’s buildings to partake of the traditions of men. Now, breathe forth unto us, past the book and the building, the Living Book—Jesus. And bring us to abide in the Living Building forever. Amen.”
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I have made the statement that the majority of Christians and Christian Church leaders today believe the Bible and the Church system of man are sufficient in themselves to effect changes in hearts and nations. I will now offer the comments of some present-day Christian leaders (some who are very well-known, indeed), which illustrate their belief that the Bible is sufficient to combat evil and “turn things around” (I.e., to thwart evil, turn the world to Jesus, and turn Christian hearts fully to God). However, my contention is that the Book and the building are not enough in the way they are promoted and the hope that is placed in them today. Only the Son of God, the Living Jesus, is now adequate enough to deal with hearts and the evil darkness now spreading. In truth, it has always been this way, but in our present day, we have Church leadership and God’s people who adhere strongly to a book and a building instead of the Person of Jesus. To this day, Christians are widely referred to around the world as “the people of the Book.” This is, indeed, a sad and dangerous place the people of God have arrived at.
The following comments are taken from files I have collected over the past few years. On purpose, I will not name names, for I do not wish to judge or defame any man or woman before you or God. But the following are exact quotes which are taken from a book review of another Christian author’s book. Our first quote is a comment/review of this book by a very well-known Christian leader:
“This book is an excellent introduction to these destructive heresies and a powerful presentation of the only truth that brings lasting reconciliation: the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
My comment: This shows the mindset of the great majority of Christian leaders today: that the “only” truth that brings lasting reconciliation is the Gospel. Not Jesus, but the Gospel. But listen to Paul in Eph. 2:14-16 and Col.1:20—
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven
Am I nit-picking here? No, I am not, for there is a great difference between the Gospel (the Book), which is a thing, and the Person of Jesus Who is the One that does the reconciling. The Bible and its Gospel has no power to reconcile; only Jesus does. I respect what my brother is saying, but this just shows the prevailing mindset and belief system so prominent today in the Christian culture. And it is so very dangerous in that it guides peoples’ minds and hearts away from Jesus to an inanimate object, if ever so slightly. You will see this more and more in the following quotes.
For our next Christian leader’s quote:
“(The author of the book he is reviewing) sets before us the Scriptures as the ultimate standard and the Gospel as the ultimate answer for the human predicament.”
Again, I most respectfully disagree with this Christian leader. Jesus is God’s ultimate standard (see Isaiah 11:10 for Jesus as God’s ensign/standard). Will these folks never learn that a book and its chapters are not the Living Answer mankind needs?
Along that same line, another leader says: “But the Gospel, not wokeness, is the answer to these and other challenges.”
Yes, I concede that the Gospel of Christ illustrates “the power of God unto salvation” (Ro. 1:16), but do these folks who are “leading” us listen to their own words? Wokeness is a movement of people directed by evil spirits who inspire hatred and physical violence. Do they think a book is any match for evil spirits who inspire thrown Molotov cocktails? Oh, but Jesus Himself is more than a match for Molotov cocktails or any other challenge, for only He can prevent the evil spirits that inspire the ones who serve the Devil. Please hear me closely in this: the Bible and curch building have no power to stop evil. This is why Paul said, in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 that our spiritual weapons to combat evil are “mighty through God”. Through God, via Jesus! Jesus is the fulfillment of the words of the Bible (Gal. 3:24; Ro. 10:4; Mt. 5:17).
I may be splitting hairs, but hairs need splitting here. Imagine being in the middle of a riot where members of Antifa are hurling rocks through building windows and setting fire to them. Can quoting the Gospel to them stop them? Or can those in whom Jesus dwells stop them (Col. 1:27; Rev. 2:26)? Which do you think will be more effective: the Bible, which speaks of Jesus (Jn. 5:39), or Jesus Himself?
“(Christians are) armed with Gospel truths that alone set people free. Let’s start our own revolution by retelling the truth about God, creation, sin, and redemption in Jesus Christ.”
No! No! No! Ink on a page in the Bible cannot set anyone free. Jesus is THE Truth Who sets us free: Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Eph. 4:8)
“. . .the Gospel is sufficient to produce reconciliation, unity, and justice in the world. . . .”
This, from a nationally known pastor and author. Reconciliation? Unity? Justice? The Gospel is sufficient for these? If so, then we have no need of Jesus and no need for Him to return. Has this pastor never read that Jesus will come and rule the nations with a rod of iron through the people He indwells (Rev. 2:26-27)?
Yet, unity is not forced upon anyone by Jesus; in Him is our unity, for He is our unity: But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. (1 Cor 6:17). We are called to unity by being joined to Jesus, not to the Gospel. Our reconciliation and true social justice are found in Jesus, which the Gospel cannot produce. This kind of elevation comes perilously close to putting forth the Bible/Gospel as something to be worshipped (Jn. 5:39).
[Note: It may seem to some as if I am slamming the Gospel. I am not. In my view, the Gospel/Bible is the wonderful outbreathing of God Word to us and speaks the Truth of God’s heart and will from cover to cover. But understand, through my words, God is trying to shake and warn those who should know better; those who, if ever so slightly, put the Gospel/Bible before Jesus (Mk. 7:13), Who IS the Living, Breathing, Rhema Gospel.]
“May God use (the book he is reviewing) to. . .unify the Church around biblical truth.”
As we can see, Christian leader after Christian leader feels this way, and they teach this belief system to others by a sort of spiritual osmosis. Again note, he says that the Church is to be unified “around biblical truth”, not in Jesus. This thinking is carnal and avoids Jesus. Can a book produce unity? No, but in Jesus we have unity (Eph. 2:15).
“I found myself filled with hope as I was pointed to the sufficiency of Scripture and the need for rigorous biblical thinking in order to stand firm on the Gospel in difficult days.”
This might be the most dangerous thought voiced in this list of Christian leaders. We need Biblically correct intellectual thoughts in order to stand against the Devil? This will be sufficient? And this gives one hope? Whom is this leader trying to deceive? My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us not be deceived or intimidated by such foolishness, no matter how reasonable it sounds. In difficult days, we must all stand in Jesus Himself.
I will end this section of quotes from various Christian leaders with four more quotes. By now, you know where I’m coming from and what I am advocating. So, without any more comments from me, see if you can you determine their positions, what they are really saying, and their lack of Jesus. In this, I am not encouraging your judgment, but your discernment in Christ Jesus.
“(The author) frames our cultural and ministry moment and points Christians to a more biblically faithful path forward.”
“(The author) is aware that the Church is in a battle for its Gospel integrity.”
“(The author’s) burden is to unite people in the only enduring way possible—through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“God’s antidote (is) the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
All these quotes seem to be put forth by only one individual. But I assure you that each quote came from a different Christian leader (and I have many such more in my file). They seem to be in lock-step, don’t they. But this shows us the mind-set of Christian leadership across the land. They simply value the Book (and the building) above Jesus as “sufficient”. And this is what we have all been exposed to for many years. “BUT THE TIME IS NOW UPON US THAT MAN’S TEMPLES BUILT TO HOUSE MAN’S TRADITIONS, CONCEPTS, AND JUDGMENTS ARE COMING DOWN, STONE AFTER STONE, UNTIL JESUS IS RAISED UP TO A FULL PREEMINENCE” (see the ps. at the end of this Letter):
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. (Matt. 24:1-2)
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For the next few pages, I will cite some Scriptures that speak of:
- Refuting the Bible as the sufficient solution to evil
- Refuting the church building as necessary for the world to enter so that it can be converted and adequately deal with evil
- The preeminence of Jesus (over the Book and the church building)
Keep in mind, the vast majority of Christian leadership staunchly and ardently believe the first and second points. So, this is my Biblical reply to them.
Let’s begin with the leaders’ strong implication that the Bible/Gospel is the antidote, sufficient to oppose evil and defeat it.
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Gal. 2:16)
This Scripture may seem a stretch on my part in refuting the claim by many that the Bible is sufficient to deal with evil. But I seek to lay a foundation for illustrating men’s misplaced beliefs, focus, and faith in the Book. Simply put, to teach and preach that the Bible is sufficient, in itself, to deal with evil is to adhere to a form of legalism. It is to have faith in ink printed upon a page that is grouped with other pages in a book, making the whole Bible, including the New Testament, a book of God’s Law. There is a small fraction of truth in this, but note that Paul strongly admonishes that performing works of the Law is an impotency by which no flesh is justified in God’s eyes. Thus, we are not empowered by the Book, but by the faith of Christ. This means we must have a close and intimate abiding relationship with Him so that we might have His faith.
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. (2 Cor. 3:5-6)
It is only the Spirit of Jesus that can give life to the walking dead of this world. The “letter”, whether it be mine or Paul’s in the Bible has no power of itself (let the reader understand) to impart life. In truth, the letter—the ink of God’s will, revelations, and commands—only kills if abided in instead of Jesus. But today’s Christians and their leaders don’t see this clearly when they claim “the Scriptures are sufficient”. This is just another way of saying that the letter is sufficient.
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. (Matt. 5:17)
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. (Ro. 10:4)
You who might believe that reading the Bible and regular church attendance is what is necessary for revival, renewal, conversion, and change in this world, carefully re-read the last two Scriptures. Let the Spirit of God bring His light to your heart, for there is nothing I can say to convince you that the Bible just points to Jesus Who is our revival, renewal, conversion, and change. (Is it not He Who is the Light of the world?) Am I deceived? Before you judge me, read Galatians 3:24, below:
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Gal 3:24)
Our precious Bible has been purposefully limited by Father God to have its reach extend just so far. It stops short of being required by God as necessary to be read in its entirety so that the reader may be saved and go to Heaven (provided, according to the leaders’ beliefs, that the reader also attend the church building regularly, and other such rules and traditions of men). However, the Rhema breath of God may or may not come through to one who reads the Logos of God. In any event, no matter what the Bible is or isn’t capable of, the truth is that it is a teacher, a schoolmaster, to bring us to God’s intended focus for us: His Son, Jesus—not to the Bible itself, but to Jesus. (Yes, I realize that Paul was referring to God’s Law as being our teacher, but it should be noted that the Law was often spoke of in Paul’s day as being the whole of the Old Testament. So, as Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law, this wholeness, this entirety of God’s Law, also includes all that is written in the New Testament as well.) The point to be seen by today’s leaders and “laity” is that the Book can go just so far; it is simply that which points to Jesus—Who is the only sufficient Answer to the world’s growing woes. It is in Him, not the Book or the building, that we find faith, sufficiency, and power.
Leaders! Listen to the Spirit in the following Scripture:
Then said I (Jesus), Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Heb. 10:7)
Do you see? Every word of the Bible, Old and New Testaments alike, speaks of and points to Jesus. The Bible never points to itself as sufficient (cf. Jn. 5:39), but there be many Christians who have made it a surrogate god. (“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.”—2 Cor. 3:5)
Speaking of John 5:39, let’s wind up this section with what Jesus said about the Scriptures/Bible of His day:
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Jesus honored the Scriptures and those who taught it. But He very pointedly says, “YOU WHO USE THE WORD OF GOD AS A PRETEXT FOR ENTRY INTO ETERNAL LIFE, LISTEN TO ME! YOU RESEARCH, STUDY, INTERPRET, AND TEACH YOUR INTERPRETATIONS TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD. YOUR IMPLICATIONS OF THE SCRIPTURE’S NECESSARY APPLICATION FOR ENTRY INTO HEAVEN IS FLAWED AND SELF-SERVING. YOU FAIL TO SEE THAT I AM THE LIFE THAT THE SCRIPTURES POINT TO, WHILE YOU CONTINUE TO
HEAP HEAVY BURDENS THROUGH MISGUIDED LIGHT ONTO THE BACKS OF GOD’S PEOPLE. YOU HAVE THEM THUS FOCUS UPON THE WRITINGS RATHER THAN UPON ME.”
If I could sum up this section, I would sum it thusly: Getting the world to read the Bible (or go to church) is not the solution in combating evil; Jesus is. This seems to be a self-evident truth, but you have read the earlier quotes in this Letter from a few Christian leaders who firmly believe that the Bible is the solution. They speak for many others and, as I said, these are but a few of the quotes like this I have in my possession. This Bible-sufficiency virus is pandemic. In reality, though, it is really a virus of resistance to and avoidance of Jesus. And it is rampant in the Body of Christ.
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Let’s now look at the second of the Christian leaders’ claims, that reading the Bible must go hand in hand with attending a local church in order that the Church be revived, renewed, and preserved. I don’t have their quotes ready at hand regarding their teaching on this, but I assure you that they believe this. I am only here in this Letter presenting three Scriptures that speak to this deceptive mind-set/belief system.
Col. 1:15-20
15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
In saying that church attendance is necessary for Church renewal (some have even said for salvation), do you see the distinction, if sometimes ever so faint, between where Christian leaders want us to focus, and where God wants us to focus? Notice that little phrase in Colossians 1:16—“for him.” If the majority of Christian leadership believe and teach that a newly invigorated church attendance is necessary for renewal and revival, then they are saying this for their own benefit. They are trivializing and marginalizing Jesus, basically saying that all things were created by Jesus for themselves! But what does the Scripture say? “. . .that in all things (Jesus) might have the preeminence.”
The church building is not enough and filling it with new converts will not be enough. The new converts must be fed real food: the Living Bread—the Person of Jesus.
(God) hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. (Eph. 1:22)
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (Eph. 5:23)
The focus of the Church is purposed by God to be His Son. Not the Bible, not church attendance, but Jesus. But as you and I can see by the leaders I quoted earlier, this is decidedly not the case in Christianity today. So, because Jesus is not the direct and primary focus, very rough persecution is coming to the Church that has watered Him down and diluted Him so thinly. Because this is so, and getting worse by the day, “THE CHURCH IS BEING SET UP FOR A GREAT SLAUGHTER.” Leaders and people! Hear God in this!
The solution is simple: “MAKE JESUS YOUR PRIMARY FOCUS AND HEAD. DROP ALL FOR HIM AND YOU WILL THRIVE; KEEP YOUR PRESENT COURSE OF SAVORING THE THINGS OF MEN, AND YOU WILL BE PERSECUTED UNTO DEATH. LEADERS AND PEOPLE, LISTEN TO THE SPIRIT IN THE SCRIPTURE”:
And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. (Mark 6:32-33)
“WHERE DID THE PEOPLE OF GOD COME? TOGETHER, UNTO HIM—JESUS. LEARN THIS LESSON OF THE RUNNING PEOPLE: THE BOOK AND THE BUILDING ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR WHAT YOU WILL FACE, FOR YOUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD ALONE WHO ABIDES MOST FULLY IN JESUS.”
Our sufficiency is of God. (2 Cor. 3:5)
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To close out this Letter, the following is a letter I will be sending to the pastors of every Christian church (176) in Spokane, Washington. Spokane, with a population of 229,071 in 2021, is roughly 75 miles south of where we live in Colville, WA. Why Spokane? Simply because Jesus has directed me to. The following letter is almost an exact duplication in its main body, with some appropriate deletions and additions of the first letter I sent to the 16 pastors in Colville in May, 2020. Here is this new letter that will be going to the 176 pastors in Spokane, approximately 3/1/23 (you are the first to see it):
Greetings in Jesus’ name, Pastor!
My name is Jim-REPHAEL Grandon. I have been a Christian since 1977, when I received Jesus as my Lord and Savior. His Blood for my sins and His Cross are precious to me and He is my all, my everything (Col. 3:11). In the last 40 years, I have served God and Christ’s Church as a pastor, missionary, manager of a church benevolence ministry, and a ministry administrator.
In 2001, Father God created this Sheep Gate Ministry, which has me dealing primarily with teaching and guiding people into an intimate and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This mandate extends to coming into union with the Father and Jesus, and being transformed/changed into Jesus’ image (1 Cor. 6:17; 2 Pet. 1:4; 2 Cor. 3:18). To fulfill this calling, in part, I write two monthly international newsletters, plus I frequently correspond with those on our mail list, offering counselling and mentoring in Christ, which I have been doing for over 30 years.
Today, I am writing to you in obedience to Jesus, sharing with you what He has shown me. Understand, you and your church are not being singled out by me—by God’s will, this letter is sent to all 176 pastors in the Spokane, WA, area as listed on ChurchFinder.com
Back on March 9, 2020, regarding the Coronavirus, I asked Jesus , “Lord Jesus, this virus is very bad, but why is the world fussing so much about it—beyond what might be a more moderate response?” Jesus replied, “CHANGE IS MANIFESTING, BOTH IN THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT AND THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS.”
When I heard Jesus say this, I knew two other things by the Spirit of God. First, this Coronavirus signaled a beginning point where life in this world would eventually appear to get back to “normal” when the virus runs its course. But this would only be appearances. However, beneath the surface, in the spirit-realm, things would never again be the same as they were before the virus. Second, in their attempts to mitigate the effects of the virus in their nations, the leaders of the kingdoms of this world are now tasting immense power over people, a power they will not relinquish easily, if at all. Thus, they are now getting intoxicated with power and their controls over people will only increase—to the point of suppression of freedoms. Again, these revelations came on 3/9/20.
Then, on May 21, 2020, Jesus showed me two rivers. One was the river of the world, going off at an angle. The other was the River of the Lord God, and it was going straight ahead. I knew by the Spirit of God that He wanted us (at that time, my wife Susie and I) to totally get out of the world’s river, forsake it, and enter wholly and permanently into the River of God. Susie and I then did this together by faith. Then, a little later, Jesus said to me, “THE WORLD WILL TRY TO DRAG YOU BACK INTO ITS FLOW; DON’T LET IT.”
One last thing Jesus has been progressively showing me since these Words and vision (and, this is most difficult to adequately put into words) is that the “life” of Christ’s Church, as we have known it and it has been lived out for 2,000 years, is coming to an end. This does not mean that His Church or its life are ending—God forbid!—for the gates of Hell cannot and will not prevail against it. But it does mean that what men have made of it is now ending. God is using the onslaught of the Coronavirus as an open and manifest signal to those with (spiritual) eyes to see.
And this is the key as I see it by God’s Spirit: that what men have built and adjusted of Christ’s Church is ending. No longer will God sanction the priorities of men’s works and systems within His Son’s Church (and the churches have done wonderful work with fine programs!). But now, God is progressively unveiling Jesus as THE paradigm, and is calling for the focus, witness, and program of the Church to be wholly of Jesus Christ—not merely “upon” Him, but that of He, Himself—a vital distinction to be clearly understood. Thus, God is calling the Church to adjust to and manifest the
preeminence of Jesus, exclusive of all other things. Certainly, the Church and its leaders will still do good works through good people and good programs, but men and their systems and constructs must no longer be a motivation or focus. Jesus must be. Men and women of the Church must now decrease and Jesus must increase to a full preeminence.
As the Church has sought revival (re-“lifing”), an initially faint, but growing, SIGN is openly manifesting: Jesus is the sign of revival now given by Father God. Thus, Jesus Himself is the revival the Church has been looking for. It will take those with keen eyes to see this (Dt. 29:4; Heb. 5:14), for we have all been conditioned to look for the outward hoopla of glory, not aware that Jesus is God’s glory that shall manifest (2 Cor. 4:6; Rev. 21:23).
This change, FROM man—his dominance, focus, control, and works—and TO Jesus, has now begun, and will be gradual, almost imperceptible at first—so much so, that things will seem to get back to the way they were. But, this will be an illusion. And, if the Christian Church (Protestant, Catholic, non-denominational, independent, et al) does not adjust to Jesus and His preeminence, it will have entered into neglect and into fellowship with the world, no matter how much those within may protest to the contrary or deny it.
Those churches (Pastors, Christians, etc.) who receive God’s “now” paradigm of Jesus will enter into God’s river and its flow; those who do not will flow in the world’s river. And, I perceive by the Spirit of God, that those who enter into and remain in the world’s river (Christian and non-Christian alike) will persecute, with growing might, the children of God who have entered fully into God’s river and held onto Jesus, their personal Revival.
In Jesus’ sweet love for you,
Jim-REPHAEL Grandon
[NOTE: This letter is but a synopsis of wider and more inclusive words of admonition from God. These words can be found in my Sheep Gate Letters #176 and #184. If you would like to receive these particular newsletters, just let me know and I will send them to you free of charge. I caution you, though: in these Letters Jesus says some intense things to the Church He loves. In any event, Light and darkness, Life and death, are being set before us. Let us choose Life (Jesus), that we may live (Dt. 30:19-20).]
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There is a nationally well-known pastor who has been sending out newsletters every three weeks for many years. In his latest letter (12/9/22), in a sidebar he wrote this note:
(Quote) I personally invite you to join us February 15-17 in San Diego for the Fire in Our Bones conference for pastors and leaders. We are asking God to revive churches in order to awaken our nation. Join (here he mentions six leaders) as we preach God’s Word to stir pastors toward an uncompromising message that will spark renewed life in his people. We believe this time together will make a difference
for our nation. If you aren’t a pastor, you may play a major role in our nation’s awakening by encouraging your pastor to attend. You can also pray for every leader who attends and for God’s Word to land on open, hungry hearts. (Unquote)
Such as it is, there is nothing wrong with this. The problem is that the conference is out of step with what God is doing. The “letter” of God’s Word might stir some pastors toward an uncompromising message, but a message cannot spark renewed life in His people. It never could, for only God can “spark” the flame of the renewed life of Jesus in His people.
As we (Richard-DANIYEL, myself, and others) have prophesied in this Sheep Gate Letter, “NOW, ONLY JESUS.” Nothing else but Jesus will be able to oppose and combat the rising tide of evil now coming forth. Not a return to the Bible and its moral commands; not a return to church attendance; not more programs or good works. Now, only Jesus Himself is the one and only spark of life the Church must accept and embrace.
“God’s Word”, in the form of the written Bible WILL NOT BE ENOUGH, no matter how open and hungry hearts are. God’s Word, in the form of Jesus Himself, is now the only thing that will gain the victory, renew true life, and bring in a righteous light that will dispel the gross evil sweeping the world.
Pastors and leaders, you who willing to listen—hear this: you must be awakened to Jesus and His preeminence (1 Pet. 4:17)! Awaken! Awaken, pastors and leaders! Awaken to Jesus. Let Him now be the Fire in Your Bones! Admonish the people, teach, and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified in your gatherings, your conferences. Nothing else will now work or be adequate to save the nation. Do you hear this? This is the Word of God unto you, to stir you in the spark of renewal. By heeding this Word, you will then be adequately equipped with God’s uncompromising message, not your own. And this Message will be the Living Word of Rhema that will breathe out the creative, renewing, force of God’s Spirit that will have results. Nothing else is adequate or sufficient for the times of God’s judgment we have entered.
NOW, ONLY JESUS!
Getting high on your conferences’ wine is self-serving and doomed to failure because of the time we are now in. It will only serve to set the Church back into the “same ol’, same ol’ that was largely responsible for the state in which we now find ourselves and the Church.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jer. 2:13)
Pastors and leaders! The problem is not a lack of attention to God’s written Word. Hear this! The problem is that you and God’s people, the sheep you tend, have forsaken the living Jesus and exclusively embraced the Logos (do you understand this?) and weekly church attendance, while giving Jesus only lip service and not preeminently embracing Him. Him! And, in this way, and by your traditions, you have carved out hearts that are broken, leaky, and cannot hold Him. Repent of this, pastors and leaders, before it is too late. And there will come a time when it is too late.
Amen.
Two notices:
First, by the Lord Jesus’ will, I am now in the process of writing to all the pastors of all the churches in Spokane, Washington. There are 176 churches in Spokane, a city of 230,000 people. So this is no small task. To date, I’ve almost completed doing all the mail labels necessary.
Jesus has not yet given me a date to send the letters, but I will update you in future Sheep Gate Letters, both as to the content of the pastors’ letters, mailing date, costs, etc.
Second, my book, From Glory to Glory, is now available on Amazon, both as a paperback book and a Kindle book. Some of you purchased my first edition of this book, but this book has been professionally edited and 54 typos have been corrected. This new publication has been graciously and totally funded by a man on our mail list and costs $15.99 for the paperback version, and $3.99 for the Kindle version (for which you would need an e-reader). Just go online to Amazon and in the “Books” category, type in: From Glory to Glory. A number of other books also have this title, so scroll down to mine, under the authorship “Jim-Rephael Grandon”.
Now, only Jesus
As a final piece for this letter, I include an E-mail I authored and sent to a friend on April 2, 2021:
Praise Jesus!
Hi, R-D!
I want to thank you so very much for the (very) timely Word of encouragement you gave me today. It helped me immeasurably. But this is not why I am writing you at this time. I want to share a Word I just received about 10 minutes ago. It came from God to me as I was walking my nightly mile in our basement. I was thinking of many things I have enjoyed lately, and for the past many years
things like my favorite music, sporting events, etc. Then I thought, by God’s Spirit, how these things are over, gone, done with, and not to be seen or heard again. Oh, they will be seen and heard (and defended) again and again by the worldly in this world, but I knew that this world was passing away, and to cling to anything of the past and try to revive “good times” would be death to any and all who still clinged with a hard and longing grip on their worldly pleasures and trying to get back to “normal” enjoyment of these things. At this moment, God spoke in a distinct voice: “NOW, ONLY JESUS.”
In Jesus’ love,
J-R
(My comment in my email to R-D: Indeed, NOW, ONLY JESUS! For the state the world is in, now only Jesus will suffice. Nothing else will ever work again—not self-sufficiency, not one’s presumed position or righteousness with God, not good works, not good intentions, not one’s beliefs, and not ignoring God and/or His prophets. Jesus is mankind’s only future [Jn. 14:6; Jn. 11:25] and the new man [Eph. 2:15] we must put on to be in step with God [Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10] and kept by Him in the coming great storms. Hear this, oh, hear this, children of God! Pray today to put off the world and the flesh; and ask, seek, and knock to put on Jesus Christ. It is only in Him that survival is found. Let it be your testimony with Paul that “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me” [Gal 2:20].)
Now, on a more serious note:
Matt 3:10
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (KJV)
(The Living Bible version has it:)
Matt 3:10
And even now the axe of God’s judgment is poised to chop down every unproductive tree. They will be chopped and burned.
(Unquote Spokane pastors’ letter)
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