May-June 1993: Publisher’s Soapbox

Future Tense
By Don Nori

Christians have always had an insatiable desire to know about and live in the future. It seems as though we are never con tent with the current state of affairs. There must always be something more exciting and more profitable in the future, something that will make our present life worthwhile.

The Spirit of the Lord, however, is brooding over the Church to bring her to a place of present reality. God told Moses that His name is I AM; thus we serve the God of the present tense. It has been our inability to understand the present that has caused our theology to swing to the future. But Jesus is building His Church now. He is building His Church among those who see Him now. His Kingdom is that which needs to be established in our hearts now. Now we must be conformed into His image. Now we must become like Him. As the Scriptures say, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

The joy of the Lord is a present reality. The sense of fulfillment and contentment that is ours to enjoy is not experienced as a result of a theology or of a future promise of a better life sometime. Instead, it is the direct result of an on-going intimate relationship with God in the present.

Who is hearing the Word of the Lord for today? Who is experiencing the burden of the word of the Lord? His burden is not for the future; it is for now. It is not just for some far- off place called Heaven. His burden is for each generation to pass on to the next one the riches of Christ that they discovered in their lifetime. Thus each generation has more of Him than did the previous one.

The burden of the word of the Lord is for each generation to be consumed with God’s purposes for their generation. He wants to appear to each generation. That is why it seems that every generation believes the Lord is coming in their own life time. God has put such an urgency upon our hearts to fulfill His plan for each generation that it has consumed us. It is, therefore, correct and prop er for men and women throughout the ages to have had the sense of the imminent appearing of the Lord. God Himself put that hope in the hearts of those who belong to Him so they would diligently search for Him with their whole heart, thereby bringing about the purposes of God for that generation. Thus Jesus appears in each generation in the many-membered Body of believers who yield to Him.

However, our generation has missed this point. We have allowed our theology to cause us to look heavenward instead of looking with in, where the anointing really lies. His appearing is in our midst and not in the clouds. He has much to do among us before He will ever come for us. The study of how His physical return will happen, I am happy to leave to those who are much more scholarly than I. But I am compelled to follow Him now. Every generation of believers has a destiny, and I am not prepared to relegate His destiny for our generation to another merely because our theology makes no room for His appearing in me or in this generation. I realize that I have a destiny to accomplish now. There is an appearing of the Lord that I am responsible for in the “now’ of time.

How easy it has been for us to simply push to the next generation that which is ours to perform. Who is willing to take responsibility for the heart of the Lord for this generation? Who is willing to put his or her life on the line, knowing that we have more to do than just to hang on until Jesus comes? I love the coming of the Lord—but I love His coming, I love His appearing in me, even more. I love His appearing to this generation even more passionately than anything. Now I understand why such an apparent passion for the appearing of the Lord arises in each generation. It is the spirit in the believer crying out for the Spirit of the Lord for the appearing of Jesus in his or her time.

The heart-cry of the Lord is for a people who will not rest until they have seen Him, until they have accomplished all that is on His heart for them to do. Even Paul was in travail until Christ was formed in the Church. The apostle said that all nature groans in travail until God’s plan is completed. He does have a plan for each generation, if we would only stop long enough to hear His voice. It is time that we stop following traditional paths. It is time that we begin to question worn-out theologies that never did work and never did bring peace.

Now are we the sons of God. Now we must apprehend that for which we were apprehended of the Lord. We must fulfill the destiny of our generation.

Spring 1996: The Plumb Line

The Problem with the “O” Word
By Don Nori

Please don’t lay this article aside when you see what the “o” word is. This word is so frightening that most of us do not even want to think about it. But the truth of the matter is, when we really understand what God wants in the “o” word, it does not bring about a sense of failure or condemnation at all. Rather, it brings a sense of liberty and an anticipation for hearing the sound of His voice.

We have always used the “o” word as a club to keep children, church members, and employees in line. On these unfortunate victims of the religious system, we have imposed an external list of rules and regulations, a pathetic list of do’s and don’ts that Jesus Himself would shiver at.

We have chosen to define the Lord’s job as a policeman rather than as the
Lord He really is. We teach (especially our teens and wayward parishioners) that Jesus is always watching us. ready to bless or condemn, depending on our behavior. This diabolical and unbiblical concept of our Lord Jesus carrying a big club is precisely why we are afraid of the “o” word.

We train children from a young age that the Lord is interested only in our outward appearance of holiness and conformity. Thus, by the time they become adults, they have learned well how to be religious, but they have not learned the excitement of hearing and responding to the sound of His voice. Now, I know we are all smart enough not to admit being like this, for deep inside we know that it only produces death. But somehow we don’t remember this when we demand that our kids and our church members act in an acceptable manner in church and in public.

I am afraid we fear the “o” word because we have forgotten the power of the inner Christ—the one Paul testified of when he said, “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28a). The effervescent power of this supernatural Life Force is latent within us. ‘While we go about our fleshly and religious duties, trying desperately to conform externally, the living Lord Jesus wants to gush forth from us like a river of living water.

Yielding to this Life within brings us to genuine Lordship. It saves us from our carnal and pathetic attempts to do what we think will please Him—the things we do instead of yielding to Him so He can do what He wants through us. This is the joy of living. This is what makes life worth living. It is His burden that is easy, and His load that is light.

Living the Lifestyle of Wonder
True Lordship gives you a lifestyle of anticipation and wonder. It causes you to enjoy the sound of His voice and to covet the words of His mouth. It is a pattern that brings destiny to light and puts a spring in your step. True Lordship provides a free and exhilarating yieldedness to His plan and purpose for your life. You learn not to fear the “o” word, but to em brace it and love it, for it leads you to a daily, joyful response and fulfillment in your life. Your confession becomes like Jesus’ confession when He said, “I only do what I see My Father in Heaven doing” (see Jn. 5:19).

If God’s plan for humanity is to be accomplished—and it most certainly will be—it will be accomplished by ordinary people like you and me who are not afraid of the “o” word. In fact, such people embrace it! They love it! They cannot wait to hear His voice so they can respond to it.

So the next time you hear the voice of the Lord, do not harden your heart and fear the “o” word, for it is the key to your destiny.

July 1994: Publisher’s Soapbox

Return of the Virgin Church
By Don Nori

I remember the spectacular purity and unutterable beauty of His words to me. How gentle He was! How so very gentle. I remember how I first gazed into His heart the day my will broke and I was able to admit that I wanted Him more than anything else in the world. That powerful day when I saw into His heart! I saw things that! never dreamed or imagined. It was when I let go to believe all that was in my heart that it all so marvelously happened.

As I peered into His heart, I saw back into the beginning of something… or was it the middle of something?! guess I really do not know what place in time it was, except I could hear the very compassion of our Lord as He spoke words that seemed to transcend the ages: “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” His words were so penetrating, so heart-piercing. I too could see out through the ages as His words seemed to fill the air with their power. They went out like mighty arrows, swiftly moving through time and space, almost as if they had minds of their own. His words swept through continents and blew over nations and peoples. “For He grew up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of thy ground.”

The gentleness and yet the urgency of His love was nearly more than I could contain as He said, “He has no stately form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should be attracted to Him:’ The inner melody of His tender love began to draw many people from every land and from every age. His words echoed with great determination and assurance as I saw people responding to His words. These words were being delivered to people’s hearts without regard to times, epochs, nationalities, or governments. Barriers between men be gan to crumble as I watched in total awe the wonder of the new birth taking place in the hearts of literally hundreds of millions of people throughout time. His words rattled the very foundations of the earth as He declared, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we gave Him no esteem.”

I could see more clearly now. His words were not flying randomly; instead each one was carefully captured and carried to an individual human soul—purposefully, lovingly, longingly. It was as though the Lord had addressed each word to a particular person in a methodical, carefully planned dissemination of His plan for all the ages. Folks continued to come to Him. Beyond numbers were they responding to His mighty love…

He then turned again to the masses of humanity throughout time. He paused with a great sigh as He looked out over the nations throughout which the angels were being sent. A heaviness seemed to overwhelm Him as He cried out, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows….But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities…” Oh, the power of His Word as count less numbers received the Lord’s words with great joy! So many were healed in all millennia! So many called upon Him in every time under the sun. One word spoken from the very Life of the Father did what no mere mortal man could ever hope to do. It was incredible! Folks were being touched—no, transformed— by the power of God.

All at once I realized I was privileged to see God’s mighty power ignoring the boundaries of men and nations. Not even the boundaries of nature could contain or restrict the determined love of an all-powerful God.

His voice smashed the sacred theologies of carnal men as easily as He had broken through time. “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed:’ Words cannot begin to describe the events that followed as more and more people fell to their knees to experience the new birth. Marriages were being mended, families restored, broken dreams recovered, and hope recaptured in the hearts of myriads of new believers.

Then, almost on cue, the redeemed paused and looked up. With one powerful voice of gratefulness and thanksgiving, they began to worship the Lord with thunderous praise and a crescendo of worship that seemed to rock even the foundation of the heavens. The sound filled Heaven and resounded again and again back to the earth as the angels carrying the Lord’s words continued their systematic administration throughout the earth in every millennium.

I found myself weeping for joy as I lay there in His Presence, watching His Word effectually perform all it was intended to do.

The Lord then spoke. “Keep watching, My little one, for this is not all I have for you as you have supposed. This is but the Door through which My people will also break through into eternity while they yet dwell in
their mortal bodies. I have gathered a spiritual people for a destiny that you cannot yet comprehend.”

Then the Lord turned His hand toward me. Startled and petrified with fear, I was frozen with anticipation as He carefully took me into His arms to whisper into my ear, “I was wounded also for you, My troubled child.” I did not want to look into His eyes. He had seen what I had so carefully hidden over many years. In fact, it was so many years that I had almost forgotten about it myself. The Lord looked at me with a twinkle in His eye. “Tell them the truth,” He said gently. He held me close. He knew how much it was about to hurt. “Tell your readers how it really has been. You never ‘almost forgot.’ In fact, you have been tormented day and night for more years than you can remember.”

Then without warning, and certainly out of my control, old feelings welled up into my heart. Pain that I had not felt in a long, long time came crashing back into my mind. Memories long forgotten…okay, not forgotten, but certainly suppressed, began their relentless replays, just as before. Just as they always had done. I was suddenly trapped again. After so long a time of relief, I was trapped again. That is, until the Lord spoke to me through the power of His own resolve to see me whole. With indescribable gentleness, the Lord reached out His hands to me. “Trapped again? Are you trapped again? You were never free from these things at all. You only had suppressed them and ran from them, hoping that they would disappear. But My love for you is much greater than that. You would have spent the rest of your life wondering why I apparently did not care about the pain you were going through. You would have spent the rest of your life doubting My complete and uncompromising care and love for you. And I could not have that.

“Everything you would have thought and done would have been tainted with that nagging doubt. It would have haunt ed you and caused you to hesitate at My direction and leading for your life. No, no, I want you to be free. I want you to
understand that evil men who do not submit to My Lordship misuse the free will I gave them. I gave mankind a free will not to do as they please, but to explore the depths of My love by the motivation of their own hearts, joyously exploring the many facets and opportunities I have placed within them freely and according to the desires I gave them.

“I never intended for man to use his divinely-given freedom to abuse others who also want to search the magnitude of My love.”

Suddenly, all the years of doubt and frustration welled up from within. could not hold it any longer. Finally, I could release it without fear. He knew how I felt! He knew what I was afraid to admit! He knew I was so afraid that just maybe He didn’t really love me.

I thought I was dirty. I thought all these things had disqualified me from His love and from His plan for me. But now I know. NowI do not have to be afraid He will let me down. He never turned His back on me. He never planned this for my life. From the moment those bad things began to happen to me, He set out a plan for my deliverance. I will ever be thankful for what He has done.

“Oh, My afflicted and storm-tossed loved one.” His words penetrated my innermost being. He held me close to His heart, and I knew He waited for just such a time. I knew He wanted to heal me and take away all the pain. “I will put your life in order like precious jewels. I will lay your foundations in sapphires. I will build your walls of protection out of rubies and your gates will be of crystal.

“I am telling you the truth; every thing about you will be made of gems. When someone looks at you, all that they will see will be precious. Your entire wall will be a sight to behold, glistening in the Son.” I began to weep uncontrollably in His arms. Only He could know how I have longed to hear those words whispered into the depths of my heart. Only He could utter such words, allowing my own spirit to soar with His.

But I still could not control the flow of my tears. They flowed out like a great river. His words echoed again and again in my mind. I did not have to be strong all alone anymore. There was One who was strong for me. There was One who cared for me and who was here for me now. I was like a sponge soaking up His love and heal ing. My mind raced back to all the years of fear and condemnation; to the times I…I…did not want to remember. But I could face them now. I could face even the most painful times. As those memories flooded my heart, new pain, and even more sobbing, welled up from within. But something was happening. The more I remembered, the more I gave over to Him, the less overwhelming the pain became.

Like a great spiritual cleanser, my tears, in union with His love and forgiveness, began to wash away the pain. The memories were still there, but the pain was gone. It was being taken away by Him who alone has the power to heal and to restore to wholeness.

After what seemed to be several hours, although I do not know really how long it was, I wiped my eyes and with blurry amazement, realized that the Lord still held me in His arms, looking so lovingly right through to my spirit.

I sensed that we were walking. Well, He was walking and carrying me. We slipped into a cool, swiftly moving river. The water was so clear that you could see through to the bot tom. As the cool water engulfed me, His face broke into a smile that would brighten a thousand midnights. “Are you ready?” He asked as though something was about to happen.

But before I could say anything, and still holding me tightly, we plunged underwater while He twirled me around and around. Bubbles surged twirled me around and broke all around us. The swirling was making the water form little rivulets over His face as He watched me with an eye of grand anticipation. The water was washing away every vestige of my tears—and with them went all the uncertainty and doubt of His love for me. As quickly as we had plunged into the depths of the river, we came to the surface again.

I could not tell if it was the water from the river or tears coming down His face. The ecstasy of the moment had brought a fresh deluge down my own face. I did not understand how or why, but I knew He was for me. I knew I could believe Him. I knew that from now on, the battle was not mine, the pain was not mine, the torment was not mine. I was free to be all that God had for me to be.

He gently brought me to the side of the river where He lay me against a huge tree. Its roots dove deep into the ground hungrily, as though it knew the richness and power of the river that swirled beside it.

Angels came from everywhere, tending to the needs of the Lord, and much to my surprise, to my needs as well. They gently pulled leaves from the tree and laid them upon my brow, bringing an assuring warmth and calmness to the deepest recesses of my heart. Somehow I knew that things would never be the same again. Even though years of fear and frustration screamed to me that all would return to normal before much time had passed, I knew it would be different. The pain no longer dictated how I felt or what I believed. It was gone. Its power had been broken and now I could determine what I would focus on. It was truly my decision.

As I lay against this magnificent tree, night began to fall and the Lord began to speak to several of the angels who were nearby. They listened to Him carefully, occasionally nodding as He spoke and gestured with His hands. One of the angels subtly turned his eyes toward me, momentarily catching my glance, but quickly turning back to the Lord. Soon, their instructions apparently complete, they flew off in every direction.

The Lord stood alone for a moment in the twilight, then turned and walked in my direction. The dew was falling now and the dampness sent a chill through my entire body. In every direction there was only darkness. Darkness and silence—except, of course, for the sound of the rushing waters that had healed me that day. But even that was only a sound, for the darkness had engulfed everything. I had never been here before, and now it was night. I had no idea what to expect next, but I trusted Him. That was certain.

Yes, for the first time in my life, that was certain. He knelt down in front of me and took my face ever so gently into His hands. “I have longed to plant this truth in your heart.” He carefully leaned over me and whispered into my ear, “I will never leave you; I will never give up on you. My love for you is too great, and I will not permit it to happen.” More quickly than I could ever understand, His precious words were received into my heart with a little prick of pain, as one would feel a thorn on a rose stem pierce his finger as he enjoyed the rose’s fragrance.

It was a moment I would always cherish. It was one I would relive again and again as He took me deeper into His dream for my life.

Then with a rush of wind and a thunder of hooves that startled me for a moment, more angels than could be counted surrounded me. They rode the most wonderful horses anyone could imagine. The horses were alert and poised, pawing the ground with ears back, anxiously awaiting a command from their riders.

These angels were different from all the other ones I had seen. These were solemn and piercing in their manner, carrying swords and shields and taking up positions on both sides of me. Some of the horses were skittish as some angels rode off to the rear with their swords drawn and their shields up. “Hold your places!” the Lord’s voice angrily broke the silence. With one animated motion, He was on His horse and about to follow the angels who had just disappeared.

I became frightened when I saw the fire in my Lord’s eyes and I cried out, “Lord, where are You going? I am so afraid!” The Lord pulled back on His reins and the horse came to an abrupt stop. As quickly as He had mounted, He was off the horse. He swirled around and in a moment of time was before me. His eyes blazed with compassion and anger. His hair had blown partially in His face. His clothes wrapped Him like a pillar of fire. He pointed His finger at me with great assurance and comfort. His voice shook with determination and the angels winced at His resolve. They looked at one another as though to say, “We have heard this before!”

I was sure I was about to die as I heard His thunderous voice directed toward me. “No weapon formed against you will flourish. If anyone fiercely attacks you, I will attack him. And every tongue that tries to accuse you of the things that I have forgiven you for, you will stand up and condemn them!” With those mighty words, He turned away. But before I could even allow those words to sink into my heart, He turned around once
more, the fire still raging in His eyes. “This is your heritage because you serve Me. I have promised to take care of you!”

He then turned and mounted His horse. Still He turned to me once again and shouted with great victory, “Your vindication will always be from Me. You have nothing to fear.” With those words, He rode off at full gallop. I watched until He disappeared into the darkness.

It was quiet again, but I was far from alone. Everywhere I looked, angels kept watch over me. I knew I was safe. I knew that whatever was out there that made the Lord ride off so quickly, would not be able to come near me. With that thought lingering in my mind, I fell into a deep sleep.

January-February 1995: Publisher’s Soapbox

Living on the Serrated Edge
By Don Nori

Where is the believer who is willing to see the plan of the Lord from a perspective other than his own? Who of us is secure enough in Christ alone to share his “powerful revelatory plat form” with someone who sees things far differently, but just as passionately, as he does?

Who is there among us with a small enough ego, in whom brokenness has done its work to the point that he has nothing to defend, nothing to prove, and no one to beat?
Such is the heart of the Father in these exciting, yet troublesome days. He will be content only with a Body that excels in servanthood and humility, and whose very sustenance is to do the will of the Lord.

A man who lives in this posture will rejoice as God uses people other than his own associates, and will genuinely pray for those whose passion is different from his own. This man sees a God bigger than what He is able to commission to one group of believers. He sees a God who is not interested in competition or comparisons among His own. This man walks softly before Him because He is the plumb line to which he compares himself. When he does compare himself to Him, he is silent in wonder at His mercy and grace.

Falling Into the “Me” Trap
The clamor of carnal and sweaty jealousies only pollute the spiritual atmosphere with unregenerate rhetoric. Those jealousies confuse the soul and reduce the purity of His call to petty issues that arouse fleshly emotions and reveal unsanctified ambitions.

Because we really do not under stand the anointing, or the incredible privilege we all have as partakers of His anointing, we are all too quick to judge and condemn one another when we do not flow in the same “cutting edge” anointing. Therefore we wade through mounds of faxes, newsletters, books, and TV shows…all telling us quite clearly (and quite emphatically) that what God has given to whoever has our attention at the time, is certainly the closest to God’s heart and purposes for this generation.

I am totally in admiration of those believers who are called of God to put their futures on the line by blocking abortion clinics. They do a ministry that requires a tremendous amount of anointing and grace. They are able to do such an extraordinary job because they are graced and anointed to do so. In fact, it takes such an incredible anointing that everything else pales in significance to that call. That is as it should be. A call needs an intensity of focus, zeal, understanding, compassion, and love to do it. The trap, however, is the same one that we all fall into—no matter what He has called us to do. Our “tunnel vision” skews our perspective and gives us an unbalanced sense of importance in relationship to the rest of the Body. All of a sudden, “our” ministry is the most important and the most significant one on God’s heart. We alone are on the cutting edge.

Remember, the intensity of the anoint ing and gracing is essential or we could not do these incredible things. But we must also remember that it takes a powerful anointing and gracing to do anything of significance in the Kingdom and, in the broader analysis, no ministry is more important than another.

A Serrated Edge
If we would all be willing to take a step back and look at the whole Body of Christ instead of only the part God has given to us (important as that might be), we would see that the so-called cutting edge of God’s purposes is more like a serrated edge. God is doing many things today that are apparently un related and yet vitally interlocked in the heart of the Father. One cannot exist without the other, for in the economy of God, our lives are interwoven with one another in supernatural ways that we cannot even begin to perceive.

What part is more essential to our bodies? Let me put it another way. What is a more “cutting edge” activity in the body? Are our lungs more important than our hearts? Are our blood vessels more critical than the blood they carry? Do they argue and sweat over which part is more important or necessary? Are they not all “cutting edge”? In light of the essential functions needed to keep the body alive and well, are they not all equally critical?

Of course, “cutting edge” sounds much more impressive. It makes me sound like I am ahead of the rest. When I am on the “cutting edge” everyone must follow me. Everyone looks to me. I am the authority. I am the one who has that special connection with God.
The “serrated edge” is boring. Then I am not the only expert anymore. There are many, many folks who are hearing significant things from the Lord. No one is looking at me in awe and wonder anymore. No, the “cutting edge” is definitely better…for the ego maniac in me.

A Day in the Body
Back in November, I got a fax from a pro-life group who told me that unless I was out blocking abortion clinics with my body chained to a parking meter, I was not in the will of God. A few minutes later I got anoth r fax from a national intercessory prayer group who told me that if I did not fast and pray for three days before the election, I would be responsible for whatever happened on election day. So I had an anvil of guilt for each shoulder.Later that day I innocently began opening my mail. The next 30 minutes was a mastication experience that still gives me an occasional night mare. In just a half hour, I discovered that God only meets in homes; He primarily moves only in the Arts and Pageantry; my financial future was hinging on my willingness to buy into a program that was the cut ting edge of God’s plan for my financial freedom; the future of the Church is in celebrating the Jewish Feasts; I had to go to a Midwest city to get a cutting edge word from the Lord; I had to throw my Christmas tree away or God would never bless me again; and if my congregation was not rolling on the floor with laughter and uncontrolled hilarity, I had a demon of depression.

After much prayer, I realized that my only hope of being in God’s perfect will was to go to Missouri, form a Messianic congregation that met in homes, refuse to celebrate Christmas, put all our money in mutual funds, worship in angel costumes while blocking abortion clinics, and tell lots of “dumb blonde jokes” during my sermons. Now before you think I oppose any of these areas I have used as an example. let me quickly say that with the possible exception of the Christmas tree, all these areas are vital to God’s purposes and are part of God’s serrated edge movement. Each has its critical importance in the many-faceted plan of God in these awesome days. But let’s face it, one is not more important than the other in the overall picture of the Body.

Functioning as a Body
I am grateful that my heart concentrates on doing its job precisely 72 times every minute. My heart does not have time to exalt itself over my lungs as a more important function. Personally, I want my heart to mind its own business and leave the lungs to my head, which is perfectly capable of directing their activities. After all, my body parts are not in competition; they are co-laborers. Their individual functions are different, but they are intricately and inseparably woven together in purpose and destiny. Their functional unity brings about a wholeness and an accomplishment exponentially greater than their individual responsibility, no matter how important we seem to think each is.

Unless the parts are joined, a heart pumps blood onto the ground, accomplishing nothing and ultimately destroying itself for lack of the nourishment that it must rely on other body parts to supply in order to survive.

Instead of clamoring for the most prominent seats at the banquet, let us rather devote ourselves to what God has given us to do. Let’s bless one another in the diversity of His Body. With genuine hearts, not from hidden agendas or unspoken criticism, let’s pray for one another. Let’s rejoice, from a sincere hope for success, when someone else prospers even beyond our prosperity. Instead of trying to win over the masses to our cause, we
should prayerfully consider how to enlarge what God’s done for us. not at each others’ expense, but for each others’ benefit. To be sure. God will lead some to join various causes. but please, don’t feel guilty or feel like a failure when a handful of newsletters comes your way. telling of the wonders and power of the “cutting edge.” Just do what God has told you to do and do it with every ounce of strength you have. That is when you can be sure you are part of God’s mighty serrated edge activities.

May-June 1995: Publisher’s Soapbox

The Secret of the Church
By Don Nori

The Vision
You have never seen a storm such as this one in all your life! The blackened night is periodically splattered with light as lightning streaks from one part of the sky to another. Angry, rolling thunderheads batter the earth with torrents of water. Hail and sleet can be seen shimmering through the darkness with each flash of light. The guttural sound of thunder seems almost to shake your soul as it growls across the landscape. Nature seems to know it must submit to such thunderous scowls. The trees bow and bend low before the piercing wind and relentless rain. On and on it goes.

You desperately scan the horizon; there is no sign of the storm’s ending. How you hope to see a distant sliver of orange gold just above the peak of the eastern mountains! But no such relief is there. The maelstrom is continuous. It would almost be monotonous if it were not for the fear and uncertainty it wrought in your heart.

In the midst of this angry barrage of nature’s fury, men can be seen frantically attempting to erect some sort of structure, some sort of protection from the storm. With each flash of light, you begin to notice that there are hundreds, maybe thousands of people huddled together around these buildings. The relentless wind drives the icy rain against them as they shiver with cold and gloom.

Families stand together, some entwined in blankets and others holding tiny children inside their drenched coats. Occasional whimpers and cries from frightened toddlers are quickly tended to, although little can be done to improve their lot. No one moves. You see only blank stares as they watch the men labor hopelessly against a storm.

Your heart begins to shiver as you wonder what this vision might mean. You have already seen many marvelous, even glorious things since you stepped within the veil. But this is different. Somehow, you are sure you will not like what you are about to see.

Dawn Approaches
The dull blackness begins to give way to a sullen gray as dawn approaches. The storm has not let up, even for an instant. The rain and ice, driven by the wind, continue to angrily pummel both the workers and those watching. The fog, moving swiftly along the ground, lends a ghostly appearance to this hopeless scene. Forms of many people become visible in the early dawn.

But something very perplexing is happening. In the night, when vision was limited to the streaks of lightning, you had a very different thought as to what was happening. You thought there were maybe 20 or 30 men working together in their attempt to build a shelter. Almost in disbelief, you discover that what you saw was not 20 or 30 men frantically working, but 20 or 30 or SO different work sites.

These men are not working together! They are not even talking from work site to work site, even though the buildings are so close as almost to be touching. Not only are these men not working together, site to site, but there appears to be quite a level of disorder within each work area.

The storm has made communication so difficult that few are even trying. Work is done in a haphazard, even helter-skelter fashion, all in an unfruitful effort to build a shelter. You even observe one group building one side of a wall and another group, only a few feet away, tearing down the same wall.

Each seems to be convinced in what he is doing, yet little is really being accomplished. Each seems to have his own plan to follow, almost oblivious to what others are doing. In exasperation, you turn to the Lord. “Wouldn’t these men benefit from at least trying to understand what he others are doing?’ But the vision continues as though He did not hear you.

More Bothersome Sights
The morning brightens, if you can call it brightening; the clouds continue to roll low in the sky, spewing their anger upon the earth. Other, even more bothersome sights become visible. Why, some builders are pulling at those watching, occasional ly snatching one or two here and one or two there, totting them not only to work on the structure, but to become part of its walls.

Ruthlessly they pound and bend, trying to get these poor folks to fit into slots of the builders’ choosing. Often in the course of the building, these people are tossed aside in disgust, not being able to be correctly fit into place. Sometimes stones and blocks are discarded as well. These are hurled haphazardly into the crowd, where some people are hurt, maimed, and even killed by the flying debris.

“What is happening?” you cry out to the Lord. “Is there no one to really help these people? Is there no one with answers?’ In frustration, you burst out to God, ‘Where is the Church in this time of crisis?’ Immediately the answer comes, piercing and streaming, and quite unacceptable to your conscious mind.

“You are watching the Church,” the Lord replies. “Or what man has called the church over the centuries. Instead of this world’s storms driving them to Me and to one another, their pride and stubborn hearts drive them to a self-determination that destroys not only themselves, but all those they are so sure they are called to love and shepherd.

“Men who have no time to wait upon the Lord build according to the partial illumination of the candlesticks in the Holy Place. Worse, they may build accord ing to old patterns, left in the past be cause their time was done. They can never discern the depths of God on this level. They can never see clearly concerning the Church in the Holy Place. The light is just not there.”

But what does this mean? Why have you worked so hard? Why have you struggled so long? To be sure, there are those few who have labored to provide a safe harbor for God’s people. There have been those for whom the veil was pulled back, and Jesus truly displayed His Lordship upon them. Yes, here and there genuine church life is experienced by those who have no reputation to defend, no agenda to put into place, no other motive than His love. But even though you try to contain your human emotion, you almost can not help being angry. You have accepted a definition of the Church of Jesus Christ that is vastly different from the one He said He would build.

The Lord’s Explanation
“I am quite sorry I must do this,” you hear the Lord speak gently to your heart. “But if you are to understand, you must know the truth. Anything you build that is not from within the veil is not the Church. Pid I not say that I would build My Church, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it? Pardon Me if I tell you that that Church is not for the Millennium. It is not for some future generation to have to deal with. This Church is part of My Covenant provision for you.

“Do not be alarmed if I tell you that those churches that hurt, inflict pain, and impose legalism and guile are not built by Me, Churches in which members revel in adultery, slander, or gossip were not built by Me. Any place where wolves are permitted to devour the sheep is not My handiwork. The Church I am building is built of broken hearts who are willing to be changed by My power and consequentIy can yield to My power. These people will be as abundant as the dew in the morning. My Church does not stand idly by, watch ing their brethren be deceived by religious charlatans who milk and rob My people of the money that should be used for My purposes.

“My Church is a haven from the storm. It is a place of rest and strength. The Church I am building is a Church strong in love and compassion. There is a highway in this Church—the highway of holiness. The unclean cannot walk its pavement, for it is for the redeemed of the Lord. They will walk this highway free from the oppression and bondage of men. There will be none to devour in this Church, no lion lurking to tear asunder the people of God. There I Myself will shepherd My people Israel. There I will gather My people to Myself. And the tug of the Spirit will be stronger than any wall you might be able to erect.

“I will draw My people to this Church. Walls of prejudice and envy will come crash ing down as men and women of broken and contrite heart respond quickly and with resolve to Me within the veil. For this is My resting place forever. Here will I dwell. For I have chosen Zion; I have desired it for My habitation. I will abundantly bless her provision, will satisfy her poor with bread, will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy.”

At Last You Understand
You begin to understand the weariness of the Lord with all your petty excuses and lame attempts to set aside this glorious Church for some future day. Yes! Your heart leaps with exhilaration—it is possible! Jesus does want to build His Church here and now, a Church that even hell cannot affect.

How strange it is now to hear a pas tor proclaim that his church was ravaged by the devil. His group might have been ravaged. But if it were truly His Church, it could not have been touched. This is not good news for the carnal. It is not good news for those who have been diligently building in the storm, with no direction, no unction, and no help.

Beautiful structures of wood, hay, and stubble have been erected for centuries in His Name. But just as in the vision, they cannot protect and shield from the storm, for they are not of Him.

But let us be patient. He is determined. He will build His Church, but it will be built within the veil, by broken and contrite vessels who have no agenda and no desire for glory. We are about to see His Church emerge, the virgin Church, who has not bowed the knee to Baal and has not lain with Babylon and its wickedness. When we see this Church come, she will be awesome in beauty and splendor. strong in character and purpose, and desperately in love with Jesus.

Adapted from Secrets of the Most Holy Place by Don Nori.