Honey, I Don't Want Your Vinegar!

There is a lot of “anti-church” sentiment, along with much negative rhetoric out there. In ever growing numbers, people are clearly frustrated with what they know to be “church”. More and more people are separating themselves, having washed up empty. I, myself, have had much to say about that whole religious system that is less than flattering!

Yet I have tried, at all times to distinguish between the real Church of the Living God (which began at Shavout, a.k.a., Pentecost a couple of thousand years ago, by the hand of God - and that substitutionary system which began to form immediately after that, as tares were sown into the wheat) and that which gained strength and form during the time of Constantine. They are not one and the same! God's Church was and is formed and built on His foundation – Torah. But the substitute flees His Law, redefines it, and has built a whole other house on a very shaky foundation. And, consequently is about to fall. In fact, it is crumbling around us daily, as its sin is exposed and its faults come to the forefront! Judgment begins with HIS OWN.

We must not, however, pretend that it hasn't had its place or usefulness up until now! That man-altered, doctrine injected, flesh-ridden mess has, for better or worse, been the wineskin in which the real Church has flourised and grown for all these years since Pentecost! There have been reformations to try and fix the mess made by Contstantine and the well-meaning, but sincerely deceived, “Church Fathers” - but they have never succeeded, they never went far enough back to the crux of what this entity was founded on – they never went back – as so many Kings of the Old Testament Israel did – to the Word of God which was given to govern them on Sinai!

The very celebration of which, God Himself chose to impart His Spirit to them! They were there, in Jerusalem because of this celebration – the Feast of Shavuot – the celebration of the giving of the Torah! God instituted that His people celebrate the giving of His Law for HIS people, for all time! And then sealed it, by sending them HIS Spirit, who would help them (and eventually us) work it into the woof and weave of their very beings!

I know. I do talk about this a lot! But that is because it truly seems to be the crux of “what is wrong with this picture?”! And I believe that it is because we have confused the wine skin with the wine! And in doing so, we have taken on many forms and rituals that have, not only failed to lead us to God, but which have effectively prevented us from finding Him - on so many levels!

Don't get me wrong! He is merciful and kind! And He comes to all who call upon Him in sincerity! But He tells us plainly and repeatedly that He does not regard sin, nor idolatry, and - unfortunately for all concerned - the very wineskin upon which we have depended, over which we have slaved, and toiled, is eaten through with the very things which God has plainly said that He hates! As I press into His truth on this, I am finding that His mercy is much greater than we have ever began to realize! The fact that He has tolerated, and even blessed this mess, for all these centuries staggers me! He is Good to all, and His mercy endures forever!!!

But, no more! Its time has come to an end. He is done blessing this man made mess. He is ready for us to lay that religious noise aside, along with all our other fleshly inclinations and run after Him. He has formed a new wine skin, and those who are grafted into the real Vine – the Vine of Israel – Messiah, Yeshua – will find life within the new wineskin. There is a definite separation process going on these days – suddenly there is a clear line being drawn, as prophesied - between the sheep and the goats, the tares and the wheat, the real and the pretend! The real is being flushed out by the pressure of persecution! Subtle in some places and drastic in other – but it has begun!

We – the real, living Church, which is the fruit of HIS VINE, have the LIVING WORD, Yeshua, as our example. He taught, lived and commissioned the Torah. He vouchsafed it to us. Not to live it as the Pharisees taught it, with all of THEIR addendums and dumbed-down substitutions – which allowed people to live it in their own strength! But to live as HE, the Rabbi Ha Gadol, taught it! In simplicity and purity. He taught us loving obedience to a loving God! Not a tight-lipped tolerance of Him! He taught a Spirit-worked transformation, not a Shepherd enforced subjugation!

Listen folks, the world has had it with the vinegar, which this old, corroded, twisted, perverted, fairly useless wineskin is producing. It is watered down, bitter as quinine, and virtually lifeless! It is a man made mess that needs to be put aside for the sake of His Kingdom! We are never going to reach the world with that vinegary cheap substitute!

We need the sweetness of His Word, which the Psalmist said was like honey to His lips! We need this for the Church of today! The Real Church of the Living God is no longer satisfied with the substitutions and is no longer tolerant of that which offends their God! We are hungry for His Word, His Way, and His Life!

And we will settle for nothing less! And, the best thing about this move of the Spirit is that, as we embrace Him, and Lift Him – The Living Word – UP once more in our lives – we will then, and only then – draw all men to Him! But then, you know what granny always said, “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, darlin'!” There was wisdom in that old gray head...in spite of that system!

Selah....

Shalom Chavarim!