It is amazing to say the least how many manage the 'coming out' part, but utterly fail in the next stage... they cannot let go of the teachings they have acquired, and end up starting a new, improved version of what they were delivered from... exchanging one prison cell for another. Teachings are great, the administration of spiritual gifts have their place and purpose, but they are not an end in and of themselves, they are merely tools that will pass away, intended to bring us to full maturity in the Spirit (in the Son). If ever there was an hour when we needed maturity, it is now.

Psalms 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

It is God who draws us to come out in the first place. He places a hunger within us to know Him. He does this because He desires for us to come to the Truth, in our inner man. To "no longer be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine." It is not an easy process. Following Christ is not for sissies, or the faint-hearted. We cannot love the world, nor the things of the world, and ever hope to come to maturity.

1 Corinthians 13:9-13 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

We see in-part, we understand in-part, but our flesh wants to believe that we see clearly and have all the answers. Our flesh is so easily puffed-up and resists the truth at every step of the way. The easiest thing for us to do is to think that we know more than we actually do... to assume that we have full comprehension of spiritual realities.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

Several keys are found in the above verses...

We need to comprehend that we are still in-part. By no means do we know everything as we should. Yes, we are seeking and desire to be made conformable to His image, but we still are for the most part weak and ineffectual. We are still in the process of growing up into Christ.

The way of man is to thrust infants out to preach the Gospel. What ends up happening is that their own personal focus is diverted from knowing Christ... in relationship... to promoting the teachings of men 'about Christ.' They never learn to hear the voice of God, or how to respond to the promptings of the Spirit. They are taught that God loves everyone and everyone is a candidate for salvation. There is no comprehension that God does the selecting... God chooses whom He will draw unto Himself, and how... and when. We are taught that it is our duty to try to win the world, with only in-part knowledge. The result is ineffectual witnessing... lip-service conversions... and frustrated believers that never reach maturity. Consider if you will...

Proverbs 14:12-16 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways:

and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.

Paul was probably one of the most widely used of all the Apostles, yet he openly acknowledged "now I know in part." Where do we get off thinking we can interpret the scriptures with our own understanding? Yet isn't that what multitudes today are doing?

Consider if you will, what did he mean by "but then shall I know even as also I am known?" Could it be that he is confessing that he realized that although he saw many spiritual things clearly, he looked forward to the day when he would in fact know (become fully acquainted with) even as he is known. I believe he is speaking of, looking forward to the day when he will see and know as God sees and knows... including seeing himself as God sees him. This is important... considering that Paul wrote a huge portion of the New Testament, yet he never claimed that he had 'arrived.' Paul looked forward to the day described in ... 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

It matters not how we see ourselves, while it matters greatly how God sees us. We must strive to come into conformity with God, not with men.

He summed the above passage with this: "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." Faith, Hope and Love. In all of his writings he expounded on these three things. They are intangibles, as they are not physical things... yet they are the necessary tools we must possess and utilize if we would know God and be found pleasing in His sight. He stressed that the greatest of these was LOVE. We need to come to an understanding of God's love, which is far removed from man's love, which is simply an emotion that comes and goes.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. Flat out, we cannot do this... in our own strength. We are dependent upon God for the ability to comply with all of His commandments to us.

Too often, we attempt to comply with His directives in our own strength, with our own abilities. In some cases this seems to work, and we mistakenly believe that we are complying with this commandment. But eventually we will be confronted with people and situations that will utterly devastate our 'good-will' emotional reservoir... that will tax our sense of justice and push us to the breaking point. Many make a great showing of love... that is until you disagree with them. Then the love is hard to find.

Jesus made the point that even the world loves their own, but it takes God in us to be able to love the unlovely. Not only must we love as God loves, but we must love God more than anything else in this world. This includes our own families. Jesus said in Matthew 10:36-37 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me... He was not making a suggestion here... He was warning us that we can expect to be rejected by those in this world that we love the most. This is a major stumbling block for many. There is a choice here that must be made. Will we be obedient to God, even if it costs us everything? Because following Christ will cost everything.

Micah 3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

Today, we see the fulfillment of this prophetic word in Micah. False prophets supported by power hungry leaders supporting one another in their errors, deceiving their followers and all the while proclaiming that they are righteous in God's sight. Such is the state of the Church in this generation. Who are you following... and whose voice are you listening to?

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Know that all philosophy and vain deceit, all the traditions of men, all the fundamental knowledge of the world, will only serve to feed your flesh. These things will never bring you into the knowledge of or relationship with Christ.

As the opening verse declares, we must come out of the polluted systems that man has built... that man calls the 'House of God.' But we only come out when God tells us to. When He lets each one know personally, enough is enough, come out from among them and into the relationship with Himself that He is drawing us to. It will not work to 'come out' just because someone else is doing it. We must learn to be led by the Spirit in all things. There is much to be learned while sitting under the tutelage of men. Not necessarily those high and lofty things that they are convinced they are sharing... more often than not, it is the things to avoid, and what not to do. There is a time and place for everything under the sun.

We must learn patience, we must partake of the sufferings of Christ (definitely not a popular opinion), we must have our spiritual senses exercised, that we may learn and grow in spiritual discernment. Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Hebrews 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

We are given ample opportunity every day to exercise our spiritual discernment, to grow in our faith, to display love by our conduct... how we treat others.

Why should we be concerned with all of these things? Because each and every one of us will stand before God... some of us sooner than later. Because our Lord commanded us to follow HIM, to keep His commandments, to live by the Spirit and not the flesh. Following His description of what things would signify the time of the end, Jesus said:

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Right here is what should be of primary importance to us. That when all the battles are over and the smoke clears, we can stand before the Son of man.

Even the world is talking about Armageddon and the Last days. There has been an enormous increase in people delving into the supernatural, psychic hotlines, mediums have their own television shows. And all of this is perfectly acceptable today, and has fallen into the 'normal' category of social thinking. Things that would have appalled and grieved our grandparents and great-grandparents, don't even evoke a twinge in the conscience of modern man.

The really sad thing today is the state of the Church overall. Those leaders who hold the spotlight, the ones the world sees as being an example of what Christianity in the West is all about, are embroiled in sex scandals, selling the gospel according to them for a price, employing the same marketing strategies as the world, and still being hypocritical enough to call themselves saved. They vie for followers like carnival hucksters. "Come on down and see the show!" And what a show they put on... but where is the Spirit of God in all of this activity? Where is Holiness, Reverence, The anointing power of conviction? Where is the mass repentance? Where are the changed lives?

Where is the love for the brethren, when leaders are living in million dollar estates, and calling it the blessing of God? All the while bilking the last mite from the widow's hand to enlarge their own so-called 'ministries?" These people are so brazen as to defy anyone to speak out against them. They have no concept of the fear of the Lord. How does what we are seeing perpetrated upon the people today, differ from the leadership of the scribes and Pharisees that Jesus addressed?

Matthew 15:7-9 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

The risen Christ commanded John to pen these words on the Isle of Patmos, for our benefit...

Revelation 3:15-22 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear;

and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Who are YOU going to listen to?

Do you believe that you are ready to STAND before the Son of man?

Now is the time to prepare our hearts... to come into agreement with God's plan... to lay down our self-life and seek after the life of the Spirit within.

In closing, Jesus said in Luke 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.