Muddy Water or a Pure Gospel Message?

I recently saw a video of Joshua Shaw sharing a prophetic warning for the church. It confirmed several things I’ve said in the last several months and described much of the church where I live.

Joshua shared from Ezekiel 33 and 34 and Haggai.

Ezekiel 33 talks about the responsibility that the watchman has to warn God’s people that they must repent. Chapter 34 talks about shepherds who serve only themselves rather than caring for the sheep, and they muddy the waters and spoil the green pastures for the sheep.

In 2021, I had a vision at a church camp of people drinking muddy water and throwing up as the guest preacher said “God hates you if you’re not tithing.” This led me directly to Ezekiel 34, where God rebukes the leaders who feed only themselves and muddy the water for the other sheep. Joshua Shaw shared another application of the same passage. It was a rebuke to leaders who do not confront what is killing people because they only care about people supporting their ministry and are afraid of offending people.

Joshua talked about how love confronts sin. He says “If your gospel doesn’t confront sin, it can’t deliver people from sin.” He continued his message in the book of Haggai:

Haggai 1:2-10 “Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built.” ’ ”

Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!

“You have sown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
And he who earns wages,
Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord. “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”

I think Joshua was the first person I actually heard who interpreted this passage from Haggai from a New Covenant perspective! He explained correctly that in the New Covenant, people are the temple of God. God is saying to prioritize building His temple, not your own houses.

Many are building their “ministry,” but they are not building up God’s people. By doing so, they are building their own houses, not the house of the Lord. They are not confronting sin so that people can receive deliverance because it might be bad for their “ministry.” But God says “My house is in ruins! My people are in bondage, oppressed by the devil!”

It has become all too common to have people serving “ministries” rather than ministries serving people. I sometimes connect with people in different parts of the world who need healing, deliverance, encouragement, and counsel. They have often been unable to find the help they need in any local church. Yet there are plenty of religious organizations wanting their tithes and support! In my own city, I don’t know a church where I could go as a visitor and see God’s power setting people free like we often see on the street or in people’s homes. Usually, that simply isn’t the priority.

More than one older minister who I have learned from would respond “I don’t have a ministry” when someone mentioned “your ministry.” I like that attitude. I don’t have a ministry. I just get to participate in Jesus’s ministry.

Unfortunately, it has often become the norm to have leaders building their “ministry” (Their own house) and almost completely neglecting the house of the Lord. (God’s people) Lest anyone think I am being overly critical, remember that the apostle Paul wrote the same thing:

 Philippians 2:19-21 (NIV) I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

What Should Confronting Sin Look Like In The Church?

Many Christians had experiences in the past with religious groups that constantly told people how bad they were. They talked about nothing but sin! In reaction to those negative experiences of the past, some groups today emphasize the message “Nobody will condemn you here.” But in practice, that has often come to mean that the church fails to confront what is destroying people, so they remain in bondage and oppressed by the devil.

I remember when I was 14 years old and God gave one of the youth leaders a word of knowledge about my secret sexual sin. It was actually a habit that I had stopped for almost a year, but I was still so bound by guilt and condemnation that I was incredibly relieved when God gave the youth leader that word of knowledge. The purpose was not to condemn but to set me free.

In John 4, Jesus met a woman at the well and told her “You have had five husbands, and the man you have now is not your husband.” He brought her sin and brokenness to light. She ran back to town and said “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” Rather than being condemned, she was touched by the love of God who knew everything she ever did.

God’s love confronts sin because sin destroys people! If we confront sin but we aren’t walking in God’s glory, it is from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil rather than from the tree of life. Even though it might be true, it is just reinforcing what is wrong. Confronting sin in God’s glory brings grace and truth to set people free. The video below is a great example. God gave this guy many details about the person he was going to minister to, manifested His love for the lady, confronted the addiction, and warned her about what would happen if she continued on the same path.

I remember what I call the “sound of revival” when I was a young teenager. It was the sound of weeping and wailing in repentance as God’s love touched people, turning into the sound of holy laughter as people experienced the joy of forgiveness and salvation. God’s grace touched their need.

Some people are offended by what they think are “excessive displays of emotion.” But that sound of weeping turning to laughter is holy. It is precious. It is wonderful.

For years, I longed to hear the sound of holy laughter again. Then a few years ago, I found Mark Hemans and Jesus Encounter Ministries on Youtube. I began to hear that sound again in the meetings of Jesus Encounter Ministries.

I watch all of their meetings on YouTube. They are wild, holy, and full of joy, with all kinds of healing miracles, deliverance, and a pure and simple gospel message. Mark often gives a word of knowledge about the sin of the person receiving ministry. Sometimes he tells a person to ask for forgiveness when they have hurt someone or to forgive someone else. Sometimes he warns people. Often, he has a word of knowledge about how a problem started, and the person receiving ministry confirms it. Many people are set free, delivered from demons, filled with joy, and overwhelmed with God’s love. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!

Sow In Tears To Reap In Joy!

In one of the recent meetings at Casa da Paz (The local drug and alcohol recovery house I’m involved with), I stood up and told the guys that it was a season of sowing in tears so that they could reap in joy. In fact, I felt that the Lord was saying the same for me personally at that time. Sowing in tears means coming face-to-face with the heart issues, pain, and sin that have hurt us and hurt people around us instead of burying those things. It is bringing those things into the light for God’s grace and power to touch them and deliver us.

Those of you who’ve been reading my writing for some time know the emphasis on righteousness and Christ consciousness, not sin consciousness. One great post on this is Falling Out of Sin and into Righteousness. Another more recent article explains how the phrase “The Flesh” has often been wrongly understood so some Christians have an expectation that they will always sin and always fail.

So I’m not talking about living in condemnation, sin-consciousness, or identifying as a failure. “Sowing in tears to reap in joy” just means that when it is clear that you are having issues, face them head-on. Is your conscience bothering you? Are you at peace? Is there some pain deep down? Are you bitter? Even though it may be painful to confront the problem, if you sow in tears you will reap with joy!

James 4:4-10 (NIV) You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
    but shows favor to the humble.”

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Change your empty laughter and superficial joy to mourning and turning to the Lord, and then you will receive heaven’s joy!

Psalm 126 (NKJV) When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.

Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

In many local churches, I find very little edification. I’m bored. And I don’t get bored when the Holy Spirit is moving in power! I get bored with mere human religion that doesn’t need to depend on the Holy Spirit to continue!

But where have I experienced an atmosphere of God’s love and glory? Casa da Paz, where they are ministering to people with addictions and confronting what is killing them! As I follow the move of the Holy Spirit worldwide today, where do I see God’s glory manifest in power and supernatural joy? Where the things that are hurting people are being confronted!

If we are going to build God’s house and not our own little houses of mere human religion, we must go up to the mountains and bring wood, meaning we must bring people to Jesus. And we must build up the people by confronting what is keeping them in bondage and bringing them into an encounter with God’s grace.

And God’s will for all of us is to have holy, heavenly, overflowing joy. Is that lacking in your life? Maybe it is a season of sowing in tears to reap in joy by confronting the sins, hurts, and issues that are holding you back! It’s so worth it in the end! Maybe it’s a time to lament, mourn, and weep! Humble yourself before the Lord, and you will receive His abundant grace!