My only prayer is that the Church of Jesus Christ will be what the Lord wants her to be. Sit down, read the Book of Acts. Scrutinize and study this book. Scrutinize all of the epistles to the Church (for that matter scrutinize the whole Bible). See how the first Church operated according to the Word of God. Notice how differently the Church today operates in comparison. Then ask Jesus Christ with an open heart, “Lord, are we where we’re supposed to be as a Church? If not, please help the Body of Christ be what You would have her to be. [I’m not trying to put words in your mouth, just ask the Lord in your own way.]
We don’t have the power that the first Church had because: we have traded in the Spiritual for material riches; we don’t sacrifice as they did; and face it, we play to many man-made church games.
We can sing, “Give me that old time religion,” but do we really want it? Are we ready to give it all for Jesus Christ? Are we ready to walk away from slickly-oiled religious organizations and live the way the Apostles and first Christians did? Would we sell all our lands and valuables, give the proceeds to the Church and have everything in common with our brothers and sisters in the Lord? These are tough questions to say yes to. They are tough for me to say yes to. That’s why Christians need to first band together in prayer and simply pray that the Church of Jesus Christ will be exactly what Almighty God wants her to be. I pray it continually, as I pray for more Truth.
We’re not living with the same convictions as the first Church. The young Bride was willing to give it all; the older Bride grumbles about giving ten percent. The early Bride was adorned with treasures that moths and rust could not corrupt -- she wore jewels that thieves couldn’t touch; today’s Bride wears stones that can be thrown down and buildings that can be broken into. The first Church operated at the Spirit’s beck and call; the twentieth century Church is too concerned with schedules and programs to take the time to listen to what the Spirit says unto the Churches. Today’s Church is no longer recognizable as what began on the day of Pentecost ...
... let’s get back to Church.