THE
MATURITY MANTLE
Morris
E. Ruddick
“
Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart
be acceptable in your sight, O Lord .” Psalm 19:4
One
of the most serious stumbling blocks to the Body maturity spoken
of in Ephesians is the words of our mouths and the meditations,
or attitudes of our hearts. The issue has little bearing on achieving
model character. Nor is it a conformity thing. It is foremost
a heart issue that pivots on the depth of our relational connection
with the Lord. It is also a corporate calling issue.
We
all yearn for an outpouring of His power. We cry out for more
of Him. We pray for a new move of God. Yet, within the Body are
destructive undercurrents that undermine both His power and Body
maturity. These are undercurrents driven by the amassing of loose,
misguided tongues (See http://www.strategicintercession.org/articles/MisguidedTongues.htm
).
While
there are a range of sources for these lethal undercurrents, including
corporate witchcraft schemes, the deadliest have as their source
ones anointed for service, whose callings have fallen short of
operating in His rest.
The
Apostle Paul discerned and incisively laid an axe to the root
of sorcery-based undercurrents impeding an initiative he was pursuing.
“Then
Saul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at the sorcerer
and said, ‘You who are full of all deceit and all fraud, you son
of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease
perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the
hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing
for a time.'” Acts 13:6
Yet
sadly, undermining influences far too often come from within our
ranks. The Lord's sovereign intervention with Shebna is a sober
warning to those who misdirect the trust expected in their oversight
of God's people.
“To
Shebna, I will throw you away violently and there you will die.
Then it shall be in that day, that I will call My servant Eliakim.
I will clothe him with your robe and strengthen him with your
belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall
be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of
Judah. The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder;
so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and
no one shall open. I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place,
and he will become a glorious throne to his father's house. They
will hang on him all the glory of his father's house.”
Isaiah 22:15-23
The
Gravity of Destructive Undercurrents
The
amassing and intertwining of destructive undercurrents from those
anointed for service counter the fervent, effectual prayers of
the righteous and short-circuit critical timing issues, along
with obstructing the full knowledge of the Lord. It reflects a
fine line between righteous and necessary judgment on the one
hand and the unrighteous and misguided wielding of power on the
other.
Either
the cycle of snares tied to these undercurrents must be broken
or we will enter a time of cleansing from-on-high that cuts it
short. To a large extent, it is a maturity issue that pivots on
the cost paid for the corporate calling.
The
Cost of the Corporate Calling
There
is no calling or ministry that yields genuine transformation,
without paying the cost. The cost is tied to risk. Risk is tied
to laying it all on the line, with no conditions to following
Him. As Jesus said, “ Many are called, but few are chosen
.”
Beyond
our individual responses to the Lord, there comes a time when
we are corporately called to account. Addressing the churches
in Revelation, the Spirit of the Lord outlined a balance of expectations
to His priorities. This past generation in the West has ridden
the momentum of a unique and powerful surge of revival that dates
back to the sixties. The result has been acceleration toward spiritual
and church growth. Yet, for all the trappings of achievement,
as a church, the West has largely fallen short on the issue of
the cost.
Whether
it is the loss of the first love, or works that fall short, or
the trap of being lukewarm; there is a leadership void of strategically
shepherding the Body into the maturity required to regain the
momentum yearned for by the Spirit.
A
major part of the Body outside the West lives under persecution
for their faith. We refer to it as the suffering church. Yet,
unconsciously we seem to conclude that as the successful, Western
expression of the Body, that our pathway represents the model
for others. Yet, in the words marking the calling of Paul, one
whose impact molded the first-century church, we get a glimmer
of the cost of the calling.
“
I will show him the many things that he must suffer for my
sake .” Acts 9:16
For
the suffering church, becoming a believer can and often does result
in the loss of freedoms ranging from one's standing in the community,
to one's job, to the simple liberty of coming and going …with
many who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for their faith.
“
For this reason the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them
prophets and apostles, of whom they will persecute and put to
death, that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from
the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation.'”
Luke 11:49, 50
The
entrance is through the narrow gate. Disillusionment results when
those seeking to enter the narrow gate, are confronted with the
ambition and self-serving success mantras of those who force their
way to the forefront without the heart to genuinely serve. There's
a world seeking the reality of the Lord operating in our midst,
not those whose intellectual and institutional facades conform
to the world around them. It pivots on the cost.
“In
your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point
of shedding your own blood.” Hebrews
12:4
Understanding
the Times and the Issues
The
time at hand bears a critical significance. The global amassing
of evil requires nothing less than a mature, mobilized Body, willing
to pay the cost. There is an urgent need to remove the undercurrents;
the strongholds flowing from misguided tongues and attitudes of
those anointed for service; who are striving for the wrong reasons.
Unless
judgment is self-initiated, the Spirit of the Lord is going to
rid Himself of the destructive stumbling blocks coming from those
holding back Body maturity for their own gain. The fire has already
begun falling.
“
Their idols speak deceit, the diviners see visions that lie;
they tell false dreams and give comfort in vain. So the people
wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd .” Zech
10:2
The
Snares to Corporate Maturity
The
major snares fueling these undercurrents include pride, the approval
of men, deceit and selfish ambition.
Pride
. There is no level of pride more
subtle or deadly than spiritual pride. Being used by God carries
a higher standard, along with the requirement of regular, effectual
time alone in His presence. It involves a regular washing of oneself
in the Word, an ongoing emptying of self and a heart of humility
that yearns to advance the Kingdom by serving as an opportunity
enabler.
“
Behold the proud .
He enlarges his desires as hell. He is like death and cannot be
satisfied. Because you have plundered many nations, the remnant
of the people shall plunder you! Woe to him who covets evil gain
for his house; to set his nest on high; to be delivered from the
power of disaster. Giving shameful counsel in his own house; sinning
against his own soul. Woe to him who builds with bloodshed and
establishes with iniquity. For the earth will be filled with the
knowledge of the glory of God!” Hab
2:4-13
Approval
of Men . Proverbs reflects a series
of scriptures on the value of wise counsel. The subtle snare among
ministry leaders is in surrounding themselves with “yes-men.”
This is not to suggest the companionship of a contingent of “Jobs's
friends.” However, the balance is in seeking out those with sufficient
experience and maturity to speak the truth in love.
“
Beware of those who love greetings in the marketplaces, the
best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who
devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.”
Mark 12: 38-40
Deceit
. On the most basic level, deceit
is a misrepresentation or false front. It takes courage to be
real. It begins in our prayer closets, with the admonition “ to
speak truth in our own hearts ,” as described in Psalm 15.
On a higher level, deceit runs rampant when manipulation, rather
than love and wisdom, is the means by which leadership is exercised.
“'
Through deceit they refuse to know
Me, says the LORD. ‘Behold, I will refine them and try them. Their
tongue is an arrow shot out; it speaks deceit; they speak peaceably
to their neighbor with their mouth, but in their heart they lie
in wait. Shall I not punish them for these things? Shall I not
avenge Myself on such a people as this?'"
Jeremiah 9:6-9
Selfish
Ambition . Kingdom leadership involves
service. The higher the calling, the greater the cost. The mask,
that confuses the wisdom and direction needed to serve at higher
levels with personal ambition, must be stripped and continually
checked. Jesus clearly explained this truth in Luke 5: 6,7 when
He said: “ Unto him that much is given, much is required;
and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the
more .” He also punctuated this point with: “Gentile
rulers lord over them and their great ones wield their authority.
Not so with you. Let him who is the greatest become the least,
and the leader as the servant.” Luke
22: 25-27
The
Mantle for Maturity
This
is a time for the passing of the mantle between generations. It
is a mantle serving to release corporate maturity. For those called
to leadership, paying the cost is not an option. The path is narrow
and difficult; yet the impact beyond natural expectations and
abilities. Entering His rest with Kingdom principles will beam
the light required to traverse this pathway. In the words of Jesus:
“
He who loves his life will lose it, but he who hates his life
in this world will gain it for eternal life .” John
12:24-25
One
of the greatest clues to leaders who fall short in operating in
His rest within local congregations is when the focus gives anything
less than first priority to “ perfecting of the saints for
the work of the ministry .” This serious breach, aggravated
by misguided ministry gatekeepers, becomes the seedbed for undercurrents.
Zealots, who will stop at nothing to protect “their ministry,”
withhold opportunity from others, with precedence given their
own ambition as they use others to achieve their self-appointed
goals.
This
dynamic perpetuates, instead of closing the unscriptural void,
between the clergy and the laity within church settings. It sows
seeds of destruction and division among those who otherwise would
serve as collaborators. It is a misuse of power. When accompanied
by whispers, words, attitudes, actions …and far too often misdirected
“prayers,” those guilty of this modus operandi won't hesitate
to climb over the backs of others for their own selfish ambitions.
Closing
the Gap
Closing
the gap to corporate maturity will happen only when leaders, from
across the globe, recognize and embrace the cost of the calling
and enter His rest. It will involve regular times of seeking the
Lord, as they check their own ambitions against the priorities
outlined for the Churches in Revelations. It will involve a commitment
willing to laying it all on the line.
The
Least of These . The litmus test for the pathway to corporate
maturity is the response to “ the least of these our brethren
.”
“
Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me
to stumble, it would be better if a millstone were hung around
his neck and he were cast into the sea .” Mark 9: 40-42
Opportunity
Enabling . A genuine Kingdom perspective
reflects a wisdom and zeal that facilitates and nurtures God's
calling for others. True greatness and corporate maturity will
follow in the wake of those who open doors and enable Kingdom
opportunity for others. Jesus' words further enlighten
us: “ He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but
He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no
unrighteousness is in Him. ” John 7:18-19
The
foundation to maturity, as well as to ministry-that-endures is
found in the Kingdom paradoxes imparted to us by Jesus. We
advance by yielding. We lead by serving. Honor comes through humility.
Wisdom is found in simplicity. Making your assets multiply will
bring promotion. Growth comes by giving to others. We extend love
to our enemies. Our purpose in life comes through giving it up.
We receive when giving. Perfect love eliminates fear. In our weakness
we are made strong. Ownership increases by sharing. We bless those
who curse us.
The
Apostle Paul wrote about a time in which those from the very elect
would be deceived. Let us prayerfully heed his warning and be
alert for the subtleties of the snares, with our lamps trimmed,
as we corporately make the choices to pay the cost to be about
His business. The need is for servant leaders,
who enable opportunity for others. The need is to mobilize, equip
and to send.
“We
proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching each one with all wisdom,
so that we may present every man perfect in Christ. To this end
I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works
within me.” Col 1:28-29
It
is a time to cast our crowns before Him. It is a time to go beyond
the lip service of laying down our lives …with a genuine laying
down of our ambitions. It is a time to yield to the cost required
for those who will emerge as the leaders for a generation that
will bring the Body into maturity.
“
For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice
will be seasoned with salt. Salt
is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season
it? Have salt in yourselves and peace with one another .”
Mark 9: 49-50
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Morris
Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman for the call of God
among business leaders. He is author of “The Joseph-Daniel Calling”
and “Gods Economy, Israel and the Nations,” which address the
mobilization of today's top-down and bottom-up economic and community
dimensions of Gods Word. They are available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com
and other popular outlets.
Mr.
Ruddick is also the founder of the Global Equippers Entrepreneurial
Program, which imparts hope and equips economic community builders
where God's light is dim. To schedule a speaking engagement, sponsor
a workshop, make a donation or to get more information on how
you can help, contact Global Initiatives at 303.741.9000.
2008
Copyright Morris Ruddick — info@strategic-initiatives.org
Reproduction
is prohibited unless permission is given by a SIGN advisor. Since
1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized
prophetic intercessors committed to targeting strategic-level
issues impacting the Body on a global basis. For more information
on SIGN, check: www.strategicintercession.org
