Long quote from Art Katz from the message "Suffering." This gives great insight into the 'suffering' of close fellowship, which almost no one in the church in the United States knows because our prosperity allows us to retreat into our own "space" away from each other. We have not truly opened up our lives and hearts to one another in a way that will make us vulnerable to each others faults... but it is coming. By the grace of God "prosperity" is hanging by a thread at the moment, and soon we will have the blessing of community. Soon these words of His will 'make sense.'
"Suffering in the true Church as a result of close fellowship is the inevitable and natural out-working of God's sanctifying work with His people to bring them from where they presently are to where they need to be, to bring them from the things that are earthly to the things that are heavenly, to bring them from the things that are soulish to the things that are spiritual. Its painful before it is glorious. Only a jealousy for the glory of God makes us willing to bear the suffering and tension in the church. Passing through the veil of disillusionment with others and with our self."
I will only add the cry of Malachi, "Purify the sons of Levi!"
"Suffering in the true Church as a result of close fellowship is the inevitable and natural out-working of God's sanctifying work with His people to bring them from where they presently are to where they need to be, to bring them from the things that are earthly to the things that are heavenly, to bring them from the things that are soulish to the things that are spiritual. Its painful before it is glorious. Only a jealousy for the glory of God makes us willing to bear the suffering and tension in the church. Passing through the veil of disillusionment with others and with our self."
I will only add the cry of Malachi, "Purify the sons of Levi!"
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