Hello Friends; Repenting of dead works is one of the foundations of true faith or as Eugene Peterson translates it in the Message, "turning your back on 'salvation by self help' and turning in trust towards God".  However, our experience was that the dead works began to pile up after we became followers.  When we first began to follow Jesus we knew nothing except to receive and give.  We talked about Jesus every where and God was at work.  Then we began to listen to more and more teaching.  Then we began to give more and more teaching.....

"The reason we were not seeing revival was because the church was out of order.  We needed to submit to the authority of the apostles and prophets."  We were radical and committed so we submitted whole heartedly and the apostles received our honour but still the harvest did not come.  Did we not see that Jesus is our apostle and we are all brothers, friends and servants?  Did we not see that hierarchies destroy life while friendship releases life?

"The reason we were not seeing harvest was because we needed to build an alter of worship so that the glory would fall and draw men and women to Jesus."  We were radical and committed so we worshiped, shouted, jumped and danced.  Did we not understand that it was Christ in us the hope of glory?  Did we not see that this model of worship was a return to Old Covenant realities?  God was not "out there" to fall but in us to be expressed?

"The reason we were not seeing harvest and financial blessing is because we were not tithing accurately. "  Some even taught that the blessing on a body would be according to the percentage of the body that tithed.  We were radical and committed so we tithed and gave and believed for blessing but the harvest did not come.  Some blamed the few who did not give!  Did we not see that we were turning God into a legalistic,  miserly accountant rather than a generous father?

"The reason we were not seeing harvest was because we were not praying enough."  So we prayed more, fasted more and cried out to God more.  We had massive prayer rallies.  Did we think that God was unwilling to love people to Himself?  Did we think we needed to convince Him to do what He says He will do?  Did we not understand that prayer as "vain repetition" destroys relationship with God? 

"The reason we were not seeing harvest was because of the curses, demonic bondages and past sins."  We were radical and committed so we confessed, did spiritual warfare and broke curses.  We did reconciliation marches.  Did we not understand that if we wanted to break all the curses we would need to go all the way back to Adam?  Did we not understand that was done in Christ on the cross?  Why could we not hear Jesus say, "It is finished!"

"The reason we were not seeing harvest was because we did not have enough of the Holy Spirit."   So we had New Wine nights, Fire nights, River nights and Soaking Sessions.  People experienced healing, joy, renewal but still the harvest did not come.  Did we not understand that the Holy Spirit fills us so that we will go and do the works of Jesus outside the four walls?  The filling is for the street, not the platform.

"The reason we were not seeing harvest was because we were not hungry enough for God."  So we went to more meetings and more conferences to be hungry and to be filled.  We disregarded what Jesus said about those who drink from the Holy Spirit- they never thirst again!  Going to meetings may not prove we are hungry for God.  It may only prove that we bought into a religious culture of going to endless meetings.  

Why did we see people come to Jesus when we first came to Him?  We did not know to do any of the things listed above.  We were simply on the streets, in the apartments,  in the cafeterias and in the clubs talking to people about Jesus.  Jesus said go so we went.  

These "sacred traditions of the holy charismatic church"  can be dead works just as much as praying beads or killing chickens.   We were full of a works mentality- this is what you must do if you want........  We practised and taught spiritual technology to fulfill our visions.  At best, we were sincere legalists secure in our arrogance that we were more committed and more active than other groups.   At worst we were wizards trying to manipulate spiritual realities.  We disregarded that Jesus committed to build His church!  We disregarded that Jesus promised to give His Kingdom to His children.

We are repenting of dead works again.  

How deep do these things go in us?  

However deep, grace goes deeper!

The Kingdom of God is freely received and freely given!

Enjoy the grace of God!

Steve & Marilyn