Tree of LifeChristianFellowship East

609-618-8942 or 609-879-9113“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver” Proverb 25:11  

Rest or Apostasy? Psalm 127: 1-3 , 

“Except the Lord build the house, they labour  in vain that build it: except the Lord keep

the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up

late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. Lo, children are an

heritage of the Lord: and t he fruit of the womb is his reward”.

There is a generation of Christian much like the woman in the New Testament

named Martha. Martha was always so busy for the Lord and always “doing

something for the Lord” instead of waiting at the feet of the Lord Jesus listening to

hear His voice. Now if we look carefully at the meaning of the name Martha we

 find it is Aramaic for mistress or she was rebellious, this shall be importantly

telling as we move on. Many times the people of God are so busy working for the

Lord that they miss the mark God wants them to hit. Consequently, if you notice

as Martha did so shall we; accuse our brethren before the Lord of not being

spiritual enough. However, as you read on notice how the Lord corrects her for her 

error. (Luke 10:41-42)

 

True and devoted service to and of the the Lord must always come out of our 

being held close to His precious heart; lest we miss a beat and become led astray by

our own activity and deceitful human heart. I believe the apostle Paul said it best

in 1 Corinthians 9:27  , “But I keep under my body, and bring it into

subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I 

myself should be a castaway.”  Castaway is a very terrifying word! It lends to

the idea of being set aside unfit for the Potters use. Silver dross. (Ezekiel 22:18)

There are roughly 350,000 religious congregations in the United States alone,

but with so many zealous worshippers of God have you ever wondered where is the

Glory of God? Should not the Glory of God be where He is truly honored? The

Glory of God always changes men and society, there is not real authentic, lasting

inward change without the Glory of God moving on the face of humanity. Our 

Great land sits unchanged, unsaved, unconverted and full of wickedness and

hypocricy. Even the sinner and the ungodly can see that this country is getting

worse and worse. The American church has mainly become impotent! Could it not

be said of the American church which was proclaimed over Israel when the

lampstand had been put out in the First Tabernacle? 1 Samuel 4:21a , “  And she

named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel.”  Or 

could we be found as Israel in Ezekiel’s revelation where the Glory o f God departs

 from His own house and temple? We abide in a land of the professing Christian,

but what about the tangible Glory of God in His Church? Could the following

 prophecy be being fulfilled before our very eyes? “And in that day seven women

shall take hold of one man saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear 

our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name to take away our 

reproach” (Isaiah 4:1). I believe the seven women represent the church

(Revelation 2 and 3) and the man is the Lord Jesus. Could the American church be

 guilty of living the Christian life in its own strength on its own terms by its own

set of rules, and not after God’s straight and narrow gate? But still wanting to be

 free from judgment? When the church stops being close to Jesus it ceases from

being intimate, and when it ceases from being intimate it is on its way to being

 given a bill of divorcement (apostasy). None is immune from being a castaway or 

 falling under the spell of a reprobate spirit. Are we not given warning from God’s

 

Holy Word, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times

some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and 

doctrines of devils;” (1 Timothy 4:1). These are the times we live in! But

thanks be to God at the same time God’s Glory departs from His house , He searches

to find a Samuel to restore His Prophetic Word to His Israel. And likewise, when

His Glory goes up from Jerusalem and from His temple as His Israel is gone into

captivity in Babylon: His Glory moves upon His Heavenly Jerusalem! And He

begins to show the earthen house of Israel (the church)… The true Heavenly House

of Jehovah Shamma, The Lord is there!! This is a dreadful (Holy and full of 

trembling) place this is the true house of God! But, God is doing it His way

always on His terms by His chosen Son and never will He be moved from that

 position. Praise His Holy Name!! Our Sovereign God is always moving forward

always moving on with or without us .Towards His revealing of His Glorious Son

in His heavenly Church, teaching all creation along with every demon and foul

spirit Who He is!!

Isaiah chapter 66: 1-2 states His heart and mind very clearly , “Thus saith the

 Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the

house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all

those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith

the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a

contrite spir it, and trembleth at my word.”  

The Lord is after a people of His Rest ceasing from all their own work, from

being a rebellious, mistress named Martha. And, become a beautiful bride adorned

with His Own Self weeping contrite, with His own Humility at His feet: God’s

Rest and ours must be one in the same, this rest is only found in a Person our 

redeemer Christ Jesus. This is where God’s Glory rests in His Son with those that

tremble at His Word, with the spirits of just men and women made perfect by the

blood of Jesus! His blood sprinkled on our human spirits broken and contrite in

union with the Man of Sorrows. If we want to truly be like Him, and to be safe

 from being led astray, that our love for Him would not wax cold as we see iniquity

and sorrow abound? Then, we must let this pure ministry to come into our hearts.

 

The Ministry of the fellowship of His sufferings.

Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the

 fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 

1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings;

that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy 

to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

In His service,

Pastor Douglas Smith

 Jesus Christ is Lord!!!