When we read 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, we are challenged as ministers of the Gospel to understand the essential and necessary instruction by the Holy Spirit, as given through the Apostle Paul, to caution them to avoid division. Read the plain word teaching by the Holy Spirit:

1 Corinthians 1:10-13,

“But I urge and entreat you brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in perfect harmony and full agreement in what you say, and that there be no dissensions or factions or divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in your common understanding and in your opinions and judgments.

For it has been made clear to me, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions and wrangling and factions among you.

What I mean is, that each one of you (either) says, I belong to Paul,
or I belong to Apollos,
or I belong to Cephas (Peter),
or I belong to Christ.
Is Christ (the Messiah) divided into parts?
Was Paul crucified on behalf of you?
Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?”

Ministers everywhere are strongly advised, that the scriptures clearly teach against division in the Body of Christ! Notice the following breakdown of the above scripture:

Have perfect harmony and full agreement in what they say…
Have no dissensions or factions or divisions among them….
Be perfectly united in understanding, opinions, and judgments….
They are warned to not have contentions, wrangling, and factions….
Be aware that Christ (the Messiah) cannot be divided into parts…

When we examine the condition, we see the “Church” today. We should not have to be told over and over again, that there is a problem. For certainly there is so much disharmony and disagreement today between churches, that it is embarrassing. Factions and divisions are a common event that is present today in the Church in America. Not only are we not united, there is little understanding between them.

Paul warns ministers everywhere we need to stop contentions, and wrangling which are causing the church body to be divided into many parts.

It should not take a rocket scientist to understand that the devil has been working overtime to destroy the effectiveness of the Church, by bringing them to utter confusion and disharmony! Why do intelligent, enlightened men, continue to go down the same old pathways of division? Why can men not see the terrible mistake?

It is a very good question, a important truth that all must face….”IS CHRIST DIVIDED?” The only answer is, No. Then why are we still dividing? Over and over and over again?

When we do get into Heaven, do you think for one moment there will be special sections in Heaven with signs that read: Baptist proceed forward to the left, Methodist proceed to the right, Pentecostals go straight forward to your prepared places. And a note added, please do not go into any area other than your own designated area! Who would be so ignorant as to believe that this needless division would ever be allowed into the perfectness of Heaven?

I have heard it said that, if you have a name tag hanging around your neck indicating what denomination you belong to, if you die and go down, it will burn off, but if you go up, it will fall off! It should be understood that it is men that worry about what you are, and what group you run with, NOT GOD. Jesus said this, I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) me. John 14:6.

THE TRUTH IS, GOD INSISTS THAT WE ALL RUN IN THE SAME RACE.

It is very clearly stated in Ephesians 2:13-16 (AMP) by Paul the Apostle, what God has done to make His Body One!

Ephesians 2:13-16,

“But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were (so) far away, through (by in) the blood of Christ have been brought near. For He is (Himself) our peace (OUR BOND OF UNITY AND HARMONY). HE HAS MADE US BOTH (Jew and Gentile) ONE BODY, AND HAS BROKEN DOWN (destroyed, abolished) THE HOSTILE DIVIDING WALL BETWEEN US. By abolishing in His (own crucified) flesh the ENMITY (caused by) the Law with its decrees and ordinances (which He annulled); that He from the two might create in Himself ONE NEW MAN (one new quality of humanity out of the two) SO MAKING PEACE. And (He designed) to reconcile to God both (Jew and Gentile, UNITED)
IN A SINGLE BODY BY MEANS OF HIS CROSS, THEREFORE KILLING THE MUTUAL ENMITY AND
BRINGING THE FEUD TO AN END.”

Seeing then by these scriptures, we are all in ONE BODY, why do we now seek to destroy what God has done and to make the work of the cross void?

There should be NO DIVIDING WALLS BETWEEN US. We are free from bondage of race or creed through the work of Jesus on His cross!

The scripture also states that God is no respecter of persons. In other words He does not look upon men with a difference. Neither should we. Are we not all God’s people (those that are born again Christians)? Then why do we divide. Christ is not divided!

WHAT IS THE ANSWER? AND, WHY DO MEN REALLY DIVIDE? CAN ANYTHING BE DONE TO CHANGE THIS TERRIBLE CONDITION?

The Word speakers as to the real reason we are having this problem in the Church. It clearly speaks about why the actual division is taking place, and the Word of God clearly outlines the solution.

First the real reason why we have this problem, is because men are not SPIRITUAL but men are CARNAL in their walk. The Apostle Paul states this in:

1 Corinthians 3:1-9:

“However, BRETHREN, I could not talk to you as to SPIRITUAL (men), but as to NONSPIRITUAL
(men of the flesh, in whom the CARNAL NATURE PREDOMINATES),
as to mere INFANTS (in the new life) in Christ (unable to talk yet!)
I fed you with MILK, NOT SOLID FOOD,
for you were not yet strong enough (to be ready for it).

To be “carnal” simply means to think and move in the flesh, or as natural men void of spiritual understanding. The dictionary refers to the meaning of “carnal” as WORLDLY. Men who are more concerned about what the world is doing than what God is doing. Many today live in the world and have a “Hollywood psychology” which is instilled in them from spending more time watching Hollywood movies than, the studying the Word Of God. Men who think like the world, then try to move in the spiritual world. No wonder we have so much confusion in the “Christian Church”.

Paul describes this condition as men who were mere infants. These men were like babies still unable to walk or talk, yet they are trying to move in as grown men. He states, “I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough (to be ready for it).” They were shallow and unlearned men who did not know or understand the deep truths of Gods Word. If they did not understand Gods Word, than they have become unstable men.

This is the condition of many Church Leaders today. They are WORLDLY. They carry their worldly ways and understanding into the Church. This is why we have seen the DECLINE of the modern day church. But even in Paul’s time he had to deal with the same problem. He said “I could not even talk to you as spiritual men,” because they were not.

Paul said in Hebrews 5:11-14:

“Concerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your (SPIRITUAL HEARING and SLUGGISH (EVEN SLOTHFUL IN ACHIEVING SPIRITUAL INSIGHT). For even though by this time YOU OUGHT TO BE TEACHING OTHERS, YOU ACTUALLY NEED SOMEONE TO TEACH YOU OVER AGAIN THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF GODS WORD. You have come to need MILK not SOLID FOOD. For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously INEXPERIENCED AND UNSKILLED in the DOCTRINE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (of conformity to the divine will and purpose, thought and action), for he is a MERE INFANT (Not able to talk yet)!

But SOLID FOOD IS FOR FULL GROWN MEN , for those whose senses and mental faculties are TRAINED BY PRACTICE TO DISCRIMINATE AND DISTINGUISH between what is MORALLY GOOD AND NOBLE and WHAT IS EVIL and CONTRARY either to divine or human law.”

Notice in the above scripture Paul says they have become DULL IN THEIR HEARING. Not only dull but also SLUGGISH AND SLOTHFUL (slow to understand) in achieving spiritual insight.

Like I said already, these men were worldly, thus making them DULL, SLUGGISH, and SLOTHFUL, in understanding the things of God. This is exactly what is the root of all DIVISION. What they are doing in the carnal is causing men to divide up into all sort of sects and denominations over ISSUES. Issues that they in their carnal understanding continually differ and fight about. PREACHERS NEED TO GROW UP! PREACHERS NEED TO GET OUT OF THE WORLD AND BE SPIRITUAL!

This spiritual condition must be dealt with in a spiritual manner.

I have been led by the Holy Spirit to understand that to change this situation of carnality in the “Pulpit”, there must be a revival among the Church leaders themselves. Nothing short of revival will effect a change. In many cases the “Preachers” must themselves be born again. Many of them have only religion, but do not possess Jesus, nor do they have the Holy Spirit. If the preachers have the Holy Spirit, than why do they move as if they are just mere men? When real Spirit filled ministers are walking with God, there will be noticeable TRUTH; COMPASSION; AND LOVE; MANIFESTED.

Revival must begin at the House of God. The place to begin is with the ministers.

I heard Rodney Howard Browne once say, while listening to a series of sermons on “Revival, What is Revival?”, that “If you could get the pastor saved in a church, then you might have revival.” I know this sounds like a very low blow to the ministry, but I agree, in many cases it is just that way. Just try to go into many of churches in America to encourage that church to have revival, and you will get no further than the Pastor! It will be like going to the White House to see the President, with a plan to help change America. In this case you most likely will never have a chance to even talk to the President, for he has already set it up that you must go through the “make an appointment” plan. It may be months before you can even secure a date and time, and IF everything goes as planned, Perhaps you will get to see Him… But the time will be very limited.

I know personally how hard it is to see some pastors. I have called and waited for weeks sometimes. I have been told of how busy their schedule is and how the pastor himself cannot meet with you, and another officer of the church will be substituted. When I did finally did arrange a meeting with a pastor, he informed me… “You had better hurry, my brother, for I have only a few minutes to talk” I had waited already 2 (two) weeks, and all the while I talked to Him, he watched his watch nervously.

Another pastor acted as if He had been personally offended, when I suggested that a revival was needed. Well, he said, we have already tried many of the things that you speak about, and they did not work! Then he went on to say that the people in his church were so busy and tied down with their lives in the present circumstances that having a series of meetings to promote revival would just be out of the question. He went on to say, “No one would come and it would just be another one of those unattended efforts. “I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, BROTHER THE LORD IS NOT DEAD, HE IS ALIVE! SURELY WE SHOULD AT LEAST PUT FORTH “FAITH” IN GOD! AT LEAST CALL FOR PRAYER, PRAYER TO STIR THE SLEEPING SAINTS.”

I have seen many pastors that really come across to me that they don’t want to have any reason to “Change things as they are.” As long as they have their Home, Church, and salary, they are happy. People can be going to Hell all around the church, but If they have the three things listed above, than all is “OK”. You can tell without much inquiry at all that they do not believe even in soul winning. Matter fact I have had some tell me out right. “Oh brother, we quit that long ago. We have discovered that soul winning and visitation of the lost does not work any more!” When I ask one pastor about going visiting with him, he said, “Oh, we don’t do that sort of thing any more, Now we are just SEEKER FRIENDLY.”

In one case I said to a pastor of the church I was attending, “Brother, I would like to offer my time to go and visit all the “first time visitors” in the church. I know how important that that is to any church and I am sure you need help. I went on to tell him I myself had been a pastor of churches for years and knew a lot about visitation. In answer to my inquiry I was told that there was already someone doing that. So I asked him, Who? I did not receive a clear answer to that. Becoming quite agitated I responded, “Well pastor, I myself have been attending this church for over six months. I filled out a visitors card as you encourage all to do. Not once has anyone from this church ever visited my house.” If fact I said, “I even turned in the name of a close friend of mine, and asked for someone from the church to visit. After some time I asked my friend, has anyone from the _______Church called on you? “No was the reply, did you expect someone to call?”

You may be saying, why are these things bothering you? Well I will tell you why. Many that I personally work with as an evangelist, I need to know where to send them, and I need a good church that I can recommend that they may attend and grow. They will need a spiritual church. If the church did not care about me and mine, than what do you think they will do with the converts? No evangelist wishes to recommend a dead church and a loveless pastor. The evangelist gets people saved and serving the Lord, than turns them over to a dead church? I DON’T THINK SO. LIKE RODNEY SAYS, “YOU MUST BE SMOKING SOME BAD WEED TO THINK THAT I WILL TURN PEOPLE TO A CHURCH LIKE THAT!”

What is the answer?

I believe that the pastors (those who are saved that is),of many churches need most of all to RETURN TO THEIR FIRST LOVE. They need to fall in love with Jesus all over again and began again to have a personal relationship with the Lord. The reason that compassion has left the pulpit is because they are not close to the COMPASSIONATE ONE! How can any one be in close contact with Jesus and not experience His compassion for the Lost and blinded world of sinners all around them? If you are spending hours near the Savior, and listen to His heart cry, pray tell me how can one be tearless and cold and have no compassion?

Many Pastors have passion, but few now days have compassion. Oh they can be quite passionate in the church, in front of those who they seek to impress, but out in the street they are cold as a fish!

ANOTHER THING THAT MUST CHANGE IF PREACHERS STOP WALKING AS CARNAL MEN AND BECOME SPIRITUAL, WILL NEED BE IN THEIR MESSAGE. The message they preach, and the reason they preach will have to come under close examination.

When preachers are more concerned about their denomination than the truth, than they need REVIVAL! To some it is all about building their own personal denomination and little (in some cases, large) private kingdom. If revival was to come the first thing that would have to be removed is denomination boundaries.

MANY PREACHERS ARE SO RELIGIOUS THAT THEY HAVE THE DENOMINATIONAL NAME IMPRINTED ON THEIR PERSONAL UNDERWEAR!

It must be about Jesus and building the KINGDOM OF GOD, not some religious temple! The church is the people, and Jesus wishes that they be FREE to live and love and serve Him. He desires pastors who will lead the sheep in green pastures, not put them in religious pens.

When having church becomes a KINGDOM OF GOD issue and all men are seen as IMPORTANT members, then you will see the MOVE OF GOD! When it ceases to be about one group, but all, this is the Kingdom of God.

Revival then will have to be in Bible Truth, not in mans religious articles of faith, and guidelines for the sect or denomination. Preachers have build walls around the sheep, to keep them in their pasture. What if the Holy Spirit wants is that all Christians to feel the same, love one another, think the same things, work together? Preachers must go with the leadership of the Holy Spirit, not with the council, he must always be about to set the sheep free. Free! FREE FROM RELIGION.

IT IS MY OPINION THE NUMBER ONE REASON OF DIS-UNITY IS THAT PREACHERS ARE CARNAL. THEY HAVE DIVIDED INTO GROUPS, AND REFUSE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. The leading cause of such action is jealousy. Jealous pastors, always comparing themselves with others. The need for everything to be about them is the issue here. They are jealous.

Another thing that must happen to undo dis-unity problems is, they must die to their personal ambitions, and let the Loving Lord do as He pleases with his Church. After all it is the church of Jesus Christ, not the church of _______.

Charles H. Surgeon, the great Baptist Preacher once said, “I pray that when people hear my sermons, they will go away saying, ‘Oh! what a wonderful Savior, what a wonderful Jesus! May it never be said, Oh! what a wonderful preacher!’” It was Jesus who said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself.” Could this be why the church is declining? Could it be that many have left off the message for the method?

Any preacher who go around always looking for approval is in trouble. The truth will stand, and the one who preaches the truth must stand in that truth.

RELIGIOUS METHODS CAN NEVER REPLACE THE MESSAGE OF GOSPEL. AND THE EXALTED ONE MUST BE FOREVER THE LOVING LORD JESUS CHRIST AND NO OTHER.

The Last thing I would like to mention is this: The pastor who follows the Holy Spirit will always win. If the Holy Spirit is the reason than it will be a success! When we as ministers, cease to do the bidding of the Spirit, and walk in His Power, than the ministry will come to naught.

There is a verse that says, “Except the LORD BUILD THE HOUSE, they that labor, labor in VAIN.”

I can only speak for myself now and I will. If my FRIEND (the Holy Spirit) is not in the work, than I don’t wish to be anywhere He is Not. I will prefer Him above all others, and seek to please Him. If I manage to please Him, and walk with him, than it does not matter if men will not walk with me. I learned by many years of serving the Lord, I must seek to please Him my Friend, even if I am not asked to come back, or I loose my audience.

I will seek to please Him and Him alone at all cost, and than I will seek with all my hart, to live at peace men With the Holy Spirits help I can then make the helping of my brethren a most urgent cause. I will seek to build the Kingdom of God, for His eternal glory, and not for reward.

 

*All scripture is taken from the Amplified Version unless otherwise indicated.

~ Desert Prophet Ken Dewey

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Evangelist/Prophet/Pastor Ken Dewey is the founder of “OUT OF THE DESERT MINISTRIES” in Belen, New Mexico, USA. He writes on this Web Site, many Prophetic words, Sermons and teachings while leading people into true church settings and preaching in an End Time Gospel Ministry. NOTICE: One of the ways you can get involved in this OUT OF THE DESERT ARMY is to become a PARTNER or to GIVE A DONATION. We are believing God for many more Monthly Partners to stand with us in Monthly Giving and Offerings. If you have a desire to help and give, please know we need your help. God is sending people as I write to this place. We need your help and prayerful giving to enable us to do more for more people. Please send you pledge to becoming a Monthly Partner or to sow an offering into this Ground. To make a donation to OUT OF THE DESERT MINISTRIES please send to: PO BOX 223, BELEN, NEW MEXICO. PLEASE PRAY ABOUT SENDING A LOVE OFFERING TO SOMEONE WHO IS IN THE MIDST OF THE BATTLE FOR SOULS.. AND TO OPEN BLINDED EYES OF THOSE WHO ARE SLEEPING IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO DO ALL THAT GOD IS SAYING FOR US TO DO. THANK YOU ALL …