CHECK POINT

A Leadership and Intercessory Letter written to those who desire Integrity in the Inward Parts  (Psalm 51:6)

“Groundbreaking Words”

Part I of III parts 

Second Edition 

Written by:  Esther Dummer

July 2, 2001

 “Loose Lips Sink Ships”

Take a moment to walk with me into what appears to be a day of worship in “Hometown, America,” It is the Lord’s Day and the congregation of believers are gathering.  Unlike the days gone by, when joyful anticipation was upon the church because of the fires of Revival that were burning, today strained smiles appear on the faces as people enter the doors. 

The pastor is still pleased to see a good number of the churches members gathering today.  His heart is for these people and their hearts have been toward him for some time now as they have moved with a common goal of reaching their city with the Gospel of Christ.  He can feel “it” in the air though and has been wondering what is happening.  He can’t quite put his finger on it but feels “something” has transitioned.  Others who are discerning can also feel it.  A few seasoned prayer warriors are seeking God as to what His heart is toward their church.  They are concerned as they have watered this revival with many tears for the harvest and now it is starting to come in. 

The pastor is confident that he has the Word of the Lord for the people this day.  His heart is burning within him as he steps to the pulpit with great anticipation of seeing God move through the preaching of the Word upon the people’s lives. 

He steps to the pulpit and opens his Bible and opens his mouth to speak.  Out of nowhere a wall seems to appear between him and the people.  His words seem to drop to the ground at his feet.  He has noticed this for several Sunday’s now and can’t understand why the resistance rises and hits him bulls-eye each time he begins to share.

He is totally unaware that the strained, but smiling faces before him are beginning to split into camps of discontentment and judgment. 

Unknown to the pastor and his family, “One” who the pastor has placed trust in and “appears to be gifted with spiritual insight, involving himself/herself deeply in the intercession of the church,” a few weeks before simply made a comment to another, pointing out something he/she found “troubling.”  He/she was only speaking “out of prayerful concern for the pastor.”

The “One” who listened had no complaints of his own, but suddenly found himself pondering the words of another, so he voiced his concern to his wife.  She, in turn, spoke to the women’s leader, who in turn, spoke to a friend whose husband was on the board. 

Their teenage children overheard the discussion that ensued in the home that evening.  They too, had “noticed” that the pastor’s daughter “seemed” a little unfriendly and distant lately, so they just mentioned it to others in the youth group. 

Their parents also had made a decision to invite a few “concerned friends of the church” over for a Barbeque.  During this time, they carefully broached the subject of the pastor and led a discussion of “how to handle” the “situation.” 

Their “sincere concern for the church” was so evident to the listeners that everyone really appreciated that they had been brought into the confidence of the deacon and his wife.  Each of them “added little things” that they had noticed and were all amazed to find that there was so much wrong in the headship of the church.

The New Converts in the church, who had come because of the warmth of the church, began to notice a chilling wind blowing upon them.  It was the fire and passion of this church that had brought them to Jesus and the friendship and unity that had impressed them.  They had heard before of the churches that did nothing but fight and had wanted nothing to do with church until they had found this one.  It had been a breath of fresh air to them. 

Now, they had picked up on the “fact” that there was something “wrong” with the preacher and his family.

While the church wasn’t looking, a person in the church began to rise as a counter-leader and began to pick off the newborn, infirmed and weak of the flock.  Many were being led astray, some even going to the church “over there” that the “preeminent one” suggested to them, being as that was where he was going to go anyway.

Across the town, the various citizens had heard the “story” of the problem over at that “revival church.”  A few, who were just making a decision to begin to attend, backed off with the shocking news that the church was on the verge of splitting.  They “knew it was a bunch of religious stuff anyway,” but were still disappointed because “something had been stirring in them to go.”  Now that they “realized it was all hype and emotion, Thank goodness that they had come their senses.”  It was disappointing though because the pastor had “seemed nice” and not “controlling” at all, the way some were saying. 

By this time, the uncomfortable feeling that something was terribly wrong began to permeate the church.  Laughter seemed strained.  The air was feeling agitated and tense, no longer thick with the anticipation of the visitation of the Holy Spirit. 

In a back room, a group of prayer warriors met and asked God what was going on in the church.  Just a few weeks ago waves of Glory and The Fire of God had filled the house.  People had been lingering in the altars, worshipping and just enjoying the presence of God. 

These faithful ones were searching for answers, so they began to intercede God’s heart for His Church.  What He showed them was a shocking and heartbreaking revelation.  They fell on their face and began to cry out to God for mercy and for His favor to once again be upon their church.  They were desperate because everything rested upon the decision of this people…

“THE WORM”

  Written by Esther Dummer

2-26-1985

Copy write 1985

The Body was healthy, strong and well,

Moving with the greatest of stride.

Proclaiming to all who cared,

This is where Jesus abides.

 

All things worked like they should,

Each one doing their part.

Looking toward the Master’s face,

Desiring a clean and perfect heart.

 

But then, the WORM came in,

Through a piece of tainted meat.

The eater took without a thought,

Thinking it a delicate treat.

 

The WORM was swallowed living,

Deadly as a poisonous snake,

Not waiting for an invitation,

It began eating all it could take.

 

It began to eat slowly at first,

Not willing to wait for death.

This WORM, born of sin,

Set on destroying health.

 

It didn’t matter what it devoured,

As long as it was full,

Moving relentlessly by the hour,

Sharp, hurting and cruel.

 

It started with, “the least of these,”

And in a rage it moved on,

Not content to be confined,

It now ripped to the bone.

 

The Body was hurt, torn apart,

By this ill-taken bite.

The Master looked sadly on,

At His Body in such a plight.

 

The arms and legs, torn from the head,

What a ghastly sight,

A freak, it would appear,

Each doing what they felt was right.

 

Unity lay bleeding in the dust,

A heap of useless bones,

Now still, dead and all alone,

Devoured by this restless WORM.

 

If we could see Christ’s face,

On this the darkest of nights,

The Church in such disgrace,

No longer a brilliant light.

 

It’s stride now weak and small,

Crippled by the strife,

The strong, made weak by the WORM,

Now panting for their life.

 

Many a Body has taken this route,

But this should never be.

Others weather well,

And triumph victoriously.

 

Many stand on the line,

To decide who they will serve,

Will it be Jehovah God,

Or the putrid, senseless WORM?

Open the heart please and remove all illegal contraband before crossing over!

What am I to do if I am the one who spoke an adverse word that has now stirred a church?

1.     Recognize that what you have done grieves the Holy Spirit.

2.     Recognize that it is something that God hates.

3.     Take personal responsibility for your words, laying no blame on anyone else or any circumstance for what you have spoken.

4.     Repent sincerely before God and man, making no excuses for yourself.

5.     Make restitution by going back to those that you spoke “the words” to and retracting your right to have said them.

6.     Purpose in your heart right now to live a life of Integrity.

7.     Live forgiven and enjoy being a fruitful part of the Body of Christ, blessing those you dwell with!!!

What if I am one who listened to the words that have hurt my church?

1.     Recognize that by listening that you have partaken in the sin of slander and gossip.

2.     Understand that this grieves the Holy Spirit and the heart of God.

3.     Know that by listening that you have assisted the one who spoke in furthering their sinful conduct.

4.     Repent to God for listening.

5.     Repent to the one who spoke to you for opening a door into your life for them, thereby breaking down the Godly relationship that the two of you should be enjoying.

6.     Understand that by your listening, you furthered the problem, giving it strength to continue.

7.     Purpose in your heart that you will no longer participate in that which God commands His church to abstain from.

8.     Live forgiven and free to bless your church and its people and headship.

What if I am the victim of slander and gossip?

1.     Don’t act like a victim.

2.     Evaluate if the words that are being said about you have any truth in them, even though they are being said wrongly.  It is still a good time to evaluate if you have caused some level of pain to which another is reacting.  This does not excuse their sinful conduct, just gives you opportunity to open your heart to God to check your own life.

3.     Follow the scriptural pattern for confronting the issue.

4.     Do not retaliate with similar words or patterns that your accuser is using, thereby accelerating the problem that will affect the whole church.

5.     If you are the pastor, continue to lead the church in integrity, following all scriptural patterns for resolution, and releasing the blessings of God upon your ministry through obedience to God’s Word.

6.     If you are another leader in the church, the same principle holds for conduct as that of a pastor.  There is not a higher level of obedience required for the pastor and less for you.  Follow the scriptural pattern.

7.     Give God a chance to defend you rather than you defending yourself.

8.     Live with your feet firmly planted on the ROCK.

  What if I am totally uninvolved and my heart is breaking because this is happening in my church now?

1.     Go immediately to God in prayer and check your heart anyway to see if there is some area of agreement with the issues that trouble your church.  This is a good time to humble yourself before God for a heart check also.

2.     Keep yourself submitted to the God-ordained authority and structure that is set in order in your church for resolving this issue. 

3.     Even if this involves your friends, keep your friendship with Jesus in tact as your first priority.  Friends may be wrong, but Jesus is never wrong and He is against division, strife, gossip and slander in His Church.

4.     Identify the issues that are scripturally wrong and begin to intercede the integrity of the Word over your Church.

5.     Know that God’s heart is breaking over this even more than yours is and come into full agreement with Him concerning these issues.

6.     If one has approached you, gently remind them that what is occurring is wrong and there is NEVER a reason for the Body of Christ to devour itself. 

7.     Ask them to consider what they are involving themselves in.  Share the scripture with them that relates to the issues at hand.

8.     Refer them to the leadership.

9.     Take time to talk to leadership of your prayerful support if this is appropriate and timely.

10.  Keep submitted to God and His Word over your life and pray like you have never prayed before.

God Bless the Faithful Watchman on the Walls of the Church!

This newsletter is dedicated and written as an instruction and encouragement to a powerful and focused group of people who have devoted their life to a life of prayer for the Church.  It is written to incite them to move forward with decisiveness and purity.  It is written to stabilize and align the errant things that are occurring in intercessory and church circles.  It is written to break new ground in understanding our own hearts.

I would also like to take this time to say thank you to those who have subscribed, those who have forwarded these messages or photo copied and passed them on to others. Also, thank you to those who have written encouraging words to me.  They are greatly appreciated. 

NOTE: This material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed an interest in receiving this information for non-profit use only.

"Check Point" is an online newsletter published by: "Esther Dummer." Permission is hereby granted to copy and distribute for non-commercial purposes. Consider duplicating, in its entirety, as published, and distributing to friends, relatives, pastors or your church congregation, or forward via email.  It is my delight to have those who desire to use these messages to further God’s move to do so. 

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