Knowledge of the Lord is a treasure of uncountable value. Our calling is likewise an unfathomable honor of the highest value. It is, “the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. … We are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the Head, even Christ” (see Ephesians 4:12-15).

       Are we growing up into Him? We do this as members of His body, the church, which is the most powerful, dynamic, exciting, and world-changing entity there has ever been on the earth. What is now mostly seen and presented as His church on the earth may fall far short of what we see in the Scriptures, and we can’t accept that. So, what do we do? Walk away from it, or go to work with the One who is building it?

       Granted, the church in our time may have many great buildings and programs, but spiritually it is like the pile of “burnt stones” Ezra found when he returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. But Ezra did not just complain about the temple’s condition; he got right to work restoring it.

       Ezra rebuilt the temple, and though it was inferior to the previous one, God promised that this temple, rebuilt with “burnt stones,” would have a greater glory than the first one. To do the work of God, we cannot just see things the way they are but as they are called to be.

       I frequently meet Christians who are no longer part of a church body because they were hurt by the church. People will quit for almost any reason, but as we’re told in 1 Corinthians 13, “Love never quits” (literal translation). We won’t quit on someone we love. Of course, those who truly love the Lord will not run away when they see problems with His house. Having been burned, it is in shambles now, but it will rise again with an even greater glory than the first church, the early church.

       Forgiveness is basic Christianity, and if we are going to follow Christ and be His dwelling place, we must forgive and not let offenses control us. If we have deserted God’s family, we must repent and resolve that offenses are not going to dictate what we do. It should be Christ, who was quick to forgive even those nailing Him to the cross.

       Being hurt or offended should never be a reason to leave anything, much less the Lord’s family. However, a good reason to leave a group that is claiming to be His would be if the Lord is not with them. This cannot be measured by the hard times or dry times they’re going through. We can’t get to the promised land without going through a wilderness that is pretty much the opposite of what we’ve been promised.

       Neither should we take the apparent blessings of the Lord as evidence that He is there. He does bless many things He will not inhabit. Evidence of Him being in a work is that He is there, and we know this because we know Him.  We know His voice, as we are told in John 10 that His sheep do.

       Consider that it was in the wilderness that God’s people came to know God, and they were closer to Him there than they would ever be again, even in their promised land. We shouldn’t be in such a hurry to get out of the wilderness, as this is where we get to know Him and are prepared to handle the great promises and responsibilities we’ve been given to represent Him.

       The only time Israel was closer to the Lord than in the wilderness was when Jesus was born and walked among them. But then, they rejected Him because they did not know Him. Do we know Him? Let us stay in whatever wilderness He has us in until we know Him, so we will recognize Him and follow only Him.

       We cannot waste our trials by running from them. In Acts 14:22, we’re told that “through many tribulations (trials) shall we enter the kingdom.” A trial is a doorway to His kingdom. When we quit and avoid them, we are missing an opportunity to enter His kingdom.

       We are called to live by faith, not by fear or disappointment. When we let fear or disappointment direct our course, they are the leaders that we are really following. The Lord made it clear that to follow Him will not usually be the easy way, but it is the best way.





© 2026 Rick Joyner. All Rights Reserved.