Toward A Creative Ekklesia*

The Ekklesia (the called out assembly of God's people), also known as the church, is missing something of our destiny and purpose in the earth. This missing piece of the puzzle is essential in these current times, which are also the end times. That missing piece is the creative calling in our identity. Where does this creative piece of the Ekklesia come from, and how do we apply it? In Genesis 1, it is revealed that, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." The word "created" used here is the Hebrew word bara, which means to shape, to create, to form. Out of nothing, God made something. In the verses that follow, Gen. 1 also says, "And God made...". The word "made" is the Hebrew word asah, meaning to make, to do, to produce, to bring about. As we can see, in the things being made, doing is required. Finally, in the act of creating, God said, "...Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Gen. 1:26-27). So we have our answer as to where our creative force comes from. It was given to us when God created us in His image and likeness, and when He gave us dominion over all creation in the earth. So, how did God do the making or creating? He created by speaking: "And God said...". The Hebrew word translated as "said" is the word amar, which means to say, to speak, to utter in one's heart. Even the utterances in your heart have creative authority. Having been created in God's image and likeness, there is then something we must be doing. Daniel wrote that in the midst of the act of the greatest abomination and defiling of the holy that will occur in the end times, "...but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do ("exploits" was added to the originl text). And they that understand among the people shall instruct many...and some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed." (Dan. 11:31-35). While the earth is foundering, the end time Church should be doing, creating, not holding conferences. As Moses' life was coming to an end, he had these words for Israel: "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;...I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments...that thou mayest live and multiply...I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore, choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." (Deut. 30:15-19). In our creative calling given to us by God, we choose life or death, blessing or cursing: "A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." (Prov. 18:20-21). We have experienced this many times both personally, and in ministry. When medical professionals have scorned and mocked creative words of life spoken over those who were declared to be near death, we kept speaking the creative words of life in the scriptures. We have seen miracle recoveries. Are creative miracles coming out of your mouth? God told us through His prophet Isaiah, that if the wicked will forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and return to the LORD, then He will have mercy upon them. As surely as the flowers and fruit follow the rain from heaven, God creates, saves and delivers by the words that go forth from His mouth: "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish (asah from the above Genesis verses, meaning to make, do, produce, bring about) that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isa. 55:7-11). Moses told us that a choice was being made for life or death based upon our obedience to the commandments of God. Here again in Isaiah, the choice between righteousness and unrighteousness creates or produces a result. What are we creating in our choices? Jeremiah also said that the way of life, or the way of death has been set before us (Jer. 21:8). That choice, and the creative words spoken are clearly found in scripture. Jesus strongly attested to His creative Word of resurrection: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." (Jn. 5:24-25). The creative Word has been given to us from Christ, the Creator of all things. We must choose to believe it, to do it. Even our entry into Christ's salvation comes as a result of belief and confession (Rom. 10:9-10). Abraham received the promises of God before the Law. He believed that when God spoke, it was accomplished. Our creative call is based upon the same faith. The greatest grace of God is the assurance that He will do what He says, so we can have faith and hope. Abraham is the father of us all in this type of faith: "He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness." (Rom. 4:13-25). Here is our righteousness also: that same kind of faith in the creative Word of God. What is the Ekklesia creating? What are we believing in the middle of these trying circumstances around us, and what are we speaking regarding them? Now is the time for the Ekklesia to step forward in creativity. As Moses spoke: I set before you life and death: choose life! I pray that the Ekklesia would be able to bring forth, to produce, by the Word of God in their mouths. *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 1/24/21 message to the Church. To contact: Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com, or PO Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705 Find us also on Facebook, Twitter, and at endtimesschool.com