The Wild Olive Shoot Community


Once, there was a church that received a vision from God. They dared to do what no other church at that time had done. They grew, and spread across the nation. They called themselves the Blaze Community.

But it absorbed teachings from other groups, both Christian and Pagan. The vision became polluted. Rather than examining itself, the Blaze Community became proud and arrogant, standing alone as the true church, against all opposition.

The Blaze died to an ember as people left, fleeing tyranny, judgement, and forced austerity. Humbly, the Blaze Community leaders sought God's forgiveness and direction.

Now the community received a new vision. One of grace, love, forgiveness, and mercy. Aware that it had been given another chance by God, it renamed itself the Wild Olive Shoot Community, with the knowledge that God could pluck them out of the Cultivated Olive (the universal church) if they ever again fell away from the path to which God had called them.

Tuesday 6 March 2012

He That Rose to Heaven's Height

This is another Blaze Community protest song.

He that rose to Heaven's height
The throne of God to claim
Not content with Glory's light
Was cast to Earth in shame

He who in Eden's garden walked
In innocence and peace
Chose to be as God Himself
Won sin and death and disease

They who together in their pride
Built a tower to Heaven
The tower fell, the people scattered
And throughout the earth were driven

The King of Babylon surveyed
His domain, the gift of God
Boasted in his arrogance
So madness came upon him

Those that scorn the gift of Grace
Their own law they command
Imaginations of fleshly men
To what will they be condemned?

The psalmist proclaims 'Trust not in man,
For even the great will fail you.
Put your faith in God alone,
For only He can save you.'

We have one King, Judge and Lord
His is our culture, him we obey.
No other can demand our loyalty
No other can share His throne.

Dare we trust ourselves
With our brother's soul?
When we know we, full of sin
Can fall as easily as he?

The Spirit, our Teacher, Discipler, Guide
The One who truly knows our heart.
He is our Healer, our Unity, our Power.
What man thinks himself better?

Dare we judge where God has not judged?
Or say No when God says Yes?
Dare we obstruct the will of God
When it is against OUR ways?

Or do we in self-righteous pride
Think ourselves God's equal?
Is this the life for which Christ died?
The tyranny of the enemy?

Do we shut the world outside
But keep the flesh within?
Do temper, jealousy and greed abide
Where a spoonful of sugar is sin?

Better a vegetarian meal where love is
Than the fattened calf with hatred.
Better to live in Christ's Grace
Than under the yoke of the Pharisee.

Hate the world, we are told,
But what is it we should hate?
The spiritual man may do all things
He needs only the Spirit to guide.

Hate the world, we are told.
But what is it we should hate?
Rules and traditions of worldly men
That bring judgement and division.

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