The Church: Religious organization or Biology course

In Ephesians 4:10-15 it reads,
10 He Who descended is the[ very] same as He Who also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He[ His presence] might fill all things( the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest). 11 And His gifts were[ varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles( special messengers), some prophets( inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists( preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors( shepherds of His flock) and teachers. 12 His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints( His consecrated people),[ that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body( the church), 13[ That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the[ a full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that[ we might arrive] at really mature manhood( the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. 14 So then, we may no longer be children, tossed[ like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine,[ the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of a unscrupulous men,[ gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead. 15 Rather, let our lives lovingly a express truth[ in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head,[ even] Christ( the Messiah, the Anointed One). also has ascended high above all the heavens, that He[ His presence] might fill all things( the whole universe, from the lowest to the highest). Amplified Version.
The Church ought to be the most exciting happening on any given day. Unfortunately, the Church has been reduced down to nothing more than a mere religious gathering with little to no purpose. But I am one that will never give up on what I believe about the Church. The Church is powerful. It is the most happening thing in town. It does have purpose. In fact, Jesus gave His very life for the Church. Furthermore, He says in John 14, that He is going to return and receive it to Himself. You see, Jesus has a lot invested in the Church. He shed every ounce of His blood to redeem it from the curse of the law. (Gal. 3:13). The most interesting verse out of all of the ones above is verse 12. Paul gives insight into the true purpose and meaning of Church. I like the words that He uses. "His intention was." There is a purpose behind the 5-fold ministry. The Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher each have a unique place in the Body of Christ. God uses each of these ministry gifts to accomplish a tremendous work in the Earth. Many within the Church have the mistaken belief that the these individuals are the ones that do the work of the ministry. The truth is the 5-fold ministry, is an equipping ministry. They equip each Christian to do the work of the ministry. A closer look at these verses show that the work of the ministry is the building up of the Body of Christ. In other words, the preachers train the Christians to do the work of the ministry. And proper ministry will establish the body of Christ in the Earth. The body of Christ, is the image of Jesus. So, to put it all together, the 5-fold ministry equips and trains each Believer to reflect the image Christ in the Earth. The big question to answer is, are we in fact establishing that mission. Is the image of Christ being established in the Earth, through the ministry of each local Church.
I personally believe we have veered far from that mission. I've been in the Church for over 23 years. My concern is, are we accomplishing the purpose that Paul gives us in the book of Ephesians? Is the image of Christ being established in the community? Each Church member makes up some part of the Body of Christ. Every body has two feet, two hands, five fingers, five toes ect.
If you are a Christian, you are a part of His body. I believe there are two things necessary to discover your part in the body of Christ.

1. The Call
-It is not His will for any to perish. It is His will for all to be saved. His
call goes out to everyone to be saved. One thing I know about God is
He knows how to get every person's attention. He loves every person
on this planet. He will go the extra mile to win people and bring them
into His Kingdom.
-That's why we should be sensitive to witnessing to people around us.
Everybody is important. No matter how mean or bad they may be, God
loves each one of us the same.
-In a day when social media is at our disposal, we should use it to bring
a witness to the Kingdom of God.
-Many people just want someone to talk to. Taking a minute to listen
could earn you hours to speak into their lives.
-Never forget that we are the mouthpiece for God. We are to echo His
voice.

2. The Consecration
-I want to use 4 scripture verses to speak about being consecrated.
A. 2 Corinthians 6:17
17 So, come out from among[ unbelievers], and separate( sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not[ any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor,
-We are called to be different from the world. He has called us out from
among them. It's completely fine to be different. In fact, it is vital!!
B. 1 John 2:15
15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.
-this is a hard verse, but it is so true. The world is contrary to your
faith. It opposes your faith. Being a friend to the world is being an
enemy to God.
-Don't allow the world, with all it's corruption to poison your spirit.
C.Ephesians 2:2
2 In which at one time you walked[ habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world[ were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air.[ You were obedient to and under the control of] the[ demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience[ the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God].
-the world is governed by Satan himself. He is the mastermind behind
all evil. The course of the world is leading countless thousands to
death, destruction, poverty, defeat. All of these things that are against
the ways of the Lord.
-as hard as it may seem to be, nothing in this world is worth losing your
soul over. Break away from it's bondage. The blood of Jesus has
given you the ability to rise far above every opposing force of darkness.
D. Romans 12:1,2
Chapter 12

1 I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of[ all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies[ presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy( devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable( rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world( this age),[ fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed( changed) by the[ entire] renewal of your mind[ by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove[ for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect[ in His sight for you].
-again these verses are just showing us as believers, that the world has
nothing to offer us. We are of the Kingdom of God. A Kingdom of
Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
-what have we gained, if we gain the whole world, yet lose our soul?
-make a decision to live with a renewed mind. Think differently. You
don't have to act on every thought that passes through your mind.
-being a true disciple is someone that knows and understands how to
keep our minds renewed.
-as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Think thoughts produced by
the Word of the Lord.
-stay fresh in the spirit. Keep your mind in the Word. All other
thoughts can and should be pulled down. Don't allow yourself to
drift. Don't be as the ship that the anchor has been raised. Keep
your anchor secured in the bedrock of His Word. The only Truth that
matters!!!!
We are the Church. God's mighty hand is upon His Church. We are getting ready to see a great moving of the Spirit of God. Only those that are sensitive to the Spirit of God will experience this last day movement. Are you part of the remnant that is called the Church. If so, hang on, it's getting ready to become intense. Don't be deceived. Don't allow offenses and unforgiveness and all those other things rob you from being a part of what God is doing across this land.


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Location:FWWOC

Speaking in Tongues: Babble or Beneficial??

Needless to say, but speaking in tongues is a very controversial subject. There are so many denominations that all share different views concerning the topic. The real question is, what does the Bible say about speaking in tongues? Are we going along with the teachings of a denomination because of tradition, or do we really understand the truth about speaking in tongues. This is not just a Pentecostal doctrine, but a truth that is vital to every Believer. This could be a long drawn out article, but let's get to the heart of the matter. First of all, I believe in speaking in tongues. But at the same time, I want to have understanding of what I believe. There are several places in the Word where Believers were filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues. (Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6). In several other places there are scriptures that teach about tongues. (Mk.16:17; Isaiah 28:11; 1Cor.12, 14). But want to bring out a verse that I believe is a major reason for speaking in tongues. Of course, anyone that has studied this topic knows that speaking in tongues edifies the Believer. It builds the Believer's spirit man.
But look at the verse that James brings out. In James 3, He says, the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. It defiles the whole body, and it sets on fire the course of nature. It is set on fire of hell. Now this is some strong language. What does it all mean? The short version is that the tongue is a destructive force within humanity. It is destructive even as hell is a place of destruction for wickedness.
That is why speaking in tongues is so powerful and important. It is just another evidence that the Holy Spirit has been given control of this member in our lives. When He is in control, the tongue can be destructive to the enemy and beneficial to the Believer.

Halloween & Christians: What's the Big Deal?

Well, Before I get started I must say that this article is not meant to make anyone mad or create strife. However, I know that because of the nature of the subject, it is likely that many will take issues with me on this matter.
My request to every reader however, is that before you right me off as strange and stuck in the mud or whatever, stop for a moment and consider the ideas presented in this article.
It seems to me that with each passing year the interest and participation in halloween is ever increasing. I even heard someone say two days ago that halloween is thier favorite annual holiday. We can see the signs of this increase as we drive around our communities. Houses decorated with witches, Jack-o-lanterns and ghost that rival Christmas decorations. To so many people it is a fun, family oriented holiday. But is it really?
Let's take the word holiday for starters. Holiday literally means "holy day" where something significant that God has done is to be celebrated. The original name for October 31st is "all hallows eve" or all saints day. But halloween has veered to the point that it represents nothing that is holy, or anything that is godly.
I wrote an article last year giving some details of the origin and meaning of some of the common events during this time. Instead of attacking the traditions of halloween, let us look at the practical side as it relates to Christians and our participation. I want to give 5 reasons most parents have for participating in this event. Along with these reasonings, let us also look at what the Word of God has to say.

1. It's Just Innocent fun
-Halloween has it's deepest roots in the occult. The Celtic New Year was on Nov. 1. On the evening before, Samhain, the lord of death, along with evil spirits, released disembodied spirits to go out and possess humans. Druid priest would go door to door asking for an animal or a human being for sacrifice to appease the evil spirits. If the people treated them with a sacrifice then they would not be tricked, or cursed. Now to me, that just sounds wicked. Well, this is the origin of trick or treat. (sela).
The word tells us to be imitators of God, not Druid priest. We should imitate all that is good and flee from all that is evil.

2. All My Friends Do It
-One of the major problems in the church world is to do what pleases people. There are Church leaders, including Pastors, that feel that they must do these things to keep the parents in the church happy. We have to many people pleasing pastors today. We have allowed the spirit of the world to dictate our agenda in order to keep these tithe paying families in our churches. God is calling out a people that will make a stand against the spirit of this age. If the church is going to change, it must start with leadership. If we have to make each family happy with our ministry to keep them, then they are following the wrong one. Who's ministry is it? Is Christ still building His Church, or has man taken over the project with our social skills and salesmanship. Bottom line. MAKE A STAND!

3. We Went Trick or Treating As Kids
-Everything we were taught as children, doesn't mean it's right today. I think trick or treating can send a wrong message to some kids. In today's world, we can't trust everyone in our neighborhoods. Our kids need to know that it's not ok to take things from a stranger. Our kids need to have real heros to imitate. (not superman, spiderman, witches, demon-looking creatures)
While our kids are learning these things during halloween ask yourself these questions. Do my kids know the 10 commandments? Do they know the Lord's prayer and it's meaning? Is Jesus the hero in thier lives?

4.We Don't Want Our Children's Friends To Think We Are Weird
-As stated before, the spirit of this age is after our children. We must take this very serious. Our forefathers of the faith made a stand against the evils of thier day. We must teach our children that we are seperated from the world. Yes, it's hard. But remember, there is a mastermind behind these evil schemes. He plays for keeps. If you love your children, teach them they are different than the world. Instill this in them early.

5. We Don't Want Our Children To Miss Out On All The Fun
-If the only fun our children have is wearing scary mask and scaring people and taking candy from strangers then we have serious problems.
Create your own family fun time. Oct. 31st. is the day that the Lord made, spend time rejoicing and enjoying family fun that teaches truth verses traditions that are rooted in the occult.
If it's the candy they want, Food Lion can hook you up.
I know this message is hard and somewhat offensive to many people. But think about the Holy days the Word of God speaks about. Do we consider them? My point is simple. If we are Bible believing children of God, let's practice what He has ordained, and shun what the world and centuries of tradition has handed down. If we don't stand for some things, we will fall for anything. Blessings to you all.

Do we really know Jesus Christ?

Do we really know Jesus Christ. I know this sounds silly and even insulting. But please take a moment and read the rest of this article.
In the book of Ephesians, you can turn there and read these verses. Paul is talking to a believing church. In fact, he commended them for their faith and love. Then he begins to speak some very interesting these. I will be paraphrasing the verses. He says, I cease not to pray for you, making mention of you in my prayers. Paul's prayer was very precise. He prayed for those believers to receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
Why such a prayer for people that already know Him. I believe this speaks to some of the major pitfalls in church today. First of all, Satan believes in Jesus. He even attends service regularly.
It's not enough to just believe and attend service. It's not enough to just read the Bible and pray. God is looking for a people to become intimately involved with His plan for the last days.
In verse 18 He says the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know...... The understanding area in our life is the place we hunger, desire, feel, expect, ect. It is the heart of man. Interestingly enough, Paul says that area has eyes to see. Our natural eyes see when light shines into them and a reflection is made. The eyes of our heart must be flooded with the light of His Word. Please understand, not casual Bible reading. Not casual Church that fits our comfort level. Our heart must fall in love again with the creator of all things. This can only happen when we are focussed on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Like it or not, the heart of most people loves entertainment, and seeks to be gratified in any way possible. And what's worse is when the church uses these methods to appeal to this area of humanity to bring in a crowd of people.
We must allow the Spirit of God to use us to turn hearts towards Him. I love excitement and believe in radical church. But I believe when the dust settles and the flashing lights and wonderful sounds of praise and worship is over, we must know how to still focus our heart on the Lord. Are we hungry for Him. Is He the one we are most affectionate for. Does He have superiority over your plans even if you are a great leader with a lot of wisdom? Jesus is calling us to Himself. Let us hear, repent and draw nigh unto Him this week.
I don't intend to be critical, but what are we building in the so-called church.
I hear a lot of what I'm doing and my church. But in all that, my one major question is this: Do we really know Jesus Christ? If yes, tell others of His goodness. If no, talk to Him. He is there right now waiting to hear from you. God bless and good night!!!

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Location:Supreme Dr,Lillington,United States

Touching God's Heart: The Real Key to Favor and Blessing

Having been in ministry for about 23 years, I feel that I'm just now understanding God's purpose for my life. Everybody has a purpose for being. Finding true purpose is the discovery of real power and freedom. As a Pastor and traveling Minister, I want to know the mission of the ministry. In the book of Ephesians Paul gives us tremendous insight into this mission. In chapter 1 verse 10 he gives us the ultimate plan of God. To gather together into one all things in Christ. To bring creation back to the original plan. God's command and commission to the first Adam is now coming to completion in the last Adam. This is a tremendous task for the Church. Without being too critical, I wonder if the Church is consistently striving to accomplish His will. Sometimes it's questionable that we even know the real mission.
We have entered a time where leaders are more concerned about the number of people in the house, than the condition of the people in the house. I believe it is very risky to strategize church growth with things that appeal to the fleshly nature. The reason is they may come because of these strategies. But when challenged to change and become a son of God, separated from the world, will they still want to be a part. I have seen this trend building in America. The real problem is the temptation to NOT challenge people has caused the image of the Church to look more like the social club in town verses the house of God. Please don't misunderstand me, I am not being critical, but as a seer it's disturbing.
This has really been put on my heart because the Church is the work of the Lord. Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.
It goes back to Paul's letter to Ephesus. God is gathering together all things in Christ. All tongues, tribes and nations coming under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Some might argue, no way, it will never happen! Sure, every person in the world will not accept Christ, but the mission of the Church is not to decide who will accept or reject. The mission is to preach the glorious gospel and let the Holy Spirit convict and draw people to Christ.

This mission is not easy considering the diversity in the earth. In fact, the heart of Paul's message is to teach the Gentiles that the Church is made up of Jew and Gentile. I believe this must become the focus of the Body of Christ today. Building the bridge between Jew and Gentile. This is God's heart. This is the true mission. We will write later more concerning this mission, but for now I want to shout aloud to every preacher, pastor, prophet or any leader. Discover His heart by seeing the true mission. Building this bridge between Jew and Gentile. We as Gentiles have come into great blessing because of the covenant promise He made with Abraham. Greater things are coming. The word of the Lord says to open the eyes of our understanding, receive the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Know Him intimately, and become connected to His plan and purpose for this hour. He will use the Church to open the eyes of blinded Jews. This is not a boast, we don't support the root, the root supports us. (Romans 11:18). When our heart is to see Israel turn to the Messiah (Jesus Christ) we are touching the heart of God. I pray that all who read this will become passionately in love with Jesus. I pray you examine your life and ministry and ask, am I in the mission to see all be gathered together as one in Christ? Do I have a passion for Israel to turn to the Messiah? If not, I pray God pour His heart into yours so that we all can join the eternal purpose of God to fill this Earth with His Glory. Every Nation hearing the only truth that will save their soul. Blessings to all.



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