Tag: Church

Why the Church?

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I used to think the Church was just a club of folks that got together to talk about Jesus; a place to go and hear some good advice about how to live a better life, and find out how to be a better person. Although all that is correct, the true identity and purpose of the Church is a jaw-dropper, and will shock the average person, not to mention many Christians.

If one wanted to know about the purpose of the Church, it would seem logical to go to the leader, the one who instituted the group in the first place; the one who gave the marching orders so-to-speak. Since that would be Jesus Christ, we need to know what he had to say about his followers. What did he say they were to do? And what was his vision for their future?

Jesus said in John 14:12, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these…” So Jesus’ followers are to be doing what He did – and even greater things than Jesus did! Then clearly, if we know what Jesus did, we’ll know exactly what we’re supposed to be doing.

Jesus’ disciples were with him day in and day out and witnessed first-hand His mighty works. Peter said in Acts 10:38, “…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil…” Rom 11:22 says we are to continue in His goodness. Jesus went about preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God everywhere he went. As he came upon the oppressed, he touched their situation. 1 John 3:8, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” When He came upon the hungry – He fed them; when He came upon the blind – He restored their sight; when He came upon the sick – He healed them; when He came upon the dead – He raised them back to life.  Jesus’ followers are to do the same thing – and even greater things!

Right after the resurrection of Jesus, just before He was taken into heaven, He told his disciples what they were to do and how they were going to do it:

1) His followers were to preach the gospel as He did, Mark 16:15, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved.”

2) Jesus said signs and wonders would accompany the preaching of this gospel, verse 17-18, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and if they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and the sick will be made well.”

So the Church is to carry on the ministry of Jesus! As He did, so are we to do. But how can this be? How can mere men carry out the work of the Living God?

The Church is Clothed with Power

As Jesus was giving instructions to His followers, He told them, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” So, just as Jesus repeatedly told the crowds, it wasn’t Him doing the works, but His Father in Heaven, so it is with the Church.  After Jesus was taken into heaven, the saints went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. In Acts 4:29-30, the disciples prayed that they would be able to preach the word with boldness, and asked that as they did God would, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” We know from reading the remainder of the New Testament that God honored those prayers. Acts 14:3, “…for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.” God performs mighty miracles to back up the gospel message. But Jesus said his followers would perform greater works than Him.

Greater Works Than These Shall They Do

Jesus was taken into Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of God. He is to remain seated at the right hand of God until something very significant happens. Matt. 22:44, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” Heb. 10:12-13, “…after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.” We know Jesus has already defeated Satan the devil, and has stripped him of all authority, taking the keys of hell and death from him. The next step is for Satan and his hordes to be disposed, to be trampled underfoot and made a footstool for our King. The Church, Jesus’ body on the Earth, will attend to that task!

Jesus gave His Church the authority to overcome all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). The saints are the over-comers. They are the ones who trample Satan underfoot in these last days.  The saints of the Most High God will overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their testimony.

Rain is Coming

In several places throughout scripture, the former and latter rains are mentioned. The prophets of the Old Testament referenced those rains to be sent by the Lord. The latter rains are to be greater than the former.  The Holy Spirit poured out and made available on the day of Pentecost is the first (former) rain. There is another rain, a much greater rain, to be poured out on the Church in these last days. This great outpouring of the Holy Spirit will enable the Body of Christ to dispose of the devil – to completely trample him underfoot. Jesus’ enemies will be made His footstool. Then our Lord will stand! And that great white horse will be brought to Him.

Hallelujah! Praise to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! The Church is to be doing exactly what Jesus did while on the Earth, covering the globe with His message, destroying the works of darkness along the way. The Church is to occupy until Jesus comes back. We are to beat down the works of darkness and trample them underfoot – making the enemies of Jesus His footstool.

Let’s be about our Father’s business. While we’re at it, let’s keep our eyes on those approaching clouds. Looks like heavy rain is heading our way.  Wait…, look!  It’s starting to sprinkle!

 

ToHimBetheGlory

 

Feeling Reckless

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While listening to a song recently, it occurred to me that it feels extremely reckless in the natural sense to fully live for the things of God. To fully live for God means to say and do things that are diametrically opposite of the way of this world.  It’s more than a little scary to put yourself out there on the line, vulnerable to ridicule and rejection. But at the same time, we’re told in scripture there is no middle road. You’re either all in, or you’re out.

Actually, the reckless thing to do is be a lukewarm Christian. First, God says He’ll spew them out of His mouth, because He says He would rather you be hot or cold – one or the other. God says in Heb. 10:38, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” Secondly, there is a devil, and Christians need to remember that he walks around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  Being a follower of Jesus is not something that should be done half-heartedly, because unless you’re walking in the full power and authority of Jesus, you take the risk of being eaten alive!

Jesus told his followers in Luke 17:33, “Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake, the same will save it.” 11 Tim. 3:12, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

Have you suffered any persecution lately? If not, then maybe you’re holding back. Jesus said he only said what he heard his father say, and did what he saw his father do.  And 1 John 4:17 says, “…as He is, so are we in this world.” We’re to walk as Jesus walked. If you start saying what you hear your Father say, and doing what you see your Father do – better be ready for all hell to come against you! You see, only those Christians who walk as Jesus walked can destroy the devil’s work. And that’s what Jesus came to do (1 John 3:8). Those are the ones Satan fears, and he’ll do whatever he can to shut them down. It definitely would be reckless to be one of those – unless you know your true identity and who’s backing you.

Those reckless Christians that dare to walk as Jesus walked, they know the devil is now a defeated foe. He’s a toothless lion. Because Jesus totally disarmed the devil! Colossians 2:15 says, “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” The devil can only defeat you if you let him, if you don’t know who you are in Jesus. In Luke 10:19, Jesus says, “I give you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” The Christians that walk in the power and authority of Jesus have nothing to fear. If they stay in the secret place of the Most High, they abide in His presence, and nothing can even touch them.

In these last days, the Church, the body of Jesus on the earth, will accomplish the plan of God – to deliver men from the power of darkness by the power of the Holy Spirit. As these seemingly reckless men and women of God yield themselves fully to the Holy Spirit, God will have the vessels needed to fully manifest Himself on the earth.

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling reckless today! I say to my Father, “Lord, use this vessel to bring glory to your Son, Jesus. Take this life and do something with it. Use my mouth, my hands, my feet – I give myself fully to you. I hold nothing back. Use this life, as part of the glorious Body of Christ, to shine the light of your gospel into the earth; to bring many souls into the Kingdom of God. Come soon Lord Jesus!”

 

2HimBeTheGlory

Standing on the Rock

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While listening to a song recently about Jesus Christ being the solid rock upon which we stand, a vision came to mind that I cannot get out of my head. I saw a large statute of a man with one of his arms held up, and the palm of his hand open. The entire statute was made out of solid rock. And there I stood, right in the middle of the palm of his hand.

As I stood in his hand, strong winds came and nearly knocked me off my feet. But when the winds abated, I was still standing. Then the winds came again, but this time harder than ever, and with it rain and hail. I wasn’t able to withstand the force and fell face-down on the rock. I got back up, and was knocked down again. But each time I got back up, it seemed I was stronger and able to stand for a longer period of time, withstanding a lot more force before going down again.

I sensed the rock was providing me with all I needed to stay in the palm of his hand. No matter what came against me, even if the adversity was so strong it knocked me off my feet, when I did fall – I landed on the rock. And I was still in the palm of his hand! I realized that the rock I was standing on was Jesus Christ! One by one, the promises of God began to flood my mind, and as they did, I became stronger. Soon I was immovable. The most fierce wind could no longer knock me down.

Jesus said in Mathew 7:24-25, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” We are told in scripture that Jesus is the Rock that His Church is built upon. John 10:29, Jesus said, “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” Peter said in Romans 8:35, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors…neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons…nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Once we become a begotten child of God, and understand who we are, and the promises given to us, nothing can defeat us. We are more than conquerors! We are told the actual armor of Almighty God is available to us, and once we put it on, WE WILL STAND in the day of adversity. Ephesians 6:10-13 says, “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Hallelujah, God has given us the victory through Jesus! Once we are in His hand, absolutely nothing can take us out. What an awesome God we have!

2HimBetheGlory