Why Should I Start a Bible School?

Why Should I Start a Bible School?.

Seven Rules for a Healthy Marriage

Here’s a marriage and family counseling session:

1. Seek Jesus first, every day. Do a yearly Bible reading plan. Put Him only above your spouse. Except the Lord build our house and family, all our work is meaningless.
   
2. 

   Love your spouse, and deliberately stay in love. Let no child, work situation, or church situation get between you two. Marriage, your one flesh covenant before God, takes precedence over everything else.
   

3. Love your children. Teach them right from wrong. Discover their gifts, and ‘the way they should go’, and get them help and teaching in their gifting s. Teach them to honor the other the parent, and to obey Jesus, and parents. If your spouse is doing wrong, or asking the children to sin against the Lord, stand with Jesus, in love, prayerfully seeking Him to instruct and correct the offending person, while you walk in honor. Children must be taught to obey their parents, first time, always, and if discipline is needed, then both parents should support each other in it. Never allow a child to play one parent against the other. Never use children as a pawn in conflict with each other, nor poison them against your spouse, even if you are divorced.
   
4. Go to church. If you have to check out 50 of them until you find the one that is right for your family, attending a different one every weekend, find a church home, and get planted there. Pay your tithes, support missions, and love the poor. https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/why-go-to-church/
   
5. Work, and grow in your education. The best gift you can give this life, is a better you. Work, contribute, increase, and continue to study, apply, and grow in your gift and vocation. Do not settle nor compromise, but press towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
   
6. Eat healthy, and get or stay in shape.
   1 Corinthians 6:20
   For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God‘s.

   Most health problems can be eliminated by enough sleep, clean water, healthy food, and decent vitamins and supplements.
   

7. Have fun! Laugh a lot! I laugh most at myself and the stupid mistakes I make, and have learned to forgive quickly, and ask God’s forgiveness just as quickly. One third of of the kingdom of God is JOY. It is difficult victoriously serving the Lord, but joyful. Learn to laugh at adversity, and to pray and receive grace as you go, but GO you must…It is His command, not His suggestion.
   
   If you need prayer: https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Eagles Still Go to Church! Today!

Eagles Still Go to Church!

Luk 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

I like to think about this verse literally. Eagles fly alone in general, except when they find their mate, for life.

Yet, here, God calls a people to Himself, the Body of Christ, and here, in the church, the Bride of Jesus, eagles gather.

You, are a unique, privileged, child of the king, with a specific, individual destiny and calling in Him. We hear the voice of God, and soar high on the winds of His grace, Holy Spirit leading us into higher and higher levels of truth in the Word of God, in our business, our family, revelation often separating us unto God Himself, for only He who gave the insight, truly understands the incredibly complex creation that we are, and the intricacies of our lives.

Yet, we are not called to fly alone, we are part of the body of Christ. Though much of our week may be alone, in our unique calling, where the Body is, we gather.

Leaders go to church.

Ro 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

Jesus is Lord, the ultimate leader, yet He comes to church!

Hebrews 2:12

Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

Heb 10: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

The days of lone ranger Christianity are gone. You were not designed to walk alone, totally. You are part of the Body of Christ, and where the Body is, eagles gather…

Let’s pray:

‘Father, show me the areas I need to fly alone in life, the unique, individual plans you have for me, in this life. Yet, despite my uniqueness, you have called me to the Body of Christ, and given me a place there. Help me to find my place, and help others around me. In your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

Women in Ministry? YES!

Women in Ministry

Here we read of Junia the apostle, a fellowprisoner of Paul in the call of God, the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. (looks like a woman apostle to me)

1) a Christian woman at Rome, mentioned by Paul as one of his kinsfolk and fellow prisoners

There are many Scriptures describing women called of God into ministry gifts and offices, yet there are men who argue that women have no place in leadership, that apostolic and leadership offices are only granted by God, to men.

Chauvinism, and ignornance gone to seed.

The gospel is that Jesus is Risen from the Dead! He is Lord.

Think about this actual event, it was a woman, Mary, at the tomb, that Jesus stopped to visit with, and commission to go tell His disciples and Peter (who was not a disciple at that particular moment after denying Jesus) that He had Risen from the dead. This is the gospel.

Who sent her? Jesus Himself, Lord and God he Son, 2nd person of the Trinity. So God sends women.

Who was she sent to? Men! Yhe first church fathers, the apostles who gave us the church, and the New Testament), telling them that He had risen from the dead! Can women give a message from God to leaders? He sure did in this account!

Guess that makes the first preacher of the gospel, a woman, and, she was sent by God (remember Jesus is still God, the second person of the Trinity), and she was sent to preach to men.

Just sayin…

I believe God will use whosoever He desires, and that He clearly gifts five fold leadership gifts to the earth, to women, as well as men.

Good luck with that. There are over 7 billion people on planet earth, and God is speaking through anyone that will listen. Men are not enough to get this great responsibility for the Great Commission done, so God has poured out His Spirit on all flesh, and men women are speaking the oracles of God!

Acts 2:¹⁷ ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all ^[q]mankind;
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,

Let’s pray:

‘Father, I simply wish to follow you, to hear and obey. Let me hear your voice. Speak through your word, by your Spirit to me directly, or through men or women in leadership in your church, your bride, your government in the earth, in your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Eagles Still Go to Church! Today!

Eagles Still Go to Church!

Luk 17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

I like to think about this verse literally. Eagles fly alone in general, except when they find their mate, for life.

Yet, here, God calls a people to Himself, the Body of Christ, and here, in the church, the Bride of Jesus, eagles gather.

You, are a unique, privileged, child of the king, with a specific, individual destiny and calling in Him. We hear the voice of God, and soar high on the winds of His grace, Holy Spirit leading us into higher and higher levels of truth in the Word of God, in our business, our family, revelation often separating us unto God Himself, for only He who gave the insight, truly understands the incredibly complex creation that we are, and the intricacies of our lives.

Yet, we are not called to fly alone, we are part of the body of Christ. Though much of our week may be alone, in our unique calling, where the Body is, we gather.

Leaders go to church.

Ro 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

Jesus is Lord, the ultimate leader, yet He comes to church!

Hebrews 2:12

Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

Heb 10: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

The days of lone ranger Christianity are gone. You were not designed to walk alone, totally. You are part of the Body of Christ, and where the Body is, eagles gather…

Let’s pray:

‘Father, show me the areas I need to fly alone in life, the unique, individual plans you have for me, in this life. Yet, despite my uniqueness, you have called me to the Body of Christ, and given me a place there. Help me to find my place, and help others around me. In your name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

The Responsibility of Discipleship – A Word for Leaders

The Responsibility of Discipleship

Some time ago, I attended the leadership portion of Word Explosion here at Victory in Tulsa, OK.

A pastor that I had never heard of, who reportedly pastors a church of 15,000+ somewhere in the Eastern United States brought a word about the seasons of God in the church, and he was very articulate and relevant, in bringing out the various things Holy Spirit was accenting, decade by decade here in churches  in the United States.

From the Healing movement, to the Charismatic renewal, to teaching and the Word of Faith, to leadership, etc.

Then he made a couple of statements that confirmed things that Holy Spirit is screaming to me.

He explained that the day of a person simply accepting Jesus, receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and attending church, is not enough in this upcoming season of God, but that what must occur is discipleship.

He went on to say, that to the average pastor, you would look for someone saved, filled with the Holy Spirit, attending regular worship services, attending a small group, and then serving somewhere in the ministry as good indicators of what a disciple should look like, and I agree these are good indicators, but here is where he and I take a different path to the same objective.

I believe a true disciple of Jesus, is a person that is fully led of the Holy Spirit, all day, every day.

Historically, there has been grave excesses in what is called ‘the discipleship, or Shepherding movement’

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherding_Movement

Yet, what about true discipleship?

Jesus said: Matthew 28:19

Go out and make disciples in all the nations.

I think back on my own discipleship experience with my pastor, where, for a period of 5-7 years, he had me read every book in his library, develop a strong devotional life and Bible reading plan, and had me serve in every area of the church for 3-6months.

Was that the end of my spiritual growth?

Was I fully prepared for ministry by this process?

No, but it was a great foundation.

Luke 16:12

And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?

So let’s dig into this concept of discipleship a bit:

Let’s begin by looking at the definition of a disciple:

Full Definition of DISCIPLE

1

:  one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another: as

a :  one of the twelve in the inner circle of Christ’s followers according to the Gospel accounts

b :  a convinced adherent of a school or individual

2

capitalized :  a member of the Disciples of Christ founded in the United States in 1809 that holds the Bible alone to be the rule of faith and practice, usually baptizes by immersion, and has a congregational polity

 

For the sake of simplicity, I call a disciple ‘a disciplined one’.

For example, when I swam on the college varsity swim team, I was expected to make 7 swim practices a week, and we usually did 2 weight work-outs on top of this. In order to stay on the team, I had to be a full time student and maintain a ‘C’ average academically.

What this meant, was that literally every minute of my week, seven days/week was scheduled, so that we could survive not only the training schedule, but the weekends spent on buses travelling to inter-varsity swim meets all over the province.

I was a disciple of competitive swimming and robotics engineering, listening carefully to my Olympic coach on how to make all this possible.

Obviously I survived and completed three varsity seasons, and completed my BSc in robotics, by being a disciplined one…

I was a disciple of robotics and swimming. No Jesus anywhere though.

Yet, we are called to follow Jesus…

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/your-great-commission-embracing-your-destiny/

So what does a disciple of Jesus look like in today’s world?

Here are some thoughts:

1. Aggressively following Jesus, having established a morning prayer watch, deliberately seeking Him first thing, every day.
2. Walking in the Word in deliberate Bible reading, confession, memorization, study, and meditation.
3. Consistently demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit, with signs, wonders and miracles flowing in everyday life, in spirit-led days. Flowing in God all day, every day, not merely on Sundays, or in devotional times. Walking with Holy Spirit, one day at a time, fully submitted to Jesus Lordship.
4. Consistently exhibiting the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our character, carefully watching over our words, that they be faith-filled, representing Jesus well, as an ambassador should.
5. Consistently witnessing and sharing the gospel.(Here is a way to do this on-line:https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/the-gospel-the-power-of-god/)
6. Consistently growing their families in the call of God, through their example, love, consecration, and recognition and fulfillment of their responsibility in their role in the home
7. Consistently attending church, and seeking to serve and build it, growing in faithfulness and responsibility.  https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/why-go-to-church/
8. Living a lifestyle of worship, singing, praying in the spirit, with an attitude of humility and gratefulness, demonstrating the acts of compassion the gospel commands: helping the poor, feeding the hungry, visiting the prisoner, the sick, clothing the naked, empowering the fatherless. https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/01/15/we-worship-by-serving-the-people-god-loves/
9. Consistently seeking to grow in their gift and calling, spiritually, academically, and physically. https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/01/03/the-chinese-bamboo-a-parable-of-growth/
10.  Consistently seeking to grow others in their gifts and callings, empowering, equipping, and encouraging them to hear and fully obey God in all things.
11.    Consistently giving and growing financially, learning how best to keep money under the Lordship of Jesus as a good steward.
12.    Deliberately seeking and pursuing our personal mandate, vocation, and assignment, individually, growing in responsibility levels, on purpose.

Jesus had 12 disciples.

These are simply 12 guidelines I seek to live by.

Yet, as I have meditated upon the concept of discipleship, I discover questions that have difficult answers.

I remember many years ago, an organization called Promise Keepers, encouraged us to find a Paul, and Barnabas, and a Timothy in our lives. The ‘Paul’ being a spiritual leader we could look to for leadership, mentorship, and instruction. The ‘Barnabas’ being a ‘son of encouragement’, another brother in the Lord we could look to for encouragement in the day to day battles of life, and the ‘Timothy’ being one we could pour life and wisdom into, one we were deliberately discipling.

This is a good start surely.

As we grow in our Christian walk, we surely need a pastor who can gently help us learn the basics of this Christian life and character development.

Through our growth process, God will bring the other 4 ministry offices to add strength and structure to the formation of Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Yet, as I have walked with God these years I see many of these ministers see the kingdom of God only through their particular ministry gift, and for humor I write:

The pastor:

GO TO CHURCH! Is it not written: Ps 122: I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

Hebrews 10:25

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Psalm 92:13

Planted in the house of the Lord, They will flourish in the courts of our God

They are right! We all need to be part of a local church, https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/why-go-to-church/

The apostle:

Then we have the apostle, often called the missionary today, whose favorite verse might be

Romans 15:20

And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation

Kind like the old Star Trek television series, ‘To Go Boldly Where No Man Has Gone Before”

1 Corinthians 4:9

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.

Since the greatest in the kingdom is the servant of all, the true apostles I have met over the years are often gentle, suffering, humble servants of Jesus, who almost glow when they walk, carrying great spiritual authority and power….

We call them missionaries….

The Prophet:

Then there are prophets:

Wild creatures!

Dreams, Visions, revelations, ‘This is the Way Walk Ye in It!’ people.

A couple of verses from the office of the prophet, you often hear, when they show up:

Numbers 11:29

Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”

Acts 2:17

‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams

1 Corinthians 14:1

[ Prophecy and Tongues ] Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy

It has been my experience that true prophets stir up controversy by what they say, apostles by what they do…

Evangelists:

Repent, and get saved!

If you are not winning souls, I question your salvation!

These are the great soul winners, those called to train and equip believers for the work of winning the lost.

Biblically, they usually demonstrate great miracles to draw the crowds to the gospel.

Acts 8:6

And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did

A perfect modern day example of a firely evangelist is Rhinhart Bonnke, or now Danial King.

The Teacher:

Then there are the teachers

2 Timothy 2:15

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Isaiah 28:13

But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon  precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

There have been great studies in the life of Jesus, showing how He is the ultimate apostle, pastor, prophet, evangelist and teacher, but what is the purpose of all of these gifts?

Here is a passage of Scripture I continually come back to:

Eph 4⁷ But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”^[b]

⁹ (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first^[c] descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

So we are given men and women of God, from God, to grow us in the things of God, that we can be delivered from the trickery of men, that we can take our place in the Body of Christ, our particular spot, gift, place and calling, that the whole Body of Christ might grow as we edify each other in love.

Been thinking about some what a disciple might look like in 2015, and I see questions, not full answers before me.

Since Jesus only ministered on the earth to His 12 disciples for 3-1/2 years before appointing them leaders in His kingdom in the earth, as His representatives, can we as leaders raise up people to send, in a similar three and a half year time period?

Yes, He promised that we would perform greater works than His, yet He lived with His disciples 24/7 for His entire earthly ministry.

How many of us are willing to embrace twelve people, and lovingly live with, teach, train, equip, and work with for 3-1/2 years until they are raised up in their particular ministries?

As I thought about the church structures in place across the earth, I see churches that place pastoral staff on salaries, but then how are the other four ministry gifts supposed to ethically receive financial support?

Do they simply attend a strong local church, and then perform their particular ministries outside of it’s four walls?

Evangelists raising up evangelistic centers that receive donations from the Body of Christ to finance their living support, and to host the crusades and conferences that train and equip us in the work of evangelism.

Prophets, who host conferences, and produce books and teaching materials to train and equip us in the prophetic…

Missionaries who solicit support to GO and perform missionary assignments, and to raise their families on the missions field.

Teachers, who receive salaries for teaching in the various educational institutes where they are called.

Somehow all this must flow through the local church, and how I have seen cat fights over money!

Should never be. All of us should tithe where the Lord directs, and I honestly believe if the Holy Spirit is fully in charge of the finances of His people, there will be no lack in God’s work being fully supported…

I was speaking about this today with Richard Lyons, who pastors the church we are helping pioneer.

I asked him: ‘Richard, here, in 2015, what does a true disciple of Jesus look like?’

He replied:

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:35

By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

So we see the fruit of a true disciple of Jesus, is true love exhibited in the earth, unconditional love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit!

John 15:10

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

John 15:12

[ Disciples’ Relation to Each Other ] “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

John 15:13

Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:17

This I command you, that you love one another

Romans 5:5

and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us

John 15:5

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears muchfruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:8

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear muchfruit, and so prove to be My disciples

So, as we deliberately seek to receive the love of Jesus, we find ourselves thrust out into this war-torn, sin-sick, broken world, with one great weapon, His love beating in our hearts.

This is the mark of a true disciple, loving people, with no strings attached, simply because He first loved us.

Love Loud Today Leader!

All the evangelism, miracles, works of the ministry mean nothing without love…and love never fails!

Neither will you or I, as we deliberately love…

1 Timothy 1:5

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Come on disciple, let’s pray:

Father, I come to You today, knowing my needs! I need Your love, Your direction, Your strength and power to serve You in this, my generation. Flow through me to love loud today, those You have placed in my path today. I ask this, knowing I am loved and heard, for I ask in Your name Lord Jesus! AMEN!

Why Should I Start a Bible School?

Today, Holy Spirit told me to again post this article:

https://chrisaomministries.wordpress.com/why-should-i-start-a-bible-school/

Why Should I Start a Bible School?.

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

The Day after church…the battle begins!

The Day after church

As I read this rather old statistic, I thought about the USA, and God’s work here:

The U.S. Department of Commerce has recently released statistics on American churches, clergy and church schools. Church Law & Tax Report give some interesting figures:

– Number of U.S. congregations: 294,271
– Churches with fewer than 100 members: 60,300
– Churches with fewer than 500 members: 205,556
– Churches with 1,000-1,999 members: 21,691
– Churches with 2,000 or more members: 13,958

Last year churches received $49 billion in revenues, of which $40 billion came from contributions, $1.4 billion from wills and estates, and $2.5 billion from fees or charges for services. There are a total of 348,000 clergy employed in the United States, and they have served an average of 15.8 years in each position.

Of special interest are the statistics on who is supporting these churches. Persons 65-74 years of age donated the largest percentage of their income (3.1 percent) and those 18-24 the least (0.6 percent). Increasingly, those with lower incomes gave a higher proportion of their income to charity than higher income individuals. Persons with household incomes of under $10,000 gave 2.8 percent of their total incomes, while those with incomes over $100,000 gave only 2.1 percent. The average annual contribution to the church was $715 per household.

Pulpit Helps, August, 1992, p. 8

This is a very old article, I am sure these numbers have grown substantially since 1992.

Yet, I thought about how the kingdom of God works, through prayer and God’s Word proclaimed, and how heaven responds to our earthly ministries.

In heaven, there are no problems, and God always responds to prayer requests and acts of faith that are performed according to His Word.

Like Jesus, I believe that ministers spend the required time in prayer to accurately hear the voice and will of Father God, before they go to their studies to dig through the Scripture and study helps, to bring to their people a fresh empowering word from the throne of God, that will bless, equip, empower, and encourage the people of God in attendance, and that as they speak, people actually believe them, as faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Since God’s word is forever established in the heavens, and He is holy, He acts when His word is preached to His people, ever watching over it to perform it, bringing divine machinery to bear, in the earth, to honor His promises, and bring to pass what He instructed His servants to preach.

Sometimes, there are wonderful miracles that occur in services, but usually, processes are implemented that require spirit-led obedience on our part to bring to pass.

Then, comes the parable of the sower, and the purpose of this blog.

Most of you know, I have written a book on this parable, that is primitive as far as writing goes (Masters level study at seminary has convinced me of that!), but is a clear revelation from God on the process of His kingdom.

You recall in Mark 4, how the sower sows the word (ie the minister preaches the word), and then what happens?

Immediately, Jesus explains that the bird comes to steal the word, then there are persecutions and afflictions when we try and obey it, then there are distractions, and things that muddy the waters of clear, instant obedience.

These thoughts are amplified in two other passages of Scripture:

Hebrews 10:32

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

 

NASB

But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings

 

Notice here, the similarity between the illumination or enlightenment of God to a person, and the immediate work of satan to oppose it. In parable of the sower, he is described as the bird come to steal the word of God sown in the heart of the believer, here in Hebrews, we see his work again, bringing ‘a great fight of afflictions’.

 

We see this clearly in the ministry of the apostle Paul:

2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

Notice here, Paul was given ‘the abundance of the revelations’ directly from God (He wrote over half of the new testament), and immediately a ‘messenger of Satan’ was sent to buffet him.

MSG   Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

While God allowed the work of satan to work humility in Paul, notice here that the buffeting DID NOT COME FROM GOD.

Also notice that the buffeting came, only after Paul did what God said to do.

 

I have noticed, that when I go to church, I bring a pen and paper, or notepad on my phone. Surely if God should speak to me, it is important enough to write down, and transfer to my schedule and To Do, list.

Though I could preach much this morning, this is a simple call to targeted, accurate, intercessory prayer, for all those multitudes that heard the word of God yesterday in church, and either blew it off and forgot what the whispers of Holy Spirit told them to do, or for those who know now what to do, but need courage to do it, because it will require life change, and perhaps very real persecution and afflictions. Of course, the people like me need prayer too, as there are always conflicting pulls for my time, and distractions that would bring loss of focus and priority…all to prevent the work of God from going forward as Jesus directs.

For those of you determined to make an eternal difference in this life, please join with me in praying:

Father, please bring back to remembrance, what You spoke to people yesterday, and help them to write it down, and do it. For those facing hard times because of their obedience, please give them strength, courage, and firm resolve to DO what they now know they need to do. For those of us prone to distraction, please keep us focused, with precise, spirit-led obedience today, that Your kingdom would come, and move forward in power today, in the name and authority of Jesus I pray, Amen.

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Why Go to Church? There is a reason!

 

My three thoughts on why I need to go to church are:

1. God commands it.
2.  We need to Be the church
3. It should be a place to serve, give, worship, and meet with Jesus!
   

   God Commands it:  

1. So, the first reason we should attend a local church is found here:Well, the first commandment in the Bible, is to love God with all of our hearts, minds, souls and strength. Jesus said, that if we love Him, we will obey His commandments.

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Novel concept this: we go to church, simply because God commands it!

Read this quote, and it seems appropriate here:

“I often visit newcomers in town and find them to be church shopping. They want to know what they can get out of church. Churches are one more consumer commodity. Worship services are not a place for us to serve God and neighbor but a place where people expect to purchase the best: Inspiring worship, good music, moving sermons, quality child care. As if we buy God and not vice versa. “Arthur Boers in The Other Side, May/June, 1989

Doesn’t mean we always like it, just like when I am instructing a child on a new level of responsibility, and they do not like to do dishes, clean their room, or homework, it is good for them, and I am instructing them because I love them, and want them to be a responsible adult. (I would never want their future spouses to arrive at my door some day, and say: “Why did you not raise your child better? Living with them is incredibly difficult!”)

So, there may be seasons in the house of the Lord, where we do not particularly like attending our local place of worship, as seasons of our life in Jesus change, but it is the faithful man that abounds with God’s blessing. Sometimes the best we can hope for is to be faithful…

Psalm 122:1

[ The Joy of Going to the House of the Lord ] [ A Song of Ascents. Of David. ] I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”

2.    Be the Church –

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it

Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Definition of a local church:

1. Purpose is the public worship of God, edification of the saints, and spread of the gospel.2. Organization: planned meetings (Acts 20:7), a.corporate discipline (I Cor. 5), b. money raising projects (II Cor. 8-9), c. recognized leaders such as pastor, elders, deacons (Heb. 13:7, 17).

   3.ordinances practiced. Lightner in Truth for the Good Life, p. 115-6

I used to think, that because I hold one of these gifts, that I needed to use it in the local church, yet I see that there are other battlefields Jesus has called me to, outside of the church walls. I attend my local church, but I am not called presently to serve there, as I am often travelling, writing, or creating something out of nothing, as Holy Spirit speaks and flows through me. Yet, everything I do, is to build the kingdom of God, and strong local churches wherever possible.

As I said, I hold a five-fold ministry gift, as described in Eph 4, but there are things that come through the office of my pastor, that God has given to him, not to me, and for the blessing and protection of my family, I need to allow him to fulfill his job in the kingdom, while I am doing exploits in my arena.

Generally though, you will find your place of purpose and service, in the local church, before God sends you out….

Luke 16:12

And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?

Knowing and flowing in your particular gift and calling is critical to finding peace with God and people, but there comes a point where we grow in our local church to the point where we attend to give, not merely to receive.

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Psalm 92:13

Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.

It is all about Jesus, He is Lord, Head of the church, and whatever He says, do it, no matter what your particular denomination or local assembly may say about it. If He truly speaks, what He says will be Biblical, though people may think you are out of your mind, going half way across the world to feed the poor, preach the gospel, or perform some Biblical act of love and kindness, you may not be out of your mind, just out of theirs! We have the mind of Christ! 1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth

3. Church should be a place to worship, serve, give, fellowship, pray and build a vision far greater than any one of us could build individually!

One of the ways we worship God is serving the people that He loves.

This is such an important truth, I wrote an entire blog article on it: https://chrisaomministries.com/2017/01/15/we-worship-by-serving-the-people-god-loves/

See here, the Final Judgment of God, no appeals, no lawyers in each of our lives, the final court case. Matt 25:31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

One of the ways we worship God is serving the people that He loves.   Notice in this portion of Scripture, that Jesus says that one of the ways we will be accountable to God, eternally, is in our treatment of the poor and less fortunate in our midst. Saying we care, will not get us past this verse.

No, to obey it requires action, and these actions constitute worship acceptable to God. Here’s another James 1: 27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. Want to walk pure before God?

Here’s something you can do that He will accept. Visit some single mom, and help out there, then stay clean before God. Love her children, help her with her responsibilities, then make sure you remain free from all of the games and sin that would try to drag you into the mess there. You are to be an agent of change there, for good, and God’s glory, not part of the problem.

Of course, people living and serving Jesus together in the love of God, make a fun place to hang out: Acts 2:42 ⁴² And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

Christian community, experienced in the love and power of God, is a wonder to behold. Life can be hard, but as we lovingly help each other through life’s challenges, it can be very rewarding and fulfilling – full of vision and purpose.

2 Corinthians 8:4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin

Serving Jesus should be a joyful experience, not a burden, but an eternal blessing. One third of the kingdom of God is joy, so let us say with the psalmist:

Psalm 122 [Full Chapter] I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: God really is good, and Jesus really does love you!

Deuteronomy 28:47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Seeking first Jesus, and aligning our lives with His Word, will produce the abundance of all things…

Here’s a great quote:

“Yet membership in a confessing body is fundamental to the faithful Christian life. Failure to do so defies the explicit warning not to forsake “our assembling together.” His understanding of this prompted Martin Luther to say, “Apart from the church, salvation is impossible.” Not that the church provides salvation; God does. But because the “saved” one can’t fulfill what it means to be a Christian apart from the church, membership becomes the indispensable mark of salvation. “So highly does the Lord esteem the communion of His church,” Calvin wrote,” that He considers everyone a traitor and apostate from religion who perversely withdraws himself from any Christian society which preserves the true ministry of the word and sacraments.” Charles W. Colson, The Body, 1992, Word Publishing, p. 70.

Like Nike says: Just Do it!

Let’s pray: Father God, I choose to attend church, to worship You, to serve Your people, to give unto You, and to hear a living Word of power from Your throne. Show me where to become plugged into Your Body Lord Jesus, Amen;

https://chrisaomministries.com/2016/08/06/the-purpose-of-this-blog/

Go to Church! Your Nation depends upon it!

Go to church, Restore your nation

Jer 13:16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD’S flock is carried away captive.

Hear the heart of Jeremiah here, the one Bible scholars call, ‘the weeping prophet’. He sees God, and sees the people of God rebelling against Him, in pride going their own way.

Note for intercessors, the only way to bring down a spirit of pride, is with an opposite spirit, a spirit of humility. Jesus did it with His disciples, setting the eternal example of servant-hearted leadership, for all generations, He washed His disciples feet. Jeremiah too, has found a secret place, away from the eyes of men, to weep.

Why? He sees the inevitable consequences of their rebellion, captivity and bondage.

Over the past couple years, as I have spent time simply walking around and meeting new people here in Tulsa, I have discovered an amazing ignorance of the things of God in the people I have met.

They seem like nice enough folks, but out of the heart, the mouth speaks. I ask them where they go to church, and they tell me that they used to attend church, but…and then come the stories….

Yes, horrible things have happened in churches, simply because fallen, broken, sinful people attend them, but we cannot allow the behavior of others, no matter how ‘spiritual’ they appear dictate our decision to obey God in attending a place of worship:

Proverbs 18:19

A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city, and quarreling is like the bars of a castle

Pride is not just someone walking with their chest puffed out, strutting their stuff.

No, pride in God’s eyes, is deciding that our will is greater than His. Like we are smarter than He is….

The Bible says, GO TO CHURCH! Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

In these last days, it is not a time to be playing with God: tremendous prophetic events are occurring in the earth, and great consequences happen from both obedience, and disobedience.

The way I see it, you are either part of the solution, or part of the problem.

The solution is Jesus, His kingdom, power, and restoration through the establishment of His Word. His church, the bride, is the answer to this world, His kingdom extended through His people…

Yet, if you think you are too smart for God, that ignorance is bliss, think again.

Do not mistake God’s silence for permission or acceptance of your lifestyle. He loves you, but He is holy, and when the only word He could speak would be correction that He knows you will not hear, in His mercy, He is quiet, hoping you will, of your own volition, turn to Him. If He were to speak, His only word would be judgement upon your sin, and so, in mercy, He is silent.

If you won’t, of your own volition do what the Word clearly says: He remains faithful and true, but the withdrawing of His presence and blessing has very tangible consequences, like here in the nation of the United States of America, a 14 trillion dollar deficit. (At the end of FY 2016 the gross US federal government debt is estimated to be$19.4 trillion, according to the FY17 Federal Budget. )
We have prayed, and now have a President, and Vice President that understand this: God will make America great again, and this debt is nothing, before the Creator of the Universe – His righteousness will exalt America again, and blast this debt back into the hell that spawned it.

“The church’s task with regard to the state which is posed for all time is thus clear. First, it must loyally give the state everything necessary to its existence. It has to oppose anarchy and all zealotism within its own ranks. Second, it has to fulfill the office of watchmen over the state. That means it must remain in principle critical towards every state and be ready to warn it against transgression of its legitimate limits. Third, it must deny to the state which exceeds it limits, whatever such a state demands that lies within the province of religio-ideological excess; and in its preaching, the church must courageously describe this excess as opposition to God.”

Oscar Cullman, The State in the N.T., pp. 90-91

No matter how great any of us are, God has instituted pastors and five-fold ministry that are faithful to HIS Word. This Word, properly articulated and applied, is the answer to every human need, both personally and nationally.
Come back to Jesus today. Find a good church. Find a place to serve and give something back. There is joy and eternal purpose in it.

Your nation depends upon it.

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, you see the state of the ‘church’ in my area. You know me, and all that has been done. Give me the courage to attend where You want me to attend, for Your sake, not the sake of the people there. Lead me, guide me, speak to me, and make a way, where there has been no way. In Your Name, I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’