Good morning everyone from Hawaii to the far reaches of the world. We are all glad you have returned and glad that you are all here amongst us all, we are so glad to be one body, the Body of Christ. And that we are all one with each other, with the same accord with love in our hearts ready to serve and worship our God and His Son Jesus Christ. God Bless you all this day, and all the days in the future, we are living in eternity now, so the Lord will be blessing us all in truth and peace.
Dear Heavenly Father we come today to worship you in spirit and in truth, with purity of mind and heart, please send your Holy Spirit to us all, to all of those that see and here this sermon today. Please be with us all dear Lord, we all love you and the church of the Body of Christ. We all want to be in the true body not just an imitation, we need your help this day Father, as the days go by, we need you with us at every moment, we need your peace and grace upon us all. There are many out there that are truly suffering, please Father heal all the hurt, and the broken hearted. We all want and need to be as Christ, and we know we are sinners, please help us with all our fears and doubts, and please help us all to do the things that You want us to, not what we want to do. Please give a special understanding to the few that cannot see the light, and someday soon they will find the peace that we all have in Jesus. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen
As I was sitting with my good friend and pastor, we were sitting in his church down the street and we began to talk about the church and prayer and the past, I began to tell him about the importance of my education that came from traveling, traveling around from place to place gives you a little different view on things. So many things in life are hidden these days, and if you aren’t there to learn, then you would never really know what really is going on in this world, you all know I went to schools but we also talked about one of the schools I attended and what I really learned, then we went on to talk, and he was interested about where did I really get my knowledge. I have keep a lot of my life untouched though all these sermons here and there, and things have spouted up, but with the schooling I really didn’t learn much, self bible study was more important than anything else. But the object remains that he knew I did have a lot to say and He could not figure how I knew so much about people and everything else, I began to explain that when you really get out there and stick your thumb out and carry everything on your back, your home, your bible, your cloths, a flute and a guitar you do have complete freedom. I had a good life back in the 70’s between schools, and I got out of the race for accomplishments and possessions, I chose a different basis, I was out to learn, in a capacity of a different out- look, when I started talking about living and staying and really meeting the American Indians in the west he was intrigued when you live and camp out, with the Ute, Pueblo, Navaho, and the Sioux you begin to learn just a little bit more about what our country has truly done to all the American Indians, and when you actually stay on a reservation and really meet them you begin to share lives with each other, and what has truly happened to each and every one class of people. Now last week we were talking about freedom and the Declaration of Independence, and during the added extra research, I wanted to express what we actually did to the people that lived here, and how we just came over here and took over there land. You all know that I have been getting weaker and weaker by the day and just walking down the road makes me entirely exhausted. But I did want to express that there was a lot of effects that when colonies moved in to the land of freedom, the freedom of the American Indian changed a great deal, they were here first, and this was there land, and we can’t really get into the facts itself because as a bible truth church we cannot be judging people, when lets say you are living in the Black Hills of South Dakota which is the area of the Sioux and while you are camping out and going in to town at Rapid City you begin to here all the stories of each and every individual, and how now all there hunting and beautiful areas of trees and running water waterfalls in which large and small game lived, and if these fertile areas were taken away, this is the question on how do they survive, and how do they feed their children. That is why I put my traveling map on the prayer page of this church website, to make a point of the knowledge that I did receive from traveling, some look at it as if you were just out there begging rides, but that was not the case, the Lord had me go though these events to learn a different aspect of truth, I could spread the love of God, and I could contribute my music and all my songs to everyone. And in turn we could share our lives and experiences with each other. That is why when I pray with so many people and the responses are so incredible because once you live with so many people from all different backgrounds you can almost sense there feeling just by there words. And you have gained a little extra gift of discernment or a feeling of understanding. And you can almost know what the words to say, and it is not only the just living in the west, the west part of this country is so beautiful, an I can not understand how people can stay in one place all there lives, lets say New York I have lived there too, and I could not even handle the attitudes and the feelings I would get from people just walking down the street. When I was a kid we would always skip school and go into the city of New York and there was a big difference between the people from there and the people out west. I grew up in New Jersey and I lived real close to New York City. The only thing that truly separated the two states was the Hudson river, so we would just take a bus into the city, and it was entering into a different world there, it started out going to the parades and then to Grenich Village and as we were about 16, you have to remember I didn’t grow up in a Christian home. We had our own crowd of people that we stuck together, I wouldn’t call it a gang but to some extent we were, we did have our turf and we protected it. We all hung out at the same place in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Back then it was a little different, everyone has seen American Graffiti the move, it was very similar and also the movie Grease, that is how things were in my time. It became so repetitious the same place, and doing the same things and when I went away to college I moved to a big city, and that was a little different change it was 96% black, with higher crime and a lot more police action, drugs and riots. You see in a big city no one is very friendly you don’t see people waving hello, or smiling, it is the complete opposite, everyone is afraid to even give eye contact, no one wants to be involved, there really isn’t any compassion, and love for one another, unless you are known or part of the neighborhood. To me that wasn’t any place for me to live. I was a very sensitive and a caring person and although you would think a white man living in a city that was 96% black would make a difference in personality, not for me. I guess the love for the Lord made me not have any fear, so if you show no fear, you usually don’t have any problems. I remember the days waiting on line at White Castle with my school buddies and we would be the only white folk on this long line of about 50-60 people. I guess we were a bit different, and at that time I made so many friends between school and work. That too was a leaning experience show love and no fear but to still have that essence of meekness, meekness is not being afraid, it is more or less the ability to control your power. And some people can recognize and sense these points. After School I completely left the area, I put on a back pack and began to travel. I was out for adventure, to learn and to do what the bible says to do.
We all have the Lord, whether we know it or not, he is right with us. Our God has so much power and love combined. It is so hard for our minds to even explain and understand. He can do anything. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isa.41:10) All we have to do is believe, have faith in Him and trust in Him. 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' (Jer. 33:3) Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7) For he does great works too marvelous to understand. He performs miracles without number. He gives rain for the earth. He sends water for the fields. He gives prosperity to the poor and humble, and he takes sufferers to safety. (Job 5:9-10) Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. (Isa. 40:31) Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. (Isa.58:8-9) "Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. (Matt. 7:7-8) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, (Isa. 61:1-2) Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. (1Thes 5:23) Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession. (James 1:17-18)
Along the many paths I took I did come upon many churches and different sects and denominations, I fell into different kinds of Jesus communes, and Jesus movement gatherings, and I began to analyze what was the difference. Most all of my years as a traveler I was a Christian and I began to come upon different teachings, different statements of faith, mission statements, beliefs in each and every way of there particular church, or assembly, it may be in the state of Louisiana, Colorado or California or somewhere in the middle of Oklahoma, never the less as I grew with the knowledge of truth, most of the time I always had a bible, and when you are waiting for a ride on an entrance ramp, I would bring out my bible and start to read and pray, being alone was hard, but sometimes easier for someone to pick you up. So I began to follow scripture of the church and what it really meant to me.
As you all know that Satan today and since the beginning of Adam and Eve, Satan was out to destroy the unity of the church. So he was out to destroy all the works of the church in different areas in the old testament, but the church was not really established yet, they did have several assemblies and gatherings from the word in Hebrew qahal which is found 100 times, and he continued on from the birth the life, the crucifixion, resurrection, and the ascension of Christ, for the next few centuries, the devil was attacking the doctrine and trying to destroy the church, the church took a major hit in 325 with Constantine, with the meeting of the First Ecumenical of the Church in the great hall of a place in Nicaca, the devil tried to move against the doctrine of justification by faith. And it continued on to the 19th and 20th centuries trying to destroy the meaning of the scriptures, and there were some great men that rose for Christendom, which made some incredible differences in our paths of Christianity.
And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel." Gen 3:15 NASB
What is the meaning of the church, well in the Greek word in the New Testament in English would be Ekklesia it came about from the word ekkaleo. The part of ek means out, and kaleo means to call or summon, so in actuality the church means to call out, or the called out ones.
So what do we think about in our minds about the church? Do we picture buildings with the tall cross hanging at the top, with a certain beauty and beautiful windows, with all the stained glass, and the pews of fine wood and design with a platform of flowers and lights and candles?
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. Eph.2:19-22 NIV
What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.""Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 2Cor 6:17:18 NIV
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness" and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile." 1Cor. 3:19-20 NIV
"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. John 17:16 NASB
Things of the world are created by man, and the New Testament church is the church that Jesus and his apostles built. So basically the church of today is a fake of the true church of the early times, creating changes through the centuries by man.
So we ask ourselves how did this all happen, the apostles set up a simple loving church and the elements of man and mixed with worldly conflicts and pride which caused a division and a imitation church that we see today. We didn’t follow the apostles teaching of Christ, we are all at fault; this mis-guidance from the evil one has been causing havoc for centuries.
I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of ) the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. 1Tim 3:15 NASB
"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28 NASB
I guess as time progressed as the bible predicted false teachers, false prophets, and false apostles, lead by Satan himself and his agents and we just let things slide, not knowing that our own selfish ambitions were getting in the way, and we just became accustomed to the listening of these false men. There was a church I went to and as the preacher stood up in front, I could actually see his face being manipulated, and I could actually see his true self as the devil himself or one of his demons or counterparts, teaching, and I could remember someone asked where is that in the bible, and he just said it is in there somewhere. You see I could see it, but I don’t know if anyone else did. And this was a large congregation.
These people are false apostles. They have fooled you by disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers. In the end they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve. 2Cor. 11:13-15 NLT
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Pet 2:1NIV
Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanksgiving by people who know and believe the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it. We may receive it gladly, with thankful hearts. For we know it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 1Tim. 4:1-5 NLT
You should also know this, Timothy that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that. 2Tim. 3:1-5 NLT
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1John 4:1-6 NASB
I guess people figured they could change the aspect of the church, not knowing that they were being lead by the evil one. Christ built this church, it was His body with Himself as the head, the bride and He is the Bridegroom, the church is also as if to say the sheep and He is the Shepard, plus the church can also be looked at as the branches, and Christ as the vine, again the church is an example of the kingdom of priests, and He is the High Priest, also the church can also be a symbol of living stones, and He is the chief cornerstone. And He paid for this with His precious blood. There are so many changes today with all kinds of divisions and spirits. Satan wanted to tear it down and change it, and he used the men of the world to accomplish this task.
And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God's word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man is actually loving himself when he loves his wife. No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church. And we are his body. Eph. 5:25-30 NLT
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Rom. 5:1-2 NIV
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 1Cor. 1:25-26 NIV
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph. 2:8-10 NIV
We are still very prideful people and that also is a silent attack from the devil. We were to share the perfection of Christ, and I believe He wanted us all to be just like Him through the truth of the word and the church, in other words God wanted us to be all in a way like Christ, but it seems our lack of faith caused more damage to ourselves and the church and men felt they could make there own changes, interpretations and go on to there own separate ways, and change the root of the early church. It seems that the church today isn’t His church anymore, it is more or less a church changed and designed by man. So when Jesus returns looking for His Church, He will not find it.
I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 NIV
Being a member of a church on earth guarantees nothing, but being a member of the body of Christ, guarantees salvation.
For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 1Cor.12:12-14 NASB
There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Eph 4:4-5 NIV
As Jesus prayed in John 17:21 for all to be at one with one another we ask ourselves what happened? What is all this division and denominational separation and scattering? We also have to remember when Jesus talked to the Pharisees he said;
"I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father--that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.
"I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are-- I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one. John 17: 20-23 NLT
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. Matt. 12:25 NIV
So with all these divisions and denominations, we are not going to stand. We have to figure that denominationalism is a synonym for division. How could we let all this happen when we have the written word telling us these things are going to happen and still yet we are guided in truth, and yet we still are being confused and our God is not a God of confusion but of peace. So now we are following the confusion of the evil one and the theory of man with all these rules and regulations by and our sound doctrine is already out the window. So now we are seeing the domino effect, changes in the church division , doctrine, interpretation, and has fallen into all different directions, so within our schools and seminaries we are being taught confusion and error brought on by the spirit of Satan and his hosts, year by year and century to century. For instance you can take all the biblical scholars and teachers and they all have come up with 7 different theories of when the church truly began. And there are books written on all their theories. I and most people believe the true church started with Pentecost in Acts 2, but now we have 6 other theories being taught today in our schools and seminaries, you see different interpretations different logic, and all different men, I thought we were supposed to be as one with the Father and Christ.
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2Pet.1:20-21 NIV
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 1Cor.4:26 NIV
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2Tm.3:16 NASB
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 2Tim 2:15 NASB
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. 2Tim 4:1-2 NIV
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. Col 3:15-16 NLT
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2Tim 4:3-5 NASB
For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. Jude 4 NIV
The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, "I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye," would that make it any less a part of the body? Suppose the whole body were an eye--then how would you hear? Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could you smell anything? But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you."
In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. 1Cor.12:12-27 NLT
But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ told you, that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to enjoy themselves in every evil way imaginable. Now they are here, and they are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They live by natural instinct because they do not have God's Spirit living in them. But you, dear friends, must continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit. Live in such a way that God's love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you. Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. There are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful that you aren't contaminated by their sins. Jude 17-23 NLT
Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly Kingdom. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 2Tim 4:18 NLT
There is so much more on the history of the church I will probably continue on this same subject next week, depending on my health we get into the definitions of organization and organism, we all know that the church is a living and breathing organism, not an organization. And we all know there is a lot more to be covered with this subject; we need to be like the Bereans always testing with the scriptures what we are being taught in a school, or even in a church service, or seminary. We know the Devil is out there and he is not only trying to destroy the church from the outside but also from within, and he is constantly attacking marriages, and our human government.
Dear Mighty God, Thank you for another day of worship with our brothers and sisters all across the world, please keep us safe from temptation, self, and pride. Please help us love one other more, and pray for each another, we love you Father, we want so much for your love, and please till next week, please guard us all, please answer all our prayers from the church, and please help all the ones that we have been praying for. In Jesus Powerful Name, Amen and Amen.
