Last Days of the Age

Brethren, a testimony from my wife Kim who has endured many hardships in her life, yet remains faithful in the Lord. She has a quick tongue, yet a soft heart for people. A heart for the Lord Jesus. We need more like her.

Forgiveness and Prayer

²⁵ “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶ But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25-26)

 After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. ² And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla… (Acts 1:1-2)

²⁴ Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. ²⁵ This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. ²⁶ So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. (Acts 18:24-26)

 “Judge not, that you be not judged. ² For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. ³ And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (Mat 7:1-5)

OK, I meant to post what my wife wrote first originally. What I quoted in the first part was an additional thought to what I am going to share now. Just consider this an addendum to the previous post. May the Lord guide you and keep you.

When we are called out by the Lord is it not His judgment that we should be worried about and not others? Why do brothers and sisters say they preach of love and grace, yet what comes out of there mouth is vial and full of fire? How do people pretend to care and know that what they did was wrong to turn around and sling it back on others? If God put into a mans heart that he needs to write about love and grace wouldn’t those words only come from the Lord and not the quotes of men? Isn’t Gods words worth more in this life than the words of men?

When we speak should it not be from the Lord and not others? Has not God made it clear that to follow Him is salvation? So why would we gratify others and their quotes when the parables of Christ Jesus tells us and shows us what we fail to see everyday. Men gratify others and not the more Holy Lord almighty, isn’t that just like serving another God? I know that more people are using men to make Gods point instead of using the Holy Bible to bring the Lord of Light to focus. I know that there are plenty of verses for this, but I think the next blog should be Following the true Lord don’t you? I know that some would say that using a quote from someone else is not bad, but then why are we reading the Bible? Isn’t that like saying I don’t like the way God has put it but I like how this person did? Isn’t God a jealous God? So why would we disappoint Him if we are using the words of others and not using His?
We might as well be changing the Bible to our words instead of His and then we can watch the plagues of the world come down upon us and then cry out his name saying why Lord have you forsaken me.

The Lord has spoken and we need to listen. When one has not preached His words from what the Lord has provided and uses others to bring his point to life, then that is a sign of mistrust in the Lord. Does God not say if you hear me knowledge will come with understanding? So why are we misguided? We are misguided by our selfish worldly understanding of what everyone inside the church and outside of the church is taught or listens to. Why do we think that we need to do God’s job by creating a better way of understanding of Him when all we need to do is tell people and open their eyes to the truth, not show them better ways of distorting or making a verse sound better than when God or Jesus said it right. We talk about standing for truth, then we need to stand in the words of the Lord not the words of men. Putting a better spin to the word of God does not make one better or more righteous. It just shows the ignorance and the stubbornness of men.

I want to share something my wife wrote to me today in an e-mail. It has to do with a simple Truth about how we share God’s Truth when blogs are written. For we must be careful in how we teach and share God’s Truth. And it must be correctly supported by Scripture.

This was written word for word as God gave it to my wife.

Isn’t Scripture the main source of the Lord or is it just words of wisdom to add to and make it our own. If we can not back up these peoples quotes with Scripture behind it to show what God has been saying and teaching then we are not truly righteous in the Lords eyes and our understanding is just as perverted as the men who write the quote. Doesn’t that sound like a pastor in a church? We cannot justify ourselves with any other means but the source of God almighty. When we teach do we not teach in truth without deception? If so then we should not have any other means of man’s words and only trust in Jesus. Even those who have stepped out of the church with the Lord need to ask themselves “where am I with you Lord” and “how can I serve you”. Not “how can I make you sound better”.

Brethren, if we quote other men all the time then we aren’t pointing to Christ. We must use Scripture to guide people to the Truth. Consider the following from 2Timothy:

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

¹⁰ But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2Tim 3:1-16)

The apostle Paul first gives a warning to watch out for those who do not walk according to God’s Truth in verses 1-9. Then in verses 10-15 he gives an exhortation to continue in the Truth given Timothy. Then amazingly Paul sums it up in verses 16-17. He says in essence, stick with Scripture. It was given to us by God so that we can know the Truth, live by it and instruct others with it. If we are quoting men, even if it seems edifying are we glorifying men or God? I challenge that it is the former that is being glorified and perpetuates what I have been calling “running to Moses”. It may not be wrong to quote men as long as we support it correctly through Scripture.

But now brethren, let us back track in Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy. Let us read the 2nd chapter for a clearer picture of how we present God’s Truth:

2 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ³ You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. ⁵ And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. ⁷ Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

⁸ Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, ⁹ for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

¹¹ This is a faithful saying:

For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
¹² If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
¹³ If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. ¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. ¹⁶ But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. ¹⁷ And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, ¹⁸ who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

²⁰ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. ²¹ Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. ²² Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. ²³ But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. ²⁴ And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵ in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶ and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Let us now rightly divide the word of God, not teaching from the philosophy of men, supposing it is the word of God, but using the word of God as it is. God will not share glory with another.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.(Col. 2:8)

So now here we are on to a continuation of the Running to Moses series, but the title and the vision have been changed as the focus has been changed from the old and is now on the new. The focus was on how men followed the example of looking to a Moses figure.  Moses was a type of Christ. An example to follow and as described before a calling of others to come close to the Father. But, this figure is viewed in human terms as the example of a mediator standing in the place where Christ is. The excuse, if you will to put someone else to speak for others. Folks, this in essence is anti-christ. Anti means in place of, opposed to, against. If we take this as truth, which I believe it is then the practice of the modern day church has taken the place of and opposed the work of Christ. Yes that is quite the statement. Yes I have seen some good in some institutions. But the reality is that many are fleeing these places because God is opening their eyes to the Truth. He is calling them out.

If we are to see how we are to follow Christ, moving passed the elementary teachings of Salvation in Christ, let us begin our foundation on something He was recorded as saying in the Gospel of John.

³⁰ Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? ³¹ Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

³² Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

³⁵ And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. ³⁶ But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. ³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹ This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. ⁴⁰ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:30-40)

Jesus says He is the Bread of Life. He continues on this idea of Him being the bread of life but He adds a new wrinkle so to speak. Let us examine.

⁴¹ The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” ⁴² And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

⁴³ Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. ⁴⁶ Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰ This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

⁵² The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

⁵³ Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵ For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. ⁵⁶ He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

⁵⁹ These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Have you ever heard someone say something like “he eats, drinks and breathes sports” or golf or racing”? It means that whatever someone is passionate about they are pouring every ounce of energy into what it is they love and enjoy. So it is with Christ. He is calling us to put every bit of energy we can into living for Him. To be obedient in sharing the Gospel and walking in the Spirit. Christ Himself said “he who feeds on Me will live because of Me”. This idea is further put forth where Christ talk of himself being the vine and we are the branches. For apart from Him we can do nothing.

 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:1-8)

Again He is speaking of how intertwined our lives are if we are walking in Him. If we study and apply the Scriptures to our life then we are then enabled by the Spirit to walk in Christ Jesus. We become those branches He speaks of. We bear fruit. Naturally. Because of the love He has placed in us for His Truth. Glory to the Father above! For it is true that we cannot do anything of our own will apart from Him. If we are not guided by the Spirit, we are witnessing and acting out of  place and time in ways that are not effective. For He alone knows all things. We do not. We must rely on Him and be cautious and wary to speak and act when we are asked to in the Spirit.

But there is more that the Lord is drawing our attention here. Let us go back to the Gospel of John in chapter 6. Let us look at an important truth. How is it we are drawn to the truth? Jesus said:

³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹ This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. ⁴⁰ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

There it is. All that the Father has given Him will come to Jesus. But He didn’t stop there. Let’s look again at the following Scriptures.

⁴¹ The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” ⁴² And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

⁴³ Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. ⁴⁶ Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. ⁴⁸ I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰ This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

Verse 44 says that no one comes to Him unless the Father draws them. How does the Father draw us? By the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sins through the law. Then we can see the Grace He has provided through Christ Jesus. Then we can begin to be taught by God Himself. Not by man. What Jesus said in verse 45 is a fulfillment of Isaiah 54:13

All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
And great shall be the peace of your children.

Even in later Scripture this Truth is confirmed and taught.

²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. ²⁷ But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. (IJohn 2:26-27)

Brethren, it is true that God can choose vessels of flesh to at first teach us things of Christ, but we must begin to rely on Christ and develop our relationship with Him on our own. For if we cannot rely on Christ but depend upon others for the Truth, then we may not be building our foundation solidly upon Christ alone. No other man can save us but Christ Himself.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

Let us now begin our journey of learning from Christ Himself. Relying solely upon Him for our needs. For He supplies us from any vessel or way He chooses. If this blog post can be of any encouragement, it is from our Lord and Savior. We must build our foundation in Him alone. It is through the application of Scriptural Truths as He leads and teaches that brings us into obedience. Then the Bride and Body of Christ can then be raised up in perfection for the last day. I will continue this theme of following Christ as He leads. May He lead and encourage you on this narrow path to Life. Blessings in Christ Jesus.

If you have been reading and considering the Running to Moses series, please read my brother Mark’s recent blog. It fits right in with what I have been writing about. Mark and I have been discussing this very subject for some time. Many blessings to those who are following Christ.

Brethren, those few who have found this short series of blog entries, I pray you have been edified and heard the voice of the Lord. For I am not here to take credit for God’s work in my life. For it is His Truth and Righteousness in Christ that we are seeking. It is recorded that Christ spoke these words:

³⁶ Then He spoke a parable to them: “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old one; otherwise the new makes a tear, and also the piece that was taken out of the new does not match the old. ³⁷ And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved. ³⁹ And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, ‘The old is better. (Luke 5:36-39)

Brethren the parable that Christ has given us here is that those who are still walking in the flesh still desire the world. They are slow in accepting the new wine, the New Covenant in Christ Jesus. For they prefer the old covenant, which has been done away with for those who follow Christ. I pray that those who read this will abandon the old for the new. For even the churches follow the pattern of the Old Testament in the way they follow the pastor instead of Christ Jesus. Let me ask you, is your place to sit in the pew and listen to the pastor, to sit in Bible study to be taught and never become teachers yourselves? Are you to remain a babe in Christ forever? I have found that Christ has given us a better pattern to follow. So then, let us examine Scripture to see how He has set up His Kingdom. To see what our place is in it.

Let us start by abolishing the first covenant with Scripture for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.

³ For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer. ⁴ For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; ⁵ who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” ⁶ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. ⁸ Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— ⁹ not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. ¹⁰ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. ¹¹ None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. ¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

¹³ In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Heb. 8:1-13)

¹¹. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation ¹² Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? ¹⁵ And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Heb. 9:11-15)

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. ² Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. ³ And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. ⁴ You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. ⁵ For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. (Gal. 5:1-6)

So then it is well established or should be that the law is done away with for those in Christ, yet there are those things that are expedient in our walk with Him. For His pattern of observance begins in the New Testament. I will begin with Scripture and a lesson from Paul who is an apostle to Christ.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. ²⁸ And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. (ICor. 12:27-31)

Brethren, Paul says we, each individually are part of the Body of Christ. Each one of us with our various gifts. I wholly encourage you to read, study and meditate upon I Corinthians chapter 12. For it gives a deeper detail of who we are within the Body. Now let me next point out the next major detail. Prove this out by using a good Strong’s dictionary that translates the original greek to english. I have found that for every greek word ekklessia the word church is used instead. But does ekklesia really represent what most people think of as church?

To most people church is a building people go to to socialize, get preached to and perhaps get a Bible study lesson in a class. But the focus is on a building where the people must meet. The building is generally regarded as holy. Don’t you think that rather that instead of the building being holy and as many people think God resides in that building called church He really resides in His people who are each individually the Body, Ekklesia. I say yes, and Scripture bears this out.

¹⁵ “If you love Me, keep My commandments. ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:15-18)

Do these words of Christ not describe the indwelling of the Holy Spirit for those who are His?

Getting back to the word ekklesia, what does it really mean? Translated it refers generally to an assembly of believers. The reference is not to a building but the people who are saved through Christ. It is not the building that is the focus but God working through His people. For Christ Himself has declared how we are to worship and it will begin on this basis:

¹⁹ The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. ²⁰ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

²¹ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. ²² You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. ²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:19-24)

¹¹. But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation (Heb. 9:1)

Brethren I find I must continue this series in a separate post. I pray you bear with me for there is much to pray and study.

Brothers and Sisters, there is a sickness in the Body of Christ. It is a sickness that focuses our attention away from Truth in Christ and back to perceived leadership in the assembly. This sickness is the traditions of men.

Have you studied and weighed Scripture against the traditions that have been handed down to you from your fathers? Do you find yourself running to Moses instead of the Lord in times of trouble or with your spiritual questions? Brethren, let us examine Scripture and see the example the Lord is leading us to.

Throughout history God has been calling men and women into relationship with Him. We see this from the very beginning with Adam.

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” ² And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; ³ but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” ⁴ Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. ⁸ And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰ So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” ¹¹ And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?” ¹² Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” ¹³ And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (Gen 3:1-13)

Here is something amazing we can glean from the account of man’s fall from grace. First that God came into the garden and called out to Adam. Does this not indicate that God must have a had a relationship with them? Don’t believe it? Look back in Genesis 2 at verse 19. God made every living creature and brought them to Adam to see what he would call it. What an amazing thing!

But here also is the lesson that the Lord has called us to in Genesis 3. As the serpent tempted Eve, and then in turn caused Adam to fall by taking of the fruit, they neither believed what God had told them, nor did they seek the Lord for themselves to test what the serpent had said.

But that’s not the end is it. For in the coming generations God would continue to call men into relationship with Him with the promise of the Christ.

²⁵ And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” ²⁶ And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord. (Gen 4:25-26)

But next we see the relationship God had with Noah.

⁵ Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. ⁷ So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” ⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. (Gen 6:5-8)

We know that God told Noah to build the ark and to gather his family into the ark. For God did destroy all things through the Great Flood. For nothing was accomplished without God establishing a relationship with Noah.

Then we see God’s promise to Abram whom He renamed Abraham and his wife Sarah.

that keeps our relationships together when our foundation is Christ Jesus. For when we are striving against each other and there is disagreement, even in a marriage, then we must humble ourselves. Both the husband and the wife, or the brothers, sisters and so on. For if we cannot be humble and admit our sin against each other, ask forgiveness and seek Christ, then how can we then yet enter the Kingdom?

²⁵ “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. ²⁶ But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:25-26)

⁵ Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”

⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. ¹⁰ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ¹¹ To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (IPeter 5:5-11)

 

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us^[b] with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:26-30)