Going to go in a new direction with this blog. Will be changing the name to A serendipitous life.
More to follow.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Saturday, November 11, 2017
I'm Still Here
Hello! I'm still here. Well, where else would I go? There is no where I can go where God is not. My journey has continued and it's been an adventure. I know this will continue the rest of my life. I am amazed at where I am now, spiritually speaking.
I want to recall to the best of my ability, my journey. I have always gone to church, at least for the majority of my life. I am happy for the people who go and receive help. In my case, I know the "church" is not the best place for me.
My sister just related to me yesterday a recent event in her life. My father was preaching at the church he attends. He asked my sister to come and hear him preach. She and her husband drove about 5 hours to go to see him and hear him preach. She told me that my father worked it into his sermon about how some people don't go to church. He went on to state that he could not understand how any Christian would not go to church.
My father has two daughters that do not go to church. My sister's journey is different than mine. It was a period of time during which I was understanding the "church" is no longer Christ's church. In some instances it is barely "Christian". As one person put it, "the world has gotten so churchy and the church so worldly, you can't tell them apart." That was stated a couple decades ago.
I am not sure when I first started realizing that I needed to leave the church. I will relate one of the first times, I felt convicted about something that happened in church was not of God. The pastor at the church I attended was doing a sermon series on prayer. Not just prayer really, but "circle maker" prayer. He told the story of Honi, the circle maker and his prayer for rain. Something about it all did not sit quite right, but I trusted the church, so put those squirmy feelings aside. At the end of the sermon, we were told to write on a small piece of paper that we were given. We were then instructed to line up and put them on these bulletin boards that were to the sides of the platform. I felt like I should not do this. I did not know why. Just felt really yukky about it all. Unfortunately, I did not listen to my gut feelings, but lined up like the rest of the sheeple and did as I was instructed. After all, what's wrong with saying you will pray 10 minutes a day. I prayed far more than that a day, so what was the big deal?
Every week following, during that series, I would want to go up to the platform and yank off my paper piece. I didn't want to have to answer why, if anyone confronted me, so I never did. But every week I was convicted, and every week was miserable because I knew I had disobeyed God. I obeyed a man instead of God.
It was quite a few years, before I found out what the big deal was. It was defilement. You may think that is a strong word to use, but it is accurate. The pastor was using a sermon series from the book called the "Circlemaker". Here's an excerpt from the webpage of Mark Batterson: " “Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn’t just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It’s a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us.” Do you ever sense that there’s far more to prayer, and to God’s vision for your life, than what you’re experiencing? It’s time you learned from the legend of Honi the Circle Maker—a man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from inside it until God answered his prayers for his people. What impossibly big dream is God calling you to draw a prayer circle around? Sharing inspiring stories from his own experiences as a circle maker, Mark Batterson will help you uncover your heart’s deepest desires and God-given dreams and unleash them through the kind of audacious prayer that God delights to answer."
Sounds innocent enough doesn't it? But, where did the story of the Circlemaker come from? It came from an old legend from the Talmud. It has nothing to do with Christianity. It does, however, have much in common with paganism. (Oh, there's a big shock, as so much of what happens in churches these days has common roots in paganism) To be brief, the Talmud is the oral traditions. We have the written word of God. The Talmud does not have authority in the Christian's life. Or shouldn't have as we can go to the written word of God for our questions. There is a lot of information on the Talmud online, if you want more information.
But why is in wrong to draw a circle around yourself to pray? There is so many reason, but let's begin with the Words of Jesus. Jesus' disciples came to Him and asked Him to teach them to pray. If drawing a circle was important, Jesus surely would have said to do so. No, He said to pray "Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." You surely know the rest. We have an accurate history of Jesus' life on earth. Some of His prayers are recorded for us. Yet it is not recorded that He ever drew a circle. When Lazarus died and he had been dead for 3 days, Jesus came on the scene. He merely said "Come forth". No circles, no threats to stay in the circle until God answered His prayers.
Did you know that in witchcraft and wicca they use magick circles? It's an occult way to pray. Mark Batterson, in the Circlemaker, is teaching Christians an occult way to pray. Yikes! That's serious stuff, isn't it? A few years ago, many churches were teaching this. Church can be a scary place. This is just one of many examples that I will be giving as I try to recount my journey out of churchianity and into Biblical life. If Jesus didn't do it, I want no part of it. However, I do want to be conformed into the image of Christ. He is my example, and my shepherd. I follow Him.
I do want to offer a prayer for anyone who has been defiled by the "Circlemaker" prayer. Perhaps you read the book, or were in a service where you were encouraged to pray this new way.
You can pray this: Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for praying a 'circlemaker' prayer. Forgive me for listening to the lies of the enemy. Forgive me for taking part in pagan ways of praying. Forgive me for trying to manipulate You into doing what I wanted. Please help me to learn your ways, and to follow the ways your son, Jesus, taught when He was on the earth. Thank you for all the good examples that are set forth in your Holy Word, the Bible. Help me to read it and learn from it. I ask you to take any and all authority that I gave the enemy by participating in the "Circlemaker" prayer teachings and any other pagan teachings, and put that authority back under the authority of Jesus Christ. Help me to have only one Father, you, and help me to stay under the shadow of your wings. Amen
I want to recall to the best of my ability, my journey. I have always gone to church, at least for the majority of my life. I am happy for the people who go and receive help. In my case, I know the "church" is not the best place for me.
My sister just related to me yesterday a recent event in her life. My father was preaching at the church he attends. He asked my sister to come and hear him preach. She and her husband drove about 5 hours to go to see him and hear him preach. She told me that my father worked it into his sermon about how some people don't go to church. He went on to state that he could not understand how any Christian would not go to church.
My father has two daughters that do not go to church. My sister's journey is different than mine. It was a period of time during which I was understanding the "church" is no longer Christ's church. In some instances it is barely "Christian". As one person put it, "the world has gotten so churchy and the church so worldly, you can't tell them apart." That was stated a couple decades ago.
I am not sure when I first started realizing that I needed to leave the church. I will relate one of the first times, I felt convicted about something that happened in church was not of God. The pastor at the church I attended was doing a sermon series on prayer. Not just prayer really, but "circle maker" prayer. He told the story of Honi, the circle maker and his prayer for rain. Something about it all did not sit quite right, but I trusted the church, so put those squirmy feelings aside. At the end of the sermon, we were told to write on a small piece of paper that we were given. We were then instructed to line up and put them on these bulletin boards that were to the sides of the platform. I felt like I should not do this. I did not know why. Just felt really yukky about it all. Unfortunately, I did not listen to my gut feelings, but lined up like the rest of the sheeple and did as I was instructed. After all, what's wrong with saying you will pray 10 minutes a day. I prayed far more than that a day, so what was the big deal?
Every week following, during that series, I would want to go up to the platform and yank off my paper piece. I didn't want to have to answer why, if anyone confronted me, so I never did. But every week I was convicted, and every week was miserable because I knew I had disobeyed God. I obeyed a man instead of God.
It was quite a few years, before I found out what the big deal was. It was defilement. You may think that is a strong word to use, but it is accurate. The pastor was using a sermon series from the book called the "Circlemaker". Here's an excerpt from the webpage of Mark Batterson: " “Drawing prayer circles around our dreams isn’t just a mechanism whereby we accomplish great things for God. It’s a mechanism whereby God accomplishes great things in us.” Do you ever sense that there’s far more to prayer, and to God’s vision for your life, than what you’re experiencing? It’s time you learned from the legend of Honi the Circle Maker—a man bold enough to draw a circle in the sand and not budge from inside it until God answered his prayers for his people. What impossibly big dream is God calling you to draw a prayer circle around? Sharing inspiring stories from his own experiences as a circle maker, Mark Batterson will help you uncover your heart’s deepest desires and God-given dreams and unleash them through the kind of audacious prayer that God delights to answer."
Sounds innocent enough doesn't it? But, where did the story of the Circlemaker come from? It came from an old legend from the Talmud. It has nothing to do with Christianity. It does, however, have much in common with paganism. (Oh, there's a big shock, as so much of what happens in churches these days has common roots in paganism) To be brief, the Talmud is the oral traditions. We have the written word of God. The Talmud does not have authority in the Christian's life. Or shouldn't have as we can go to the written word of God for our questions. There is a lot of information on the Talmud online, if you want more information.
But why is in wrong to draw a circle around yourself to pray? There is so many reason, but let's begin with the Words of Jesus. Jesus' disciples came to Him and asked Him to teach them to pray. If drawing a circle was important, Jesus surely would have said to do so. No, He said to pray "Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be thy name..." You surely know the rest. We have an accurate history of Jesus' life on earth. Some of His prayers are recorded for us. Yet it is not recorded that He ever drew a circle. When Lazarus died and he had been dead for 3 days, Jesus came on the scene. He merely said "Come forth". No circles, no threats to stay in the circle until God answered His prayers.
Did you know that in witchcraft and wicca they use magick circles? It's an occult way to pray. Mark Batterson, in the Circlemaker, is teaching Christians an occult way to pray. Yikes! That's serious stuff, isn't it? A few years ago, many churches were teaching this. Church can be a scary place. This is just one of many examples that I will be giving as I try to recount my journey out of churchianity and into Biblical life. If Jesus didn't do it, I want no part of it. However, I do want to be conformed into the image of Christ. He is my example, and my shepherd. I follow Him.
I do want to offer a prayer for anyone who has been defiled by the "Circlemaker" prayer. Perhaps you read the book, or were in a service where you were encouraged to pray this new way.
You can pray this: Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for praying a 'circlemaker' prayer. Forgive me for listening to the lies of the enemy. Forgive me for taking part in pagan ways of praying. Forgive me for trying to manipulate You into doing what I wanted. Please help me to learn your ways, and to follow the ways your son, Jesus, taught when He was on the earth. Thank you for all the good examples that are set forth in your Holy Word, the Bible. Help me to read it and learn from it. I ask you to take any and all authority that I gave the enemy by participating in the "Circlemaker" prayer teachings and any other pagan teachings, and put that authority back under the authority of Jesus Christ. Help me to have only one Father, you, and help me to stay under the shadow of your wings. Amen
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Holiness
When I was younger, way back before "worship music", we used to sing a song called "Holiness Unto The Lord". Here are the lyrics, "
1. "Called unto holiness," Church of our God,
Purchase of Jesus, redeemed by His blood;
Called from the world and its idols to flee,
Called from the bondage of sin to be free.
(Refrain) "Holiness unto the Lord" is our watch-word and song;
"Holiness unto the Lord" as we're marching along.
Sing it, shout it, loud and long:
"Holiness unto the Lord" now and forever.
2. "Called unto holiness," children of light,
Walking with Jesus in garments of white;
Raiment unsullied, nor tarnished with sin;
God's Holy Spirit abiding within.
3. "Called unto holiness," praise His dear name!
This blessed secret to faith now made plain:
Not our own righteousness, but Christ within,
Living and reigning, and saving from sin.
4. "Called unto holiness," bride of the Lamb,
Waiting the Bride-groom's returning again!
Lift up your heads, for the day draweth near
When in His beauty the King shall appear!
When I was younger this was one of my favorite songs. I guess I grew up in Holiness churches. When people got saved, they really repented. It was more that just saying a prayer. I believe that holiness is very important. I Peter 1:16 states, "for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." Holiness is being like God. This should be every Christian's goal. Galatians 4:19 says, "My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you." It was such a big deal to Paul the Apostle, that he prayed and travailed in the Holy Spirit until he saw Christ in his fellow Christians. This is something that needs to return to the Body of Christ. If it takes every day of our lives, we need to pray until something happens.
Christian Witchcraft
I am increasingly disturbed by what I call "Christian Witchcraft". I believe this stems from the "cookie cutter Christian Syndrome". I talked about that in another blog post. Briefly, by this I mean, the idea that we all have to be the same. There is no room for individual beliefs, even if it is not a doctrinal issue. Christians do need to agree on anything that someone could lose their soul if their belief is not the same as the other Christians. However, most of the things Christians disagree about, are not that serious.
When a Christian does not agree with his/her fellow Christians, often, the disagreeing Christian is often manipulated, shunned, shamed or worse. This idea that there is no new ideas, no new ways of doing things in a different way is not allowable.
If the Wright Brothers did not do something different, they would never have built an airplane. I believe that the problem for Christians is often is that the other Christians wish they had thought of it first. Christians are prime targets to get into a rut. Even those who have changed recently can get into a rut of not wanting to make the next change.
What is disturbing to me is how other Christians are often used to tell their fellow Christians how they should run their life. Most of the time these Christians can't keep their own lives straight but are ready to tell others what they would do, if they were them. Let's use what day to go to church as an example. Some worship on Saturdays, some on Sundays, some Sunday and Wednesdays and some every day of the week. What does the Apostle Paul say about this? Romans 14:5 says "One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind." This is a principle that applies to everything that is not a doctrinal issue that could cost someone their soul.
So you go to church 3 times a week every week. I go to church 2 times a week. Is this a problem? Not if each person is convinced this is what God requires of us.
However, tell the average Christian this and you will get some "shoulds" thrown at you. The enemy of our souls uses well-meaning Christians to abuse other Christians. The "should" syndrome has been used in churches for many years. And I might add in many Christian homes. I lived with the should syndrome for many years.
It is my opinion that it really is a matter of the heart. In the scripture above, Paul states that one should be fully convinced in their mind. If a persons belief is not contrary to scripture, then it really is a matter of what God requires of you. God very well could require one person to go to church weekly and another to go one time a month.
The reason I call this Christian witchcraft is because of what witchcraft is. Boiled all the way down to the basics, witchcraft is control or manipulation of another person. When Christians manipulate other people it is witchcraft as well, regardless of the first person's intentions. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:5, "
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." In other words, don't try to get another person to do what you think is right for them, until you are complete/perfect.
One final note: Hitler used manipulation to gain power over the people. I have been reading a very interesting book called When a Nation Forgets God by Erwin W. Lutzer. I believe that we can learn from the past. One of the things Hitler accomplished is to make the church powerless. This is happening today in the USA. One of the ways to make this happen is to turn people against each other. A house divided cannot stand. The USA is becoming more and more divided, both inside and outside the church.
When a Christian does not agree with his/her fellow Christians, often, the disagreeing Christian is often manipulated, shunned, shamed or worse. This idea that there is no new ideas, no new ways of doing things in a different way is not allowable.
If the Wright Brothers did not do something different, they would never have built an airplane. I believe that the problem for Christians is often is that the other Christians wish they had thought of it first. Christians are prime targets to get into a rut. Even those who have changed recently can get into a rut of not wanting to make the next change.
What is disturbing to me is how other Christians are often used to tell their fellow Christians how they should run their life. Most of the time these Christians can't keep their own lives straight but are ready to tell others what they would do, if they were them. Let's use what day to go to church as an example. Some worship on Saturdays, some on Sundays, some Sunday and Wednesdays and some every day of the week. What does the Apostle Paul say about this? Romans 14:5 says "One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind." This is a principle that applies to everything that is not a doctrinal issue that could cost someone their soul.
So you go to church 3 times a week every week. I go to church 2 times a week. Is this a problem? Not if each person is convinced this is what God requires of us.
However, tell the average Christian this and you will get some "shoulds" thrown at you. The enemy of our souls uses well-meaning Christians to abuse other Christians. The "should" syndrome has been used in churches for many years. And I might add in many Christian homes. I lived with the should syndrome for many years.
It is my opinion that it really is a matter of the heart. In the scripture above, Paul states that one should be fully convinced in their mind. If a persons belief is not contrary to scripture, then it really is a matter of what God requires of you. God very well could require one person to go to church weekly and another to go one time a month.
The reason I call this Christian witchcraft is because of what witchcraft is. Boiled all the way down to the basics, witchcraft is control or manipulation of another person. When Christians manipulate other people it is witchcraft as well, regardless of the first person's intentions. As Jesus said in Matthew 7:5, "
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." In other words, don't try to get another person to do what you think is right for them, until you are complete/perfect.
One final note: Hitler used manipulation to gain power over the people. I have been reading a very interesting book called When a Nation Forgets God by Erwin W. Lutzer. I believe that we can learn from the past. One of the things Hitler accomplished is to make the church powerless. This is happening today in the USA. One of the ways to make this happen is to turn people against each other. A house divided cannot stand. The USA is becoming more and more divided, both inside and outside the church.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
How to Reach Them
Today I was listening to a podcast about how Christians are being martyred in other countries. The same week that the attack on Paris took place, there was another terrorist attack. Very few newscasts gave it more than a passing byword. 12 people were killed in Paris, in Nigeria the bodies were too many to count. Why did the one in Paris get all the publicity and Nigeria got none? Both are tragic events.
It is sad that the world doesn't care about the slaughter in Nigeria. What is downright despicable is that the church in the USA is not rising to the task of helping the refugees. The churches aren't talking about this. The church is asleep. Not a little catnap, but a deep slumber.
My mind cries out to God, "If the church will not help, what can we do?" I felt like God said, then you take it to the people. For those of us who have empathy for the plight of our fellow humans, it is time to take action.
I know that we can pray and that is always the best course of action.
I believe there are other things we can do as well.
I will be praying about this and will do an update to this post soon.
It is sad that the world doesn't care about the slaughter in Nigeria. What is downright despicable is that the church in the USA is not rising to the task of helping the refugees. The churches aren't talking about this. The church is asleep. Not a little catnap, but a deep slumber.
My mind cries out to God, "If the church will not help, what can we do?" I felt like God said, then you take it to the people. For those of us who have empathy for the plight of our fellow humans, it is time to take action.
I know that we can pray and that is always the best course of action.
I believe there are other things we can do as well.
I will be praying about this and will do an update to this post soon.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
It Breaks My Heart
Today, I don't have a topic. I just want to share things on my heart.
I am so grieved that the people in the USA are sleeping. It's even more of a tragedy that those who call themselves Christians are in a deep slumber. People wake up! It may be too late to save our nation, but it is not too late to save souls. It's not too late to prepare,
The main area we need to prepare is spiritually. If you are not right with God, it is time to put your reasons aside and make a decision to repent and put God in charge of your life. If you are a Christian, then it is time to get closer to God. Ask God what He would have you to do. Pray for those around you who need to hear the Gospel of Christ. Do what God tells you to do.
It may be uncomfortable to keep on top of whats going on in the world. I don't mean the propaganda that Nbc, Abc, Cbs, Cnn and Fox deliver. I am talking about places like the Drudge Report, watchman's cry, shatterthedarkness etc.
I highly reccommend you listen to an interview that Rick Wiles did with Dr Laurence White. You can find it on Itunes under podcasts. The date is 2/23/15. If this fails to move you, then pray that God will soften your heart.
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Whose Church Is It?
As most of my readers know, I grew up in the church. Most of my life I have gone to church. There have been a few years here and there that I didn't go to church. I don't consider myself an expert on the "church" but I have had a lot of experience with church. When I was growing up, it seemed like people understood that the "church" was not the building. Things were never perfect, but some things have changed over the years.
It seems that the church has lost it's reverence for God. Church should revolve around God, not around a man. The church does not belong to a man or a group or even a denomination. The 'church' is God's.
What does God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit say about the "church"?
Matthew 16:13-20:
"13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
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.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ."
I have included more than the verse I am highlighting because the context is always important.
Jesus and His disciples are talking and He asks His disciples who people say He is. Apparently, the people of the day had various ideas of who Jesus was. Then Jesus asks the question that each of us must also answer: "Who do you say that I am?" Peter says that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Savior), the Son of the Living God. Jesus replies and says that God Himself showed this to Peter. Now we get to the point I am trying to make. Upon this rock (upon the revelation that Jesus is the Christ), Jesus will build HIS church and the gates of hell will NOT prevail against it (the church).
The church belongs to God, it does not belong to man. Jesus said that He will build the church. If the church would stop doing its own thing and let God build the church, perhaps the gates of hell would not be prevailing against the church as they are doing now.
Let's go to another scripture to further this principle. Acts 2:37-41 tells us how God built His church:
"37 Now when they heard, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."
We see that 3,000 souls were added to the church in one day. How did this happen? Peter was preaching about Jesus and the people were asking what to do because their hearts were stirred by the message. Peter told them to REPENT!
Repentance is crucial to the building of the "church" of God. Men have built big churches without repentance, but when God builds a church, repentance is key.
A little further down in the chapter we find this:
"6 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.."
WHO added to the church? Peter? John? the disciples? NO, the LORD added to the church and He added to the church DAILY!
If the church today would go back to the Bible and Biblical principles, perhaps the Lord would do the same in these end times we live in.
It seems that the church has lost it's reverence for God. Church should revolve around God, not around a man. The church does not belong to a man or a group or even a denomination. The 'church' is God's.
What does God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit say about the "church"?
Matthew 16:13-20:
"13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
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.
19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ."
I have included more than the verse I am highlighting because the context is always important.
Jesus and His disciples are talking and He asks His disciples who people say He is. Apparently, the people of the day had various ideas of who Jesus was. Then Jesus asks the question that each of us must also answer: "Who do you say that I am?" Peter says that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Savior), the Son of the Living God. Jesus replies and says that God Himself showed this to Peter. Now we get to the point I am trying to make. Upon this rock (upon the revelation that Jesus is the Christ), Jesus will build HIS church and the gates of hell will NOT prevail against it (the church).
The church belongs to God, it does not belong to man. Jesus said that He will build the church. If the church would stop doing its own thing and let God build the church, perhaps the gates of hell would not be prevailing against the church as they are doing now.
Let's go to another scripture to further this principle. Acts 2:37-41 tells us how God built His church:
"37 Now when they heard, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."
We see that 3,000 souls were added to the church in one day. How did this happen? Peter was preaching about Jesus and the people were asking what to do because their hearts were stirred by the message. Peter told them to REPENT!
Repentance is crucial to the building of the "church" of God. Men have built big churches without repentance, but when God builds a church, repentance is key.
A little further down in the chapter we find this:
"6 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.."
WHO added to the church? Peter? John? the disciples? NO, the LORD added to the church and He added to the church DAILY!
If the church today would go back to the Bible and Biblical principles, perhaps the Lord would do the same in these end times we live in.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)