Sunday, September 14, 2014

LOCAL OR HOME


LOCAL OR HOME CHURCH

Did you know that the "local church" as we  call it today is not biblical? Did you know that Jesus first church was in his home where the men broke the roof to get their friend to Jesus so he could heal them? And all of apostle Paul churches were "home churches!" And the bible tells us what happens in a home church which doesn't happen in a local church in 1 Corinthians 14:26    How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 et two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.

The real prophets today are found in home churches (Rom. 12: 8; 1 Cor. 12: 10) who have the “gift of prophecy” by which the Holy Spirit will tell us what Jesus wants us to do in the future, the problems that we will face along with the persecution that will come with them and how to solve the problems.  False prophets don’t do that.  They take our attention away from the work of ministry and get people mistakenly arguing about when Jesus is coming back.  We don’t need to know that.  We only need to know that if we are not faithful to do the ministry that Jesus has called us to do we’ll find ourselves numbered/counted with the goats and not the sheep.

The only real and faithful prophets are those who have the charismatic Gift of Prophecy.  They are given to us to show us what Jesus has planned for us and if we are not faithful to forgive as we have been forgiven, then we get turned over to the torturers (Matt. 18: 32 – 35).   If we do not use our Talents – Gifts of the Holy Spirit – we are going to be like the worthless “SERVANT”  who is cast into the outer darkness; there men will weep an gnash our their teeth (Matt. 25: 14 – 30).  “Therefore, you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?  Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing” (Matt. 24: 44 – 46).   When we listen to the real prophets today who are in our fellowships and when we follow their direction which coincides with the Scriptures, we shall see faithful home churches who experience the signs, wonders and miracles that we are supposed to see. 

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. Mark 16:16-20




It often goes missing to notice that whenever and wherever we do ministry, we turn that location into a place of worship.  This is what Jesus is trying to explain in His conversation with the Woman at the Well.  He redefined how and where worship can take place.  He said, “Woman believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.  You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.   But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth” (Jn. 4: 21 – 24). 

Jesus is re-defining when and where worship will take place in the future.  It can happen only with people who have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Truth Who is Jesus.  The location for worship is anyplace where we do the ministry of the Holy Spirit with the “signs following” (Mk. 16: 17 – 18) and/or the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12: 6 – 8; 1 Cor. 12: 8 – 10).  This means that there is not “permanent place of worship” unless those involved have received Salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  But, whenever people get together who have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit worship can happen there and is supposed to happen.

That’s also the reason why we are told, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, an all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10: 25).  So, where ever Baptized in the Spirit Christians do ministry, we turn the place into worship. 

God doesn’t need money but He also requires that we give offerings and alms to help do His ministry  and to help the poor and needy.  Many people think that because Peter and John had no money to give to the lame man that they don’t have to help others financially when we have money.  Peter and John were what we call “broke”meaning they had no money to give.  But, what they gave the lame man was healing and an introduction to their God, Jesus, who looked after their needs (Philip. 4: 19) and Who will look after the healed lame man.  So, when we have money to help people, we are obligated by Jesus to help them with salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, healing, deliverance and/or money.

Yes, God doesn’t need money in some circumstances BUT in other circumstances He requires money.  The disciples turned the Beautiful Gate into a place of worship.  The only people who didn’t like it were the members of the Sanhedrin because they, themselves didn’t do it and the healing was not done in the authorized place of worship.  We get the same criticism today with our House Churches by the modern day Sanhedrins. 




PREACHING LIES http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-1jM
BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT  http://wp.me/p2M7AJ-Zn

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