Tag: Church needs to Change

Categories
Politics and Society today

The Gospel Message: Church needs to change – part 15

War!

If there’s any good thing about a war it is this: It puts everything into perspective.

When you see refugees fleeing for their lives from war-torn Ukraine, or previously from Afghanistan or Syria before that, you see they have nothing but the clothes on their backs or perhaps a small backpack or suitcase. Possessions lose their importance.

What is the most important thing about our walk with the LORD?

That’s easy: What did Jesus say we are called to do? 

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

In this final piece for “the Church needs to Change” series, I’d like to encourage those who are saved by GOD’s grace through His son Yeshua / Jesus. What matters most to those of us who are saved? It is that Jesus, the son of GOD, died for our sins and sets those of us who believe in him free for eternity, to be spent with him rather than in the pit of hell without him.


If that isn’t what’s most important, perhaps you the reader need to consider again.

Today’s message from the Church must be…

… the true Gospel of Jesus.

How much does the church preach this? How much does it need to preach it? How much does the fellowship need to emulate the love and forgiveness of Jesus before he returns as judge?

And yes, according to the word of GOD, we know that Jesus came as saviour and when he returns it will be as judge.

“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom” (2Timothy 4:1)

If you personally comb through the book of Revelation as I have, you will see that Jesus separates the sheep from the goats; it is Jesus who judges the earth.

Therefore, while we have time and opportunity…

So in season and out of season, we must listen to GOD’s heart within us, and to others around us, to see what seeds we can drop into their hearts. Time is short, and while GOD’s “quickly” may be much slower than ours, we do not know the day nor the hour. We can assume the time for judgement is only getting closer….

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matthew 24:36)

There are a lot of end-time signs that we best not ignore. Read Ezekiel 38/39, Matthew 24, Revelation to begin to acquaint yourself with how the Bible reveals to those who search, what is to precede his coming. A lot has already occurred or is occurring even as I write. The prophecies are not all fulfilled and there is more to come. 

Nevertheless, Jesus said,

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Revelation 22:7)

And we know we can trust his word.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us be as family. Let us uphold the word, and let us be loving and bold in preaching GOD’s word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

LOVE: Church needs to Change Pt 13

A snapshot of scriptures about Love and my gut response vis a vis the Church

1. “Love is patient, love is kind…” (1 Corinthians 13)

The Church needs to rid itself of gossip.

2. “Love does not keep a record of wrongs.”

The Church needs to forgive — its leaders and its congregants.

3. The GOD of love commands, “Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself.” 

Who is our neighbour? Are we not each other’s neighbour? The body of Christ, aka the Church, needs to love GOD with all passion and love our brothers and sisters in Christ too. Then, we need to embrace our fellow man, with the same love, grace and mercy of GOD that we have received.

4. Amos 5:15 indicts us to “Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate.”

Let us hold neither grudges nor offences.

5. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

Let us be ready to welcome all into church services and events, giving the best places to those of the most humble estate, showing no favouritism to the wealthy nor those of social position.

6. Let us practise “Fear not” which recurs in scripture so many times!

Let us be transparent… with GOD and with one another. That takes courage but it is what we need to be prepared for revival, for a huge influx of new believers, and for Jesus when He calls us or comes for us.

I pray we can change… for we are the Church.

1 John 3: 18-23 says, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment.”

When we are operating in this way, simple, earnest, loving, surrendered, then we are a ready Church indeed!

Categories
Reflections and Poetry

Self-sustaining church: Church Needs to Change – part 12

What is a Self-Sustaining Church

An organisation which relies only upon itself in self-sustaining, just as an individual who is self-reliant is able to sustain themselves independently of assistance. 

By profession, Paul was a tent-maker. However, with his missionary travels, it must have become difficult to stop to make tents along the road, at least sometimes.

Looking at 1 Corinthians 9, Paul goes to some lengths to explain that he does not seek income from the believers to whom he writes and yet he does need to eat:

“Do we have no right to eat and drink?” (v4)

“Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?” (v7)

Should Paul not receive some kind of sustenance from those to whom he teaches?

“For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?” (v9)

and

“If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?” (v11)

Likewise, do we not need to support the church in the measure we are able, to ensure it is financially healthy and viable?

I’m not going to discuss dept or tithing. Rather, I’ll simply say that we are not responsible for what we do not have, but we are responsible for what the LORD has provided to us. 

And I’ll hi-light one other point which I think is important:

Government proceeds

We the church body of Christ, must not be unequally yoked.

This is a corporate matter just as it is a matter of individuals in business or marriage partnerships. 

Being yoked to government may enhance income but it can block our communion with and our reliance upon GOD (through His people) alone. 

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14)

We “cannot serve GOD and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24)

Worldwide we are in a time of increasing darkness. Some governments may still seek to do righteously by their citizens but there is much darkness in politics today. And the governments who once served — or at least paid lip service to — the Creator GOD rarely exist, though praise the LORD there are many individual members within governments to do worship GOD.

Countries that allow charity status to churches are rarely Godly nations now. Darkness is and is coming. 

Do we really want or need money that comes from ungodly sources?

Categories
Examining Biblical Scripture

The look of the New Church: Church needs to change – Part 3

A friendly reader asked me what I thought the church would look like as we allow Jesus to develop his church. I didn’t know…

So I prayed.

First, the LORD showed me a blueprint in the Spirit, which I didn’t understand. I said, “I don’t want a blueprint for ME but for You, LORD!” As I stared at the spiritual blueprint, various aspects grew as part of a potential 3D model of towers in the LORD. It became clear to me that the blueprint in the picture was Jesus’ Church.

As I prayed about this, the LORD led me to 1 Corinthians, which I began to read with Jesus’ Church in mind. Several elements were revealed…elements of Jesus’ church. All of these elements are supported by Biblical references, primarily from 1 Corinthians. These are the towers that could rise up as we allow Jesus to build his Church.

So, get your Bible…

  1. 1 Corinthians 1:10 UNITY
  2. 1 Corinthians 1:29 HIS PRESENCE
  3. 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 WISDOM OF GOD
  4. 1 Corinthians 3:9 VESSELS (empty building)
  5. Matthew 25:19 DISCIPLESHIP (verses the oak trees which are taking existing nutrients = existing church)
  6. 1 Corinthians 3:17 HOLINESS (also supported in 1 Corinthians 10)
  7. 1 Corinthians 4:2 FAITHFULNESS
  8. 1 Corinthians 4:8-16 HUMILITY
  9. 1 Corinthians 6 INTEGRITY
  10. 1 Corinthians 9:4, 7, 11, 14 SELF SUSTAINING
  11. 1 Corinthians 13:10 LOVE/PERFECT LOVE (the aim)
  12. 1 Corinthians 14:3, 5, 12, 25, 26 EDIFICATION (and CONVICTION)
  13. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 GOSPEL
  14. 1 Corinthians 16:2 on COLLECTION (none as Paul represents)

Products which will result from the establishment of Jesus’ Church

  1. INTIMACY (family; in Matthew 12:50 Jesus says, “For whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”)
  2. FEARLESSLESS (fear of GOD, not man; Proverbs 1:7 & Psalm 118:6)
  3. OBEDIENCE and HEALTH (Deuteronomy 11:22)

I could break this down into more detail, but I encourage us all to mediate on scripture for ourselves. Please challenge me if you do not agree or see something else in the scriptures I’ve presented that contradict what I’m suggesting. And certainly, let us pray that the church of Jesus becomes manifest as we pray, seek GOD, surrender fully, and wait to do as He leads us.

Shalom, dear friends.