Jeremiah 14:14 "14 And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds."
1 Corinthians 4:6 "Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us YOU MAY LEARN NOT TO EXCEED WHAT IS WRITTEN, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other."
Summary: We are forbidden to foretell the future under any circumstances and we are not to prophesy what is not in the Word of God.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Only One Mediator!
I don't like it when someone comes up to me and says "I have a word from the Lord for you, it is not Biblical and these kinds of "revelations" are expressly against the Word of God.
First there are no new revelations, everything we need to know is in the Word of God. When someone says "God told me to tell you this", I tell them that God did not do that because, when He has a direction or encouragement for me, He tells me.
1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,"
If anyone tries to tell me that God said something for my future I tell them that what they are doing is divination and it is forbidden by God.
Jeremiah 14:14 "14 And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds."
First there are no new revelations, everything we need to know is in the Word of God. When someone says "God told me to tell you this", I tell them that God did not do that because, when He has a direction or encouragement for me, He tells me.
1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,"
If anyone tries to tell me that God said something for my future I tell them that what they are doing is divination and it is forbidden by God.
Jeremiah 14:14 "14 And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds."
Simple, Free and Restful is God's Way
If we do not have a 501c3 status with the IRS and we do not meet in "Church buildings", we will not have to worry about the government monitoring our activities in the gatherings.
The unbiblical practice of building structures to meet in and having tax exempt status has created problems that do not have to be there, a sort of "being in league with the devil", condition.
If we were to do as the first century church did, meet in homes, and do not register with the government, then the government wouldn't even know we existed, except that they might see the good works that we do in the community.
Instead of monies going to building maintenance and unnecessary church programs, all the funds gathered would go to missionaries, tracts and Bibles for every member to use in their daily lives, for the unsaved.
The way the American church "does church" is not only unbiblical but superficial, fostering a "happy club" mentality more than holiness.
Acts 14:23 "When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed."
Titus 1:5 "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,"
1 Timothy 3:1-16 "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?"
Acts 6:3 "Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty."
Matthew 23:8-10 "But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ."
1 Timothy 5:17 "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching."
Notice in 1 Timothy that the church had several who preach and teach and no one man had authority over the entire congregation. Also, notice the plurality of leadership mentioned in Philippians 1. Notice too, that the men that were appointed to the task of elder, were chosen from among their own people locally.
Philippians 1:1 "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:"
What a change we would see in the church gatherings if everyone were moved by the Holy Spirit to do things the way the Lord intended. We would see two things, the first would be the removal of many problems brought on by ritual and the second is an increase in trials associated with those who refuse to follow the Bible. Once the dust settled after beginning to obey God, there would be holiness and peace where there was chaos and turmoil before.
The church will never be free of difficulties as long as people are involved, However, at least there would be the absence of stifling ritual that brings great burden. And, the people left would be the ones completely dedicated to obedience to the Word.
How many people have felt burned out at all the continual activity associated with planning massive agendas for nearly meaningless activities. There is great peace in keeping things simple, and that is God's plan, simple and peaceful, resting in Him alone, unencumbered by the social prattle that seems to dominate many if not most church gatherings.
Simple, Free and Restful, that is God's way!
The unbiblical practice of building structures to meet in and having tax exempt status has created problems that do not have to be there, a sort of "being in league with the devil", condition.
If we were to do as the first century church did, meet in homes, and do not register with the government, then the government wouldn't even know we existed, except that they might see the good works that we do in the community.
Instead of monies going to building maintenance and unnecessary church programs, all the funds gathered would go to missionaries, tracts and Bibles for every member to use in their daily lives, for the unsaved.
The way the American church "does church" is not only unbiblical but superficial, fostering a "happy club" mentality more than holiness.
Acts 14:23 "When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed."
Titus 1:5 "For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,"
1 Timothy 3:1-16 "The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?"
Acts 6:3 "Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty."
Matthew 23:8-10 "But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ."
1 Timothy 5:17 "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching."
Notice in 1 Timothy that the church had several who preach and teach and no one man had authority over the entire congregation. Also, notice the plurality of leadership mentioned in Philippians 1. Notice too, that the men that were appointed to the task of elder, were chosen from among their own people locally.
Philippians 1:1 "Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons:"
What a change we would see in the church gatherings if everyone were moved by the Holy Spirit to do things the way the Lord intended. We would see two things, the first would be the removal of many problems brought on by ritual and the second is an increase in trials associated with those who refuse to follow the Bible. Once the dust settled after beginning to obey God, there would be holiness and peace where there was chaos and turmoil before.
The church will never be free of difficulties as long as people are involved, However, at least there would be the absence of stifling ritual that brings great burden. And, the people left would be the ones completely dedicated to obedience to the Word.
How many people have felt burned out at all the continual activity associated with planning massive agendas for nearly meaningless activities. There is great peace in keeping things simple, and that is God's plan, simple and peaceful, resting in Him alone, unencumbered by the social prattle that seems to dominate many if not most church gatherings.
Simple, Free and Restful, that is God's way!
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