Mystery of Israel and the Kingdom of God

The whole chapter of Romans is about the mystery of Israel in relation to the kingdom of God. In spite of rejecting the Messiah they will be dealt with and judged like all men.They are God's people and He will deal with them. Romans 12:28-32 "From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. So just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they may now be shown mercy, For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all." (NASB) Short but makes one rethink the full mercy of God.

Mysteries of the kingdom of God.

Let us look at the subject of the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Matthew 13:3-8 is the parable of the sower. Please read these scriptures now before going on. Jesus is the sower in this parable. Today we hear the word of God through the mouths of men as they proclaim the gospel by the leading of the Holy Spirit. At least that is how it is supposed to be.
Matthew 13:18-23 Read these scriptures before going on. The parable is explained. The places where the seed is planted are types of men to whom the word was proclaimed. To some it will fall on deaf ears. To others it will fall and be received but no real effort will be made to see the seed follow to maturity. To others the word will be chocked out by the distractions of the things of the world. The one who was good soil is the one who takes the word and plants it in his heart. It is nurtured and grows by the person receiving the life of the Holy Spirit of God. The person who grows strong in the things of God is the one who pursues the things of God. Verses 28-51 are other short parables concerning the mysteries of the kingdom of God. When Jesus finished He asked if they understood. They replied yes. Summing up, the kingdom of God is the Word of God going forth to every man. Those who hear and heed the Word enter the kingdom of God.

The Kindom of God

What is the kingdom of God and where is the kingdom of God? Let us find the answers as we look into the scriptures. Basically the kingdom of God is the kingdom of all believers in Christ under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I am not talking about the heavenly kingdom but of the kingdom that Jesus taught about. The kingdom of God is now alongside the earthly kingdoms. The earthly kingdoms are physical kingdoms overseen by man. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom whose head is Christ. God has ordained this present kingdom age to be until the end of the age of the Gentiles. It is to be the witness of God's coming kingdom which will be established of earth at the future coming of Jesus Christ.
To answer the question of what and where is the kingdom of God, let us begin with Luke 17:20-21 "Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, Look, here it is or, There it is. For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst." (NASB) Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom of God had come to earth when He first started proclaiming the gospel (good news) of the kingdom. Matthew 4:17 "From that time Jesus began to preach (proclaim) and say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." NASB Mark 1:14-15 says, "Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, , The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (NASB) We have the answer to what and where is the kingdom of God. It is in our midst. We as believers, followers and imitators of Jesus Christ are a part of it.
What must we do to enter into the kingdom of God? We must be changed into the image of Christ and walk according to His will. Commonly the term is being saved but today the true meaning of being saved is a misnomer. Saying a prayer and signing a card does not make one saved. Being saved requires a spiritual transformation. This spiritual transformation should manifest in the physical. The simple answer is this. Repent, believe and be baptized for the remission of sin. Mark 16:16 says, "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved." (NASB) Acts 2:21 says, "And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Acts 16:30-31 says, "and after he brought them out, he said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They said, Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, You and your household.." (NASB) Wow! I have never heard anyone preach on that. Believe does not just believe that Christ is savior. Believe means to trust in, rely on and follow the Lord with your all. You are not saved just because you said I believe. It has to show up in your life that you really are believing in, walking with and be a witness to the world of that fact. I would like to elaborate more but this article is only a beginning of understanding to becoming a true follower of Christ. Going to Church does not save one. Even doing good works does not make one a Christian. Doing what the will of the Father speaks and we hear is being a true believer.
We are also told we must be born again. Jesus to Nicodemus said, "Truly, truly, I say unto you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" John 3:3 (NASB) Verses 4-8 explains, read for yourself. Jesus explains we must be born of the flesh and of the Spirit of God. We are born again when we are persuaded to follow Jesus at some point in of our life. Repent means to be sorrowful, to turn, change your thinking and your actions. We do not need a liost of do's and don'ts. The Law is a reminder we are all sinners and can't save ourselves. We all fall short.
The Holy Spirit of God is what will tranform us. We must receive Him and hear what He says. The Holy Spirit will reveal the do's and don't for our lives. However, if you are hard headed, and most of us are, the Bible has a complete list of all the do's and don'ts. You will fail if you try to follow the list. Giving our will over to the headship of Jesus Christ and following the leading of the Holy Spirit of God will make for an easy yoke. Doing things your way will be a disaster. Just remember trying to do right with obedience to a list is impossible to do. I Peter 1:23-25 says. "for you have been again not of seed which is perishable (flesh) but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. For, ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL IT'S GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS, THE GRASS WITHERS, AND FALLS OFF, BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER. And this is the word which was preached (proclaimed) to you." (NASB) I John 3:9 says, "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious; anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother." (NASB) This is a hard verse to comprehend with a human mind. I John 5:4 "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith." (NASB)
We are commanded to seek first the kingdom of God. God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory. Matthew 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." (NASB) There do seem to be those who think they don't have to work for a living or can get riches of the world instead of the riches of the kingdom of God. It all boils down to do we trust and believe God or not?
Where do we enter the kingdom of heaven? Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (NASB) Luke 13:24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."(NASB) Luke 25-30 Is a message of warning to those who will wait too long even saying we ate and drank with you. You even taught in our streets. These were called evildoers and will weep and gnash the teeth when they see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob enter the kingdom of God but they will be thrown out. Many will come from all directions and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. It would seem then that a lack of humility and being narcissistic is a sure way of how not to enter the kingdom of God.
Who shall enter the kingdom of God as disciples of Jesus? Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter." Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS." (NASB) I wonder if right now any of us are asking if that may be me He is talking about?
Discipleship is costly. What is the cost? Matthew 16:24-27 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whosoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whosoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels, and WILL REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS." (NASB)
Lastly, what are the keys to the kingdom of God? Matthew 16:19 says, "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (NASB) Matthew 18:18 says, "Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (NASB)

Traditional/Apostolic

We need a new direction. The traditional Church needs to wake up quickly! Waking up the Church is like trying to wake up a sleeping dog on the porch. If you holler at the dog and frighten it you might get bit. The time has come that the Church needs to wake up.The Church needs to return to its roots and apostolic foundation. This does not mean replacing a pastor with an apostle. The apostolic Church was a functioning body of all true believers. The Church functioned as the priesthood of all believers. All members functioned with one mind. They all sought the mind of Jesus Christ. This does not mean there were not differences among members. Scripture clearly shows there were many differences of opinion. I Corinthians 11:19 "For in the first place when you come together as a Church, I hear that divisions (schisms) exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you." None the less, a functioning and healthy body of the Church did exist.
Over time the functioning body of believers divided into two classes. There was a small clergy class that came to power. The rest of the Church body began to be called the laity. The clergy began to perform all the functions of the Church body. The laity became spectators of the Church body. This class distinction began to rise up at the end of the first century of the Church. By the second century the clergy became a hierarchical entity within itself. The Church at Rome began to have a huge influence in the direction the Church was going. Contrary to what many believe the Roman Church was not the first Church. The Church at Jerusalem was the first Church. With the clergy/laity classes in place over 90% of the Church body ceased to function. The laity sat silently in the pews and followed orders from the "anointed" class. It is a long story in history of how the clergy came into power and it is not the subject of this article. Let it just be said that there was a lot of ignorance and pagan idol worship beliefs that entered the Church. Some who were leaders of the Church sat the people down and began to expound truth to them. While this did help the ignorant who could not read and helped stifle the heresies of the pagans, it did not help the masses that were sitting on the pews. Actually they had no pews in the early Church. They either stood or sat on the ground. Then someone had an idea and brought in crude three legged stools to sit on. Some Greek Orthodox Churches still have no pews in the Church building. They stand for the service. Because no one was discipled and sent out as the early Church did, the masses became weak from lack of exercising their God given rights as individual members of Jesus Christ's literal body on earth. Many even died physically and spiritually because of not being functional. I Corinthians 11:29-30 "For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep." Sleep here means spiritually dead. A small number of members of the body of Christ functioning can only act at best as a very dysfunctional body.
There is only one way for the Church to again function as it should. Hang on to your hat, sit down, take a deep breath. Are you ready for the answer. I doubt it.
Dissolve the traditonal Church model and return to the model Jesus Christ taught and was put into place by under the apostles by the headship of Jesus Christ. Like that is going to happen!
Two things need to happen to accomplish the task.
1. The clergy needs to be dissolved. Like they all will agree with this. The clergy will yell foul. If you put this out as truth beware. You need to understand the consequences. You will be branded a heretic. They used to burn at the stake people like us who believe this.
Understand God has a plan to bring this about. As true apostles stand up and begin to teach the priesthood of all believers many members of the traditional captive Churches will begin to leave the dry religious shell. Restless sheep are already looking for the true pasture of the word of life. God's people are hungry for the truth and are going from Church to Church seeking Jesus Christ. Many are responding by just giving up and leaving the Church. God is calling these to come together under His Lordship and function as His Church. The time is now. If you look around you will find some of these restless sheep. As the true apostles disciple and release the laity, the body of Christ will again become a functioning body.
WARNING! True apostles are those members of the body of Christ that function as sent ones functioning (not a position) under the leadership of the Holy Spirit of God to release the sheep not corral them. Many current Church leaders will try to change their colors and claim apostleship for their own purposes of surviving. They will not want to lose control over the laity. That is their occupation. The false apostles will be seen by trying to exercise authority and position over the sheep. The true apostles will see apostleship as a function in the church body not as a position of power. They will disciple and release the sheep from the pens out to green pasture. I know this is repetition but it is important to understand.
There will also be laity who will oppose this move of God. These sheep will be like those in society who have all their needs provided by the government. The lazy sheep will be required to get up and go to the pasture to feed. The laity has been so used to just showing up at, the feed trough, the church house to watch the performance and contribute a few dollars to appease the gods of the church house. Jesus Christ will now be seen as the provider of their nourishment. We will now eat healthy food instead of the junk food the Church has had crammed down our throats.
2. The Church body will need direction by example, and and help exercising a weak body and spiritual mind. If the sheep will follow the example of the true apostles they will become functioning members of the body of Christ. As we begin to show forth the example of being followers of Christ others will see the example and begin to follow. Not follow the apostles but the example of the apostles. The apostles were only examples of what Christ is. As this example spreads we will see what being members "of the way" really means. I believe only then will the brightness of Christ again arise and shine in believers that hasn't been seen in over 1800 years.
Many of the laity will not want to make the effort to function on their own.
Many Church members have become accustomed to spoon-feeding and will slowly have to be weaned. Much discipleship will have to be available. There will be wolves that will try to gather these weak sheep and put them in "their" fold. These wolves are the shepherds who will not come under the lordship of Jesus Christ. After all, He believes he is God's anointed and claims he is watching over God's flock. What he really means is he does not want to lose his job as "lord" over these sheep. The true apostles will have to confront these wolves in sheep's clothing. Jesus will rescue each of His sheep one by one as the apostles leave the flock to bring the lambs back into the true fold of Jesus Christ. The true watchmen of Ezekiel 33 will challenge the false shepherds of Ezekiel 34.
Many in the world will see the struggle within the Church and rise up against the true apostles/ shepherds. The world will not be ready to hear the truth. Persecution of the apostles not only will be felt from the Church members who rebel against God's plan but will be joined by the world trying to stop God's plan. Many apostles and true believers will be put in jail and charged with hate crimes for condemning a loose moral lifestyle of all sorts of sexual deviancy. The high moral values of God will be put on trial and be called blasphemy against human rights to those who do such things. Godlessness will become the standard of governmental decision. We will find the traditional Church standing with the world to put down this heresy of so called apostles trying to establish a new Church order. Worldly Christian leaders will claim precedence of past rule for the last 1800 years as their authority.
What follows is prophetic and hard to hear. He who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the Church. Because of the attack on God's true sheep the following will come.
1. There will be an upheaval of civil disobedience never before seen in the history of our country.
2. God's hand will be removed from the country that has always provided protection for us. Note: God's hand is already being pushed back with human hands.
3. Gangs and warlords will rise up to control their turf. Many shall die.
4. The USA will not fall from foreign invasion but will fall from within.
5. The Greek-Roman structure now in rule in high places will be brought low.
Just know this. God will not be mocked, whatsoever men sow, that shall they reap. These warlords that rise up against God will become confused by God's intervention and destroy each other. This will happen because true men and women of God will have stood and prevailed. The United States will again be called a nation of God. Again it will become one nation under God indivisible and with liberty for all. Severe persecution, plague and destruction will come but the nation will rise from the ashes of the turmoil.
I HAVE READ THE BOOK, GUESS WHAT? WE WIN AND THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST TO THE WORLD WILL PREVAIL!

Priesthood of Believers

History tells us man has always clamored for a leader to be over them. The people of God in the Old Testament murmured and complained against the rule of God in their midst. They even complained about Moses the man who God had chosen to bring them out of bondage.
When God was over the people to deliver and protect them they still desired a King like their own.. Example: God gave them a king after their own hearts. The king was Saul.God's way of ruling was that the people were to live in unity and in the freedom of His Spirit. Man came to be as those in the book of Judges. Every man did that which seemed right in his own eyes. Man chose to be his own god.
The old priesthood of believers under Israel put the believers back into bondage under the Law. The Law was not given as a guide to proper living but was given to show man he did not have the ability to rule himself. Under the Law, man was under bondage. The sad thing is that men chose to live under the Law that they could not achieve in living the life of the Law. God wanted them to live under Him. Man to this day desires a human "king" under the Law.
Jesus came to bring freedom back to men. He came to deliver man from the bondage of the Law. Read Luke 4:18-19. Jesus Himself quoted this scripture from the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah 61, concerning His ministry.
The people under the Law protested His works and life example. The people were content with the lifestyle they were living. This was especially true of God's chosen people. We today may not be content with our lifestyle but all too often still do not choose God to be in control of our life.
Still Jesus preached the kingdom of God made up of living men living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. After the ascension, the Holy Spirit came to lead the priesthood of believers.
All leadership was gone, and they learned to function as a relational body guided by the apostles who did not lord it over them. They just got the people going the right direction under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The apostles were the eye witnesses of what Jesus taught and did. They were imitators of Jesus Christ Himself. The function of the apostles was leadership by being living examples within the body of Christ. They even went so far as to give their lives for the cause. After 200 plus years from the beginning of the Church, the Church began to sink back into the ecclesiastical sink hole it had come out of under Jewish Law and leadership.
Priests were again being raised up and became mediators between the believers and God. This was most predominate under the Roman Church and the Eastern orthodox Church at Constantinople. There was now a wedge between the believer and God. All ministry of the Holy Spirit was quenched and the Church no longer existed free as God ha ordained.
The Church was to be a relational body of believers where all shared the priesthood. Because the clergy/laity hierarchy prevailed, the gifts of the Spirit placed in the Body of Christ ceased to function. Eventually all of Christianity fell back into this ecclesiastical hierarchy of those in rule over the masses of the rest of the Church body. By the way, the early clergy class believed they were the only true Church. The so called laity were only lowly knaves who only could wish they were part of the Church. The body was forced to worship this way and in the early Church anyone who resisted this method of hierarchy were called heretics or witches and were burned at the stake.
To this day the leadership clamors to make it mandatory to come to "church" because that is what the Bible says. However I can find no scripture to support that idea. The only scripture I can find is to not forsake the gathering or assembling together of the saints.
The clergy claims they are God's chosen and confirm it by laying on of hands and anoint each other who are obedient to their leadership. The clergy lords over any subservient who dares giving a word or exhortation apart from the order of worship. Their order of worship is sacred and to be followed to a tee.
Churches today are institutional and a lot like a train in motion.Once the train is in motion it is hard to turn or slow it down because of its momentum. Who may know where the track made lead to.
The early relational Church Christ set forth could be highly mobile and evaded the persecution that was thrown its way to destroy the Church. Today the priesthood of believers has been corralled and put under control of a self appointed leadership.
Listen! The Word of the Lord today is this. I am coming back for a Church without spot or wrinkle. I am coming back for the Church as I left it. Everything man has added or taken away from it shall be destroyed. Before I come back My body, My bride will be prepared for My triumphant return. My bride will be adorned with all the beauty and majesty that I have created her to be. She will be the perfect bride. You can not add to her beauty or add one thing to her because I have created her for My glory not for the glory of man. To those who have tried to prostitute her for their own benefit I will destroy. To those who have abused her I will destroy. To those who have falsely accused her I will destroy. Just like the first woman I created in the garden she will be. This My second Eve, My bride, will not be deceived and will rise out of of the rubble from among those who have tried to pervert her. She is My beloved and I have been in wait for many years. She will be My queen and will sit with Me in heavenly places. She will rule and reign with Me. My bride has entered the chambers where she is preparing herself to be joined with Me in the marriage of all marriages.Now called My body on earth will be joined with My body in heaven. Just as the side of Adam was pierced, My side was pierced and My beloved was born out of My side. Just as Eve stood before Adam My bride will stand at My side. We will become as one body just as the example set of marriage on earth. So listen, prepare yourself, it is time to enter and make yourself ready for Me.
Scriptures on priesthood of believers
Old Testament Exodus 19:6 "And you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel." Isaiah 61:6 " But you shall be named the priests of the Lord. They shall call you the servants of our God. You shall eat of the riches of the Gentiles, and their glory you shall boast."
New Testament I Peter 2:5 "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a royal priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ Jesus." Revelations 1:6 "and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen."
Revelations 5:10 "And made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth." Revelations
20:6 "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the resurrection . Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years."
Hebrews establishes the priesthood of Christ. A review of the book will give tremendous insight to the true priest standing in intercession for all men. He is also the only one authorized priest to stand between the believer and God Himself. It is none other than Jesus Christ. Any other who stands as a priest is like a lightning rod ready to be struck from the power on high. I suppose I am excommunicated by that statement. Oh well!

Jesus Wants Full Custody

Jesus wants full custody rights not just weekend visitation of His children. Today we are inclined to just be weekend warriors in the army of God and not full time soldiers. Case in point; we go to Church on Sunday for a short time and feel like we have fulfilled our Christian duty for the week. The rest of thwe week we live much like the world. George Barna's book, Making True Disciples, is a research on how the Christian standards measure up to the world standards. He found that Christian standards during the week are at the standard of the rest of the world. How can this be?
Church Structure
Another problem in the Church is that the structure of today's Church is changing to a model that perhaps will bring dire consequences to the true body of Christ. The true body of Jesus Christ is the Ekklesia or called out ones that are Christians. Church models today reflect members that are required to sign a pledge or covenant to be members of the particular Church. The model of the emerging Church is a pyramid hierarchy structure. The body of the members is lorded over by the "leaders". The leaders have been trained in the latest business models of successful business structure. Leaders, also called pastors, bishops, elders, apostles and prophets provide the "covering" for the body of believers. The members are to "catch" the vision of the leaders. They can only support the Church by doing the "things" the leaders call ministry. So much for the Holy Spirit to be able to minister through anyone.
The Emerging Church Structure
The emerging Church model is top down leadership like most Church models. It is also based on the business structure of a successful world business system. In todays climate all Church structure will be stressed because of the tightening economic collapse. The Church has a CEO, is formed under non-profit corporation rules and files with the IRS who oversees the corporation. Isn't that marvelous. Like the government could do anything right in these days. What happened to our leaders. GREED, GREED both political and Church leaders. Also there is a push by the government to use "faith based" services to provide so-called necessary services on the local level. Churches providing the services will be directed to provide the services according to government mandate. The mandates of the government on the service providers that they must follow are no way a part of the Church. What the government mandates is what they can and cannot do. Churches are not providers of government services. Church is a spiritual body. Jesus Christ would not condone government control of His ministry. Any other head of the Church of Jesus Christ other than Jesus needs to be cut off. This includes most of today's Church leaders who would entertain this structure.
The Head Of The Church
Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. Not a man, any man period. The outward Church structure has been made by the hands of mortal men. The Ekklesia or called out body of Christ is God breathed and is a spiritual body. The only building is people. They are the Temple of God. The so called Church of today has existed for about 2000 years and reflects the traditions of men and thoughts of men. Scripture says the traditions of men nullify the Word of God. The true body of believers the Ekklesia is having only the mind of Christ. See scripture references below.
Cornerstone- Isaiah 28:16, Zechariah 10:4, Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17. This is in all three synoptic gospels and was the foundation of the Church. The first sermon of Peter preached called to remembrance this same scripture. See Acts 4:11, Ephesians 2:19-22. These scriptures tell us who we are in Christ. "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the spirit." That my brothers and sisters states what the Ekklesia is-end of story.. I Peter 2:6 again repeats the quoting of the scripture from Isaiah 28:16. Anything else you see outwardly is the works of men. The foundation of the apostles and prophets is this-- The prophets of old prophesied Jesus Christ coming. The apostles of Jesus Christ took forth the foundation and began to build the Church Ekklessia of Jesus Christ who is the foundation. The apostles chosen by Jesus, only began to sow the spiritual kingdom of God after the Holy Spirit of God fell on them on the day of Pentecost. Acts 1:4-8 were instructions from Jesus to His disciples. Acts chater two records the fulfilling of His instructions. The Ekklessia was born.
The Outward Structure
Man soon began to build up an outward structure seen of men and called it the Church. Buildings began to appear, spokesmen began to replace Jesus Christ as head of the Church, furniture was put in the Church building and we all moved into our new comfortable home. The only problem is the Church has become run down, patches put on the walls, steeples placed on the roof, new rules added to list what we may or may not do or believe. Ok, I give some here. The early Church had much heresy that came into the Church from converted heathens and philosophers. The early Church fathers did try to contain it somewhat. Then they just added their error with their excess instead of just stating the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The early Church fathers used the wisdom of men ( It used to be called philosphy today we call it bloviation) much like our lawyers, politicians and preachers of today.) In other words, windbags. Now can you see the problem of the present day Church structure? If not I don't know what to tell you other than ask God to open your eyes to the truth. Traditions of men- Matthew 15:1-6, Mark 7:1-13, Colossians 2:6-10, Keep the traditions of the apostles not the traditions of men. !! Thessalonians 3:6, I Peter 1:18.
History Of The Circle Of Stupid
History has always revealed a vicious circle of stupid in action. We study history that we may not repeat the mistakes of the past. It is my belief that we have learned nothing. Solomon, when he had exhausted all known knowledge and wisdom declares he had learned nothing from his search. The conclusion when all has been heard was this in Ecclesiastes 12:13 "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is; fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil." It would behoove every one of us to grasp the teaching of the book of Ecclesiastes.
Extreme Home Makeover
What the Church needs today is an extreme home makeover. If you watch the TV series you know they never remodel the old house. They always tear it down or blow it up as on a recent show.They start over from the ground. Revival is only a reminder of the dead Church. The present Church cannot be changed from within. It has to be changed from without. While many, including myself, have tried reform from within it does not work. By the time you got rid of all the garbage and baggage there would be nothing left except the ground the Church once stood on. Jesus is not coming back for an old dilapidated whore who walked the streets attaching itself to every fleshly desire of men.You can't throw paint on an old barn and make it new. The traditions of the street whore is not worth salvaging. We must repent and build the house anew. Let us let Jesus build it this time.
God's New Home
We have lost the vision of being the temple of the almighty, awesome,merciful, loving God of grace. We have lost our first love of the one who first loved us. We can't go whoring with the world and be pure and holy. We cannot serve both God and the world. It is one or the other. One thing we must not be is either a whore or a whoremonger. God desires all of us as a full time bride that he can lavish all His love on us. Don't be guilty of the Church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-5 Come back to the lover of your souls. He wants to merge and entwine Himself with His bride.
So What Is The Conclusion
Again, for those who can't hear. Repent and return to Jesus Christ and Him alone. Repent means change what you are doing and go in the right direction. Literally it is to change your mind and heart. Rid yourself of everything that is not of Jesus Christ.Stop doing dead works, the programs, conferences, the supporting ministries of men. Walk in obedience to what God says not what the latest prophetic word from a false prophet or apostle says. Shepherding is still shepherding regardless of the outward dress. Shepherding is an old form of Niclaitan rule of having lords or covering over us by men. Even the Church at Ephesus who lost its first love did not condone the Nicolaitans.
My prayer is Jesus is the only Lord in your life. Any other lords or masters are not part of God's plan. Divorce yourself from them and go on with your life. Those who lord over you might well come against you but, the freedom Jesus Christ brings will restore you and heal the pain inflicted by these lords whether they are men, things, ministriesof men, money, or whatever, that was a part of your life.

The Ekklesia The True Body of Christ

I separated this metaphor from the other metaphors because this metaphor is of the true ekklesia or congregation of believers we now call a Church. This is the metaphor set up by the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a reality and not necessarily a metaphor. The Church people should understand but many Christians do not understand what the body of Christ is. What does the structure look like? It looks like you and me. It is literally the body of Christ here on the earth in this gentile age. The body of Christ is made up of many members each fitly joined together. The Church body should function in unity and purpose, with a vision and purpose.
The Church ekklesia is also defined as a family. While the family is probably the best metaphor of the Church it is hard to catch vision of what that is like. Why is this so? Today's family is too dysfunctional to really catch the vision of a family metaphor. The family metaphor probably best describes the condition of the Church today with dysfunction and all. The fact is that the Church is dysfunctional at best.
The function of the body of Christ and the family metaphors are the same. That is in a healthy normal functioning family. The members of the Church body are the Church family. The body of Christ metaphor is the same. The members of the ekklesia (congregations) together corporately and in total make up the whole body of Christ.Individual members make up a very small part of the whole body. For the body to function normally in a spiritually healthy and mature manner, each member must do their part. Each part must function to make the whole body function. As stated before the Church today is a very dysfunctional family and body. The divisions in the Church body today are as great or greater than any time in its history. Because of hierarchial structure none of the members function together as part of the whole body. The body should be complete and healthy. The Church body today is disjointed and going in every direction possible without any vision whatsoever, except by a vision of men.
In I Corinthians chapter 11 Paul speaks and states we must be imitators of Christ and uses himself as an imitator of Christ. Follow me as I follow Christ. Paul's sole purpose was to imitate Jesus Christ. As he imitated Jesus Christ we have an example to follow. Oh! If we were only imitators of Christ as an example to others that we could say follow me as I follow Christ.. This sums up our purpose and direction as members of Christ's body. The whole family jointly fit together and being imitators of Christ. Verses 23-33 of I Cor 11 Paul shares what he received concerning the body of Christ from the Lord. Paraphrasing it says, what we eat and drink let it be true food, fresh manna from heaven. He exhorts us to examine ourselves and see if we are imitators of Christ.If you are not a complete imitator of Christ with your whole body all your body will suffer. verses30-31 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep (are dead spiritually). If we would have judged ourselves properly we would not be in judgment. Also review verses 32-34.
The last item is fellowship with other believers. We will never be mature until we learn to work and play well with other members. We cannot uplift, exhort and edify each other without relationship. It is imperative to function as a body of many believers. I did not say go to Church. We are the Church. I said fellowship with other believers. All members of the body of Christ must function together and show forth the kingdom of God to the world through the Church body.