The Destiny Of The New Testament Church
Since the New Testament Church is the Body of Christ and not the denomination(s) of men, it’s installation on earth is broader than what a single calendar date defines.
THE ORIGIN: It was foreordained in God’s eternal plan and purpose – Ephesians 3:9-11. Thus, the New Testament Church existed in God’s eternal plan before the world began. It will also continue on into eternity future as the Bride of Christ (in the Rapture and from then on).
THE SUBSTANCE OF: God sent John the Baptist to prepare a people for Jesus – Luke 1:17. Jesus took these prepared people and set them in His Body (the local church) as its first members. The substance (prepared people) and Christ, were all identified together through the Baptist baptism of John, the New Testament covenant seal: “One Lord, one faith, one baptism” – Ephesians 4:4-6
THE DEFINITION OF: Christ brought the substance (prepared people) together unto being members of His Body (the local church He built), and equipped it with its ordinances and practices during His earthly ministry.
THE HEAD: God only gave Christ to be the Head over all things to the church, His body, Ephesians 1:22-23, Ephesians 5:23-33.
THE INAUGURATION OF: At Jesus’ crucifixion, the Levitical order (Old Testament) was disannulled, and the New Testament was put in force by the death of the Testator (Jesus Christ), Hebrews 7-9, Luke 22:20.
THE GREAT COMMISSION: Matthew 28:18-20, after His resurrection and before His ascension.
THE EMPOWERMENT OF: With the coming of the Comforter, i.e., the new role for the Holy Ghost in the church capacity, Acts 1:8 (Acts 2), Christ personally gave spiritual gifts to the Apostles during His earthly ministry. All others after his ascension have them bestowed through the Comforter – 1 Corinthians 12.
THE PERPETUITY OF: Matthew 16:18, 28:20 – The Body of Christ (local New Testament Churches with Baptist baptism), descending from the One Jesus built, will continue on earth until they are all removed in the Rapture.
THE RAPTURE AND MARRIAGE OF THE CHURCH: At the Rapture, all the local New Testament Churches will become one as the Bride of Christ, for marriage to the Lamb of God, to eternally reign with Him in the New Jerusalem.
SHARING
Jonah Had Issues
Jonah 4:1-22
His issue was his deep seated resentment toward the Assyrians. He had not left vengeance in the hands of the Lord.
The problem with his issues: Jonah didn’t control them – they controlled him.
God’s assignment for Jonah was an opportunity to be the Lord’s ambassador, to lay up treasures in heaven, be blessed, and be a blessing to others in this life. But Jonah’s issues got in his way. Jonah knew he wasn’t doing God’s will when he chose to go to Tarshish, rather than obey God and go to Nineveh.
Because of Jonah’s issues, when it came time to make the needed decision to do things God’s way, guess what showed up? Not Jonah’s belief of God’s Word; not his knowledge and understanding of God’s will; not his desire to serve and honor God; not his love for God and his neighbor; not his Christian convictions and faith, but his issues are what showed up and were in charge!
Issues are a leaven in the life of a Christian, often doing more damage to people’s lives, homes, churches, etc., than open sin. Issues are what divide and conquer God’s people.
Jonah’s issues quenched the work of the Holy Spirit. And at the same time, they fueled the fires of the unyielding spirit of his human nature.
Jonah found out it was impossible to resolve his issues to his own satisfaction. While Jonah hung onto his issues, seeking satisfaction for them, even God’s Word and God’s grace didn’t satisfy him.
The only answer for Jonah would have been for him to deny his issues and forsake them, as being a factor of his own sinful imperfection, that he needed God to forgive and cleanse him of. His disagreement with God’s will was the sure testimony that he needed to humble himself before God, with a broken and contrite spirit. Only Jonah could make that decision.
Because Jonah would not, of his own free will, forsake self and submit himself to do the Lord’s will, for the honor and glory of God, God had to subdue him. Jonah had to yield himself to the Lord’s will or face death in the whale’s digestive tract.
Issues arise due to our imperfect, sinful nature. The question is, what will we do with them?SHARING
Fear & Faith
“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” Psalm 56:3
Meteorologists say that a fog capable of covering half a square mile is made up of only one glass of water, divided into 60 million particles. But when it settles, it can obscure your entire vision.
A little fear can do the same thing.
Why do almost half of us suffer from stress-related disorders? Because instead of walking by faith, we think we are supposed to fly like jets on supercharged adrenaline – and we pay for it in terms of fear and anxiety.
It is so easy for fear to replace faith, because they have something in common: both challenge us to believe in what we cannot see. Fear tries to persuade us to run from something that’s not there. Faith persuades us to run to Someone who is there for us.
A well known preacher of the past once said, “Fear knocked at my door. Faith answered, to find no one was there.”
Fear is overcome by faith – and faith comes by hearing the Word of God, Romans 10:17. Feed your faith on the scriptures, and fear will starve to death! To eliminate room for worry, fill the mind with God’s Word. Commune with Him in prayer to gain assurance and comfort.
The antidote to fear is to do what David did: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” It all comes down to which we choose to put in control: fear, or faith.
“Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” John 20:27
“But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Matthew 14:30-31SHARING
God Given Honorable Mention
1 Chronicles 11 & 12 list the many mighty warriors who were leaders in David’s army, whom God used to defend Israel (example 1 Chronicles 11:14).
From the book of Exodus on, it is recorded how that God’s people had to fight in wars against many enemies. When Israel was serving God, God would give them victory on the battlefield. When they turned their back to God, God would use the enemy to punish them, and to affect their repentance.
When God anointed David to be king over Israel, he came to the forefront of Israel by way of defeating the Philistine giant in war.
There is no way Israel could have existed as a nation had they not fought the wars that defended their nation from enemy aggression.
It should also be noted that Israel obtained possession of Canaan by war, driving out the wicked inhabitants thereof.
When Christ comes back to set up His millennial kingdom, the first order of business will be war, at which time the beast and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire, and Christ will then slay all their armies – Revelation 19:15-21.
Revelation 20 records how that when Satan is bound in the bottomless pit, that he should deceive the nations no more, there will be 1,000 years of no war on earth, with Christ as King over all the earth: “And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” Micah 4:3
But when Satan is loosed out of the bottomless pit: “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, God and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Revelation 20:7-9
The evidence is clear: as long as Satan is free to deceive mankind, there will be wars and rumors of war. To object to the fact of war won’t eliminate war, anymore than objecting to Satan will eliminate Satan. As long as Satan and sin exist, there will be wars fought.
THUS WE SALUTE our veterans and our armed forces. If it were not for them, our country would be overrun by enemy powers and oppression. May we be ever mindful and thoughtful of this reality as we live, raise our families, and serve God in this God given country.SHARING
