Back To The First Century Church (Part 3, One Accord)

Acts 1:12-14, 2:1-4

"Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers."

Acts 2:1-4

"When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

One very important thing to take note of in every instance where the Lord God moved mightily in supernatural manifestations and works, was when the believer's gathered together with ONE ACCORD! One mind, one agenda, one goal, which is to experience the power and presence of God in their midst.

In the tower of babel the people set out with one mind and one language, to build a tower whose top touched the heavens, and they likely would have done it if God would not have stopped them. Pay close attention to what God said about the matter.

Genesis 11:5-6

"But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them."

The power of unity is unmatched, the power of one accord and one mind amongst any group of people can bring about great change, but when the people of God come together with one accord, one heart, and one mind, God comes down!

Even with the Azusa street revival, William Seymour joined together with other believers praying for the same thing, for God to pour out His Spirit on them like the day of Pentecost.

"Moving into the home of Edward Lee, a janitor at a local bank, William Seymour began ministry with a prayer group that had been meeting regularly at the home of Richard and Ruth Asbery, at 214 North Bonnie Brae. Asbery was also employed as a janitor. Most of the worshippers were African-American, with occasional visits from European-Americans. As the group sought God for revival, their hunger intensified.

Finally, on April 9, Lee was baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. When the news of his baptism was shared with the true believers at Bonnie Brae, a powerful outpouring followed. Many received the Holy Spirit baptism as Pentecostal revival arrived on the West Coast. That evening would be hard to describe. People fell to the floor as if unconscious, others shouted and ran through the house. One neighbor, Jennie Evans Moore played the piano, something she did not have the ability to do before." (https://azusastreet.org/)

Acts 2:44-46

"Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,"

Acts 4:23-31

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of Your servant David have said ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the Lord and against His Christ.’ “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Every single time a group of believers get together with one accord something supernatural happens! God manifests Himself through signs and wonders, pouring out His Spirit, shaking the foundations and sending forth His angels. Truly when two or more are gathered together in the name of Jesus with one accord the Lord is right in the midst!

Acts 12:5-7

"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands."

Once again while Peter was held in prison, the disciples came together and prayed constantly for him and God answered their prayers by sending down His angel to get Peter out of the prison!

Acts 16:25-27

"But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed."

The unity of the faith and the oneness of heart and mind that the early disciples and the believers of the Azusa Street revival experienced, should be a desire of every 21st century Christian, because that is the best way to see a mighty move of God. When the believers have one accord then nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them!

In His Service,

Tyrone

Back To The First Century Church Part 2!

 

Genesis 6:11-14

"The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch."

The Lord God is a patient and loving God! I wonder how long it took for the earth to be filled with violence? But eventually God does see the sins of His creation, the corruption of mankind  and the violence that they do come before Him up in Heaven and God makes a decision to judge the people on the earth.

Because of the fallen nature of man, he keeps going back to the same old routine of violence and thinking evil continually. Even when we think we're okay we need to be judging our thoughts by the word of God. Because we know the scripture say's "there is a way that SEEMS right to a man, but it's end is the way of  death!"

This is why mankind need's the intervention of a loving and just God because without His laws and His word and His Son Jesus we would be left without any hope of  salvation for our souls!

This is also why God raises up people like Noah, the prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus, and His apostles to warn people, to preach the truth and bring people back to the right ways of God. If we break man's laws there is a consequence, we have to go to jail, if we break God's laws there is a consequence, if we don't repent (change our minds and think differently) and believe on His Son Jesus Christ, when we die, when our immortal soul leaves our body we will go to Hell, until the day of Judgment and then we will stand before the Creator of all things and we will be judged according to what we have done on this earth, while in our bodies.

We must get back to the right ways of God, to the simplicity of the Gospel, to true fellowship and openness, to accountability, to admonishing one another and building one another up in the Lord. We need revival, a true revival! Not some emotion filled screaming and hollering or dropping on the floor and rolling around or barking like a dog as we have seen in those false revivals, but a genuine move of God, an outpouring of His Spirit with supernatural signs and wonders that cannot be faked or copied.

What we have today is man corrupting himself again, violence worldwide, no regard for human life and many who claim to be Pastor's are making merchandise of the gospel, more concerned with making a living than helping a soul be delivered from the oppression of the devil. Many who gather in church buildings every Sunday have become accustomed to just hearing ABOUT God and Jesus, but never EXPERIENCING His great healing and delivering power or His Divine love!

We are living in the exact times that Paul said would come to pass, men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, gathering so-called ministers to themselves to tickle their ears! On just about every corner of America there is a church building and a liquor store! What is that saying? You can go wherever you want to go and hear something that you want to hear and if a truth is spoken that offends you, then you can just go somewhere else!

The first century disciples didn't have it so easy! When Jesus said something they didn't like, many just turned away and followed Him no more! But those who stayed had their eternity changed! Those who stayed received the abundant life that Jesus came to give to those who believed in Him and stayed faithful until the end. Ear tickling compromising words will not bring true repentance and Godly sorrow! Ear tickling words will not bring the conviction of the Holy Spirit that will cause you to change your bad habits, and come out of the world and be separate! Ear tickling words and the sinners prayer will not bring you the salvation of your soul!

It's time to experience the genuine power of an Almighty God who will once again judge the earth and it's people, but this time it will not be with water but with fire! In fact God is already judging the earth with famines, pestilence, flood's, tsunami's, earthquakes, and the like. Look at what Covid is doing, causing people to stay in their homes, no more big gatherings, no more mega church services, this is a time to search our hearts and get back to what really matters in life, family, love, and the genuine fellowship of the saints of God.

The first disciples were together in their homes every single day! Praying together, seeking God, fasting, eating together, singing psalms and hymns together, loving one another, helping one another, serving one another and growing every day in the Lord. Let us get back to the first century church, in the 21st century!

In Jesus Name,

Tyrone