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

Are You Resisting The Spirit?

Acts 7:51-53

“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

Over the last six months or so I have witnessed many people resisting the Spirit of God as Christ is being manifested in this earthen vessel.  The scriptures testify about Jesus and the disciples being persecuted by unbelievers, but I had no idea what it would be like in the natural, in my mind I thought it would be physical persecution for the gospel, and it has been that, but I have witnessed and felt the most opposition and resistance to the Spirit, grace, and word of God in the spiritual. It is one of the most saddening things in this world to me as those who are lost have no clue of the judgement that awaits them unless they repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

In the above scriptures Stephen gives an indepth and detailed testimony about Abraham, the Patriarchs, and Moses while filled with the Spirit and wisdom of God. You would think that the high priest, the elders and those in attendance would have repented in sack cloth and ashes after the word that Stephen spoke, but no! Instead of repentance and weeping we see anger, gnashing of teeth and stoning. How could this be? I have been wondering how could anyone resist the Spirit? The Lord has been teaching me through everyday experiences how this is possible when those who hear the voice of the Spirit and feel the grace of God harden their hearts and set their will on denial, resistance, and opposition of the one who is sent by God to proclaim the good news.

I also wondered how could the Pharisees and Jews resist Jesus Christ who is God manifested in the flesh and while He walked this earth the fullness of the Godhead dwelt inside of Him! But yet He was rejected and crucified by His own creation, by the same people He came to save!

John 8:42-47

"Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”

How would you respond if Jesus came and told you that you were not of God?

Many professing Christians today think they are born again because they repeated a 'sinners' prayer or mentally agreed with the scriptures and say they believe in Jesus but yet they don't obey His commands and when they are told the truth about their conversion they say things like, 'who are you to tell me I'm not saved!', or 'who are you to tell me I don't have the Holy Spirit in me!'

John 8:48-53

"Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”

Jesus is being manifested in His bride in these last days, are you ready to hear the true word of the Lord spoken by true apostles and prophets filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom of God?

How will you respond when the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin, righteousness, and judgment?

Paul was also strong in the Lord and filled with the Spirit but He was resisted by many people when he preached.

Acts 19:8-9

"And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus."

It's so sad to see people willfully resisting and fighting against the one true God who loved them so much that He gave His only Son Jesus as an atoning sacrifice on the cross to pay the penalty for their sins and mine.

Hebrews 3:7-15

"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

Are you resisting the Spirit and hardening your heart? Let us all examine ourselves to see if we are really in the faith.

In Jesus,
Tyrone