JESUS IS THE HEAD Of HIS CHURCH!

Ephesians 1:15-23

"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

If only those who are truly converted to Christ would understand the powerful truths about our Lord and Savior, and our inheritance in Him. If only those who call themselves ministers and shepherds of the Lord's sheep would teach the souls that they oversee who Jesus really is and who the Head of the church is, the world would be swept away by the power of God!

In most religious institutions today we see men and women who have gone through years of schooling, training, and bible study courses, being set up as leaders and figures of authority who are called upon to teach, train, oversee others, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

But where in scripture do we find an example of the system that these men and women use to become ministers of God and the Lord Jesus Christ?

What we find is Jesus Himself calling, training, and teaching His own disciples and making them into ministers of His Gospel!

Matthew 4:18-20

"And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him."

Jesus also told Peter that He would build HIS CHURCH and the gates of hell would not prevail against it!

Matthew 16:18

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."

Jesus didn't build one building did He? But yet we see men today erecting 'church' buildings on every other corner in most cities of this country!

The Lord uses His ministers and adds souls to His church.

Acts 2:46-47

"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, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

HE is the one who places apostles, prophets, teachers, and those with ministry gifts in HIS CHURCH!

1st Corinthians 12:27-28

"Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues."

So why do men and women in the religious institutions appoint one another? And then say that God raised them up, or they receive a bachelors degree of religious studies and send out resume's to become the senior pastor of a congregation, and you even have congregations being handed over to sons from their fathers! Totally unbiblical!

We must understand that Jesus is the Head of His church (ekklesia-an assembly of souls) which is His body, not a building! And He has ALL authority in Heaven and on earth, He is the one who calls, equips, appoints and anoints! Not man!

Matthew 28:18-20

"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

In Jesus,

Tyrone

A Dream And A Name

Medgar Evers

                                                                                                            

I had another dream last week of a surprise attack on America, the dream was really short. In the dream me and my wife pulled up into an apartment complex parking lot and then suddenly I heard popping sounds, I looked up into the sky and saw bombs being dropped nearby in a residential area! Then I saw a missile being fired right over our heads! (end)

Also last week I heard the name "Medgar Evers"  I didn't know much about him so I just checked Wikipedia, here is a short excerpt.

"Medgar Wiley Evers (July 2, 1925 – June 12, 1963) was an American civil rights activist from Mississippi who worked to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi and to enact social justice and voting rights. He is remembered for saying "You can kill a man, but you can't kill an idea."

A World War II veteran and college graduate, he became active in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s. He became a field secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Following the 1954 ruling of the United States Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education that segregated public schools were unconstitutional, Evers worked to gain admission for African Americans to the state-supported public University of Mississippi. He also worked on voting rights and registration, economic opportunity, access to public facilities, and other changes in the segregated society.

Evers was assassinated by Byron De La Beckwith, a member of the White Citizens' Council, a group formed in 1954 to resist integration of schools and civil rights activity. As a veteran, Evers was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. His murder and the resulting trials inspired civil rights protests, as well as numerous works of art, music and film."

Another warning from the Lord about upcoming events? I believe so!

Keep watch people!

In Jesus,

Tyrone

Renewing Your Mind (Series): Trapped In The Past

2nd Corinthians 3:12-17

"Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

These scriptures were written over two thousand years ago, but the same veil remains on the hearts and minds of many Jewish and professing Christians when it comes to the Old Testament. So many are trapped in the past, still quoting Malachi 3:8-10 for tithing, not reading the whole book and putting the scriptures into context. Why is that?

It's because they have not turned to the Lord! Only He can take the veil away!

Where is the Spirit of the Lord in these congregations? He is the One who brings liberty, refreshing, and renewal of the mind.

Where is the diversity and unity of the faith in the two hundred and seventeen denominations in America?

Many are trapped in the past and continue to meet in racially divided 'churches', with carnal minds that cannot move forward even though they claim to know Jesus and walk in His truth!

Sunday is still the most racially segregated day of the week in America!

If you truly want to be set free in your mind and transformed into the image of Christ in your inner man (soul & spirit), you MUST forget your past, leave behind your former way of life, forgive those who wronged you, and live your life in the present, in the moment. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is not promised!

Phillipians 3:12-16

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind."

In Jesus,
Tyrone

Renewing Your Mind (series): Satan's Great Deception

2 Corinthians 4:3-4

"But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them."

So many THINK they are intelligent, intellectual, and quick witted, they use logic and reason instead of faith to live out their daily lives. They may be wise according to man's standards, but not to God's!

And all the while they walk in a spiritual blindness and darkness that only Jesus can deliver them from.

What's worse though is those who THINK they know God but in reality they do not!

That's how the Pharisees and Sadducees were in the days of Jesus earthly ministry, and the same is true today with those who profess to be Christians but have never been truly converted to Christ.

Satan's first deception of mankind happened in the garden of Eden and what did Satan do to Eve? He deceived her into believing a lie that she would become like God when she ate the forbidden fruit, but she didn't understand that she was already like God!

The same is true today, Satan deceives people into believing that this life is all there is, so live your best life now, do what you want, live how you want, you only get one life they say.

All the way's of Satan and man lead to the death of the soul (separation from God in Hell) if they die in their sins, and eternal separation from God in the lake of fire if their name is not written in the Lamb's book of life.

Psalm 94:11

"The Lord knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile."

1 Corinthians 3:19-20

"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

Proverbs 14:12

"There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death."

Very few understand how the enemy of ALL our souls operates, but God opens the minds and the hearts of those who are true followers of Christ and those who seek after Him and His wisdom.

Do you understand that Satan has the power to deceive the whole world?

Revelation 12:19

"So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

That's why Paul told the Ephesian saints to put on the WHOLE armor of God!

Ephesians 6:10-11

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

Will you stand in the truth of God with the mind of Christ? Or will you fall under the great deception of the master deceiver?

In Jesus,
Tyrone

Renewing Your Mind (series): You Are What You Think!

What do you think about all day? Do you meditate on the word of God? Or is your mind on the cares of this world?

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, and David the second king of Israel, understood how important the mind is, they knew the secret to overcoming this world, Satan, and the flesh that our souls inhabit.

Proverbs 23:7

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

Psalm 119:15-16, 97, 99

I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.

I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.

No wonder David was a man after God's own heart!

If you spend your day thinking about your job, your spouse, kids, finances, your favorite T.V. show, hobbies, or who's leading in the standings of professional sports, then your mind needs to be renewed! Especially if you're a professing Christian!

Martha was worrying about her sister not helping her in the house, but she should have been doing what Mary was doing, listening and meditating on the words of Jesus!

Luke 10:38-42

"Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Even Peter's mind was still in need of renewal after years of being taught by Jesus Himself!

Matthew 16:21-23

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Are you mindful of the things of God? Or the things of men?

As you think in your heart and mind, so you will be!

In Jesus,
Tyrone

Renewing Your Mind (series): The Immortal Soul

Matthew 10:28

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul."

Did Jesus give us a clear distinction between the body and the soul in the above scripture? Yes He did!

The first century Christians understood that life did not end after their bodies were killed, the scriptures tell us they were beheaded, sawn in two, fed to lions, and tortured to death, but they looked forward to a better resurrection!

Hebrews 11:35

"Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection."

How could they face such persecution and death like they did? Their minds were renewed to the truth of who they really were in Christ!

If today's Christian would understand that they are immortal souls just inhabiting a physical fleshly body then they could begin to live life in a completely new way, they would have a different perspective on the world and every thing in it!

That's why Paul said we no longer regard anyone from a fleshly point of view!

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

"Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

The first century apostles understood the makeup of a human being and knew that after their bodies died their souls would live on!

2 Peter 1:12-14

"For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed

me."

The KJV translation uses the word 'tabernacle' instead of 'tent'. Both words come from the Greek word 'Skenoma' which means:

The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon

Strong's Number: 4638
Original Word Word Origin
skhvnwma from (4637)
Transliterated Word TDNT Entry
Skenoma 7:383,1040
Phonetic Spelling Parts of Speech
skay'-no-mah Noun Neuter

Definition

1. a tent, a tabernacle
      a. of the temple as God's habitation
      b. of the tabernacle of the covenant

    *c. metaph. of the human body as the dwelling of the soul

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

"So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."

The Greek Interlinear bible says in verse eight:

"We are assured, then, and think it good rather to go away from home out of the body, and to come home to the Lord."

Did you know that we will be judged according to what we have done while IN the body?

2 Corinthians 5:10

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in (through) the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."

John 11:25-26

"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

In Jesus,

Tyrone

Atheists Taking A Stand!

Washington (CNN)

Thousands of atheists turned out Saturday on a muggy Washington day to take part in "Reason Rally," dedicated to boosting the political power of the growing number of non-religious Americans.

"We are here, we are one, we are joined and we are celebrating our secular movement and we want more of this in our government," said rally attendee Doc Gregory, from Hagerstown, Maryland.

Signs and slogans bearing atheist slogans -- "I think therefore I'm Atheist" -- proliferated on the National Mall as musical guests and promotional videos played on stage. A small group of protesters stood nearby, holding signs that said "God Doesn't Believe in Atheists."

What is Atheism?

"Atheism is, in the broadest sense, the absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is the rejection of belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities. Atheism is contrasted with theism, which, in its most general form, is the belief that at least one deity exists." (Wikipedia)

"Atheism is usually defined incorrectly as a belief system. Atheism is not a disbelief in gods or a denial of gods; it is a lack of belief in gods.

The only common thread that ties all atheists together is a lack of belief in gods and supernatural beings." (American Atheists)

Psalm 14:1-3

"The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one."

Psalm 94:8-19

"Understand, you senseless among the people; And you fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge? The Lord knows the thoughts of man,That they are futile. Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, And teach out of Your law, That You may give him rest from the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked.

For the Lord will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance. But judgment will return to righteousness, And all the upright in heart will follow it. Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? Unless the Lord had been my help, My soul would soon have settled in silence. If I say, “My foot slips,” Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul."

In Jesus,
Tyrone