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Thursday, December 8, 2011

In The Home or the Institution: Our Gathering Together






House to House

There were no Big Names, Special Speakers, Doctor of Divinity, no Senior pastor with staff.
No Italian-suited Apostles, Bishops, Prophets, Purpose Driven Promoter and no robed choir or "worship  team"  was seen.



There was no parking lot, vestibule, no Starbucks in the lobby, no lobby, no pastors office, no display cabinets, nothing was sold, no CD's/DVD's or even a lowly cassette around.
T
here was no pulpit, stage, tele-monitors, microphones, deacons, offering collectors, Special Singers, and not even a pew!
There were no ushers, tithe envelopes, no program, no Bulletins, no Classes,
no pre-service Staff meeting, no song books, no choreographed order of "service".


It was unscheduled. There was not one man in charge dominating the gathering, nor a monologue called a "sermon" where the spectators sat silent and un-moving for 50 minutes of delivery.

How in the Name of Denominational Covering can you have church without all that stuff?
A REAL church ought to at least have a storefront building you say?  If you don't have that "stuff" and at least a titled Chief Ruler, it's not really a church?

Where were we and what went on that we dare call it .....church?
Wouldn't it be great to meet  as the early believers did in the NT?

YES!  It is our hearts desire to gather with others to exhort and encourage one another.
For 4 years we prayed for fellowship as God prepared us.  
Surely others were out there but did not know who they were.


So we patiently waited and trusted the Lord to make it happen, as He will for you too.
Let me tell you how we assemble.
When we gather, it begins with a meal around 2-3 pm on a Saturday when work schedules permit.  We eat, talk, fellowship ( what people love to do naturally..)  
During the meal time, we may talk scripture, testify, answer questions, talk about our lives...  

Later, we drift into the living room for some worshipful music either from a cd or some  worship music we found on youtube.  here's one we like.

Sometimes we are blessed with someone who plays guitar or an instrument.

We will enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise.
God shows up and tears come to many eyes as we respond to His Presence.

God’s people may each share a teaching, a psalm, or a revelation; we have had a prophesying   or two, some questions may be asked.  

Healings are received and demons have been cast out.
People have been saved and baptized.
Some needs may be brought for prayer.  

No one has an agenda and if someone is out of order, (which happens) the Holy Spirit helps us deal with it.   Christ is the head (Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, and
Christ also is the head of the church), as we seek to have the Lord lead us, not a program.

The assembly will last way into the evening and people may come and go.
1st Corinthians 14:26 What is it then, brethren? When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
Last time people stayed 'till about 12:30 am.  Of course we had food available for an evening snack.

The church assembly functioned as a family, a fellowship, and the body of Christ.
After gathering like this for over 2 years, a traditional, orchestrated church "service" has lost all appeal.    We just LOVE gathering in holy, spiritual fellowship this way.
This is our "communion of the saints".  

Maybe we are not doing it right on some technical points.  We seek the Lord days before we gather and strongly seek His leading in these meetings.  It is wonderful how God is confirming His Word...

When I look close at how they gathered in the homes in scripture, and how Jesus often did so, who can fault this kind of assembling?

One night, as we drove home from the Fresno family's house fellowship where we had shared a meal, prayer, teachings, and ministry,  it suddenly dawned on me "THAT WAS CHURCH!!"

We did not realize it at first because we were so conditioned to think of church in terms of the institution, a hired pastor, a nice comfy building with high-powered electronics and "worship leaders" pumping up the congregants..

Traditions die hard..

Saturday, October 22, 2011

A Working of Error (updates)







A STRONG DELUSION

Are you being led by a working of error? There is a cottage industry of fear-spreading and sensationalism and almost none of this is from the Lord.

  • What happened to all the Comet Elenin alignment dates and doomsayers?
  • The polar shift did not materialize when Comet Elenin zoomed by nor did the solar flares, earthquakes, and tsunamis materialize as expected by the doomsayers....
  • The Gulf of Mexico did not explode nor did they nuke the well to close it.
  • Hoover Dam was not blown up by terrorists on 11-11-11



Consider these failed prophesies, predictions and dates:

  • The New Madrid fault did not split the United States apart on May 14, 2011,
    as one group of dream-driven believers believed and anticipated.
  • Washington DC was not nuked 9-9-10 as a radio prophet positively predicted.
  • a number of dreams about the BP oil well blowing up last year failed.
  • FEMA did not declare Martial Law and round up Gulf residents into camps in 2010.
  • The”man child” was not “anointed” either of two dates in Sept. or October 4-14 2011, or "definitely before the end of 2011".  
  • The tribulation did not begin in 2005 or as speculated every year after. (eventually it will)
  • Judgment Day did not arrive May 21st, or on Oct. 21, 2011 as thousands were convinced.
  • 6-5-2005 a minister-teacher said "President Bush will have a third term and be assassinated..." on his radio program
  • President Bush did not declare Martial Law and extend his time in office, nor was he violently taken out. (2008)
  • Hillary Clinton was not elected president. (2008)
  • The earthquake dates in 2011 ALL FAILED..., and nobody predicted the ones that happened!
  • Aug. 30, 2011 : the upper New Madrid did not create the "abyss" in Tennessee leaving an "ark-shaped" piece of land for a refuge in which the faithful could move in and occupy the abandoned properties of the local residents that would flee, as speculated by an internet radio ministry with “confirming” dreams..
  • Pittsburgh Pa, 1-19-2012 Thus says Yahweh, “January 19 is a day that will live in infamy. I will send fire from the heavens upon Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Destruction is decreed from the beltway to the parkway. These three will be in the earth: fire, blood and brimstone. It will come from Me.
In Matthew 24:4 Jesus warned,Take heed that no man lead you astray.”
Is the pattern of failed dreams and revelations a "working of error" that indeed leads astray??
One minister calls these dreams “God’s tongue
Does “God’s tonguegive false dates time and time again?

Ministries compile hundreds of disaster predictions, dreams, YouTube videos, government reports, secular sources, and information from unreliable sources on a regular basis.

Let’s put this “working of error” in perspective.
   In 2010-2011 there have been  a number of tremendous earthquakes.
Chile, New Zealand, Japan, and Haiti for examples.
NONE of the DREAMERS or WATCHMEN MINISTRIES SAW  ANY OF THEM COMING!


Weighed and found wanting

Most of the people promoting and circulating this error never repent for missing so many doom-dates.
How many failed dreams-disasters-prognostications will it take to open our eyes?  
.....“take heed that no man lead you astray” that Jesus said ???


These ministries and leaders continue to "bewitch" God's people as Paul wrote in Galatians 3:1.You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?


- when Agabus prophesied in Acts 11:28 concerning a famine, no date was given.
-  In the Revelation, John was given many prophecies, but not one single date.
- the date for the prophesied birth of Jesus was not given, though the event was prophesied.
- Jesus also prophesied of the destruction of Jerusalem.
  
Interestingly, Jerusalem would fall to the Romans on the exact same date as it did 600 years before, but no date was given! (Jerusalem fell twice on the 9th of Av)

What does that say for the ministries that put forth dates, dreams and disasters as compared to the disciples of Jesus that NEVER did?

Paul often warned of the seductive bondage of legalism using words like "subvert your souls" "bewitched", and "troubled you with words". The amazing delusion is the be-witchers are themselves deceived in turn deceiving others.
The followers are brought into bondage through focusing on dates/ dreams/ and disasters.
These are promoted through unclean spirits of fear and divination and see what the angel told the disciples in Acts 1:7:
   And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons,
   which the Father hath set within His own authority.

Now I know we can say that context spoke of Israel, but let us point out the word “times” is plural
and the reality-check that not once in the New Covenant are calendars or dates given.

God’s warnings

Has the Lord given us a standard in His Word to discern the working of error?
It’s seems so...

And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto the wizards that chirp and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead? (Isaiah 8:19)

And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst of it;  (Egypt is the world and its report)
and I will destroy  the counsel thereof:  and they shall seek unto the idols,
and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. ( Isa 19:3)

counsel -advice; counsel, purpose.
IDOLS  (H457)  good for nothing, vanity; specifically an idol: no value, (as with all the failed dates and disasters) “no value”...
charmers (H328)   perhaps meaning to move softly; from their soft incantations: -gently, secret, softly.
wizards  (H3049) a knowing one;   specifically a conjurer; (by implication) a ghost: - wizard.

Wizards“, wise” or “knowing” people. 
 They can be people that are trying to “divine” God through knowledge, news and reports. 
 They can claim special insight or understanding in a way to promote their voice or ministry.

A “conjurer : one that may cause dreams to be dreamed or other means of obtaining knowledge by seeking to divine the Will or voice of God through dreams.  

Let not ….. and your diviners, deceive you; neither listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them.” (Jer 29:8-9)  

Yes, God speaks through dreams, at His Will. But God’s people were never told to seek after dreams. The visible signs Jesus told us to look for would seem to be plainly observed and seen without special computer software, dreams or government telescopes.  



2Thes 2:11 indicates a “strong delusion" is also rendered "a working of error"
          And for this cause God sent them a working of error, they should believe a lie.

a STRONG DELUSION: Strongs 1753/ 4106
  • "Strong":    an operation of energetic strong effectual working.
  • Delusion": a wandering, a straying about  one led astray from the right way, error,   
     wrong opinion relative to morals or religion
  • error which shows itself in action, a wrong mode of acting
  • error, that which leads into error, deceit or fraud

…. ‎That they should *BELIEVE* a LIE...

BELIEVE: (Strongs #4100)
  • to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in, intellectual faith…

LIE:  Strongs #5579 PSEUDOS (pseudo)
  • conscious and intentional falsehood, whatever is not what it seems to be , of perverse, impious, deceitful precepts

Jesus' #1 sign was a warning to us about those leading astray


Mat. 24
When the disciples of Jesus asked Him about the “
sign” of His return, the FIRST SIGN Jesus gave them was:
take heed no man lead you astray.   Many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.  And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled...


-the first “sign” was of people that “confess Christ” would come and lead many astray!
Do you think a pattern of failed dates, dreams and predictions qualifies?
Do followers of these false words and signs become addicted to fear and being “troubled”?



Now consider the failed dreams, dates and disaster warnings.
Does the scripture indicate a "working of error" or were these warnings God’s truth?

Do you still want to pass along more of the “pseudo” dreams, dates and predictions to people you work with, your relatives or your neighbors offering them “proof” of a Youtube video, some-body's website,  or what you heard on a radio program?  

Some of us did, and we lost a lot of credibility when the events never materialized!!

The Seduction of Knowledge

Knowledge is the same door that drew Eve away from the Lord...
And there are others:
"Desire to know the future" or "fascination with doom" or "desire to KNOW special knowledge and end-time events." Not to mention fear, paranoia, self preservation, and a “refuge mentality.” Not exactly the fruit of faith!

Many of God’s people have been caught up in “the latest news, speculations, and rumors, at the price of truly hearing the Lord and following His Spirit.

These fear-inducing stories, rumors and reports influence people to do things they would not normally do. Some have sold homes and business in order to relocate to a "safe” zone. Others have depleted retirement accounts. Others have ostracized and alienated family and friends who are not on board with the warnings of imminent doom. 


A defensive mentality often emerges as people consume and submit to dreams, diviners and wizards claiming to interpret and speak in the Name of the Lord. The signs of a cult may become evident as they become dependent upon the words and interpretations of their leader (idol) which they need to defend, even when they are wrong.

What goes hand-in-hand with the date-disaster deception is the spirit of idolatry that comes over us when we follow the date setter ministries..
We know there is idolatry when we defend, justify, or ignore their error.


Do you actually think a ministry putting forth failed dates speaks for God?
Do you still think a ministry putting forth failed dates speaks for God?
or will you believe "Take heed that no man lead you astray", which is where the fear, dates, and paranoia will take us.


Does a “little leaven” leaven the whole lump?

Are you ready to turn from the dreams, visions and ear tickling predictions that never happen?
Are you at least  willing to rethink and pray about the unending stream of hypothesized disasters, NASA  reports, government “cover-ups” and conspiracy postulating YouTube videos and the  “WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF…” scenarios pushing you into a constant state of unrest?

Will you seek the Lord in these matters with an attitude of renouncing all idolatry and every voice of men and asking the Lord to tell you what you need to know.
It is as simple as asking Him something like, “Lord Jesus, will there be a pole-shift on 11-11-11?”  or whatever date the false prophet is giving?


The amazing thing is when we specifically asked the Lord about a predicted quake, Comet Elenin  or tsunamis, we heard nothing. -and nothing happened!
That’s the point-  we need to hear God for ourselves, test the spirits and test the fruit.
We must turn from relying on “
ministries” which generate fear, paranoia and desire for self preservation in the name of Christ, but in reality draw us away from Him.
Delivered and cleansed


I confess my own guilt concerning the error described thus far. My wife and I postponed educational and business decisions because this “working of error” skewed our outlook and hope for the future. It affected our children and created a negative, fatalistic view of life that affected our family goals and long range planning.

Are we saying the men and women spreading these rumors are evil folks or intentionally deceiving? ---> No. ←-
However, ANYONE CAN BE DECEIVED!
Our heart is deceptively wicked. Unrepentant idolatry will result in GOD sending "a working of error."

The Lord, by His grace, has granted us repentance and deliverance from the error that had us bound. We can now rest in His promises concerning end time events:

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge
No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;


Luke 21:8 J.B. Phillips New Testament
8-9 “Be careful that you are not deceived,” he
replied. There will be many coming in my name, saying ‘I am
he’ and ‘The time is very near now.’
Never follow men like that......

.....
Luke 21:8 (NIV)
 8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and,

The time is near.’
Do not follow them.
Luke 21:8 (ASV)
 8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not led
astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand:
go ye not after them.
And in the Numeric ASV:

and He said see you be not led astray,
for many shall come in my name saying "I am He";
and "the season is near", GO NOT AFTER THEM.
These are deceivers and antichrist.