Dee2rites Blog

Tag: The Church

  • Be The Church

    “We will never change the world by going to church. We will only change the world by being the church.”

    I saw this quote on a Facebook post, and I agree, but what does it mean to “be” the church? Are we supposed to walk around saying Bless you my child to people? That’s pretty meaningless. So assuming the Church is made up of Jesus’s disciples, what did say to His followers before He ascended into heaven?

    “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” John 8:32

    We have to spend time in The Word to know how to be the Church.

    “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

    The outward evidence that we are disciples of Jesus, the Church, is our love for other believers. Too many times the world has been witness to church disputes, so called Christians speaking negatively about other churches or other believers. Where is the love? The Apostle Paul said in his letter to the church in Ephesus to “speak the truth in love”.

    The Gospel of Mark records these instructions that Jesus gave His followers, “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:15-18

    Our assembling ourselves with other believers as we’re commanded to do, changes us. We hear the Word taught, and it empowers us to take Jesus to the world outside our assembly.

    And Jesus last words to the disciples before He ascended into heaven,  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

    The church is not a building, it is not even the meeting together of believers. The church is the individual believers, all parts of one body doing what Jesus said and being His witnesses.

    The early church went about teaching and preaching Jesus. They laid hands on the sick people who then were healed. They cast demons out of people in Jesus Name. They raised the dead. They did all the things Jesus did because He had said “You shall receive power and be My witnesses”. They believed Him and did what He said and changed civilization. They spread the gospel throughout the entire known world. They literally “turned the world upside down”.

    Is it not time for believers to really believe what Jesus said and take the gospel to the world? Show Jesus to the world by our love.

    Romans 2:4 says “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” Show unbelievers the goodness of God by praying for the sick, by giving to the needy, caring for one another. Often in the gospels people came to believe Jesus was the Messiah when they saw the miracles. He showed them who He was by what He did. Maybe we need to show unbelievers who we are, the Body of the Anointed One, by what  we do.

    Yes we need to be in a Bible believing church and attend regularly. If your church doesn’t teach the Bible, or changes things in the Bible, then you need to find another assembly to go to to be fed.

    Our society is hurling toward destruction, wickedness is so prevalent we are becoming immune to it. Just as God gave people time to repent before the flood, He’s giving us time for people to repent now. And just as Noah was a preacher of righteousness, we’re to be preachers of righteousness to a lost world.

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,

    Dee

  • Overcome Evil With Good

    “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

    church_steeple

    When Jesus was on the earth, He promised that His church would prevail against the gates of hell. “…and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18b) Through the centuries Satan has perpetrated attack after attack against the kingdom of God, attempting to destroy the body of Christ, His Holy Church. The latest attempt last Wednesday night in Charleston, South Carolina, was another defeat snatched from satanic jaws of victory.

    Nine people, all followers of Jesus Christ, including Rev. Clementa Pinckney, the pastor of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church were murdered in church. It looked like a sure win for the enemy. Nine believers were dead at the hands of a confused young man who had said he wanted to start a race war. But just as Satan thought he’d won when Jesus died on the cross, it was no win but in fact was a great defeat. Just as Jesus took the first victory from him by rising from the dead, the church body at Emanuel AME has taken this victory from him. The families of the nine murder victims won by forgiving the young man used in this heinous act. Love trumps hate every time.

    Satan thought he’d strike a winning blow against the church by inciting division in the body – black against white and white against black. Wrong again! Churches of all denominations, of all races and cultures have united in support of Emanuel AME Church. The devil fails to understand that when one part of the body of Christ is hurt, the rest of the body gathers around to support, to pray and to comfort. Churches across the nation are praying for their brothers and sisters in Charleston SC. My home church, Grace Outreach Center in Plano, was one of many that sent donations to show them our love and support.

    I’m reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote in the book of Romans about how believers are to act toward one another and toward outsiders. I’ve seen this passage in action the last five days by the families of the murder victims, other members of that church and by believers across the nation.

    Romans 12:9-21
    9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
    10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
    14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
    17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
    19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
    For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
    21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,
    Dee

    Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.