Church – Light from the Word

Today’s Spiritually Drought Church

It is Sunday morning; the focus is on going to church, a place where time is used to worship the Lord and learn from His word. The time is peaceful and complete with song, focusing on exalting our Lord YAHSHUA for His redemptive sacrifice; with hearts contrite before Him, acknowledging His love. It is to be an anointing time dedicated to the Lord. But somehow, the church has lost its meaning in relationship with her Savior from her beginning. The letters written to the seven churches in Asia, reveal the progressive apostasy embraced by the churches from those days to present day. Dr. Fruchtenbaum connects each of the seven churches of Revelation time to eras of past and present.

The Ephesus church represents the apostolic church from A.D. 30-100

(Rev. 2:1-7).

Smyrna church represents the Roman persecution from A.D. 100-313

(Rev. 2:8-11).

Pergamum church represents the age of Constantine from A.D.313-600

(Rev.2:12-17)

Thyatira the church of the Dark Ages A.D. 600-1517

(Rev. 2:18-29)

Sardis the church of the Reformation A.D. 1517-1648

(Rev. 3: 1-6)

Philadelphia the church of the Great Missionary Movement A.D. 1648-1900

(Rev. 3:7-13)

Laodicea the church of the Apostasy A.D. 1900- present day

(Rev. 3: 14-22). (The Footsteps of the Messiah)

When the church abandoned her first love, which was the Ephesus church, apostasy entered the church’s heart; the church forgot the meaning of its existence and from that time on, the churches have progressively lost its identity with the teachings of our Lord YAHSHUA. Today’s church resembles that of the church of Laodicea from Revelation chapter three. Rich, but very poor. Beautiful buildings, but empty of the Spirit of God. This is the church of lukewarmness- not cold, and not hot. YAHSHUA said of her: Because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth! For you say, I am rich; I have prospered and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked (Rev. 3:16-17). This is the situation of today’s church before God.

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Silver and Gold I Do not Have

Those were days of miracles, days of power and revival. The ministry of YAHSHUA on earth had finished after His redeeming work for humanity. The twelve disciples minus one were instructed to carry on the work He had left behind for them to do. He set the foundation for His church and entrusted the disciples to continue the work until He returns to fetch His bride. His church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ YAHSHUA himself the chief Cornerstone. In Him the whole structure is joined together harmoniously, and it continues to rise into a holy temple in the Lord (Eph. 2:20-21). The church had its beginning at Pentecost. It was forty days later after His resurrection that He sent His Spirit to earth to bring about a revival in the beginning of the disciples’ ministry the world had never experienced. So, when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place; when suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting and there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated ad distributed and which settled on each one of them … when this sound was heard, the multitude came together and they were astonished and bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own dialect. (Acts 2:1-3,6). So, the church of YAHSHUA had its beginning in a most unique way. Unliky today’s many churches with its gods of many colors, and lifeless. Churches with doctrines contrary to God’s standards. Lifeless, their gods can only sit where they put them to be; some with their arms opened ready to receive children for a sacrifice.

The beautiful love of our Lord YAHSHUA has no measure. He gave all His life to redeem the world. And when He left the earth, He still stayed in the form of His Holy Spirit, to counsel, to guide, to teach, to convict and sanctify those to be according to the image of YAHSHUA, so that we might walk in holiness, as He is holy, until that day when we are taken from this world and are glorified. As He is, so we will be. Meanwhile, YAHSHUA gave the responsibility to the disciples to build His church. In those days of great revival, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit to perform miracles and wonders, as a sign of His presence on earth. Those days were filled with wonders and people from all around witnessed and some participated in that movement. There were about three thousand souls saved during those days. Day after day the disciples regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose… constantly praising God and being in favor and good will with all the people; and the Lord kept adding daily those who were being saved. (Acts2). That was the time to be alive to experience first-hand the message of Gospel of YAHSHUA in its pure form. No denominations with their doctrinal differences; just the pure and fresh gospel straight from those who walked with YAHSHUA for three years, learning from Him and being trained for the purpose to carry on the ministry of the church. And here we have, the apostles in action! In Luke ten, we have the report of the seventy disciples after they return from their mission; they said, Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name! Amazing what YAHSHUA answered them: He said, I saw Satan falling like a lightening from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions and over all the power that the enemy [possesses] and nothing shall in any way harm you. (Luke 10:17-19). Before YAHSHUA ascended to heaven He commanded the disciples to go into all he nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you and behold, I am with you all the days to the close and consummation of the age. (Matt.28:19-20).

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Do You Love Me? (part 1)

This question automatically brings Peter to mind, for it was to him that this question was directed after the ordeal our Lord YAHSHUA had to go through. Peter became part of it when he fell into the temptation of denying his Savior in time when He needed him most. Peter, as a fisherman, was strong and gruff, shabbily dressed, with vulgar language; He was born in the year 1 B.C in the city of Bethsaida and died in 67 A.D. He was one of the first disciples of Christ led by his brother, Andrew. Simon was his original name, but YAHSHUA changed to Petra or Rock.

Peter’s first experience with the Lord was on one of his fishing experiences. He had caught nothing that night, and frustrated he responded to YAHSHUA when He told him to lower his nets into the deep, Master, we toiled all night and caught nothing, but on the ground of Your word I will lower the nets (Luke 5:5). Peter had no idea that by submitting to the Lord’s command, he would be so blessed. When he saw the result, he then realized that before him stood not an ordinary man. And falling down at His knees he said, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. After they had run their boats on the shore, he, James and John left everything to follow YAHSHUA as His disciples (Luke 5). Peter was one of the three disciples who witnessed YAHSHUA’S transfiguration at mount Hermon; he also experienced the miracle of walking on water during a storm, which happened when they were alone on the boat after the multiplication of fish and loaves of bread when YAHSHUA sent them ahead of Him. When he saw the Lord walking on the water, coming toward them, he said, “If it is you Lord, command me to come to you on the water,” but failing to believe, he started to drown. He cried to the Lord, Lord, save me! YAHSHUA lifted Peter from the water, saying, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? (Matt. 14:31) Peter also witnessed the anguish of the Lord at the Garden of Gethsemane, but could not pray for and with Him. Three times he was warned to “watch and pray.” But he failed and three times he fell into the temptation of denying the Lord.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter rightly answered YAHSHUA’S question, Who do you say I am? But the same Peter went against God’s plan of salvation when he rebuked the Lord at His announcement of His death. The Lord YAHSHUA vehemently rejected Peter’s advice by saying, Get behind Me Satan! Peter, in his plan did not want his Lord to die. Perhaps he thought that He was going to establish the kingdom at that time. He fought the arrest of YAHSHUA by cutting the ear of the high priest, who came to arrest Him. But when the time had come for him to show his love for his Master, he could not do it; he run away instead, because Peter did not sincerely love the Lord. He walked with the Lord YAHSHUA three years, witnessing the miracles He performed, but Peter’s heart was hard.

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The Sending Out of the Twelve Apostles

(Luke 9)

Luke chapter nine reports a beautiful picture of what YAHSHUA’S church should have been: powerful with authority over all demons and sickness. It took only a word from YAHSHUA, for demons to submit to Him. In His presence, they did not have a chance. And that’s the way it should have been for YAHSHUA’S church. Equipping the apostles with His power, they were sent out to preach the kingdom of God, a very important mission- the establishing of YAHSHUA’ S church. The time had come when He saw fit to send His apostles out with the important message of salvation. He gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and to announce and preach the kingdom of God and to bring healing. (Luke 9:1-2). He didn’t send them empty of power and authority to face a spiritual battle. Power and authority are two things we must have to battle against the spiritual forces. Human power is not sufficient to overcome the “present darkness, and the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly sphere.”

YAHSHUA sent His apostles out with important instructions to follow, besides equipping them with power and authority over demons and diseases. He told them, Do not take anything for your journey- neither walking stick, nor wallet, nor food of any kind, nor money and do not have two undergarments; and whatever house you enter, stay until you go away; and wherever they do not receive and accept and welcome you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet, as a testimony against them (Luke 9:3-5). The apostles were to be in complete dependence on God. No, they did not have to go from place to place raising support before their journey, as we do before going to a mission field. Under YAHSHUA’S instructions, they departed; they went from village to village, preaching the Gospel and restoring the afflicted to health everywhere (Luke 9:6). They accomplished the task before them beautifully, and blessed all who opened their doors to them. Upon their return, they reported to YAHSHUA all that they had done; YAHSHUA, hearing the report, He took them and withdrew into privacy near a town called Bethsaida (Luke 9: 10-11). What does this tell us? It is in the strength and in the power of God that His ministers are to serve Him. Self-sufficiency is the work of the flesh and that does not compete with God’s sufficiency in us. There is a need for us to return to Him in order to be restored, away from the noise of the world; away from technologies’ noises. They for sure distract us from hearing God’s voice. Only being in the presence of our Lord, will we be restored spiritually and mentally and physically. At His departure from earth, He commissioned the apostles to Go into all the world and preach the good news; Go and make disciples of all the nations, (He said) baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days, to the very end (Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:19-20). That was the beginning of a new era. He laid down the foundation of His church and entrusted it to His apostles to carry on the task of spreading the Gospel, and to teach the nations to obey His word. Out of that, His church was built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Messiah YAHSHUA Himself the chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20).

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The Faithlessness of Today’s Church

Will not God defend and protect and avenge His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their behalf? I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18: 7-80)

The faithlessness of today’s church is perceived everywhere. The Lord YAHSHUA rightly asked the question: When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? What possibly caused the church to lose her faith? From one extreme to another, the church has lost her faith through the multiplied wickedness and through the pursuit of worldly things. The prosperity teaching has caused the church to lose focus on YAHSHUA’S teachings concerning the pursuit of heavenly treasures. They instead are running after the worldly treasures and losing faith. Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, He said, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal. But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also (Matt. 6:19-21). The church’s heart is sunk in the wealth of the world, not in heaven. In their faithless acts they pursue the world, not YAHSHUA. So they have become faithless.

The church’s faithlessness happens also when wickedness abounds and super abounds without correction. The acceptance of wickedness is easily received and adopted, as one example, the case of moral issues. Faithfulness to the teachings of the Word of God has faded and many has followed the wide road, in the attitude of co-existence, instead of taking a stand for the teachings of the Lord. They spare their lives but will lose it in the end. YAHSHUA said, Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven; many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? And then I will say to them openly, I never knew you; depart from Me you who act wickedly (Matt. 7:21-23).

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