The purpose of the church – drawing close to Christ

Recently I spoke to someone about what our purpose as a church was. I gave my best biblical answer as to what we were doing and how we were putting Christ first, then all things after that, like winning the lost and edifying the church. You know seek ye first the kingdom! Finding out what the king is doing! But something’s been stirring in my spirit lately that I understand but wanted to dig in the word for more before I speak. Sometimes we seek what we think is the kingdom. We find causes and purposes. I knew that the church is to win the lost and to edify each other and everyone to fall into their own place doing what they are called to do. But there’s something missing. The power of God. Christ In the gospels and the early church had power. The kingdom of God is not in word but in Power. 1Cor 4:20 It was the miracles and signs that drew people among other things. Do you think that some new form of religion would have taken off like that without a living Word? Some new doctrines and psychology? No… God moved with healings and miracles and teachings that had power in them, making the thoughts of men known and healing them. Gods shows his power because He loves us. It’s the demonstration of His love to draw us to Him and to the church.

We are doing a home church and with all the talk of “doing biblical church” everywhere, you can still wind up with a church that is dry or one that gets outa control! Just think if your church, with one speaker, disappoints you sometimes, then put 15 people in a room and you can have a big dry discussion that goes off on rabbit trails,sometimes, and all the same troubles could be multiplied. When the Spirit moves it can be beautiful though, but that’s another sermon. I notice though how easy it is to have discussions, and God is in some of them. I see Him edifying us. But the awkwardness of being in a home church leads to to many discussions. In my heart I know there needs to be more going on than discussions. The body of Christ needs to operate in the Spirit and their gifts. Teaching, prophesy, healing..etc.. Many times we try to do things biblically, but wind up still, with little move of God. Whether you are at a home church or traditional church, we need Gods presense power. We need to wait on Him till heaven hits earth. Every celebrated revival did this. It starts with prayer and seeking. Whatever it takes and then God begins to move.

So God had begun to lay on my heart this sermon on “focusing on drawing close to Christ.” This must be the church’s first goal. To many are trying to do works like they see in famous stories, but with no power. Or just trying to do church works. All kinds of churches feel like they have to keep some kinda “action” going on in church. Then sometimes they are in the flesh trying to act out the works of the Spirit. They stick to teaching and mens programs because they don't have to move in the Spirit to be a good speaker and have programs. Not that God doesn't use programs and teaching. God sometimes moves here and there, but we need the river!!! And not a map of the river. We need to get into the ocean and stop playing along the shore, telling people that we are swimming. We need to stop trying to climb every mountain, Cause “my Jesus in the tulips” is helping me, and pray til we get power to move a few mountains! I’m not saying not to do any works. I’m not saying to forsake works until you find power. But to many have not sought God. TO many are teaching DO this and DO that and the biblical example has always been to let God do through us, what we could never do. IF we are not found IN HIM we are sure to be shallow and low on life giving power to DO!

When God’s power comes, edifying the church becomes better. Not just feeding on the Word which is great, but the Word Himself(Jesus) speaks to us and through us and guides us supernaturally. We go to places in God in seconds that would normally take years.

When God comes, winning the lost goes from 3 converts a year to hundreds a week. If you have a church full of Christians that came from another church, that came from another church, that came from another…etc NOW you will have real converts. It would be a nice problem to have, and a wonder.

When God is near, teaching will not fall on deaf ears. Sinners will be pricked to the hearts, sin in the church as well, words of knowledge, prophesies and answers to peoples needs will come, people will come and come and come to Christ because we are lifting Him up, lifting up His example in His WORD. Nothing else is right. Draw near to Him and He, will draw near to you!

We aren’t going to convince people to Christ so easily at this slow pace, that the church is at. The reason the bible, as a whole, is FULL of miracles is because that is what God wants us be…FULL of miracles and the glory of God on us. Look at the bible….from cover to cover…miracles and signs, as well as doctrine and life. How can you say that Gods power is not for today, how can you stay as a ship in dry dock with no water! God has been a jealous God in your life and let many of your plans fail because you have not spent the time on your knees, not searched for Him with all your heart. You may have let your gifts go dry. Stir them up again! 'stir up the gift of God that is in you" Covet the best gifts.1 Cor 12:31 Covet to prophesy 1 Cor 14:39
Pray until God comes. Pray without ceasing. 1Thes 5:17 Build your most holy faith by praying in the Spirit. The effective FERVENT prayer of a righteous man avails much. And So .... the Purpose of the Church is to, FIRST, be found ministering to God, THEN ministering to man. Christ will draw people and use us to do great works. Then the longing will be satisfied, that we have, to see God's glory in the church again.
All this is summed up in this scripture. Jhn 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Greg

In Him

In Him
Are we in Him?
What does this mean?
We do works, and sometimes God joins in. Some do works and it seems that God is with them constantly. We are encouraged to pray and press in more. “draw closer to God and He will draw closer to you”! James 4:8
It is better to be found In Him. Think about this!! God wants more from us than only works in our own strength. It’s almost like He lets us do things in our own strength to be able to see the difference, when He shows up. This encourages us to pray, and “pray without ceasing”. 1 Thess 5:17 Look at the priests garments not showing “any aspect of the flesh”Exodus 28:42,43, in the old testament, and of the holy anointing oil “upon mans flesh it shall not be poured”Exodus 30:32. So many scriptures separating our works in the flesh and our works in the Spirit. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord.” Zech 4:6

God thinks more of our being “in Him” that he does of doing things “for Him”

Being In Him means we are in the Spirit…there is Love. There is power, direction and all good things.
Look now at Jesus 30 years of waiting, growing strong in the Spirit(Luke 1:80 ) for just 3 years of ministry.
Paul 14 years in the back side of the dessert (Gal 1:18 & 2:1) before he went to minister
The old testament priests that couldn’t minister until they were 30. And preparing for years.

God thinks more of our being “in Him” that he does of doing things “for Him”

You may spend an eternity of works and never change men’s hearts…but I TELL YOU one day in the Spirit and you can melt a mans heart and see him cry out to God, because God is with you. Don’t waste another day, seek Him while he can be found, pray without ceasing, consecrate yourselves to God and die to your fleshly works. On the third day( I speak figuratively) you will rise again in newness of life, and have works in the Spirit. Fruit that remains. Our works are wrought(shaped, planned, built, formed) in God John 3:21 It's ok to do works in the flesh or when we are not necessarily lead by God to do so, we are human and living on this earth, God will still enter into our works and give us grace....but this is an encouragement to pray more, obey the scripture when it says to pray without ceasing. learn to obey His voice. Read the stories of the old testament and even in the new almost every time that God did anything, it was accompanied by obedience of some thing by man, big or small.

All these things, that I’m speaking about, are the reason that we say that God doesn’t always move, or that God doesn’t always use me or everyone much. We can no longer base our views of "how God moves" on our experience, but we must try our experiences by the Word of God. The Plum line of all things.
Sometimes God may show up unexpectedly and bring the kingdom in our midst. Look at the disciples, how quick they were attained by Jesus and used. He always tried to get them to pray more, they took some time to realize what they had. Look at many in the new testament who were blessed by God showing up unexpectedly. But those closest to God were men who prayed continually, with fastings and battles. Those at the center of Gods move who were closest to Him. Tarried often in the “inner courts of the temple” in the “holy of hollies”.
God is waiting for us……

Ears to Hear!

We who have ears, do we hear? Can we hear the voice of God? With the subject of prayer, many have argued that our ability to hear is not as important as Gods ability to speak. Many things are true on each side of this argument and many peoples hearts are in different places. We can come up with many scenarios, and like a scientist, pour situations and God into a test tube to study! But the Word of God holds the view of our seeking Him, leaning in the direction of us seeking. He's a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Pray without ceasing. The stories of the man begging bread from his neighbor, and the woman with the unjust judge. God also reaveals himself to some, like Paul, who weren't seeking Him. And God shows up like summer snow in mens lives. To be able to hear is an awsome thing. We can hear Gods voice..it guides us into victory, delivering and warning us from trouble and breaking chains that we, on our own, couldn't see in ourselves and in others. To hear, we must hear with our ears of faith to do any miracle or receive anything from God. Faith comes by HEARING and hearing by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. So being an active reader of the Word, searching for life, hungering to be filled will assure that the Word will wash you, washing away unbelief and the mind of the flesh that still believes that what we see is the real world and not the shadow lands. Once our minds are out of he way we can see clearly the world of heaven all around us, in us, and will be mindfull of spiritual things, and a place with God that can bring answer to prayer, and a real power with God. We feel so at home on earth, but there's more in heaven than our minds can imagine! Run to Jesus.


So, we are to LISTEN! Listening is the main point that scripture points to! Have you ever known someone that is so caught up in something and doesn't listen to reason, or is so caffeinated that they can't find peace. God says "Be still and know that I am God." he was found in the still small Voice and not in the tempest in 1Kings. Gods voice comes in quietness many times, as we learn, listen, and are sensitive to the Spirit. We are the servants and he is the Master! We are to have a quiet trusting spirit about us.


In a group setting, there are many voices that God may use. God may speak through a quiet child or meek adult and then may speak in power, shouting as the walls of jericho fall in our lives. Power may come through the quiet and poower may come through the shouting! Fall in love with God and search Him high and low! Many are loud that don't hear the voice of God, and many are quiet and know no victory in their lives. To be found in the balance is of great worth. So sensitivity to others is good if we are loud! The quiet should learn to be open to the shouts of Jericho and also worship with their whole being in a different way as well...both may be worshipping with their whole being and yet be different. In all this ...Love will save the day....as God SPEAKS!!


Finding the presence of God is the treasure we seek. To have ears to hear, eyes to see heavenly things that make the things of this earth pale in comparison and only as a shadow of the real. We go there to live, to breathe the air of faith, there , to be washed, filled and to bring back to man things that no eye has seen, nor ear heard of.


So practise in your prayer time, insessant praise and prayer, and also quiet yourself before the Lord and Listen for His voice! All who seek Him, will find Him.

Luke 8:2&8
Heb 11:6
1Thes 5:17
Luke 11:8
Psalm 46:10
1Kings 19:12
2Tim 2:15
Matt 7:7