3 Steps to More Active FellowshipDefinition of fellowship:Noun: a community based on shared interest, activity, feeling, experience. So you could say the church is a fellowship because we have the same beliefs, we have the same worship practices [Sabbath, holy days, tithing etc.], we share the same holy spirit, we have gone through trials together. Verb: the interaction that comes about through common cause... sharing, giving, for example the words we say to one another, the time we spend together, or material goods. Today I want to concentrate on fellowship that is active... intentional... mindful... and pleasing to our Father Creator. I have three points: 1) presence 2) communication 3) hospitality. But first…God Designed The ChurchIf we have a problem with the church we actually have a problem with God and the way He has set things up. We can try to wriggle around this dilemma by blaming the people. That way we can let God off the hook, or separate our interaction with Him from our interaction with the church: For example: you might not like being thrown together with this motley crew, you might question how could God allow such a person or people in His church. Maybe you don't like the people in charge are doing things. We might want to walk away or distance ourselves… but our interaction with God cannot be separated from the church. God designed His way of life... his truth... to function within the context of and assembly, an ecclesia, a church, a fellowship. At one time that meant an assembly of people called to be a nation [Israel]. In this present age it means an assembly, an ecclesia, a church,  composed of people called from all different backgrounds and ancestries. A family of people who are not blood related... who share the same beliefs and ideals... who can offer help and encouragement to one another as we grow into the fullness of Christ. God has designed the church to accommodate flaws. What He is interested in is how you deal with these problems… not that we all reach nirvana in the church. The church is not your "destination" it is a road.  Fellowship is part of how you get on down the road! Get a FREE copy of The Church Jesus Built... discover what the bible really says about the church Jesus would leave behind! Keep Reading »

What Is Love?1 John 4:7-8, 16 without a doubt LOVE is the very heart of our belief system. But what is love? What does it look like? How can I know it when I see it? Is there anything I can  do to walk in loving mindset? Is love a feeling? Does love mean caring deeply [but then we have to ask what does caring means], is love sexual attraction? Love means different things to different people. Problem: 1. If we all have a different definition of love then love really has no meaning at all. Note: this is how "love" is used as a deceptive code word to excuse, or encourage many self destructive behaviors. For example; If I discipline my child so they might develop self discipline and a better shot at success in life, am I loving, or am I rigid and harsh? If I give into every whim of my child and shower them with gifts such that they always expect to have their own way and don't learn to earn their success, am I loving, or am I lazy?2. The most popular definitions of love [feeling or sexual attraction] are not actionable and therefore cannot be taught, or learned. Feelings or sexual attraction are merely responses to external stimuli.The 10 Commandments Define LoveFor love to be a helpful guide to life it must be defined and given actionable features. The 10 commandments of God are the beginning of creating such a definition. We must build on that foundation... but the 10 commandments is where we start. Request your FREE copy of the helpful bible study guide: The Ten Commandments Matthew 22:35-40 Jesus was providing a summary of the commandments ultimate purpose:1. To practice, learn, and demonstrate love towards God2. To practice, learn, and demonstrate love towards our fellow human beings Keep Reading »

There is no prayer our Creator is unable to hear… He is all knowing and all seeing. God also has all power over all things so He is not limited in what He can do in response. God has the ability to hear all prayers but obviously does not grant all requests made in prayer. What if two people entered into a contest and both prayed for victory… they both can’t be given what they want. So, God must decide when to act and when not to act. Request a copy of a Free bible study guide: Tools For Spiritual Growth Keep Reading »

Satan's Hidden AgendaWe live in a time that is filled with hatred and rage... two signature characteristics of the Godlessness of the end-times is brutality and lack of self control. Our news reports are filled with stories of outraged mobs hurling vile accusations and death threats at people they disagree with. We are losing all sense of respect and mutual concern. In my opinion most of what counts as news these days is basically; who said what mean thing against who. How can human beings [every one of whom is made in the likeness of God] become so full of hatred for other human beings who are made in God's image? One reason is they have a futile and darkened understanding of who and what a human being is. Request a FREE copy of this bible study guide"Is There Really a Devil? Keep Reading »

Peter’s SermonHere is a link to the chart used in this message Acts 2:1-13 Gathered together / H.S. comes with sound of wind and fire/ disciples begin speaking in all sorts of foreign languages… People out on the street come to see what the ruckus is all about… They hear the disciples prophesying about the KOG in their own language. Acts 2:15-18 Peter explains to them that this is the outpouring of God’s spirit prophesied in Joel 2:28:32. An event that was to happen in the "later" days. Peter re-phrases Joel's prophecy and speaks of what is happening that Pentecost day in 31 A.D. as "these last [final] days". Since Peter made this public proclamation 1,988 years have come and gone and it is now the year 2019.  So how could Peter speak of his own time as "these last [final] days"? Was he wrong? Had he given in to his own private interpretation of scripture? Was he just being overly optimistic about how much time was left until Christ returned? My purpose today is to convince, persuade, remind you that Peter [as inspired by the spirit of God] was speaking of a final age that was beginning on that day, Pentecost 31 AD. It was the beginning of the final age before the return of Christ. I am going to call this "the age of the Church of God". ******************Request a FREE copy of The Church That Jesus Built. Discover Jesus' real intent for the Church.****************** Keep Reading »

Every human being who has ever lived will be judged. You, me, the man down the street, Europeans, Asians, Africans, Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists. People who died last week and people who died 3,000 years ago. Various non-biblical cultures have their own ideas about life after death. Christians, Jews, Muslims have their ideas about death. Without recounting all the variations the basic concept is that a person will be judged after they die and receive some sort of reward, or punishment based on what they did in this life. Most of what is taught about the afterlife and in particular about judgment is foolish non-sense.The only reliable source of information regarding the afterlife and in particular about judgment is the bible. Many people think they know what the bible says about judgment but really don't. The average person's belief about what they think the scriptures say has more in common with human folk-tales that the actual recorded word of God. Today we are going to review the biblical teaching on judgment. Hebrews 9:27 the bible says everyone will be judged. But judgment is not a single event, it is a process. Judgment has distinct steps which lead to a final conclusion in a fair and equitable way. The necessary steps are the same for all people, but the timing of the steps is different for those who believe and are baptized into Christ, and those who are not. The Timeline for Non-BelieversThe vast majority of people who have ever lived and died have not had access to God's truth, not had access to forgiveness through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, or received the holy spirit. The process of judgment for such people is:1. They are born flesh and blood, after about 70-100 years they die. They remain in this state of death which is likened in scripture to sleep.2. Christ returns at the time appointed by the Father. These non-believers who have died remain in death. They are not resurrected when Christ returns. 3. While they remain asleep, Christ establishes the rule of God on earth for 1,000 years. Revelation 20:4-54. After the 1,000 years are over they are resurrected (back to flesh and blood), so they can enter into the process of judgment before God5. At this time they now are given access to God's truth, they can receive the holy spirit. With all the necessary ingredients available to them they are evaluated using the standard of God's word Revelation 20:11-13.6. A final decision is made whether they are suitable for eternal life [they are either written into the book of life, or destroyed in an all consuming fire] Revelation 20:15. Request a FREE copy of our bible study guide: ➤ What Happens After Death? Keep Reading »

The feast of trumpets is our annual reminder of pivotal events in human history… but they are events that have not yet happened. It is a day that marks the end of humanity's grand experiment with self rule.In the beginning God granted man dominion over the earth. Mankind would govern and care for the planet under the watchful eyes and direction of their Creator. However, mankind turned away from the counsel of God and instead turned to Satan's counsel which was "you should make up you own mind about how best to manage you own affairs". God was very displeased and He sent them away from His presence. But, He did not revoke humanity's commission of dominion over earth.  They would continue to have the responsibility to govern and care for earth, they would be allowed to make up their own ways and experience the pain of their choices with Satan’s ongoing counsel. Humanity's commission of dominion over earth is not theirs forever. The day of “having it our way” are scheduled to come to an end. That end date is marked by the return of Jesus Christ which w  e anticipate on the Feast of Trumpets. After the dominion over the earth by the flesh and blood creation of God. The earth will be given to the spirit born children of God [Jesus Christ is the firstborn and pre-eminent of these].When Christ returns, humanity will not be willing to give up their dominion over earth. There will be no peaceful transfer of power. In fact, goaded on by Satan, humanity will gather all their armies to fight and resist Christ at His return. The showdown will take place in a large valley in central Israel [AR-meggido]. The trumpets we associated with first of the fall holy days… are war trumpets, calling troops to battle. However, the trumpets are also a proclamation of rejoicing, and victory. This is what I would like to focus on today… rejoicing. Request this FREE bible study guide: The Coming Kingdom of God Keep Reading »

The Day of CoveringThe 5th annual holy observance of God's festival sequence is a day we have given the name "day of atonement". That name is a somewhat figurative English rendering invented in the 1,500s to try and describe a biblical concept alien to our own culture. A literal interpretation of the Hebrew Yom Kippur is "day of covering"... as a word picture it summons up covering something over with bitumen, pitch or asphalt. The idea being that whatever is underneath is completely and irrevocable covered, forgotten, out of sight.Today we are going to discuss what is covered over and why. The old testament instructions for this day:For the high priest - a covering and cleansing ritual he was to perform on behalf of the people for sins they might have committed unknowingly, in ignorance Hebrews 9:7 [Leviticus 4]. For the average person - a day of fasting and humbling ourselves before God.  The new covenant Church of God does not bring goats in here for a ceremony. Under the new covenant Christ now serves as our High Priest and only He can perform this task. So, we wait for Him to enact the actual cleansing and covering… a future event the old ceremony symbolized. However, the requirement for fasting on the day of covering is still in place for new covenant believers like you or me. Request your copy of God's Holy Day Plan and discover what these days mean for followers of Christ.Keep Reading »

We have all just completed another round of God's annual holy days. The joy filled Feast of Tabernacles looks forward to the receiving of our inheritance and Last Great Day spoke to the glorious future ahead for all humanity. However, here we are back home... looking forward to the fulfillment of those prophetic holy days… BUT… for now we are back to our wandering in the wilderness. The wilderness is a place where we are subject to testing, facing trials, resisting temptation, and persevering until we receive life everlasting. When God led Israel out of Egyptian bondage He took them to the wilderness of Sinai. He took them there for instruction and to prepare them for entering into their inheritance. Which was the promised land. But almost all those millions God led out of Egypt died in the wilderness and only their children were allowed to enter into their inheritance… the promised land. Their experience is a warning and instruction for us as we face yet another year wandering in the spiritual wilderness of this world. Let’s review the wilderness trials of Israel and see what warnings are there for us.Keep Reading »

Biblical GraceIn the English language, grace is a word that is used in many different ways. It is used to mean many different things. Words used in this way tend to end up having no real meaning at all. The bible uses the word grace and tells us it's vital to our salvation Ephesians 2:8. So understanding what grace helps us understand how our salvation is accomplished. To cut though all the clutter... and to understand what the bible means when the word grace is used we are going to look at how grace is used in scripture: what's the context, what's the outcome, is there any reason why God’s grace would be extended to one person over another? Request a free copy of What Does The Bible Teach About Grace. This small but important book will walk you through the scriptural teachings and show you that God's grace is more than you might have thought! Keep Reading »