Greetings Brothers and Sisters:
I felt compelled to write this blog in hopes that many other Christians would read it and give thought to the condition of God's Church today. Jesus laid the ONE foundation for which His Church, the true Church, is built upon.
Matthew 16:18 (KJV)
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Jesus was refering to the revelation Peter received from God.
Matthew 16:17 (KJV)
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
In other words, Jesus was saying that His Church, The Church for which no evil would be able to overcome or defeat, but would, in fact, push back the gates of evil, is the Church which hears God's Spirit speak to us and we say and do what we hear. The bible is clear that there is but ONE SPIRIT of GOD who speaks the same thing to all His children. God is not a God of confusion.
1 Corinthians 14:33 (KJV)
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV)
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Today many Churches believe they are hearing from God that homosexuality, the murder of babies, slandering of others, divisions, judging others, gossip, strife, and many other things which God calls sin, are normal and acceptable in the Church as if they have heard from God. God our Father is the same Father to us today as He was to Moses thousands of years ago and HE does not change. The Church is to portray the same image of the God of Israel in the Church today.
In 2015 a Gallop poll revealed that 75% of Americans identified themselves as Christians. There has never been but ONE CHRIST, THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD, therefore, 75% of Americans say they believe in, adhere to, and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
If this were true, there would be very little division in our government, country, and churches. Somebody is not hearing the same thing. Can you imagine what our country would be if 75% of us were hearing the same thing and obeying what we hear?
It is time for God's people, the Church, to wake up and be reconciled to each other and especially to God and His will for the world. The church which has God's Spirit as her counselor in ALL THINGS pertaining to God's will for the Church must lay aside every opinion, tradition, false teaching and most of all PRIDE, and humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God through obedience to HIS WORD only.
John 14:15 (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Jesus spoke these words to all who say they love Him, however, we see the Church disobeying many of His commands and that, without repentance. Satan has planted many false teachers in the Church, but, I believe most are not false teachers, they are deceived because of false teachers. Deception is like awakening from sleep, but still in a fog. God is sending a Latter rain, an awakening downpour of truth being poured out without measure into His Church for all who will bathe in, hear, taste and see that our Lord is good.
Psalm 34:8-9 (KJV)
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
Those who will fall upon their knees in repentance, humble themselves before our Lord, will be strengthened in boldness to stand up and proclaim the truth of God's Word to the Church and the World in these last days before the Church is no more and that which restrains will restrain evil no longer. As long as the Church is here on earth, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for evil to gain territory in our schools, public gatherings, government, or any other area where at least ONE Christian, who by the power of God's Holy Spirit, will say what God is saying, speaking God's Word and there will be no want for God's Word to produce what it is sent to do; AMEN!
Psalm 24:1-10 (KJV)
1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods.
3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
Today's Church is split, not just once but into many divisions. It is not too late though, if we all who are called by His Name, will humble ourselves through the Love we have for Our Lord and come together as true brothers and sisters in Christ, considering the lost souls instead of our pride, laying aside every weight of indifference and opinion, forgetting those things that are past, FORGIVING each other for the greater cause of LOST SOULS who are dying without salvation because of our prideful attitudes and bitterness toward others.
We must be like Christ, while He was hated, beaten, and crucified; He forgave and Loved those who crucified Him. No one has gone so far as to crucify you or me, so how can we be bitter and hold contempt against anyone else? Jesus is our example.
Jesus is a Jew, the Apple of God's eye. Every gentile believer has been grafted into a Jewish Tree, the same tree some Jews were cut out of. The Church is not a "Gentile Church" She is The Messianic Church containing both Jew and Gentile believers, but her roots are Jewish. The Apostle Paul warned us that if God cut the natural branches out because of unbelief, beware of Him cutting the gentile out.
God's description of forgiveness is "complete restoration to a loving relationship with another through admitting we are wrong and accepting Another's sacrifice". If we do not forgive others we nullify Christ's sacrifice for us.
Mark 11:26 (KJV)
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Jesus is coming soon to embrace His Bride, the FAITHFUL Church and carry Her to His Fathers House. Will you be one that did not keep your lamp full of oil and ran short of Light in this dark world? I pray that you will be filled. If you are reading this blog, maybe you, who have been unforgiving, judgmental and bitter in the past, will hear the plea of God and start a fire of revival and awaken others before it is too late.
Nearly every Church has been through splits and divisions. May we all see the greater cause and realize that God can not use anyone who is holding onto past hurts. Hurting people hurt people. We must come together in sincere forgiveness because it just may be that someone in your family or mine; that their soul depends upon our righteousness being restored.
I Love You
Pastor Tommy
P.S. I can not speak for all Churches although I may be, but, If you were part of Elko Union Church and left hurt for any reason, whether through past pastors or myself, let us allow God to heal us. I will begin by asking you for forgiveness on my behalf and every pastor, elder, deacon, and congregants of any Church that may have offended you. Whoever was wrong is not as important as complete reconciliation back to God so that the Church has the grace to win souls.