"...Gotta Do Something!"

August 10, 2011

“...Gotta Do Something!”

Blessings Folk!

(Remember to click the blue, hyperlinks for more details...Facebook folk, go to my website for hyperlink version… dalemoore.tv ...still don’t know why FB strips the links&hellipWinking

I was recently speaking with a friend who is strong believer.
He was telling of varied things in his life related to business, relationship, etc.

A good conversation.

Upon speaking of the local church he began to tell me about a recent endeavor in which he was involved with several other “churches”.

He then suddenly proclaimed “the church has gotta do something.”

This is true.

That which we associate with “church”, “going to church”, “church member”, etc is often detrimental to the Kingdom of God.

Yet, my friend is finding his “solution” in just another plan of man.

Now, allow me to quickly confess, I know that the Lord does much good in many things.
Yet, I never cease to be amazed at how we as believers seek the latest “hip-hop-happ’n-now” thing to apply to the Body of Christ, all the while rejecting that which the Lord has commanded.

That of which my friend spoke is neat, nice, ok...yet, I could not help but believe it is just the latest in a long pursuit by believers of process and procedure. Man’s solution.

Often these “solutions” have ramification of unintended consequence.

For instance, often it is now stated that the worship service is for the “seeking..the unsaved...the lost”. I know what folk mean...sorta. But, think it through. Can a “worship service” be for those who are unsaved? Can those outside of salvation truly worship?
We have eventually found ourselves in the situation where many gatherings are designed to be “attractive” to seekers/unsaved/etc. The orientation and focus of the corporate gathering is “putting on a show for others that will not make them feel uncomfortable” rather than simply worshipping the Lord.

Want some insight into this and what we should really be doing? Read 1 Corinthians 14. Would do no harm to read 1 Cor. 12-14… or 1-14. Happy

These are not new questions.
Nor are the answers new.

Yet, we give no heed to the Word.

Yes, the church has “gotta do something”.

We must…

  • seek first the Kingdom of God

Matthew 6
33
But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

  • pursue holiness
1 Peter 1
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

  • love the Lord
Matthew 22
37
And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’

  • love one another
John 13
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

  • die to self
Romans 6
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

  • pray without ceasing
1 Thessalonians 5
16 Rejoice evermore.
 17 Pray without ceasing.
 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.


  • abide in the Lord
John 15
4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

  • trust in the Lord
Psalm 37
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.


This is not a strategy to be “checked-off” as a list.

It is Life of the Kingdom.

Let us do so.
Then, watch what the Lord does.
Who knows what the Lord has in mind…

Let us not be among those who work and work trying to “do something”.

Blessings!



"Intake"

August 8, 2011

“Intake…”

Blessings Folk!

Our local examination of the Word of God resumes this week.

Come and join us.

Mondays, 5:30 p.m.

or

Tuesdays, 9 a.m.

You can join at any time. There is no need for “previous courses”, etc.

Our current study will be “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”, an examination of the last chapters of 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles and Zephaniah (the one lesson on Zephaniah is much needed today&hellipWinking

We then will move into Matthew - Part 1 and Part 2.

We meet at Jubilee @ Victory Park.

Let me layout the “pink elephant in the room” in Christendom.

Most who profess to be religious do not know the Lord.
Most who profess to be “born-again” do not know the Word of the Lord.
Most who are true believers are at best babes living off of milk.

We are told to pursue solid food…

1 Corinthians 3

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?

Hebrews 5

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

We have a tremendous blessing in the Word.
We have the Word in more “versions” and translations than ever.
We have the Word available in a multitude of formats...written, audio, video, mp3, mp4…

But, the sad reality is that most true believers do not intake the Word.

Most do not turn to the Lord to…
...learn of Him
...to know Him
...to seek wisdom
...to seek knowledge
...to seek illumination
...to seek strength and power
I could continue on…

We must immerse ourselves in the Lord…
...in His Word
...in His Spirit
...abiding in Him.

Therefore, get in the Word.

You need it today.
You are really gonna need it in the near future…

Another quick announcement…

I am beginning, this week, a totally revolutionary way of learning to play the piano.
Contact me if you have ever been interested in playing...you are never too old!

Blessings!

Dale

(Facebook friends...go to http://www.dalemoore.tv to read the above with hyperlinks...follow ‘em)

"Faith and Love"

August 2, 2011

Faith and Love

Blessings Folk!

On one of his trips, Paul and his entourage entered Thessalonica.

Here is the account…

Acts 17
1 Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”

4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.

6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also;

7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

8 They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things.

9 And when they had received a pledge from Jason and the others, they released them.
Paul at Berea
 
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea...

We have examined a portion of this before - verse 6…”these men who have upset the world” (turned the world upside down - KJV).

I want us to see the context for a passage from 2 Thessalonians, so hang on.

Paul and friends entered the city.
They went to the temple, as was their habit.
They reasoned from the Scriptures - the Old Testament - for 3 Sabbaths - 2-4 weeks.
Paul explained from the Scripture that the Christ must suffer and rise again from the dead.
He explained this was fulfilled in Jesus.

Note what happens…
- Some of the Jews believed.
- A large number of the God-fearing Greeks (who would have been outside of the Jewish meeting area listening through the lattice&hellipWinking believed.
- A number of the leading women believed.

The Jewish leadership?

  • They became jealous.
  • They moved on this jealousy - hired wicked men from the market, formed a mob, and set forth an uproar in the city
  • They sought Paul and Silas and upon not finding them punished Jason, who had housed Paul and the group

The new believers immediately escorted Paul and Silas out of town under the cover of darkness.

This was the beginning of the Body of Christ in Thessalonica.

Some questions arose. Paul wrote to address them - 1 Thessalonians
Other questions arose, some misinterpretation of the first letter. Paul wrote again - 2 Thessalonians.

Now, read what the Spirit said to His Body through Paul…

2 Thessalonians

1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,
   To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;

4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

They spoke grace and peace over them.
Then, they gave thanks to God for them.
Why?
Because their faith is greatly enlarged and the love of each one toward one another was growing greater.

Faith in the Lord.
Love of one another.

But there is more…

Paul spoke proudly of them among the churches due to their perseverance and faith in the midst of persecutions and afflictions.

This Body that began and continued in persecution and affliction...
This Body of diverse composition - Jew, Gentile, male, female…
This Body was enlarging, expanding, abounding in faith…
This Body loved one another and continued to grow in love…

How do we handle trials, tribulation and persecutions?

In faith.
In love for one another.

Remember the Word of the Lord…

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

Conclusion:
Increase in faith.
Grow and abound in love for one another.
Proclaim Jesus Christ.
Reason from the Scripture.

...

We will resume studying the Word of God next week…
”The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”
If you are local, join us on either Mondays, 5:30 p.m. or Tuesdays, 9 a.m.
We meet at Victory Park .
If distant, you can participate online - JubileePrecept Online
Contact me for more details - dale@dalemoore.tv