Five Lies of the devil, Lie Five

 The Church is not important.

Have you heard it said that "church is not important, and it is simply a place of man-made traditions?" "You do not need to go to a building to worship God; you can do it on your own." As with most believable lies, this is based on some truth. There is some truth to it. However, what does God say? This is what we will be discussing today. Let us pray. 

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we come before you today with all thanksgiving for all that you have graciously given to us, especially that of our very salvation. As we enter your Word today, we ask for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and understand your Truth, and the ability to discern it from the world. We ask this in Yeshua’s name, Amen!

Church? Is it important to God? I suppose we would first need to understand what the true church is. It is not a building. The brick and mortar, stained glass windows, may be beautiful and may be magnificent, but they mean nothing. Look what Jesus said about them and all other buildings that man has built, and seems so proud of.

“Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." Matthew 24:1-2

The building is nothing more than the architect's vision in someone's mind. It may be plain, it may be beautiful, but it is just a building. A temporary structure that is now and one day will cease to be. Here lies some truth. Yes, it most definitely can be a house of made-up traditions. Yes, you do not have to go to a building to worship God. As a matter of fact, God wants a relationship with you that is 24/7. Not an hour to 90 minutes a week, if you are going. The church is now, always has been, and will always be the people.

If you have your Bible and wish to, turn to Acts chapter 2:42-47

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

It was daily. Everyday. Why? To them, nothing else mattered. Nothing. Today, they would sell what they had to help those of them in need. They would be at Pete’s house today, and tomorrow at Bob’s house. The next day, Jenny, Richie’s wife, cooked for them. On appointed days, yes, they went to the temple. That was more of a tradition than anything. They lived their faith. Do we? The Word tells us this.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:15-17

Also, here in Hebrews 10:23-25

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Turn with me to Ephesians 4. Starting at verse 1

“I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Stop. Does this say go to church an hour a week? No, it says “walk in a manner worthy of the calling.” Does it mean that on Sunday you dress up, show off, and sweat praising God, and Monday you go to work and lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead? On Tuesday, you get drunk. On Wednesday, you watch that. You go there on Thursday. You party Friday night, and Saturday is a fun day. Oh, wait, it is Sunday morning again. Better dust off that Bible to show people how faithful I am. Verse 4

“There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

They used to call those who followed Jesus, “The Way.” Why, because Jesus said He is The Way, The Truth, and the Life. They were apart and separated from all others. They walked differently, talked differently, they acted differently. They were strange to those who were not of Christ. Of “The Way.” Are you strange? Do you look different from the World?

”But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, it says,

"When he ascended on high, he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

Stop again. Read that part again. “Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” Why? “So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

If you do not have this, {Holding up the Bible}, and you do not read this, you do not spend time with those like-minded believers, you can and will fall for a lie.

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

A week is 168 hours long. How much growing do you think you are going to do if you spend one to one and a half hours in a building, even with a great man of God teaching, and then spend 166.5 hours being filled with the world? This was never God’s plan for us.

I believe I talked about this before, but I went to Columbus, Ohio, to spend two weeks with Pastor Rod Parsely, now, several years ago. I was contemplating moving there and going to World Harvest Bible College. Now I’m glad I didn’t. That is not where God wanted me. But I remember standing in the lobby of WHBC and being completely moved. God spoke to me that day. He said, “My people are a family.”

My response? "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Now I'm trying to pay attention here." I heard it again. "My people are a family." "Yeah, I know. I get it. I understand. Now let me get back to this." One more time, "My people are a family." That was it. "OK, I'm listening. What are you trying to tell me? I mean, really, God. I got it. I understand that if we are all children of yours, then we are all in your family. What am I missing here?"

Turns out I was missing a lot. Starting with the fact that many may or may not like. We are not all God's children. We ARE all God's creation. However, there is only one way to become a child of God. That is Yeshua, or Jesus, as translated. That is the Spirit of Adoption. The Holy Spirit. If you are not adopted into the family of God, you are not His child.

However, if you are, then and only then are you His Child. Once you become adopted into the family, you then receive many more brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. You are adopted into a very large family. The Family of God. Look what Jesus says here.

"Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." Mark 10:28-31

We are a family. Let's look at a family. You sleep with, wake with, talk with, and spend time with your family. You share your day's events and seek to help those in need of comfort, encouragement, or celebration together. Is God's family one hour a week, maybe, if you feel like going to Church?

Think about this. If you have a need or a challenge in your life, you can always turn to your family. Your mom or dad can help you. Your older siblings may have already been through what you are facing. They can help you. When you are sad, they try to comfort you. When they are sad, you comfort them. If you are the oldest, you may be the one that others look up to. Again, God's family? One hour a week, maybe, if you feel like going to church?

Just like your earthly family, in God's family, you have babies—those who have just heard the truth and allowed it to set them free. They know very little and need to be fed and taught. You also have teenagers—those who are more knowledgeable but are not yet ready to go out on their own. They can certainly help raise the younger ones. Then there are the moms and dads—those who have grown up, put away childish things, and are positioned to teach, encourage, love, and guide both the children and teenagers. These are the church elders. Of course, there is the earthly father, the head of the church: the Pastor. He should be guiding the rest of the family and is responsible for communicating whatever God himself tells him.

Look at what Jesus instructed John and Mary while on the cross.

"But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home." John 19:25-27

John and Mary had no prior relationship before meeting Him. John was a fisherman, while Mary was a teenage mother married to a carpenter. Many people wonder what happened to Joseph, Jesus’s "earthly father," whom he never regarded as such. The last mention of Joseph in the Bible occurs when Jesus is 12 years old. The consensus is that Joseph likely died sometime between Jesus's childhood and the beginning of his ministry at age 30. This theory is supported by the fact that Jesus appointed John to take care of his mother, Mary, which would have been Joseph's responsibility as well, especially after Jesus's crucifixion. However, he died, and Mary required being cared for. He saw this as a responsibility of His church. His people. His family.

You may have grown up in an abusive relationship. You may have lost loved ones. Perhaps, you never really had any. Perhaps some turned away when you became a child of God. That happens more than you think. God says, You do not have to worry about that. Why? “My people are a family.” The Church is the body of Christ.

We are a family. Our Father is God, the Alpha and Omega, the Creator of the universe, who is our Abba Father. If you belong to the right church, they become your family. We are meant to do life together — to laugh, cry, and support each other. We should strive to be the family God desires us to be, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Do you need something? Call your mother, Mary, or your grandma Betty, or your uncle Matthew, or your brother Bob. You should be part of a church where you can always reach the Pastor.

The truth is, you never have to be alone unless you choose to be. God even says, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” He has many ways for you not to be. If you haven't, consider joining a local church. Pray about it. Allow God to lead you to the one he wants you to be a part of. That is your family. Start looking at them as such.

Is He your Father? Are you His child? Have you been adopted? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus' sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

That's it. It is that simple. Now tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!