What did the early church have that the churches do not have today? Were they willing to really pay the price? Do the believers today not want to really be changed? Are the believers today not willing to be offended to become worthy of their calling? What is the difference between then and now? What was the key? Not that growth in numbers is everything, but why did they grow at such a fast pace? What was so different about them? They had such real power. Why don’t all the churches today have that power? What is so different about then and now? The people seemed so close to each other then. They seemed to really care for one another. Are we so deceived? Over the years, has the gospel been so watered down that the truth of it is lost to this generation? In the early days, they really seemed to have the keys to the kingdom. People were healed by people’s shadow! What was different? People were saved by the hundreds and thousands. Where are we off? What are we missing today?

Get out of those Comfort Zones!

As I began my research, one of the first things that I noticed about the early church was this, for the most part; they were willing to be corrected! As the Apostle Paul went about the business of God, he corrected the church, and they received it. Today, more than ever, people do not want to be corrected, period. They must be right! When they do not agree with something, they might turn tail and run back to their comfort zones, or they get all huffy and start running to others to talk about what they have heard. Most likely, the people they go to are going to pacify and console them which can only confuse them more and interfere with what God would like to tell them. This kind of thing can stop God from having His way in someone’s life!

If someone gets offended, they should immediately go to God and spend a great deal of time with Him about it. Why? Because He is the only one who can really answer their questions.

People hang on to certain things they have been taught. Example: There is a verse in the written Word, in the Old Testament, that speaks about safety in a multitude of counselors. That is Old Testament, pre-Holy Spirit, pre-Comforter. Once we have received the Holy Spirit, there is no need for the wisdom of man. The New Testament has it written all over it! There was no more need for the wisdom of men! Do not follow man - follow God!

I have always said; go to God with what I say. I have never said “go and talk to so and so and get worldly wisdom from men”. We need to go to God when something bothers us. God has told me, that anyone that really wants to, can get yes and no answers from Him. Even if they cannot really hear Him that well! God is more than willing to give answers to those whose heart intentions are pure! Understand what I mean here? If we are offended about something that we hear and we go to God for answers with our underlying heart motive for God to tell us that the person who said it is off, we will never get anywhere! We must go to God with a pure heart motive and with a willingness to be told, if we are off. We must get out of those familiar comfort zones! God warned us in the written Word what was coming!

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage -- with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (NIV) 2 Timothy 4:2-4

God knows the intentions of our hearts and in order for God to change and transform you, you have to be willing to be pushed, poked, prodded and corrected, even to the point of God getting firm, stern or angry with you in order to accomplish what He wants to do with you!

We must be willing to sit with God and be changed, conformed, and transformed into who God wants them to be. We must allow God to push us out of our comfort zones to do that! They let God be God!

Keep in mind that Jesus was very gentle with those who did not know better, but with those who claimed to know or did know, He was very tough! If Jesus did not want to shake up the people, He would have said to the Pharisees, “Don’t worry Pharisees, just keep trying and everything will be okay.” (Matthew 23:1-38)

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” (NIV) 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

Let us Evaluate Our Relationship with God

Could you use God for a reference on a job application? How much time have you spent in getting to know God since you chose to want Him in your life?

Could you truthfully put down a certain number of years that you have known God? Could you really say that you know Him, not just know about Him? When asked for a reference, you should not put someone’s name down that you know of, or that you “know all about. To keep things appropriate and honest, you would have to know that person personally and they would have to know you personally for you to use them as a job reference! Otherwise, it would not be appropriate for you to use them at all!

Yes, God knows us in detail, but let us take this to a new level of understanding. When we first start talking to God, He teaches us, He gives us insight, and He gives us perspectives on things. He can even give us insight about world issues.

A Crisis!

Have you ever gone through a crisis, and you were terribly upset and crying? During that time did anyone ever come up to you and put their arm around you and comfort you? More than likely the answer to that question is yes.

Let us go a step further. You are in a crisis, you have no one to call or go to. So, there you are alone, extremely upset, you are crying your heart out. When you really “know” God and you are in fellowship with Him, you could literally experience Him touching your shoulder and comforting you! That is a relationship with God! That is companionship! This is an example of “knowing God”! This experience is not the same as just knowing God. When He is teaching you, it is a different plane of a relationship all together.

Does God know us? Yes? If you were to experience a moment or moments with God like this, does that mean that God knows you more. No! But the relationship changes when you have only God to depend on and just because God knows us, does not automatically give us a close relationship with Him. A parent may know us very well, but that is no guarantee of how the parent and child are going to get along. There must be work, there must be effort, and there must be trust and love. And that does not just happen! This type of relationship does not come like a can of instant breakfast drink, it happens over time. It takes the effort of two people, and the work of two people, not just one! It will not work, if just one person is putting forth all the effort and doing all the work. It is like any other relationship, God must work, you must receive, you must work, and God must receive.

Back to the job application: Even though God knows us, there must be bonding! There must be a companionship of knowing. When you get to know somebody well, you know what they are going to say, you know what their faults are, you know what their weakness are. And you react to those before they have to say it. Even though God knows us that well, the relationship, of the companionship and the fellowship must develop for God to react in that way to us. Love is like that; it just does not happen just because He knows what we want. Again, it goes back to, God knows what we need, but He is not moved by need. He is moved by faith and action. If you want God to be your best friend and your best companion, knowing that He knows what you need, that doesn’t mean you are going to get what you need - you must work for it.

When you use someone as a reference, they should be able to tell what they have experienced about you for themselves! Not what they have seen about you! Someone said in one of my classes last year, “How would someone know if God considered you, His friend?” The answer to that is, He would have to tell you that. Same principle!

Could you say, you know God and He knows you? Could you use Him for a job reference? Remember, there is a difference, between knowing God and knowing about Him!

God Calls People!

God calls people to be followers, not just believers. Why? Because the devil and his demons are believers!

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that -- and shudder.” (NIV) James 2:19.

The Jewish New Testament puts it this way: “You believe that “God is one”? Good for you! The demons believe it too - the thought makes them shudder with fear! But, foolish fellow, do you want to be shown that such “faith” apart from actions is barren? (JNT) James 2:19-20

Like the scripture say, good for you! So, what sets you apart in this area from Satan and his demons? God is not impressed nor satisfied to just hear someone say, “I believe in Jesus, I believe in God”. There must be a difference!

A PEARL

When someone “truly” accepts Jesus into their life, the predominate nature and character of Satan must begin to leave their life. It must...!

Salvation is a two-way street; you cannot accept God into your life and not give God yours!

One More Time!

One more time, although we are taught, that saying the sinner’s prayer is our ticket to a relationship with God that is not all there is to it! A relationship is what YOU put into it!

For us to live in the likeness of Christ, and for it to be manifested within us, we must get to know the teacher! And that does not come from just reading our Bibles! It takes relationship – time spent with God!

Are You the Person?

Are you the person God created you to be? Or are you the person that the world and its teachings have created you to be? You cannot have a relationship with God, with your feet in the world. You can start it, but you cannot fellowship in any kind of magnitude that way!

Let us see how Paul corrected the Galatians so many years ago. Is not it interesting, the church needs the same correction today!

“You stupid Galatians! Who has put you under a spell? Before your very eyes Yeshua the Messiah was clearly portrayed as having been put to death as a criminal! I want to know from you just this one thing: did you receive the Spirit by legalistic observance of Torah commands or by trusting in what you heard and being faithful to it? Are you stupid? Having begun with the Spirit’s power, do you think you can reach the goal under your own power? Have you suffered so much for nothing? If that is the way you think, your suffering certainly will have been for nothing! What about God, who supplies you with the Spirit and works miracles among you - does he do it because of your legalistic observance of Torah commands or because you trust in what you heard and are faithful to it? (JNT) Galatians 3:1-5

You cannot perfect in the flesh, what was started in the Spirit!

Q. Can someone have a relationship with God if they are not willing to change? A. No!

Q. If someone has a right attitude for God, and wants God to help them change can they have a relationship with God?
A. Even that is not a guarantee, if they do not act. The ball is not all in God’s court – WE must do something!

“What good is it my brothers, if someone claims to have faith but has no actions to prove it? Is such “faith able to save him? (JNT) James 2:14

Example of Standard Type of Prayer

“Oh, God I come to you right now and I want you to know I love you God so much. I want to serve you and do things for you. I pray, God, that you would open the doors for me to serve you, Father, because I am willing. God, if you can get my husband/wife to act right to me I would appreciate it! Because God, I need him/her to do that. God, they do not spend all that much time with me. You know, God, I need some attention here! They spend so much time doing other things. God, can you just work on them so my feelings would not be hurt so much.

God, you know so and so down the street, God, they do not talk genuinely nice to me, God. God, they need to get their attitude right with you, Lord. Work on them Father. They need an attitude adjustment. God, the preacher/teacher said something, that I just felt like was directed at me. God, I feel like they crossed the line, I talked to so and so about it. They agree with me. They just went too far in that sermon/lesson. Just too far! Could you, please show them the error of their way, Lord. God, I just praise you, Father, and thank you for what you are going to do, God. Then they close the prayer in Jesus’ name.

What kind of prayer is that? Let me give you the “heart intent” of this type of praying. Here it is. God, I am a precious little prince/princess that never does anything wrong, and I am waiting for you to get everyone else straightened out and I will serve you. Let me know after you open all the doors for me! I am going to sit here on the verandah and drink my mint- julep and wait. God, I know that I’m special to you, so you’ll just let me know when you are coming on your white horse to deliver me from all my problems. Oh God, by the way, I would like a present too! Cause that would make me feel better!

Let us Look at The Facts!

We need to understand, if there is a problem in any area of our life, we cannot solve the problem without a relationship with God! PLUS, we cannot have a relationship with God without following the calling!

Nothing in your life is going to change permanently unless you are willing to change first!

God is looking for permanent change, not temporary! God does not do quick fixes!

You can’t be a servant of God until you are a follower. If you are willing, then ask God to start changing you, act, and when this process starts, fellowship will come. Then the Calling!

Relationship will not come without willingness to let God, turn you inside out.

People must change according to what God wants them to be or the change means nothing!

Nothing can substitute our time with God!

We must look at Christ example. We are to be followers of God!

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.” (KJV) Ephesians 5:1-7

There is a difference between being changed and being transformed.

I Have a Question for You

The Bible tells exactly what the acts of the sinful nature are. To name a few they are, idolatry, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, envy. So, my question is this, why is the church walking around demonstrating these sinful traits? Why are they not allowing God to change them?

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.” (NIV) Hebrews 12:14-17

“Holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” Those who fail to heed it, who suppose that mere intellectual acknowledgment of God’s existence and Yeshua Messiah ship, unaccompanied by good deeds and submissiveness to God, will “get them to heaven” are in for a rude awakening and disappointment. (JNTC, pg.716)

We Must Be Worthy Enough of The Calling!

We must be worthy enough of the calling. God’s personal nature for each created person must be put into us! Little by little, He delivers us from evil and He places gifts in us according to the calling we have been created for. Something must come out and something must go in. It is a continuous process that we are never able to perfect until we are in heaven, but we must get to a level where at least we are in the calling we have been placed here for. We need to get to the level in general, that He needs us to be. We can reach a point where we are useful, we never gain perfection, but we can get to a point where He can use us.

There is a lady I know, who when I speak to her, she continually says, “Oh, my husband is changing, my husband is changing.” Now, understand this. He may be changing and some of it may be good changes. They may even appear to be good, but that does not mean that he is being changed in the way God needs him to be. I.e., the person he was created to be! Understand?

If someone appears to be a good, generous, and loving person, but he is not functioning in his calling, what purpose does it serve? For whom? For God? No, for Him! All the goodness, generosity, and love are worthless. He would be better off being a terrible person and be operating in his calling, at least he would be useful!

If a person has changed and the changes have come through their own strength or through obligation, those changes are not from God. Appropriate change comes under God’s direction.

God’s changes are permanent, and they take time! Lots of time! It is harder to wait for God, then it is to just go and do things for yourself. It is allot harder to wait on God, a lot harder! It is much easier to do something for yourself.

I know very few people who tend to lag, but I know a whole lot who like to go ahead. Most people go ahead of God. INAPPROPRIATE MOTIVATORS!

Relationship!

A relationship is as far as you take it. People claim that Jesus is their Savior, but allot of them, will not take that one step further than that! They recite the sinner’s prayer; say they are saved and say they are born again. But they do not do a darn thing for God. Then something will really go wrong, and they will call on God to save their backside. Then, they will go around and say what wonderful things God has done. God is so wonderful; He is so wonderful to me. I just love God so much; God loves me so much! When I hear that kind of talk, I have not heard one word about fellowship! Just because you said a sinner’s prayer, and God’s has saved your backside a few times that is not fellowship!

At the Time in My Life

At the time in my life where I was recognizing that I was missing something. I saw the hypocrisy, not only in myself but I saw the people around me who said that they were dedicated, but they were not. They were talking out of both sides of their mouths. What I saw, was this, people were as far as they could go. I was given the impression that this was about as good as it good as it gets.

Right there, I saw that it was not working. But I knew that there had to be more in walking with God. I realized that there had to be more, because what we were doing and what we were being taught, and what we were seeing in others was not working. I was saved and in general, I was doing what the church was instructing. So, what was missing? Something had to be missing! God what is it?

Fellowship was Missing!

There was not fellowship! The fellowship was missing! That was it! That is what the early church had that most today’s churches do not have. Precious fellowship with the Lord God Jehovah!

We cannot fulfill our calling without a relationship with God; we cannot have relationship without working towards that calling and the purposes that God put us here for.

We cannot begin a relationship without faith in action! If we are not exercising our faith, we do not even have that fellowship! I am talking about the basis for the relationship! We are going around in circles!

You cannot have a relationship without “follow-ship” because “follow-ship” brings fellowship! And, you will never “know” God, without spending time with Him. We must be willing! We must be willing to spend time with Him, be corrected by Him, transformed by Him, and then the fellowship comes, the relationship comes, and God knows us, and we know God! He becomes our companion! The One who walks with us!

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever -- (NIV) John 14:16

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you”. (NIV) John 14:26

"When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.” (NIV) John 15:26

Be Ye Holy!

God said we must get this! It is important to Him! If we do not, we will not go anywhere He wants us too!

Do you want intimacy with God? Then you will have to work for it!

“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.” (KJV) Leviticus 20:7-8

“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; (KJV) 1 Peter 1:15

“Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy”. (KJV) 1 Peter 1:16

“So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful”. (NIV) 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

Ask yourself: Am I changing into what God wants me to be? Am I changing into what God needs me to be, to walk in the calling, He created me for? Have I been found faithful? Are you manifesting God’s workmanship in your life?

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (KJV) Ephesians 2:10

“For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV) Ephesians 2:10

“Therefore consecrate yourselves - you people must be holy, because I AM Adonai Your God. Observe my regulations, and obey them; I AM Adonai, who sets you apart to be holy.” (CJB) Leviticus 20:7-8

(sw-h)

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