Many Christians that love the Lord, and are seeking after Him, are searching for more than they are currently experiencing within the numerous religious structures in America. It is a migration initiated by the Holy Spirit, but not without major intent less we simply become “restructured structure” (i.e. same thing, different package).
Most western Christian’s idea of church is that of, once a week, being in a building with a church name out front (of course it must be a more modern name with good “branding”), a big screen, many programs and activities, a coffee bar, etc. And, if you are not in this type of “church” with a pastor who has a degree from a seminary on the wall that you are in some type of “illegal” or “unlawful” cult that the Bible strictly prohibits. The Bible says otherwise.
The reason first century Christians met in private homes was persecution. They were not allowed to freely worship Jesus in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24) within the corrupt synagogues that said He wasn’t the Messiah. These religious, dead congregations were filled with useless rituals learned by rote (i.e. rules taught by men; Isaiah 29:13, Matthew 15:8-9).
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines rote as;
the use of memory usually with little intelligence
mechanical or unthinking routine or repetition
The Cambridge Dictionary describes it as;
learning something in order to be able to repeat it from memory, rather than in order to understand it
The amount of biblical illiteracy that my wife and I run into on a regular basis is proof that rote is now the “new normal.” The acceptance of Woke theology as truth has caused many to be given over to a spirit of deep sleep (Isaiah 29:10).
Once again, as at His first coming, the Lord is leading His people outside of a religious system that has become corrupted by those who operate in the flesh, void of the Spirit, much like the Pilgrims (i.e. separatists) encountered before being sent here in 1620 by God. As it was in their day, Christianity has been filled with man’s ways instead of the clearly revealed order of the Lord in Scripture (1 Corinthians 14:20-40). But, like them, our coming out is not without reason. The King is coming. We are being called out of that which has been leavened by a confusing mixture of truth and lies (i.e. the definition for Babylon), to do a “new thing.” The current system is unable to prepare God’s people to enter into His holy presence, and live! (Hosea 6:1-3) Therefore, the Holy Spirit, our Guide, is bringing us out in order to bring us in (see Deuteronomy 6:22-23 below).
Meeting House To House
Acts 2:46-47 – See the note below.
46 Day by day continuing with one mind [3661- “unanimously, of one accord”] in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity [858- “simplicity, singleness”] of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
NASU
After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter preached his first message and 3,000 people received his word and were baptized (Acts 2:41). It’s important to note that “the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.” He adds to our number, when He is able to without man’s interference. Those led by the flesh depend more on their worldly advertising and entertainment of sorts to draw people in.
After the Lord adds, it is our responsibility, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). After coming to life in Christ, having their bonds removed, it is our duty to then help them remove their “death wraps” (John 11:43-44) through discipleship (see my book Walking In The Light).
(The following insight concerning our fellowshipping with “singleness of heart” is taken from the Bible study Clear Oil Of Beaten Olives.)
In regards to our bringing “clear oil [righteousness deeds/works] of beaten olives” [“pure, beaten out, costly”] for the light of the lamp of the Lord within us to “burn continuously” (see Exodus 27:20-21), Jesus said;
“The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear [573- “simple, single (singleness of purpose in which there is nothing complicated or confused), whole, sound”], your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness [4652- “covered with darkness”]. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness [4655- “shadiness; i.e. obscurity (literally or figuratively)].”
(Luke 11:34-35/NASU)
To be clear-eyed is to have “unclouded, bright eyes.” It’s also defined as “having or showing an ability to think clearly; having clear eyes or vision.” Having the eyes of their heart dulled through double-mindedness in their walks with Christ, foolish disciples (i.e. foolish virgins) lack the discernment to recognize the “appointed time” of the Lord that we are now in. It has become “clouded” and “confused” for them.
I see a picture of them, in type, within the church of Sardis (Rev. 3:1-6). Regarding the city itself, Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines it as, “a luxurious city that is now an obscure village.” “Obscurity” just happens to be one of the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance definitions for “darkness” in Luke 11:35 right above. Sardis, therefore, is a picture of a church body that was at one time “full of light,” but due to a lack of clear vision (i.e. single-mindedness vs. double-mindedness; see James 1:5-8, 4:8, Psalm 119:113, and Matthew 6:24) has become dead, “full of darkness.”
Acts 5:42 – After being flogged and ordered by the Sanhedrin to not preach in the name of Jesus anymore, the apostles continued to do so “in the temple and from house to house.”
42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
NASU
Acts 20:19-20 – In part of Paul’s farewell to the elders of the church in Ephesus he mentioned his teaching publicly and from house to house.
19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews.
20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.
NIV
The next three passages refer to “the church” that is meeting in a house:
Romans 16:3-5
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;
5 also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus [“praised”], my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.
NASU
1 Corinthians 16:19
19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
NASU
Philemon 1-2
1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker,
2 and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:
NASU
The Reason Why
Moses explains to the Israelites why they were brought out from Egypt, which is described as the “house of bondage.” It was in order to bring them in to the Promised Land, to release them from their slave drivers. This is why He is bringing out His people today. He is calling them out from the institutional church that has become corrupt and is holding His people captive. The present “slave drivers” no longer hear what the Spirit is saying to His church, warning them to prepare themselves, and those under their care, through consecration in order to be made ready to enter into His presence and live (Hosea 6:1-3), protected from His wrath that will destroy many. (See the Bile study The First Trump, The Last Trump, And The Great Trump.)
Deuteronomy 6:22-23 – “Moreover, the Lord showed great and distressing signs and wonders before our eyes against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household; He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.” (NASU)
Below, in Moses’ rebuke, he reminds the children of Israel to not do whatever seemed “right” in their own eyes, because they had not yet entered into “the resting place and the inheritance” the Lord was giving them. This rebuke is the same for the church in America, in particular. Too many now do “whatever is right in his own eyes” (Proverbs 14:12) while foolishly assuming they will be protected from God’s wrath and be welcomed with open arms into His presence. Unless the Lord moves by shaking the religious system as we know it, they will perish. The good news is that He has already begun to shake it and will continue to increase His pressure, out of love and mercy, on those who are not continuing IN Him with an obedient, submissive heart (1 Corinthians 15:1-2).
Deuteronomy 12:8-9 – “You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. (NASU) [See Matthew 11:28-30 and Psalm 95:6-11.]
We too are being led out of our camps (i.e. denominations/divisions) in order to meet the Lord as one body, in Him. We must also consecrate ourselves, separating from all that is not pleasing to Him, so that we are made ready to meet Him “in the air.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17; also, see Revelation 18:4-5.)
Exodus 19:17 – “And Moses brought [3318- “to come out, to exit, to go forth”] the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.” (NASU)
The Purpose
1 Corinthians 12:7 – The manifestation of the Spirit for the “common good.”
Ephesians 4:11-17 – The preparing and maturing of the Body of Christ through “the proper working of each individual part.”
1 Corinthians 14:20-40 – The orderly way of God for when we “assemble together” in order to usher in the presence of God. This commandment is the goal of our gatherings that we should strive for.
A Plural Ministry; The Way For Our Crossing Over
The vision at Cracker Barrel: “Come to the other side”;
“Years ago, while involved with [our first] home church, my wife and I began to get very concerned with what we were seeing and hearing from some of those in our midst. Being much younger at the time we weren’t as knowledgeable or experienced yet in spiritual warfare. We were looking to the Lord to give us direction as to what we should do.
One night, while waiting for a word from the Lord, we decided to go out to eat, ending up at a local restaurant. Fasting had obviously not become a spiritual discipline at that point. I had brought my Bible so that while we were eating we could search the Word and maybe get an answer.
At one point, a couple seated near us looked our way and commented to us that, being Christians themselves, it was nice to see someone with a Bible open in a public restaurant. We made some small talk with them, but I hadn’t heard the word of the Lord yet.
On our way out we stopped by their table and said thank-you for encouraging us. They asked if they could pray with us before we left. We said that would be wonderful.
Right there, in the middle of the restaurant, we all stood up and held hands and started to pray. They boldly prayed, I mean THEY PRAYED right there, unashamed for all to see, and hear. I have to admit I got a little uneasy, smiling to myself while I silently told the Lord I was sorry for being concerned about what others might be thinking in that moment. As I’m confessing, they’re interceding.
While the husband was praying he suddenly stopped and said, “Wait, I see Jesus in a boat with His disciples, telling you to come to the other side.” My spirit leapt within me when I heard the voice of my Shepherd through His servant, His BOLD servant. For years the Lord has been explaining this man’s vision. I now understand what time it is… it’s time to “come to the other side!” But first, some preparatory events must occur.”
(Taken from chapter 51, Come To The Other Side, in my book The Resurrected Bride, p.255-256)
Joshua 3 – “You have not passed this way before.” First, the consecrated priests carrying the ark of the covenant stepped into the waters of the Jordan River. Not a one-man show. They were the “signal” for everyone else to follow. It is the “proper order” of the Lord that we must obey lest someone die in the process (1 Chronicles 13; 1 Chronicles 15:11-15).
2 Samuel 15 – The conspiracy of Absalom to take the throne of his father, David. David “went out,” fleeing with his faithful household. Their crossing over the Kidron brook is a picture of Christ and His faithful follower’s crossing/passing over (see the Bible study Back To Jerusalem).
Spiritual Nurseries
We MUST be ready for the spiritual children that the Lord is about to give birth to. He will entrust His children to those who will nurture and develop them in His ways, His order, and will not use them for their own purposes and glory, thereby selfishly neglecting and abusing them (i.e. discipleship).
When, Where, and How (a VERY simple outline)
Meet in homes weekly, or as desired.
Introduce 1 Corinthians 14 as the goal where all are involved per God's order, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead.
Gather corporately as we decide, and where we decide (once a month, every 6 weeks, etc.).
Leaders meet as necessary to discuss issues as disciples did in the book of Acts.
Comments