Church of the Latter Rain Blog

Faithful in Giving

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 22:24:00 GMT

There’s a saying that you’re suppose to give 10 percent in your offering. That’s not in the New Testament. The Bible tells us to give as the Lord has prospered you. There are some people who can afford to give more, and that’s what He means by, “he that had gathered much had nothing over and he that had gathered little had no lack,” that there may be equality.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 tells us, God loveth a cheerful giver. If you give sparingly, expect little in return. What do you mean by sparingly? He means if you have it to give. Remember when Jesus was standing at the temple watching the Pharisees, the Sadducees put all kinds of money in. Then a little widow came up and put in a mite. Jesus stopped her and said; This widow has given more than them all because she gave everything she had. They gave out of their abundance.

After you begin to do these things – the Seven Essentials – God is going to begin to open your eyes more because you’re faithful. The Bible tells us without a vision the people perish. When you do these things, you obligate God to work for you and open up your understanding. You obligate him when it comes to a revelation of the Body of Christ.

Read 2 Corinthians 8:2-7

Faithful in Working in the Church

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 22:13:00 GMT

When I was a young man in the church, I loved serving on the various team, like the Clean Up Team. I enjoyed being on the dishwashing team every Sunday to serve the 200 or 300 people who ate dinner. By working on church teams, I was able to get to know my brothers and sisters in the Lord better by continually fellowshipping with them.

There’s something about working in the church that helps you grow, and have responsibility. I couldn’t imagine anyone going to church and not being on a team. Working around the church is one of the things that make you a part of the church. It takes many people to volunteer to help maintain our churches and I thank them for their labor and diligence. Be faithful in working in the church.

2 Thessalonians 3:10-11 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busy bodies.

Faithful in Prayer

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 22:00:00 GMT

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, it says, Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. He means don’t stop praying. We should always pray like David did when Bathsheba delivered a sick child who was close to death. David prayed and prayed in the house of God, and he mourned. Finally the child died and David got up, washed his face, changed his clothes, and went into the house of God to worship. He prayed right up to the point his child had died.

In Luke 18:1: And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. That means praying without giving up. With thousands of people in our churches, someone is always sick or may have a disease like cancer. We should always pray because we don’t know what the Lord may decide to do if we continue to ask Him.

James 5:16 says, The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much. We have to always pray. We pray at the beginning of our service; when we are building a church building, and at meetings we always pray for the Lord to help us make the right decisions and guide us in building.

Faithful in Testifying

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 21:40:00 GMT

Anyone who has been converted and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues has a testimony of how God saved and dealt with them.

When you testify you’re growing and developing in the Lord. All of us have a testimony of Jesus and what he has done for us. Every so often we all should give our full testimony – tell about the goodness of God and what He has done in our lives. Being thankful unto the Lord and testifying is important because when we testify, we edify one another.

There are people that have been in our church for 30 years, and I’ve heard them testify many times. Just about every time they testify I learn something new about their testimony. I need your testimony. Your testimony encourages me in whatever I go through. All of us are going to go through trials, which is why we need to assemble ourselves together.

1 Corinthians 14:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:20 and Revelations 12:11 and 19:10

Faithful in Worship

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 21:37:00 GMT

When we come to church, we must participate in the service by singing and praising the Lord. Ephesians 5:19-20 says, Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3:16 says, Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. That has to do with us worshipping when we come together.

Faithful in Attendance

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 21:19:00 GMT

Attending church regularly is vital to our salvation. As James 2:20 says, faith without works is dead. Being faithful in attendance is not only to support the church, but it is also for your soul. Most people eat at least two times a day and snack in between. Your soul needs to be fed too. The more faithful you are in attending church and receiving the Word of God, the stronger you become.

The scriptures tell us to assemble together. It tells us we cannot be spiritual by staying home. Hebrews 10:25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” That shows us the Lord intends for us to assemble together. It’s a spiritual operation when we come together in unity and worshipping the Lord. To get close to God, you get close to his people, and you get close to his people by assembling with them.

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Faithful in Reading

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 21:07:00 GMT

There are seven essential elements in the Bible that are foundational to our salvation. My next several posts will focus on these seven elements, which I refer to as the 7 Essentials of Faithfulness®. The first of which is faithful in reading the Word of God. If you don’t read the Bible you will not understand the scriptures. Think of the Bible as food for your soul and if you don’t eat it you’ll eventually become weak and die. The Word of God can provide you the nutrients (knowledge and wisdom) to maintain your faith in the Lord.

Have you ever heard someone make a so-called statement from the Bible, and then you go search for it and can’t find it? Most likely it’s their opinion. You have to base your faith on the word of God. The Word of God can sustain you. When you read the Bible the Lord is talking to you. If you haven’t read your Bible, you can start today. Try reading the New Testament several times before you go to the Old Testament. All the mysteries are hid in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament. All the prophecies are hid in the Old Testament concerning Jesus. When you read about the tabernacle in the wilderness, the brazen altar, the holy of holies, the laver, the seven-fold candlesticks, the shewbread, and the golden altar – those are symbols that are brought out in the New Testament.

Set aside time to read the Bible. A lot of people waste hours and hours in front of television. You may say, “It’s hard for me to read.” But when you start reading, you create an appetite. Don’t try to interpret it, just read it, and get acquainted with the scriptures. It’s the minister’s responsibility to give you the interpretation. In Ephesians 4, it says, The Lord ascended on high, and gave gifts unto men. Some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the Body of Christ. That you henceforth be no more children.” In other words, you have to grow in this. You come in as a babe. Paul said, “I fed you with milk and not with meat.” (1 Corinthians 3:2) In others words, you were on the weaker things of God. You’ll learn about the baptisms, why you received the Holy Ghost, what is His purpose in my life. You’ll learn about order, where you’re supposed to go to church – these are the essentials, the fundamental things you are supposed to learn. In Nehemiah 8:8, the minister read it to them and gave them the understanding of it.

1 Timothy 4:13 - Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine

We Believe in the Bible

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 20:55:00 GMT

We believe in the bible (King James translation) as the authenticated Word of God.

It is essential to become familiar with the Word of God through reading the Bible to obtain a revelation of the truth, which is given by God. These revelations are necessary ingredients for spiritual growth and maturity, “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine,” 1 Timothy 5:13.
A God-called Ministry preaching and teaching the Bible or the inspired word of God, together with personal reading can reveal the mysteries, provide spiritual keys for understanding and practical instructions for dealing with all facets of every-day life. Consider these scriptures:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Revelation 22:18-19 – For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

The bible is complete and nothing should be added or taken away.

Deuteronomy 4:1-8 – God gave Israel statues judgments that were not to be added or diminished from; the same is with the Word of God.

The Lord has never had to revise or amend his word. As he is, so is his word, it’s the same yesterday, today and forever. We can put our confidence in the Bible as the instruction manual for Christian life.

Evolution vs. Biblical Creation

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 07:24:00 GMT

The introduction to Genesis ascribes everything to the living God, creating, making, acting, moving and speaking. Learn the truth about how man was created.

Evolution A theory explaining the appearance of life on earth and the process by which living things have acquired their present form. In the Mid-19th Century the British naturalist Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution which has formed much of the basis of modern biology. From the point of view of biologist, the problem of evolutionary origin of man is only one of many problems, of mammalian evolution, for, in his physical structure and physiological functions, man falls within the biologist’s definition of mammal and may be presumed to be the product of an evolutionary process believed to have occurred with other groups of mammals. Opposition to the concept of evolution as a whole was due to the influence of the Biblical story of creation. But opposition also arose because of the scientific evidence adduced by taxonomists (the science of classification) the species are clear-cut and sharply defined and usually do not interbreed with other species. Darwin’s hypothesis of organic evolution involved consideration of man’s relationship to the lower animals; and the implied conclusion that if man is the product of an evolutionary process then he is not a unique and special creation. Taxonomic classification includes man as a member of the Order Primates (any member of the most highly developed order of animals, composed of man, the apes, monkey, etc.) Geology and astronomy indicates that during the early history of the earth, high temperature and other factors precluded the existence of any form of life and that of living organisms, therefore, must have first appeared at some definite epoch (an arbitrary date, era, age), within the past 3 billion years. However, the theory of evolution is concerned solely with the development of higher forms of life from the first organism, and makes no attempt to explain the origin of life. Mechanism of evolution: If it is true that all life evolved from a simple form, and that every cell comes from pre-existing cell, the necessity for a mechanism of inheritance is oblivious. Evolutionary scientific giants such as: Darwin, Wallace, and Lamark, their study and research of the evolution of man are at best a theory and worse, speculation. Their research documents are sprinkled with such statements as “Darwin’s theory” or “Wallace’s theory”, “It is presumed”, “It is reasonable”, “It is implied”, “If it is true that”, etc. A theory is nothing more than a systematic statement of principles, a mere conjecture, or guess. Creation God’s Creating of the World, something Original or the origin of all (life) things. Genesis is the foundation on which Divine Revelation rests and on which it is built up. It is not only the foundation of all truth, but it enters into, and forms part of all subsequent inspiration. The Book of Genesis is quoted or, referred to many times in the New Testament: Matt: 19 4-6; Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 11:51; Luke 17:26, 29, 32; John 8:39; Acts 7:1-18. The introduction to Genesis ascribes everything to the living God, creating, making, acting, moving, and speaking. There is no room from evolution without a flat denial of God’s Word. One must be true, the other false. All God’s works were pronounced “good” seven times (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). Man starts from nothing, therefore, all his works proceed on the principle of evolution. The principle is seen only by humans as “from the tree (apes) to the cave (cavemen); from the hut to the palace; from the canoe to the oceanliner, etc.” The birds build their nests today as at the beginning. The moment we pass the boundary line, and enter the Divine sphere, no trace or vestige of evolution is seen. There is growth and development within, but no passing change, or evolution out from one into another. In the introduction to Genesis, forty-six times everything is ascribed to direct acts on the part of God as the Creator.

God Created- 6 times (Gen. 1:1, 21, 27; Gen. 2:3)
God Moved- 1 time (Gen. 1:2)
God Said- 10 times (Gen.1:3, 6 ,9 ,11 ,14, 20, 24, 26, 28, 29)
God Saw- 7 times (Gen. 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31)
God Divided- 2 times (Gen. 1:4, 7)
God Called- 5 times (Gen. 1:5, 8, 10)
God Made- 7 times (Gen. 1:7, 16, 25, 31; Gen.2:2, 3)
God Set- 1 time (Gen. 1:17)
God Blessed- 3 times (Gen. 1:22, 28; Gen.2:3)
God Ended- 1 time (Gen. 2:2)
He Rested- 2 times (Gen. 2:2,3)
He Sanctified- 1 time (Gen. 2:3)

For one to believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ and that he is the Son of God, one would have to accept the authenticity of the Book of Genesis. In the Book of Matthew (Matt. 19:4-5), Jesus said that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female (not cells or apes), for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. Evolution is only one of several theories invented to explain the phenomena of created things. It is admitted by all scientists that no one of these theories covers all the ground, and the greatest claim made for evolution, or Darwinism is that it covers more ground than any of the others. The Word of God covers all the ground, and to deny this statement is a denial of the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures (II Timothy 3:16-17) in order to weaken it. The theory of evolution bases its conclusions on human assumptions and reasoning, instead of on the documentary evidence of the Word of God

Training of New Testament Ministers

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 07:23:00 GMT

According to New Testament scriptures, a minister’s training or apprenticeship is achieved through discipleship. A disciple is a pupil, scholar, and follower of his teacher. This is most profoundly demonstrated by Jesus, as the twelve followed Jesus as his disciples (Matt. 4:18-22; Matt.8:21-23; Matt.9:9).

Many times in our encounters with the legal, financial, and judicial systems, or in other situations, we may be required to present a clear understanding of what our ministerial training is based upon. We must be prepared to give an answer of our qualifications, or more to the point, provide training for our ministry. It has been my experience if you provide a biblical answer it will in most cases satisfy them due to the 1st Amendment of the United States Constitution. Following is a brief outline for the basis of New Testament Trained Ministers: According to New Testament scriptures, a minister’s training or apprenticeship is achieved through discipleship. A disciple is a pupil, scholar, and follower of his teacher. This is most profoundly demonstrated by Jesus, as the twelve followed Jesus as his disciples (Matt. 4:18-22; Matt.8:21-23; Matt.9:9) . In addition, the 12 had disciples, or followers (Acts 6:1-6) . A disciple must eventually be able to implement or master what he has been taught by his instructor (II Tim. 2:1-2; II Tim.3:10-11; Titus 1:9) . Apostle Paul’s training was through discipleship, although it was under the Mosaic Law (Acts 22:3; Phil. 3:5-8) . He also trained ministers through discipleship during his missionary journeys (Acts 14:22-23; Acts 16:1-2; I Tim. 1:1-2; I Cor. 4:16-17; Titus 1:4; I Cor. 11:1) . Discipleship training is more widely recognized in the civil world as on-the-job training, apprenticeship training, or cooperative training. One must first have proven himself a servant prior to his eligibility to the ministry, according to New Testament scriptures. As Jesus was a servant, a minister is also a servant (Matt. 12:18) . However, for any man to qualify as a New Testament minister, he must have first been a servant himself (Matt. 10:24; Matt.20:25-28; Matt. 23:11; John 13:13-16; I Tim. 3:8-10) . New Testament Order does not promote, nor do we believe that formal education, ecclesiastical institutions, or inherited ministries are qualifications. However, we do stress education for the purpose of livelihood (John 7:15; Acts 4:13; I Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:1-7) . Courses of study such as human behavior, sociology, psychology, and other courses of professional training, which do not rely on the New Testament scriptures, but rather rely on studying the conduct or behavior of individuals, does not prepare you to become a New Testament Minister. Such counseling should come from the Holy Scriptures. This is the strength of discipleship training, which relies on the Holy Scriptures (Col. 2:8; I Tim. 6:20-21) . However, we do not object to anyone receiving professional counseling. Although we recognize that it does not rely on the Holy Ghost Scriptures, but is a decision of the individual. In addition to this, seminaries and bible schools offer the opportunity for one to promote himself into the ministry simply because he may have a great degree of natural talents, or may be accomplished scholastically, or simply might just see a vocational interest in the ministry. None of this relies on or is supported by New Testament scriptures (John 10:12; John 15:16; Gal. 1:1) . A servant serves from the desires of his heart and love for the Church. Although a servant may desire to work in the ministry, he also may not, yet his service is still to the Church. If they have never served through a discipleship, they do not qualify as a New Testament minister. When it comes to training ministers as Jesus taught us, we believe we have the best scripturally-trained ministers there are (Luke 22:25-27) .