The Church Has A God Given Mandate

Praise the Lord!!  The Lord is good and His mercy endureth for ever.

Just came back from fellowship with the Saints of God in Memphis, Tn.  The meeting was a time of refreshing and renewal.  It was time spent learning and examining oneself.  One thing that the meeting did for me is let it be know of a surety that the purpose of the Church is to do things God has said in his word.  It is not the responsibility of the Church to try and keep up with the world or to make the world feel comfortable in sin.  The church has a mandate from God to 'go ye therefore and teach all nations.....'

Too many things are being allowed in and around the Church that is hindering the move of God.  Oh, there may be shouting and singing, but no move of the Holy Ghost.  Singing and shouting does not automatically mean the Holy Ghost is present.  What about the word?  What about sanctification?  What about reverencing the Lord in His presence?  What about the altar?  What about using the altar?  What about repentance?  What about reconciliation?  What about getting clean from the inside out?

The Lord made a statement in John 15: 5 that says, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

A branch can not function on its own.  It will wither up and die.  Jesus said to the disciples that they are the branch.  For them to be fruitful, they must abide in the vine.  The Saint today is the branch.  The Saint today can not be fruitful abiding aside from the vine (Jesus Christ).  Too many branches 'switching' around.

The branch must stay connected to the vine and go where the vine takes them.   The vine, Jesus Christ, is the savior of the world.  The world needs this vine.  The world is dying.  The world comes against the vine.  The world is trying to kill the vine out.  The vine, however will never die.  The branches will if he or she disconnects from the Lord.  But the vine will never die.

This world is fading.  The branches have to guard themselves and make sure the world does not come in.

I heard someone say that you can not rebuke this generation like the Church use to???  I heard it said that this generation is 'different'.????

The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever more.  The Bible says Jesus is the Lord and he changes not.  The Bible says heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away (Mt. 24:35, Luke 21:33 and Mark 13:31).  Therefore, if the Bible says open rebuke is better than secret love (Proverb 27:5),  II Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine, then rebuke applies to every generation.

The Bible also says God's people will be hated for His name sake (Mark 13:13).  Then the Lord went on to say, "but he that shall endure until the end, the same shall be saved."

The Church has a mandate from God to keep the Church going, the way He set it up in the beginning until He comes back for it.  There is so much more that could be said, but I will stop with this.

Branches, stay connected to the vine.  Continue in the things you have been taught.  Endure the hardship being holy brings as a good soldier.  Be in the world but not of the world.  For remember, the word of God says, "follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord."

Pastor Webb