The Duty Of A Christian...

[Pearl]

That's awesome Sister! I heard one sorta similar about a troubled youth. He had wandered into the church, sat in the back and started telling God that if He didnt reveal Himself to him that He was going to go...I forget. Committ suicide, do something evil, I forget. And the kid hadnt talked to anybody in the church. The church was just doing what it does, and during the service the pastor said, does anybody need a word? And the kid said to himself under his breath. I do. Banana, if your real...

And he didnt even say this to the pastor or anyone. And the Pastor says, we do have a word for someone but I did not get it. Who has received the word from the Lord about it? (He didnt even know what he was talking about!) And when he said that, a little girl yelled out, I have it! But I dont know what it means...

So the Pastor said, Ok, what is it? And the little girl said, just one word, Banana! And everyone was left dumbfounded by her answer. The service ended and the boy came forward and told the Pastor, Banana is the word he asked God for or else he was going to go suicide (or whatever). And I didnt tell that little girl that I thought Banana! So that was God! God Is Real!! ...And a Christian soul was born again...

I thought that was pretty good.

I had the Lord heal me one time. I had a seizure at the top of a 10' ladder and fell 10 feet to the concrete floor and dislocated my hip. My son helped me home and lacking health insurance at the time, I layed in bed for 7 days with a dislocated hip. I could see the bone sticking out under my skin. It hurt horribly and all I could do was to lie in bed and hobble back and forth to the bathroom. And one night before I went to sleep, I prayed. Lord please heal me. Heal me while I sleep Lord. I dunno why I said that but I did. SO I went to sleep and in the middle of the night sometime, I wake up and feel heat in my hip. A burning sensation. It's getting hotter. Hotter! It got uncomfortably hot in my hip and hurt! And then suddenly all at once the heat went away. I went right back to sleep.

In the morning, I remembered it. I also remembered hearing healing testimonies where people said they felt heat while being healed. So I carefully stood up and dropped my jammies to have a look at my hip. No bone sticking out. It felt better though still sore. But any time a disllocated bone is put back into place, it will be sore, but immediately starte getting better. So 2 more days and I had my confirmation, the soreness went away too.

This is the testimony I praise the Lord a lot for! I was in a lot of pain for a week.

That's a wonderful testimony. God builds us up through the testimonies of brothers and sisters in Christ. Nothing is impossible with God but I do think we tend to limit him. I too have had wonderful healings and praise God for them. And I've heard plenty of wonderful testimonies. And I think it is part of our Christian 'duty' to share these wonderful happenings with as many people as possible and these forums are a great way of doing that.

 

[Davy]

I have a great idea, let's take a look at what Jesus told them to do when He sent out His 12 disciples, and then the 70 (which were not disciples!).

Matthew 10:7-8
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.../KJV

Luke 10:1, 17-20
1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come...

17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.../KJV

Mark 16:15-18
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.../KJV

Thats a fair account from 3 of the gospel books. Notice any similarities between them?

Every time as Jesus was sending them out He comissioned them what to do. (which was exactly what Jesus Himself had been doing!) He never sent them out without telling them to cast out devils I notice. Jesus did a Lot of casting evil spirits out of people! It's probably what He did the most!

Are you catching on yet? There seems to be a lot more people who are either possessed by evil spirits or at least are demoinized (Harrassed by evil spirits, enticed), so why do so few people cast out spirits nowadays? Or even talk about it?

Jesus taught them how to handle evil spirits. He gave us the authority over them in His name. He told us to do it. It wasnt just the Apostles, it was the 70 also which were normal people, Followers/Believers like you and I so we cant say it is not the duty of a Christian to do what the Lord said to do.

He made them learn about evil spirits before He sent them out to Evangelize.

What do you think? Is it our duty as good Christian Brothers & Sisters to cast out evil spirits? I believe it clearly is...

It will be difficult to comply with many of those above things unless one first does the following according to Apostle Paul...

2 Tim 2:15
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
KJV


Rom 10:14-17
14 How then shall they call on Him in Whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, "Lord, who hath believed our report?"

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
KJV

That last verse 17 is key. Just what is it that many are 'hearing' in a lot of today's Churches? Are they hearing The Word of God, or doctrines devised by men?

God showed in Amos 8 about a problem in the 'last days', that of His sending a famine, not a famine for bread or water, but a famine for 'hearing' the Word of The LORD, running to and fro looking for it, but not finding it...

Amos 8:11-13
11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:

12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

13 In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.
KJV

And what does one think the preachers are fulfilling which quote one verse out of The Bible, and then go on a one hour rant that most often goes outside the context of that single verse?

With those, which is most Churches today, you don't get a book by book, chapter by chapter, line upon line understanding in The Word of God. Most of those preacher types are what Jesus called the "hireling" of John 10; they preach as a business for money. So they don't really know all their Bible, but just about The Gospel and then default to what their seminary says about the rest of The Bible and endtime prophecy.

 

[MA2444]

I sort of think that if God wants us to do something he will equip us. Some people are fully equipped at all times; these are the ones who are called to be healers or called to be preachers or evangelists but not all of us have the same front of house type 'ministry'. It would be quite easy to overlook or miss what God wants for us simply by setting our hearts and minds on what we want to do. Mostly those desires are from our egos not the Spirit. I used to hope for a 'ministry'.

I agree that not all will do all. Some will have a ministry of casting out evil spirits, others will have a healing ministry, and so forth and so on.

But doesnt scripture say that the Lord put the desires of our heart into us? I think it does. All that means is someone will be dreaming about a healing ministry but not something else. Others will have been given that desire.

And if God puts certain desires within your heart then He will also equip you for walking out the same.

I used to pray for a ministry. And I couldn't understand why I was still wasn't given a 'ministry'. Then one day I realised that if God wasn't giving me anything different then I was to be the best I could be in the place he had put me. In the background. Serving in the capacity of wife and mother. Serving the church fellowship by making the tea washing curtains. And then I got my PC and dedicated it to God's work and then I got to publish the church newsletter, connecting members by the sharing of their testimonies, insights, poems and news. I never needed a lesson even though I had never before sat in front of a monitor. It all just came. And I learned such a lot and God gave me even more in the form of dreams or lessons from nature. God is good and he has been good to me for many years.

Sounds like a pretty good sized ministry to me, lol! And you sound like you are thoroughly enjoying it! You sound busy, and they did need curtains! Sounds like a rich ministry to me. I have a ministry of one.

 

[MA2444]

God showed in Amos 8 about a problem in the 'last days', that of His sending a famine, not a famine for bread or water, but a famine for 'hearing' the Word of The LORD, running to and fro looking for it, but not finding it...

They will outlaw Bibles. After the grid goes down, the internet goes down too. It may be two months, it may be a year before power and internet is restored. Internet will have some changes...No forums, No Gospel messages, No teaching. No forums!

I bought a 2 TB flash drive and have been putting teaching videos onto it. It was only $20 and I already have maybe 500 (?) videos on it and I still have 1.9 TB free space. Somebody wont even have to have internet to watch these, only a computer or laptop that works. Just plug it in and watch. It's small and discrete and powerful and valuable in the future! I also bought a case of Bibles.

 

[MA2444]

It will be difficult to comply with many of those above things unless one first does the following according to Apostle Paul...

I agree. But that's what I was saying. It's God's power, but we have to walk it out. We are the boots on the ground here. And they only way it is safe to do some of these things is by a higher anoitning than entry level christians. The Lord needs spiritual soldiers not babes in Christ. So we have to grow in Christ, so we dont get beat up by a strong spirit like the guy in Acts. That part of the further anointing we do not receive with the indwelling Holy Spirit when we are born again. (The Disciples had to wait until Pentecost!). So being born again with the Holy Spirit isnt all of the Holy Spirit. Pretty sure I'm talking about the Baptism of the Spirit.

Then one is not a babe in Christ anymore, but something...more.
More anointing, not our power! It's the walk, the relationship. The more you hang out with the Lord, the more He lets you do and see.

And you went and posted all the right scriptures about how to do it! Thanks Brother!

 

[MA2444]

Ecclesiastes 12:13

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man

Yep. Bullseye! By keeping His commandments He knows that we love Him. And I tell you, those verses I posted in the OP sure sound like commandments to me. Jesus doesnt make reccomendations, He gives orders!

It isnt just about the 10 commandments. Everything Jesus said was a commandment!

And He said, go heal the sick, cast out spirits and raise the dead...

How would we know if our calling is of those specific activities? I think all we have to do is turn inward and see what our heart says about it. Do you want to help people get healed? Can you see yourself doing that? If you can then go find soeone to lay hands on!

 

[Davy]

They will outlaw Bibles. After the grid goes down, the internet goes down too. It may be two months, it may be a year before power and internet is restored. Internet will have some changes...No forums, No Gospel messages, No teaching. No forums!

I bought a 2 TB flash drive and have been putting teaching videos onto it. It was only $20 and I already have maybe 500 (?) videos on it and I still have 1.9 TB free space. Somebody wont even have to have internet to watch these, only a computer or laptop that works. Just plug it in and watch. It's small and discrete and powerful and valuable in the future! I also bought a case of Bibles.

That's not what the Amos 8 Scripture is about. The 'famine' is already here today, been here for quite a while. It is the matter that most Churches are not... giving their congregations a chapter by chapter, line upon line teaching which God requires per Isaiah 28, and which is what Apostle Paul was relaying to Timothy about Bible study.

I cannot find in my area in the U.S. not even one single Church that covers all of God's Word chapter by chapter and line upon line. A brother asked me what I meant, and I recommended that he ask his Sunday School teacher when he was going to start covering The Bible from Genesis all the way through, and see what kind of reaction he gets. So he did ask, and he said the teacher even laughed and said something like, "You must think we have the time in the world!" I doubt that teacher even understood or had read all of His Bible, much less be able to teach all of it. This is the problem, not things like the Internet going down. I mean, what did Churches do prior... to the Internet?

 

[Davy]

I agree. But that's what I was saying. It's God's power, but we have to walk it out. We are the boots on the ground here. And they only way it is safe to do some of these things is by a higher anoitning than entry level christians. The Lord needs spiritual soldiers not babes in Christ. So we have to grow in Christ, so we dont get beat up by a strong spirit like the guy in Acts. That part of the further anointing we do not receive with the indwelling Holy Spirit when we are born again. (The Disciples had to wait until Pentecost!). So being born again with the Holy Spirit isnt all of the Holy Spirit. Pretty sure I'm talking about the Baptism of the Spirit.

Then one is not a babe in Christ anymore, but something...more.
More anointing, not our power! It's the walk, the relationship. The more you hang out with the Lord, the more He lets you do and see.

And you went and posted all the right scriptures about how to do it! Thanks Brother!

Still, I am going to caution brethren about putting too much emphasis on 'spiritual gifts', because that is something different than a proper understanding in all of God's written Word. Many today who show spiritual manifestations and claim they are of The Holy Spirit are being deceived by 'another spirit', and we were specifically warned about that by Christ's Apostle's for the last days...

 

[MA2444]

That's not what the Amos 8 Scripture is about. The 'famine' is already here today, been here for quite a while. It is the matter that most Churches are not... giving their congregations a chapter by chapter, line upon line teaching which God requires per Isaiah 28, and which is what Apostle Paul was relaying to Timothy about Bible study.

I cannot find in my area in the U.S. not even one single Church that covers all of God's Word chapter by chapter and line upon line. A brother asked me what I meant, and I recommended that he ask his Sunday School teacher when he was going to start covering The Bible from Genesis all the way through, and see what kind of reaction he gets. So he did ask, and he said the teacher even laughed and said something like, "You must think we have the time in the world!" I doubt that teacher even understood or had read all of His Bible, much less be able to teach all of it. This is the problem, not things like the Internet going down. I mean, what did Churches do prior... to the Internet?

Maybe we are in a famine and I just didnt realize it? But the church age is almost over so I understand why churches do not teach as they should. Oh I love line by line verse by verse readings and studies! There are several churches that do teach this way at times, but I have only found them online in teaching videos.

The Lord is all over youtube and teaching is like a tsunami right now. One of my favorites is Cornerstone Fellowship with Pastor Allen Nolan. He's on youtube and has a several line by line teachings of different books of the Bible and stuff. You should check them out on youtube.

Once the rapture happens, the church is gone. Corporate church is no more. We are the church now. Know we not that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?

Has anyone began an in-house bible study outside of corporate churches? Underground churches. Be ready for it. Let our loved ones who are left behind in the rapture have a Bible and related materials to help them after we are gone.

I have a rapture box going. Old My Daily Bread booklets that I used up, a concordance. How many people will be showing up? They need to eat too. Keep that in mind when your prepping your pantry.

 

[Davy]

Maybe we are in a famine and I just didnt realize it? But the church age is almost over so I understand why churches do not teach as they should. Oh I love line by line verse by verse readings and studies! There are several churches that do teach this way at times, but I have only found them online in teaching videos.

There is an example of what I'm talking about brother. Your mention of that idea of a "church age" is not Biblical, but is actually from men's Dispensationalist theories. The replacement of men's doctrines with the simplicity that is God's Word is one of the main things which the Amos 8 famine is about. Did you not watch that 'Kundalini Warning' video of manifestations by 'another spirit' in those churches? Brethren aren't going to those churches to get understanding in God's Word, they are going to see and participate in spirit manifestations, which the type per that video represent chaos, and we know what Apostle Paul said about how God's Church is to be conducted.

The Lord is all over youtube and teaching is like a tsunami right now. One of my favorites is Cornerstone Fellowship with Pastor Allen Nolan. He's on youtube and has a several line by line teachings of different books of the Bible and stuff. You should check them out on youtube.

Once the rapture happens, the church is gone. Corporate church is no more. We are the church now. Know we not that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?

Has anyone began an in-house bible study outside of corporate churches? Underground churches. Be ready for it. Let our loved ones who are left behind in the rapture have a Bible and related materials to help them after we are gone.

I have a rapture box going. Old My Daily Bread booklets that I used up, a concordance. How many people will be showing up? They need to eat too. Keep that in mind when your prepping your pantry.

Looks like per the above, that you have succumbed to the false 1830's Pre-trib Rapture theory which was first taught in Great Britain by John Nelson Darby. A rapture prior to the "great tribulation" is NOT... what Lord Jesus taught. Jesus taught that His coming is AFTER... the tribulation to gather His Church (Matthew 24:29-31 and Mark 13:24-27).

Even the 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 Scripture by Apostle Paul, that event of Christ's coming to gather His Church is timed with the future resurrection...

1 Thess 4:13-16
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
KJV

Paul was teaching the same thing that Lord Jesus was teaching about His coming after the tribulation and gathering His saints. Matthew 24:31 is about the 'asleep' saints being gathered from heaven after they rise first, and Mark 13:27 is about those of us still alive on earth being raptured to Jesus and the resurrected saints He brings with Him at that same moment.

You can find more churches that wrongly preach that Pre-trib Rapture theory from men than the actual Bible Scripture as written. And that's what I'm talking about with the "famine" of Amos 8:11-13.

 

[Davy]

Maybe we are in a famine and I just didnt realize it?

I'll give you another example of the 'famine' today...

In 1 Thessalonians 5:1, Apostle Paul is commending brethren there, because he said he had no need to write to them about "the times and the seasons". How many of my Christian brethren know what "the times and the seasons" are that Paul was talking about?

In 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3, Paul then mentions 'how' they knew those "times and the seasons", when he said that they knew 'perfectly' that "the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." Then Paul gives them an example of that day coming, for when the wicked begin to say, "Peace and safety", then "sudden destruction" shall come upon them. But for the believer in Christ, that is not in darkness (deceived), that day is NOT to take us "as a thief".

Then Paul admonishes us to remain spiritually sober and awake, which means what? How do we remain spiritually sober and awake? His meaning is for us, Christ's Church, to NOT be deceived like the majority of the world will be for the end just prior to Christ's return. Don't allow any man to deceive you was actually Lord Jesus' 1st warning for us in His Olivet discourse.

Guess where Apostle Paul was pulling from about that "day of the Lord" coming "as a thief in the night", and the wicked and deceived saying instead, "Peace and safety" just prior to that "sudden destruction" coming upon them? Where did Paul get those ideas from?

Apostle Paul was teaching from the Old Testament prophets about that 'day', and the false Peace and safety, and the sudden destruction. God gave it in strong metaphor, especially in the Book of Isaiah. And the TIME when that "sudden destruction", even described by God using adverbs like "at an instant, suddenly", is about the LAST DAY of this present world when Jesus returns to gather His Church.

So there ain't 2 more comings by Lord Jesus like the false Pre-trib Rapture theory wrongly teaches. There is only 1 more coming by Lord Jesus in our near future, and it will be on the final day of this world when the resurrection happens.

But how do the Pre-trib Rapture churches handle what Paul was teaching there in 1 Thess.5? They love to twist that idea about the "day of the Lord" coming "as a thief in the night", and... that idea in verse 9 that we are not appointed to "wrath", wrongly trying to claim that is Satan's wrath during the tribulation, when it is not, but instead is GOD's cup of wrath upon the wicked that Paul was pointing to at 1 Thess.5:3 and the time of their "sudden destruction".

But maybe you don't want your spiritual eyes and ears opened to the errors of the Pre-trib Rapture school, and how they get away from the simplicity of Bible Scripture. Remaining on men's doctrine instead only proves God has done today what He said with sending a famine for hearing His Word.

 

[Bob Estey]

Tada, you have been born again and had an intimate encounter with the Holy Spirit and the Lord God has come alive for you now. Now what?

Well you start seeking God through His word and also talking to the Lord. Ok that's good. But what else? What is the duties of a Christian? I can think of a few off the top of my head. Spread the message of the gospel! To Believe in Him and trust Him. To help the poor, the widows.

What other duties are christian soldiers supposed to do?

The two great commandments: Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul, and love our neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:34-40). The Ten Commandments help define the two great commandments.

I have found one verse (1 Thessalonians 5:17) particularly helpful: Pray constantly.