Books
New Release! Soaring Servants: Women in God's Service by Linda Sedrick Pearson is now available at PS Publishing.
Church is NOT a Building
“Upon this rock I will build my church,” (Matthew 16:18) “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
The rock is the foundation plan to life. It is the salvation plan of God for all mankind. Salvation never wavers. It is people who waver, not God’s plan of salvation.
Salvation is the rock upon which all faith, hope, spiritual gifts, and all else from God is built upon. And salvation is “Christ, the Son of the living God,” (Matthew 16:16)
All those who will be saved are saved throguh believing and accepting and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That is the foundation of our faith. That is the rock Jesus was telling Peter about in Matthew 16:18. When saved (when you receive the free gift of payment for your sins) Jesus Christ, the Rock of your salvation, protects you. The gates of hell, which is all evil and wickedness, will not win because it is all battling against that Rock – Jesus Christ.
So, now that we have established what the rock mentioned in Matthew 16:18 actually is, let’s look at what the church is NOT. First, it is NOT a building made with hands, although we use the word “church” to refer to a meeting place where a local body of Christians gather for Bible study, prayer, praise, teaching, and preaching.
Matthew 18:17 is talking about how the people (“the church”) should handle a situation if there is a sin against one Christian by another Christian. First back up to verse 15 in Matthew chapter 18. The Christian that was sinned against is to go alone to the Christian that harmed him or her and try to work out their problem in a Christian manner (verse 15). If the Christian that committed the sin does not correct the offensive behavior, then the one that is sinned against should go back to him or her and this time take one or two other Christians with her as witnesses to confront the offending Christian (verse 16). If the offender still does not listen, then Matthew 18:17 says to “tell it to the church.”
Now, this is one verse that shows us that the “church” referred to is NOT a building. Common sense tells us that we would not stand in front of a building and speak to it about someone offending us or about troubles we are having between one another. Or suppose you do believe that one speaks to a building. That is possible. Any of us could stand in front of, or inside of, a building and speak to it.
Let’s look at verse 17 again in Matthew chapter 18. It continues on to say “…but if he neglect to hear the church…” In order to “hear the church,” the church must be speaking. Right? Does a building speak? NO! So how can a person “hear the church?” It means that the people are “the church” and they are speaking about this matter and how to deal with it.
Next, let’s take a look at Acts 20:28. “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” We need to break this down and take a look at the different phrases given here that helps us understand that the church is a group of people and not a building.
Let’s look at the phrase “feed the church of God.” This means that the people are to be fed both spiritually (always) and physically (as needed). Does a building hear teaching and preaching (spiritual feeding)? NO! Does a building eat food (physical feeding)? NO!
Moving on, the next phrase to look at is, “which he hath purchased with his own blood.” In this verse the word he is talking about Jesus. Jesus purchased the church of God with Jesus’ own blood. Did Jesus come to die on the cross and shed his blood for a building? Absolutely NOT! He came to shed his blood and die for people, for us. So we are to “feed the church of God” or in other words, “feed the Christian people.”
One more verse, in case you are still not convinced that the church is NOT a building (even though we call some buildings churches). Colossians 1:18 reads, “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.” Jesus Christ is the “head of the body.” He is the head, we as Christians are the body. We, the people, are who God uses as His tongue, mouth, hands, feet, eyes, ears, heart, and all other parts of the body as God has need to use. We are “the body” mentioned in this verse. It is NOT a building made with hands, but instead is a group of saved people. These people are saved by the Lord Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. When you accept the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, you receive eternal life and become a child of God. You also become one in that body – groups of Christian people joined together by one Head – Jesus Christ! This is done so that Jesus “might have the pre-eminence.” Pre-eminence means first place. Jesus Christ is to have first place in all things.
(Written by Linda Sedrick Pearson.)
Envy and Strife or Good Will Preaching
Philippians 1:15-16 “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will.” (KJV)
Some preach Christ with envy and strife. Some preach with good will.
One preaches Christ with selfish ambition, not sincerely, expecting to add to my chains (or troubles and trials). Philippians 1:17 “But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.”
The other preaches with love, knowing that I am appointed to defend the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:18-19 “What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”
Either way, whether preached by a pretender or by one true preacher of Christ, Christ is preached. Rejoice because Christ is preached. Because these will all cause salvation through prayer and supply the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
(By Linda Sedrick Pearson)
What Kind of Disciple Are You?
Take a look inside yourself for a minute. What kind of disciple are you? Are you one like Peter, James, and John, who could not stay awake for one hour to pray for Jesus (Matthew 26:40; Mark 14:37)? Are you like Peter, who during the Lord’s greatest time of need ran away (Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72)? What about Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus with a kiss on the cheek (Luke 22:47)? Are you like that – a betrayer of the Lord?
As we get ready to come into the time when Jesus was crucified, stop and take a good hard look at yourself. It is not my job to judge you. It is your job to search yourself and to see if there is anything standing between you and God.
What kind of disciple are you? Do you study your Bible daily, spend some quiet time with God daily, pray daily? Do you witness to all who God has prepared and put in your path? We are not meant to witness to everyone. We are meant to witness to those who the Holy Spirit has prepared the heart and mind to receive our witness. Then, God causes them to cross our path and we are to be ready and aware to witness to them.
If you are not doing the basics of a disciplined life, start now. It is not too late. God expects – NO, HE REQUIRES – us to do these things. What things? Daily Bible study, prayer, quiet time, and witnessing to others.
Jesus is asking you, “What, could you not stay awake for just one hour for My sake?”
Resurrection Message
Did you know women were the first to speak the resurrection message? Read Luke 24:1-12. They ran to tell the apostles that Jesus is risen! Peter and some of the others did not believe them, but this was a true message. Peter and the others ran to the empty to see for themselves. Were they wrong not to believe the message the women delivered? No. We should always search things out for ourselves to know what is truth.
How wonderful it must have been for Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary (mother of Jesus) to be the first to proclaim, “He is risen!” (Matthew 28:1-8). They had no better message to deliver.
We also have no better message to deliver than the resurrection message! How wonderful to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ, including the resurrection message to the whole world. Remember Him always. Christians, stand up and shout from your rooftops, “HE IS RISEN!”
Easter is not about bunnies, eggs, and baskets. It is about a risen Savior – Jesus Christ! Remind all of this message and never stop proclaiming that we do serve the one and only risen Savior!
Witnessing
by Linda Sedrick Pearson
A witness is someone who testifies of things he knows because the witness has personally seen, heard, and experienced what he testifies about. He does not tell of things he does not personally know about. It has to be things he has personally experienced through his own eyes and ears.
If you have been struggling with how to witness to others, just tell what you know about God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Read 1 John 1:1-4 and those verses, written by the apostle John, tell you how they witnessed. They witnessed about things they knew, heard, and saw. Continue reading
What is Your Prison?
Prisons come in many shapes and forms. Financial debt can be a prison. So can alcoholism, drug abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, homosexuality, pornography, shopping, and ______________________ (fill in the blanks with your own prison).
When we are in prison, we must follow the rules of that prison. These are the laws that hold us prisoner.
Jesus came to set the captives free. We can be free from our prisons by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.
Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Do you want to be free today?
Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior.
He can set open that prison and break you loose from it.
How Important is Discipleship?
Did you know that there are 257 verses and 274 times within those verses that the word disciple or disciples appears? This means that disciples and discipleship training must be a very important aspect of the Christian life. Or at least God must think so. Why else would He have mentioned about disciples so many times in His word – the Bible.
The first mention of disciples is in the Old Testament, Isaiah 8:16. Although God was talking to Isaiah and the houses of Israel and Judah, He was also talking to us and commanding us to teach the ways of God to others.
“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples” (King James Version). Continue reading
Elijah and the Widow
Read 1 Kings 17:8-16
The word of the LORD came to Elijah. There were three things that God told Elijah to do:
* Arise – he had to get up. He could not keep sitting and accomplish anything.
* Get thee to Zarephath – he had to go somewhere. He had to go where God wanted him to go (to Zarephath). The word Zarephath means refinement. God was going to do some fine tuning on Elijah and the widow. He was going to refine (free from impurities) both of them. Zarephath was in Zidon. Zidon means catching fish. Elijah was going to do some fishing there (spiritual fishing). Through Elijah, God was bringing the widow to know Him.
* Dwell there – Elijah was to live where God sent him.
Before Elijah arrived, God had provided for his needs. He told Elijah that he had commanded the widow to feed him. God never sends us anywhere that He hasn’t already provided for us.
God had commanded the widow woman, who was a Gentile, to sustain Elijah. She was to feed, receive, and make provision for him. God had already told her to do this. He commanded her to do it. This was a Gentile woman. This was someone who did not know God, yet He commanded her to supply the needs of Elijah (a man of God). Continue reading
Face Your Fears
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Fear is a weapon that Satan uses against us to keep us down. If he can convince us that there is something to be afraid of, then the devil wins. This is the enemy’s main tactic against us as Christians. Fear has no power unless we give in to it.
We can win the battle and defeat the devil by facing our fears. Stand up to any fear that is coming against you. No matter how hard it is, stand up and face it. You will find that, in most cases, facing whatever it is you are afraid of has no power when you stand up against it.
Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Believe in God, he is your helper. As long as God is on your side, you do not have to be afraid of anything that man will do to you. Stand strong. Raise the standard of God as your battle flag and face your fears. You will be the victor!
