The King’s Domain

Matthew 6:9 after this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever;

Amen.

In this prayer Jesus taught us to pray, ‘Thy Kingdom Come’.  It is obviously an important part of our Kingdom living.  This prayer gets quoted quite often in many different settings but it does not diminish the importance of what Jesus was teaching.  We are to ask for certain things to take place – ‘Thy Kingdom Come!’

Praying ‘Thy Kingdom Come,’ may sound strange to the fact as we said before that ‘the Kingdom of God is within you.’  Is it possible for something to come to you whom you already have?  It is like the prayer in many of the Revival/Renewal/River churches, ‘Holy Spirit, come!’  The reality is that the Holy Spirit is already there because He is in each Believer.  It must be understood what is really being asked. 

When we ask for the Holy Spirit or the Kingdom to come we are asking for revelation, manifestation and/or a new reality.  It does not seem logical that Jesus would teach us to pray for something that would not become a reality to us.  Our understanding of things needs to increase.   He has told us:

Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 for every one that asketh receiveth;

and he that seeketh findeth;

and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

If we ask for the Kingdom then the kingdom will come.  It is not for another time or place.  It isn’t something we work for.  We ask and we receive.  We know this because we are asking according to how he taught us and according to the will of the Father.

1Jo 5:14 And this is the boldness which we have toward him, that,

if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us:

15 and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask,

we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

We must prepare ourselves for the newness of the Kingdom.  As much as we want to be ready for such things it can be a surprise.  The kingdom, just like revival, may not match what our expectations of it may be.  We have to set aside our expectations.  We will have to set aside any preconceived notions of how it will happen, what it will look like, and the who that will make it happen.

Though at times we have had glimpses of the Kingdom and what a kingdom life could be; we have yet to see the unconquerable reign over a community in an everyday life situation.  Our understanding and knowledge are incomplete to give a good enough picture of what it will all look like.

This we can be sure of, we will be changed.  Our community will be changed.  We will understand John the Baptist having prayed, ‘He must increase, but I must decrease!’  When the Kingdom manifests itself through us there will be no question of revival/renewal/reformation/river, it will be the presence of God beaming through us to a lost world through its power.

           Jesus made an incredible statement to the Pharisees in Luke 17:21 – “The kingdom of God is within you!”  The Pharisees have received a lot of instruction from Jesus.  There are times where He completely stood against all they taught and believed.  There were times that He commended them on their diligence in keeping the law then in the next breath slap them down for being so legalistic. 

            Like so many of us, they had come to think that the kingdom was manifested in their actions.  All the good deeds and kindnesses one could show was the kingdom under this mentality.  This is also related to the false concept that our works produces salvation.  In true kingdom living there is no amount of work we could do that would cause the Father to love us more than what He does at this moment.  In fact, He loved us as an unbeliever as much as he does now that we believe.  The difference is our reaction and pleasure in the knowledge and blessings of that love.

            There are also those who point to the future.   Many wait for the day Jesus returns and takes us with Him.  But we were never told to just hang-on ‘until He comes’.  Jesus shared a parable in Like 17 of how the servants were instructed to ‘occupy until I come.’  These are the instructions for us in waiting for His return.  To occupy is to busy oneself with the Kingdom Living.  The instructions make no provision for procrastination.  It’s now or never.  (II Corinthians 6:2)

            Today is the day of Kingdom living.  Everything the Father has blessed us with and promises are for now and tomorrow.  We are in the Kingdom today.  We are not waiting for tomorrow.  ‘The Kingdom is within us!’  If Jesus would proclaim that to the Pharisees, it is a bigger truth for us as Believers.

            If we would take time to think of all that is within us as Believers we would find not only unequaled power but the most incredible catalyst of love and peace.  We would also better understand John’s proclamation of the inner strength we have:

“Ye are of God, my little children, and have overcome them:

Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” 

1John 4:4

            As Believers we have the Kingdom of God within us as we have read above.  We also have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, I Corinthians 6:9.  This article is not going to deal with those things that are a part of man, i.e. soul, heart, nature; we are talking of those things of greatest priority and power.  All things are under the oversight of the Spirit.  The Spirit and the Kingdom expresses the sovereignty that the Father has over us.

The very word ‘Kingdom’ expresses that this is the place where the King reigns.  Within us is the realm under the Kingship of our Lord.  All that is within is either expressed outwardly or is changed into a fitting image to be expressed.  Allowing the King of our life to reign gives us the strength and authority to overcome any and all attacks and trappings that come our way.  In a Kingdom the King is responsible for all things for our life and righteousness; this is especially true in the Kingdom of God.  (1Timothy 1:17, Revelation 15:3, Revelation 17:14)

            Whether we have admitted it or not; Jesus is Lord and King.  Our admittance only affects the dealing of the Father with us.  He is lord and King, our admittance allows the workings of the Kingdom to begin in us.  These workings will eventually show in our life.  (Matthew 15:18)

            The Kingdom within is not just of our spiritual life.  It is within so that it will affect all that is us.  The Kingdom is the priority for our family life, political life, occupational and every other aspect of our life.  The Holy Spirit dwells here to do more than ‘save’ us.  God is there to make His kingdom grow and be manifested in and through our life.  That is why we pray ‘Thy Kingdom Come…’ 

            We are being changed inside out so that the Kingdom will shine.  We are being changed in order to reflect him.  The Father has declared as our Sovereign Lord that we are to be changed and transformed into His image.  The power is within us to make such work not only possible but guaranteed to be done.  The Kingdom’s worst enemy is our own un-surrendered soul, fighting the loosing battle against its King.  (2 Corinthians 4:6 – 11)

            Each Believer needs to be encouraged to allow the King to have His way.  Let us surrender our all so that His Glory will show.  As we rest in His Glory and stare into His face; incredible changes happen in us.  These changes make it possible for the Kingdom to manifest more in our life.  It goes with the prayer of John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease!”  The more He is in my life the more I hide in Him.

The Kingdom is within us and is ready to bust loose through us.  In the Kingdom of God are all power, blessing, goodness, righteousness, and provision of all types.  See what work He has begun in you, and see the work he will finish through you.  It is not the work of our hands but the blessing of His presence. 

            It is a curious statement that Jesus made in Luke 17:22, ‘The Kingdom of God is within you’.  He said that to the Pharisees no less.  If it was true of them how much more is it for us.  As Believers we know that, Christ is in us by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 

            Some of you are here to see healings, be healed, and/or have imparted to you healing gifts and anointing; will happen.  But let me explain, what you are really seeing is an explosion of the Kingdom God into our midst and lives.  It is an outburst of the ‘living waters’ that flow though you and I as Believers.

            If you are not a Believer, I invite you to become a Believer now or at the least before the night is done.  This is not a show.  This is life and death.  It is life to those who are sick and distressed.  It is death to the disease and damage done to souls and bodies.  You can choose tonight life or remain in the depths of dying.

Luke told us that it is the ‘pleasure of the Father’ to give us the Kingdom.  It is up to us to receive it, to Believe in Him.   AS the Kingdom expands and explodes in our midst the healings will manifest.  AS you tonight see you place within the kingdom now! The healings will follow.  This was Jesus pattern, Matthew 4:17; 9:35; He preached the Kingdom then exposed its power by healing those around.    He gives us the Kingdom.  He hands us the keys, Matthew 16:18 – 19 the keys of power and authority.  These keys allow us to bind ourselves to Christ as we loosen the hold of sin and sickness from our lives.

We have been called into His kingdom, I Thessalonians 2:12.  We must reap the harvest of the fruit of the Kingdom.  The enemy wants to plant tares in our fields, Matthew 13:19, but if we will pray a hedge around us those seeds do not need to grow. 

The kingdom is not in ‘Word but in Power’, I Corinthians 4:20.  There is power to heal every disease, sickness, and emotional distress, soul sickness that is in this room and beyond.  This is what we have been called to do as Believers, Mark 16, to heal the sick.  Whether it is we or someone else – go and heal.

Throughout history there have been revivals and all of them have been filled with signs and wonders.  Healings have always been a part of the pursuit of the Father’s heart.  Some we have always sat them aside, both the revival and healings, for something simpler.  Let it not be in this age and season of visitation. 

Healing – Further Understanding

By Donald L. Quattlebum

In laying a foundation for healing we must understand a bit of our relationship to the whole of things. Many Christians understand little of the born-again experience and what it has entitled them too and destined them for. Healing is more than a gift of the Spirit. This gift is showing us our entitlement to health and wholeness.

To a lost world, a healing is a miracle. It is a true sign and wonder. God uses signs and wonders to show the world not just His incredible power but more importantly is immeasurable love for everyone one. His love through healing shows the way for the life He intended.

Sickness entered the world and our lives because of the fall. There are three areas where sickness entered the life of man through the curse upon the serpent and the first couple:

1. The ‘bruising of the heel’ of man. Genesis 3:15. There would be a ‘poisoning of man’ that would cause sickness and grief. The injury to man will slow him down and open his body to infection and disease.
2. The pain during child birth. Genesis 3:16. The multiplying of the family was to be a blessing and joy. But because of the curse birth would be difficult. This will cause strain upon the body of the mother opening her up to many possible sickness. But there is also a strain and stress upon the baby that is not good upon the baby.
3. The curse of hard labor. Genesis 3:17 – 19. It is not that work is bad, but because of the curse there will be a break down of the body and a tearing down of it that will open it up and make it receptive to sickness and disease, and damage to the body itself.

The death of Jesus upon the cross paid the debt for our sins and abolished the curse.

1. John 3:14 – 17, this verse simply states that Jesus came to ‘save’ us. This word ‘save’ is the Greek ‘soso’ which means ‘to make whole.’ He didn’t come to just save our soul but our whole self.
2. Romans 5:8 – 9, His death saves us from the ‘wrath’. This wrath is the curse. God did not want us living eternally under the curse so He made a way for us to out from under it.
3. Galatians 3:13 – 14, He became the curse for us so that we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit.
4. Revelation 22:1 – 7, when the ‘River’ flows healing will be had by all for there will be no more curse. This is not a wait until later thing. The ‘River’ of God through His Holy Spirit is flowing now.
5. Isaiah 53:5, His stripes would pay for our healing thus making our healing, whether physical or mental or emotional, a part of the atonement.
6. I Peter 2:24 – 25, Right living and Healthy living are paid for by His beating and received by our believing.

There is an interesting scripture to be found in Matthew 12:28 – 30. This is Christ’s announcement of the Kingdom of God exploding upon the scene by His acts of power. For we know that the Kingdom is not one of words but of Power, I Corinthians 4:20. Jesus is the strong man and He cannot be bound. He will accomplish His will in His kingdom. There will be wholeness.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven,
which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal
till it was all leavened.”
Matthew 13:33

The Kingdom of Heaven can not be contained in a box of comfortable, traditional, antiquated thinking. It grows and grows until it becomes the major holder, ingredient, and active asset of where it is introduced. As Believers we have been deposited with the Kingdom of God.

1. Luke 17:20 – 21 = ‘The Kingdom is within you.’
2. I John 4:4 = ‘Greater is He that is in you.’
3. I Corinthians 3:16 = ‘You are the Temple of God.’
4. I Corinthians 6:19 – 20 = ‘You are not your own.’

With all this explosive Power within us, we must ask ourselves, ‘Why are Christians sick?’ If we are the ‘Body of Christ’; did Jesus ever get sick?

1. We have been given the gifts of healings to keep the body healthy, I Corinthians 12.
2. Jesus traveled doing all sorts of good things and healing their diseases, Acts 10:38
3. Jesus told us to go and heal as part of bringing the world into His Kingdom, Mark 16:15 – 18.
4. Jesus said that we would do greater things than He did, John 14:12 – 16.

Scripturally there is no reason for us to not only heal others, but to heal one another and to live in health. It is more than a benefit of believing it is a part of who He is in us.

Healing is a part of the atonement.  For many not realizing this has kept them from health and wholeness.  It is not a mystery or secret of the Bible but it is a little known truth.  It is actually a little believed truth.  We know this by what people tell us but by the fact that so many put their trust in their Doctor more than God.

            For many they are so grateful that they are saved/born again that nothing else matters.  They are so happy to miss Hell and make it to the path to heaven that they question, “What more do we need?”  All that is important is making it to heaven and being with Jesus.  When that time comes everything will be all right.  All we have to do is endure until then.  We have so minimalized our salvation with this kind of thinking.

            We need to be grateful that we are no longer on the path to destruction in Hell for eternity.  But eternity is not the destination but it is the time limit.  We are going to live forever now that Christ is in us.  Sin no longer reigns in our hearts, Romans 5:21, 6:12.  Christ reigns in our heart to guide, provide and encourage us to righteousness.  We no longer have to sin or give in to temptation.

            But just as sin no longer reigns in us neither do any of the effects of the original sin, Romans 8:2.  Sickness and the curse no longer have rights to us.  Jesus became the curse, Galatians 3:10 – 14, so that we are no longer under the curse.  When we believe on Christ no curse has power over us.  We live curse free.

            It is the same with sickness.  Jesus paid the price on the cross for us to live sickness free.  He paid the entire price.  We can be declared whole.  If you take the time to read Isaiah 53 and First Peter 2; you will find that our healing is mentioned as part of our salvation price.  They both mention how our sins were forgiven by His acts upon the cross.  So is our healing.

            This would seem to be elementary.  Yet, the fact remains that many Believers are sick.  They have not appropriated what is theirs.  Many know what scripture say but many do not believe it is for them.  It is as though we are afraid of over-tasking God.  All this just might be too much for Him to handle.

            If God is King of Kings and Lord of Lords; which I believe He is; then there is no limit to what He can do or handle.  For God to be God there can not be any limitations to Him.  We must realize that He is more than just having all-power; He is all-power.  All the characteristics and attributes of God are who He is not just what He possesses.  There is nothing to hard for God.

            When you and I came to believe in Christ we believed for more than just getting to heaven; it was for Him in our lives.   It is in Him we live and have our being, Acts 17:28.  Just as Paul said, ‘It is no longer I who live but Christ in me!’ Galatians 2:20.  Jesus was never sick.  God was never sick.  Why are Believers sick?

            Yes, we still live in the flesh.  But the flesh does not have to rule us any longer.

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: 13 for if ye live after the flesh, ye must die; but if by the Spirit ye put to death the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For ye received not the spirit of bondage again unto fear; but ye received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16  The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: 17  and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.

            As the dwelling place of God, I Corinthians 6:9; we have all the benefits of that indwelling.  When Christ died on the cross and was resurrected it was full payment for our debt of sin.  When we believed on Him, He began to live within us.  Since His death and our believing cancelled all consequences of our past we can live in health.  We have the responsibility as stewards to live according to His way, by taking care of our self.

            He came for us to have life and joy.  There is no life and joy in sickness.  We must walk in health that He purchased for us.  We must walk in wholeness as would be expected of one who is indwelled by God. 

My Friends:
 
We have been meeting for nearly 9 years on a weekly basis to PRAY, STUDY the BIBLE, HEAR from GOD, STRENGTHEN our RELATIONSHIP and more…  We have MINISTERED in other CHURCHES…  Taught in TRAINING CENTERS… We have seen God do some incredible things during some incredible testing… Answered Prayers, Miracles, incredible encounters with God…I can go on…
 
We have done all we can to stay in step with God in order to fulfill the VISION…
 
I believe God is asking us to do one more thing.  It is time that GIFTS are SHARED, RELATIONSHIPS STRENGTHENED, and most of all GOD to be PURSUED, REVEALED, CELEBRATED and ENJOYED…
 
We will begin this SUNDAY meeting with
 
Destiny Christian Life Center
Pastors Rex and Annie Lynch
4175 Cincinati Ave
Suite #200
Rocklin, CA 95765
 
Preservice Prayer: 9:30 am
Service: 10:00 am
 
I am looking forward to serving God, these Pastors and Friends, and this Fellowship; along with you that have been with me for this what may seem a long journey.
 
I will continue my Blogcast each Sunday Evening at 9:00 pm on BLOGCASTRADIO.COM Our show is titled ‘Simple Truths for Higher Living’. 
 
See you Sunday Morning…
 
Don Quattlebum
Overseer, The King’s Domain, Inc.
www.thekingsdomain.net

PRAYER

What Everyone Should Know About Prayer.

Prayer is a person’s means and ability to talk to God.

Prayer is the conversation that a person and God have between them.  Prayer goes both ways; you talk and then listen, God talks and you listen.  In that conversation each knows the other and clears the path for each to know the other better.

Every person can enter into a conversation with God at any time and for any reason.  The guidelines for prayer are very simple…if you ask of God, or talk to Him: expect an answer.  It is not a one-way conversation.  God does not expect us to only listen but He wants to hear from us.

Listening is important to any conversation even if it is with God.   In any communication; listening is as important as speaking.  The way we hear things affects what we do with what we hear.  The results of any action or non-action depend on the information we receive.

Prayer as in any communication can go beyond words.  Sitting in the presence of God can communicate many things to each other.  The most awesome experience a person can have in the presence of God is to feel His Love.  Love can be shared through words as well as any experience, but it must be shared.

Or you can pattern your prayer after the prayer that Jesus taught when He was on Earth:

“Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be your name,

Your kingdom come, your will be done

On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts

As we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil;

For yours is the kingdom

And the power and the glory for ever.  Amen!”

The more time you spend in prayer the easier it will get.  You will recognize the ‘voice’ of God more and more as you pray.  You ill notice a difference.  You can pray alone or find others to pray with on a regular basis.

Love and Healing

Don Quattlebum

Love is the topic of the ages.  Love has been the inspiration for poems, music, relationships, and all sorts of speculations.  Love has been defined and redefined; written of and written about.  Love has mended and broken hearts.  Love has been declared as all we need.  Love is that and so much more.  The Christian says that we need more of it and yet most don’t live up to it.

It is still amazing to me how many ‘Christians’ there are who do not understand the love the Father has for them.  There are those who are going around as wounded soldiers who haven’t even made it to basic training because of the drama of their issues.  They are seeing themselves rather than looking for Him.  His love can wipe away any past hurts real or imagined.  This is not meant to sound heartless, but urgent to get attention to the fact that the Love of God is real. 

It is so real that he is the answer and longing of hurting hearts.  The urgency is for the fact that we need to be whole now.  There is a world that is owed an experience with the full power of His love.  Life is not long enough to wait for an ‘appropriate moment’.  Our life should be an example of power living by the love that the Father has shared with us and has put within us.

He gave us gifts and power in order for us to experience the heights of His love.  He gave us an example through His Son so that we would know the depths of His love.  Just as the atonement paid for more than our forgiveness of sins; the cross paid for our healing of all the hurts and diseases we would encounter.  His love is not just a past action as in the cross or a future gift as in the rapture, but it is for us to experience and benefit from today.  AS the Hebrew writer put it, “He is the same; yesterday, today, and forever.” 

Most will readily say they know God loves them.  They will tell you the story of Christ on the Cross.  They can tell you how the Bible says, ‘no greater love has a man than he should lay down his life for a friend.’  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life,” John 3:16.   They are very comfortable with having a salvation that forgives them of their sin and gets them to heaven.  But there is more.

This love brings them some warm fuzzy feelings and even brings comfort that some day all will be fine.  But it never seems to be quite overcoming.  Yet, Jesus said, “be full of joy, I have overcome the world,” John 16:33.  His love for us is a powerful force in our lives.  He pours His love on us no matter our circumstance or life.  His love is not based on us it is founded upon His heart and holiness.  That is why there is more than what we have known to His love.

The way some live their faith the love of the Father is of little substance and use.  By His love, He has given us faith in order to better enjoy Him and His love.  In His love the focus was on bringing us back into a right relationship with Him.  Our focus should be on Him and His love.  Our faith and life is for His glory not our warm fuzzy comfort.  His love paid the price for all we need in life and righteousness.

            Many live below the love line of His heart and intention.  We have made too much about us and not enough about Him.  This may sound crazy to you but more focus on Him and less on us can ease a lot of pressure in our life.  The scripture teaches us that He is love; His love paid the price for our sinfulness.  When He showed His love to us on the cross it was for all our needs not just salvation to make it to heaven.  Everything we need is paid for in His love and the act of love upon the cross.

This is not talking about how much God loves us; that can never change.  He loves us with an ‘everlasting love’, Jeremiah 31:3; a love that we can not be separated from:

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Even as it is written, ‘For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35 – 39) 

God loves you just because of who you are not because of what you do.  You can’t make God love you anymore than He does right now, whether you are a Believer or non-Believer.  And even as important in the psychological circus of today, you can not do anything that will make God Love you any less.  His love is constant, true and unchanging.  God Loves you, let that settle into your spirit and bring peace and joy.  Then watch your faith arise.  The Love of God should be a settled point in our life. 

You could be thinking that I don’t understand, you have gone through a lot.  Life hasn’t been easy.  There are issues you have to work through.  Granted I may have not gone through what you have gone through.  I have had my own experiences.  I will not recount them but if you knew me you would know that I understand more than you think.  It is just I have focused my faith on Him and His love.

Some would say it is hard or that you must have had help.  The truth is I had to make a choice.  The choice seemed easy to make, live below or above the love line.  Things above the line of His heart seemed to be the better choice.  It wasn’t about me.  All that I may have experienced, good or bad, wasn’t about me it was about Him.  It was about drawing closer to His love and living a life of love. 

Simply put my faith was permission for His love to be preeminent in my life.  Not me or my desires; not my wife or family; it was His kingdom and everything following after that.  The realization and experience of His love was too real and too empowering to ignore or compromise.  I feel strongly about this.  And ask that you would allow yourself to put your faith in action.  Let His love over shadow you and heal you of all that needs to be healed.

Before you read on, allow me a bit of a disclaimer.  This is not in anyway meant to sound like I am against the ‘church’.  In reality it is an indictment against the ‘church’.  Is there a difference, YES, I want the church to be what it was intended to be not what it has become through traditions, control, fear, ignorance, manipulation and deceitfulness.  There are some great things happening in many churches, but on the other hand there are nauseating things going on in many of our ‘churches.’  Many have traded the presence and Glory of God for approval from the world and other ‘churches’.

 In our times what has become known as the ‘church’ is not necessarily what was intended to be the ‘church’ nor does it in many cases resemble the biblical pattern of what was intended for us to be or fellowship in or with.  People have definite ideas and definitions of what the ‘church’ is or should be.  The attempt here is to redefine and refocus ourselves as Believers on the true task, pleasing the Father.

What will make this definition or pattern any better than any ones else’s?  For one thing it is not about what anyone is doing but what the Father is asking of us to do or be.   Our comparison is not to be with each other but with the vision and word of God.  In this re-born focus the glory is for the Father, the pursuit is His pleasure and presence; not the numbers or approval of the world.  We don’t need the world’s approval; they hate us when we are being the Christ in their life.

Whenever you mention going to a meeting and it is Sunday, everyone nearly immediately assume you are going to church.  It happens quite often that if you mention you are busy on a Sunday that people may think you are going to church.  Then there are those few hyper-spiritual folk who say, “You don’t have to go to church, we are the church!”   This is so close to the truth yet, it is still misses the point all together.  The other thing is that people will travel along the road and identify certain buildings as ‘churches’ not because of the sign in front but because of the architecture.  There are some who will even equate a full parking lot in front of a building that doesn’t have a sign stating ‘Food Served Here’ or ‘Big Sale Going on Now!’ as a church.

Everyone has there ‘markers’ in identifying a ‘church’ but what needs to be studied are those “markers” which are the biblical standards to which we were to be identified with.  There also needs to be an understanding of what a group of believers are to be or seen as.  We need to look at the bible and see what was identified as a church and what were believers identified as. 

The word used for ‘church’ in the bible is seen 82 times in 80 verses; (there are 3 different Greek words used in the New Testament.).  Some translations translate it as ‘church’, some translate it as ‘assembly’; either could be correct depending on the context of what is being said.  The word used most is literally translated – ‘called out’; the assembly of called out ones, or church.  At the end of this article you will find the scriptures listed for you to study on your own.  It is important that you read these scriptures.  I am not going to tell you which verse to read to demonstrate my statements; you will need to study all the verses to confirm what is being said is right.

            We must look at scripture to understand why we must know that – ‘We are not the church.’  This fellowship of The King’s Domain is not a church.  Many have said, ‘Well, if it looks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, and if it quakes like a duck – isn’t it a duck?’  This concept could lead to the discovery of an aberration.  Yes, sometimes things stray from the standard and that is what we see most the time in what has been called the ‘church’.  The modern church of today has strayed from the standard set forth in scripture and it is time to reset the pattern to the standard of God.  Again, this isn’t about who is right or wrong; it is about meeting the Father’s heart.

            One of the things that you will notice is that there is no scripture that calls or identifies an individual as the church.  You will not find anyone being told that they are the church.  People make up the church.  The church is only a compilation of many and it only functions as a whole and not in part.  You are called a ‘temple’ but that is different from church.  The words used as temple mean sacred place, shrine, or dwelling place of God.

            You will also notice that the church is not the building.  There is no scripture that identifies a building as the church.  There is not one building designated as the church.  No building is called the church.  It does say that the church that met in someone’s home.  It also talks of bringing the churches together.  That would take another building or meeting place.  Some would try to equate the ‘church’ with the synagogue; that doesn’t work we are a new wine skin.  Lessons can be learned but that isn’t the pattern we see for Believers.

            There are those that are teaching and demonstrating that the church is to be in homes; that that is the scriptural pattern.  They are only partially right.  Most did meet in homes.  But there were times that they met as a greater whole.  They functioned together though they had separate meeting places, which were mostly homes.  The emphasis was not where they met but that together an entire city was influenced with an experience of the presence of God.

            The larger picture can be seen by the fact that in scripture many times it refers to the church of a city; church of Ephesus, or Antioch etc.  The church functioned as a whole within a city, community or region.  When reading the epistles of Paul he will sometimes refer to a church of another city being joined with the city of origin.  Denominations are a more modern catastrophic event of the church.  The intention was for everyone together to function as the church. 

            Please also notice that the scriptures do not say to, “Go to church.”  Now I can hear some of you thinking, ‘but what about Hebrews 10:25 it says -  not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.’.  This still does not say to ‘go to church’.  It does say to ‘collect (assembling) together’ with other believers.  Read the entire context, it has more to do with working together than going someplace and meeting. 

            I can also hear some say, ‘well, my church isn’t like that.’  Good, but is it all it should be?  Are all the gifts in operation?  Does the presence of God manifest himself in such a way that people are changed?  That people are added to the church?  Do unbelievers feel convicted of their unbelief when they are there?  Is there opportunity for believers to get together daily?

            There is more to being a believer than having a ‘church’ or being in the ‘church’.  ‘Churches’ speak of getting outside the walls, but the real church has no walls.  It is not about a building which has walls but about a believer manifesting the presence of God whenever and wherever they might find themselves.  The ‘church’  today points within, a believer points to the King; the King frees the kingdom.