The World – The Church of the last days, September 16, 2025

   I was blessed to be raised by a wonderful Christian mother and even though I made some choices that caused myself and others a lot of hurt and disappointment, my wife and I have been given His grace and we have been involved in local and international ministry for the latter part of our lives. During this time, I was marinated in the truth and reality of Vietnam, the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and other martyrs from our nation and world history that were tied to their faith in God. We have also witnessed the intrusion of the world into God’s church that is promoted by false shepherds that emphasize God’s love as being given to us for the benefit of us and our own family and others second and the lost not even appearing on the radar screen except as some non-sacrificial trip to the food bank or a short-term mission trip.

   We have now witnessed the intentional and widely supported murder of Charlie Kirk. Cheered by people from every aspect of our society, including Republicans, Democrats, government officials, teachers, doctors and even “Christian” leaders and churches. This should be no surprise, but we know it is not surprising to God. The opposite reaction has been a revival of those of the faith that includes the sadness and reality of Charlie’s faith and the positive work that he accomplished and the glory that he always gave to Jesus as his Lord and Savior, We now have many who are ready to pick the sword to fight the bad guys and now pastors that are asking for those church families that are willing to die, using Charlie’s death as stimulus to identify themselves so they can be God’s true Church of force. The tragedy it is absence of God’s love that allows those that see the darkness and love it as their God-given right.

    The death of Jesus was not an “assassination” it was a “gift” to all mankind for the forgiveness of sin. But the death of Steven was an “assassination” and was the truth which brought forth the Holy Spirit’s teaching for the Church so they wouldn’t give in to the “myth” that force, not love, is the only thing that will fix or remove the problem. After Pentecost, the believers begin to meet in their homes and the disciples preached in the temple courts and house to house. The shepherds that opened their homes at the risk of death were appointed by God and not by the apostles. After the death of Steven they no longer met in the temple courts and Saul began going house to house and dragging them to prison. When the Roman government agreed to crucify Jesus it was only to stop the problems that they suffered from the conflict between the Jewish leaders and Jesus. After witnessing Steven’s death, they realized that in order to restore control, they would also need to remove even those that believed in Him. Religion and government became like-minded to ensure they didn’t lose their power and control over the people.

    One of the main reasons that made it easy for Satan to sway Christians to use force instead of love is that Jesus had not revealed that there would be a new heaven and a new earth and the old world and heaven would pass away. This was revealed to John from Jesus 60 years after His ascension. But the believers continued to meet in home fellowships throughout the almost 300 years of persecution and spread the gospel to the entire Roman empire through the God appointed apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and shepherds. During the 3 ½ years that Jesus spent with the disciples, He was by His own testimony the apostle, prophet, evangelist, teacher and shepherd and the apostles were taught by the Holy Spirit that no man could ever fulfill the five offices needed to prepare and equip all believers to do their part as the His body to complete His mission. It was at that time, to suit their own desires, believers gathered around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears wanted to hear and they would turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (2 Tim 4:3-4). Two of these myths had been destroyed by Jesus when He began His ministry: 1 - “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”. (Mt 5:38-39) and 2 – “You have heard it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemy and pray for those that persecute you.” (Mt 5:43-44)

   In spite of the persecution, prisons and killing of many for their faith, this remanent group of believers meeting together in their shepherds homes were kept in unity of spirit by the apostles, prophets, evangelist and teachers. This small number of the 4 million Jews that believed spread the good news of the gospel to the 45 million people that lived in the Roman Empire by the time the persecution had stopped.

    Napoleon Bonaparte said: “Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire on love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.”