JCMSOH Bible Studies

   The meaning of the word in the Greek means a called out assembly. Assembly is a collection of person brought into one place., for a common object. 
The local school board, city council , County Government, State Government and  finally Congress of the United States. These are all call out assemblies.
Remember the church is made up of Believers. All commandments are given to the believers
Matt 28:17 - 20. In Heb 10:25 we are as believers are told to not forsake the assembly of ourselves. 
 The early Churches are mention in the book of Acts as having meeting at my difference types of places.
The upper room Acts 1:13
The temple Acts 5:12
The homes of members Acts 2:46; 12:12
The synagogue.

   The believers were so hungry for the word of God that where 2,3, or more would gather for study they would meet. There was not a formal means of government in the early assemblies. If they needed to do something they just called the believers together for a discussion and voted on it. 
   Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances. Many Bible Students say they are Church Ordinances. Some say that you don't have to be Baptized to be in The Lord's Church. In a truth that is right. It is not that to Lord did his part and you have to do your part. Baptism And the Lord's Supper are two very serious ordinances. Look for a future Bible Study on these subject.
 The matter of being in a Church, One that believes in prayer.
Believes in a worship of the Lord. The Holy Ghost lives in ever believer. 
    I am not trying to say that one that is not Baptized is not saved. But in life as you see people that say the sinners prayer and the ones that very short after they surrender to the Lord follow him in Baptism and Grow more than the ones that don't follow in baptism.
     The Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit (Ghost) in his believers accomplishes might things. They become even greater when it is in an assembly. 
That assembly must be of one mind and one accord to accomplish great things Acts 1:14.
 There is nothing greater than the Spirit of God working in believers in the church.

    The definition of church and when it begins Affects the understanding many passages of Scriptures. If you do not understand the many phases, Purposes, and who is in the true church (called out ones). The interpretation will be difference.

    Acts 8:1 - 4 The story is told of Saul making havoc of the church, entering every house. This great persecution caused the believers to be scattered everywhere preaching the word. They were scattered because Saul was doing great persecution  on the believers. In verse 4 it says they, each believer.
 Acts 8:1 - 40; Cp Acts 11:1 - 21. Another wonderful story of the Spirit of God Carrying the Gospel to the Gentiles is Found Acts 10: 23 - 48.
God had showed Peter in Acts 10: 9 - 22 that there it was God's will to send the Gospel also to the rest of the world. God sent Peter by the Spirit a believer.  Jesus told Peter that the important thing is not what outhers are doing but that we must follow Jesus. John 21:21-22
 The gospel is sent from believer to believer. Romans 10: 8 - 17.
Verse 15 how shall they be sent?
      This makes it so great when the believers can come together in the Local churches to share so many talents, love, and Finances.

     Philip was called by the Holy Spirit to go into the desert. There the Spirit told him to attach himself to the chariot. The result the Ethiopian treasurer believed on Jesus Christ. The Ethiopian took the Gospel back to Ethiopia.
     Again this is a believer carrying the Gospel, where was the Local church to vote whether the Ethiopian could carry the Gospel to Ethiopia and build a church.
Remember the Holy Spirit Sent Philip.
  The church here on earth is such a great meeting place of believers. Heb 10:25.
    If you leave the ones from the day of Pentecost to present that have died out of the church, and the one that will be saved in the future, from the present to the time of Jesus second coming for his saints, out. 
Then only the one's that are alive at Jesus second coming will be in the church.
If your Local church is the only church that is Going to make it to heaven beware.
Be very careful to rightly divide the word of God.
    The true church, ever Born Again believers from the day of Pentecost to the rapture will be in it. The true church will have all of the Born Again ones in it.

   The many so call denominations, There are many types that the only difference is Government of the Churches or form Baptism. 
      When a group of churches sets the doctrine of the Local churches that can be both good and bad. The Local church has to be independent, local rule with the bible as the only authority.
If the Local Church Finds a difference way of viewing some doctrine position differently, That should be their right. The position on Salvation and few other doctrine, they have to be agreed upon. 
      I am not trying to make the visible Local Church, made up of Born Again Believers, Baptized and growing in the Lord the Only Church. It is the greatest thing in this world the Lord Jesus Christ decreed it. We are to make disciples. The Church is one body.

  a. We are to edify the Saints. Romans 14:19; 1 Cor 14:5 - 26;  2 Cor 12:19; Eph 4:12  - 29; 
       1 Thes 5:11;  1 Tim 1:4.
  b. A place to bring the Lost to hear the  Gospel.
  c. A place for Children to hear the Gospel. 
  d. Strength in prayer, where two agree on earth it shall be done in heaven. Mt 18:19 - 20.
  e. Pool the believers recourses for many reasons. One sends missionaries, physical Churches can 
      fellowship and pool talent in teaching, Materials, schools for training pastors and camps.

     Serious Bible students and believe as recorded in the Scriptures believe that Christ Foretold the church. Matt 16:16 - 18. Notice it says I will and Church All of this is future. 
    In the First Christian Church it actually existed in Jerusalem. At that time all of the members were alive, Living. Acts 1 - 2:47  at the time a person became regenerated by putting his trust in Jesus Christ he was thereby a member of the church.
   On the day of Pentecost, There never was a question about Baptism, It was looked as what a believer should do. 
   Again we read that the Lord added. If Baptism Played a part in Salvation or church membership the passage would read they added. Instead it reads the Lord added.
 What he adds The Lord keeps.
   If a person has not made a profession of faith followed up by water Baptism through immersion 
that is witnessed by a group of Christian preferred such as a Vissible church should not be allowed to join that local church. I believe this should be the requirements for membership in the local vissible church. Remember who Joins your church can change it for the good or worse.
   The apostle's doctrine was the standard of Faith. This is fulfillment of the prophecy and promise of Christ in Matt. 16:16-18.
   There is a movement that will take Letters from churches other than theirs, but will not send them to those same churches. The reason they give is that they are unscriptural.
    Some of the reasons that is given is the things that Paul wrote to the different churches about. I am not saying that you should receive a letter from any church or person, it must be of like belief
or else false doctrine may creap in. 

      Your statement of your faith and character is your witness to the lost. It goes with you for life. You only have to be Baptize once. Mat 28:19 - 20. 
Many Practice what our forefathers died for, Spiritual Baptism. They were also against rebaptism once a believer had been Spiritually Baptized.
Who gives the authority? The church?  Jesus gave the authority. Some Pastors Baptize under
 the authority of their Church. My Bible says in Matt. 28:19 to baptize in the name of God the Father, Name of God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Where they Get anything else this I do not know.   No, The church is not mention in the great commission. It was given to His followers.
      Then they were to teach others. The believers were to pass it on, what they had recieved from 
Jesus Christ. 
     When I was saved I had something inside of me that I had to tell the world about. 
I still have the need to tell the world. I have been blessed by the Lord Jesus. 
  My wife and I have seen lives changed by the Lord. These people are getting blessing seeing their children be saved. It takes a Village (church) to raise a child.
     God fearing in the home is the first step in raising a child. 
     Not all Local church will you get a blessing in. Ask the Lord to help you find one and see what a blessing you will recieve. Some churches are too quiet. It is not going to be quiet when you get to heaven. Rev 4:8 - 9. If you are not happy in the church here on earth you are not going to be happy in heaven.  1 Cor. 2:13 - 14;  1 Cor 3:11.

    Church is Of Great importance. Jesus intercedes For us on a daily basic. Romans 8:34.
 Christ practiced Prayer.
    Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12; Heb 7:25. When one attends a Local Church on a regular basics the people begin to know you. They start to share you joys and your hurts.
   We are to in God's word to pray one for another. James 5:16.
In church we can share the needs of people. There is strength in numbers. Mat 18:19 - 20; Acts chapters one and two. There is a comfort to hear another believer praying for you. 

   Yes we can Intercede for other people James 5:10 - 16; 1 Tim 2:1 - 5; Cp Neh 1:5 - 11.  He prayed for the nation.
  Remember the Church is made up of believers. We are the body of Christ. 1 Cor 12:12 - 31;
Eph 1:1 - 5:30.
    If one part of the body hurts then the whole body shares in that hurt. 
Attending and sharing in the church's services and ministries is where the joy of you Salvation commences. 1 Th 1:6.
 The Church was and is in God's plan. Heb 10:25; Mat 16:16 - 20; Acts 1 - 2:47.

    Church is very important For fellow Members. There is support in prayer. Acts 12:5.
 Again God gave Christians Prayer. Through prayer, Holy Spirit's leading and Christian living.
 The practicing believer has great power.
    Prayers become even greater as more praying souls pray in agreement.
This agreement is not one where one prays just because their friend asked them too. Matt. 18:19.
But where there is real agreement, where the Spirit of God brings believers into perfect harmony
concerning that which they ask God.
   This is where the Holy Spirit gives the same burden to two or more hearts. The power of prayer becomes absolutely irresistible. 
    The assembly is one of the ways God get the glory. A way the saints are edified. 
Churches can send preachers, teachers, missionaries and support schools to teach workers in the field.

  There is support in numbers. 
   In 2 Tim 4:1 - 5 we are told of the responsibility to teach others. What better way, the God's way through the Church. Paul told Timothy to be prepared in season , out of season, correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. Timothy is told to keep his head. To work as an Evangelist, and do all of his ministry obligation.
   What better place than through the support of a Local Church. 
Witnessing is not something we do; it is something we are. Whether we as believers know it or not
we are witnesses. 

  Step 1 Biblical guidance begins at home.

  Step 2 The family each day is filled with teachable moments.

  Step 3 the Bible is the basic of all teachings in the family, home, and Local Church. Their is a 
            women in the church where we are members.  As she begin the introduction to a song she 
            was about to sing, told of her daddy dying at her age of 6 months. She went on with her 
           story of her mothers greatest gift. That greatest Gift was that her mother introduced her to 
           Jesus. 
           Just think what better Gift can a person give another. Romans 6:23.

  Step 4 The Church is a partner in the family. The Pastor, Youth leaders, Sunday School teachers 
             should strength what one teaches their family. 

               I believe a parent should sit in on a class their child is in. Look at the materials used.
               Yes the Church is to be a strong partner of the Family.

    The saying goes that the Family that prays together stays together.
I would like to add to that saying. The family that goes to church together stays together. With the Church their are wide ranges of experiences in life along with varied Gifts of the believers.

    The leaders of the churches need to be lifted up to God 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
This needs to be done all the time. They need to be encouraged when they do God's will.
Everyone Likes to be praised when they do well, but they don't like it when they do wrong. These leaders still need to be lifted to the Lord. If you continue to lift them up and they don't change God will move something. Just look at The nation of Israel when they disobeyed God. Also look at what God did when they repented and called on Him.

     The Local Independent Church is another place that a believer can contend for the faith. 
      Jude 1:3.
   Any work for the Lord is easier and more rewarding here on earth with support. Matt 13:25.
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. Again their is strength in numbers.

     Do any of you exercise. As you look at all of the Gyms in the country one begins to understand that it much easier to do it with someone else and much greater joy with the encouragement of more experienced people as leaders. This is even a greater truth if they have been through the same experiences. Where else but in the church can we learn the principles we need to know about creating and protecting our Christian homes and witness?
In a dedicated group we learn how to trust, serve, and imitate our Christ.

     There is nothing wrong with a weekly prayer group in someone's home with Believers of like
 faith from other churches. This is true of bible study.
Many Pastors and churches discourage this. If they are doing God's will, work, and worshiping God they will not be a threat to any churches. The religious leaders in Jesus' day were the ones that gave him the most trouble. 
 

Remembers Christ built his Church on Eph 2:19-22
Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the 
                saints, and of the household of God; 
Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, 
                 Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 
Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 
Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. 

So when did the Church start?
The Apostles and the Preacher are the foundation. 
Who is Formost above any one on earth?
The church is built through the Holy Spirit. When do Jesus Christ Send the Comforter?
 Promise to send. Acts 1:4-8.
 The first Grand enterance of the Holy Spirit.
 .Acts 2;1-21

Please Pray for our work.
JCMSOH James C Morgan