Christian Communities

Once again I have another question that continually comes to me in the mail box. The question states, “Pastor Dowell why do you live in a commune setting? As usual I will answer all questions by the scriptures. I and the Elders here spend a lot of time studying the scriptures, we not only study but we apply what we have read because we believe the scriptures. We strive with as much grace that God has given us to obey him in all things. I receive all kinds of questions on just about everything you can think of.

We are Christians and I realize that many are just not willing to pay the cost. We assume that if we were in the times of Jesus and the Apostles that we would obey what the clear word of God says. However, if we cannot obey the scriptures right now then that is a good indicator that we will not do what they required then. Now this is a touchy subject and I realize that many may get offended. It is your responsibility to try everything that I say by the scriptures and once you have tried what was said you are then responsible to prove to your own self to see if you are in the faith that was once delivered to the saints.

Our society is much different than it was in the days of the Apostles and far from what Jesus taught. One thing is for sure no matter how much times and nations change one thing is for sure:

MALACHI 3:6

    For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

HEBREWS 13:8

    Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

From these two texts of scriptures we see that God does not change, man does but God doesn’t. I always ask many that question me about living in a Christian community, have you counted the cost of being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ?  Jesus said this and please read the whole scripture in context.

LUKE 14:25

    And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

LUKE 14:26

     If any [man] come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

LUKE 14:27

     And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

How would you respond if you were standing right there with Jesus and He said the same thing to you? Remember what He said then He means right now. Many today cannot come to grips that Jesus really means what He says. With all of our higher education and learning is it any wonder that some even believe that He is God. This is not the first time that Jesus said this either. Read the story about building and finishing it. Luke 14:28-35. Ask yourself a question; What does He mean is He talking to you? Many believe that Jesus was talking to them back then and not us. This type of reasoning has many in a head faith but not an action faith of doing. No wonder there is no power of God working in the church today.

MATTHEW 10:36

     And a man's foes [shall be] they of his own household.

MATTHEW 10:37

    He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

MATTHEW 10:38

    And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

MATTHEW 10:39

    He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Everybody that is going to be a real Christian is going to have to understand what Jesus means. Again, how would you respond to a statement like this coming from the “Savior of the World?” The chief reason why many cannot obey and follow God today is because they are not willing to lose their life and if at one time they were, they now are no longer willing to.

LUKE 14:33

      So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Forsake what? All that I have? You see this statement is just like the one where Jesus said unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life. This is what people call a hard saying. What does Jesus mean, we cannot be His disciple unless we forsake all? My question to you is forsaking what? All of what? Or who? Discipleship is a high price to pay but not higher than what it cost to buy you. Remember please read the whole passage in context, you will see what Jesus is saying.

Many do not understand that after Jesus has saved them, they change families. You are now in the household of faith. Your God is different than the one your families you’re your friends serve. You have been born of the Spirit of God. Look at how Jesus responded in two different situations.

MATTHEW 12:47

    Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

MATTHEW 12:48

     But he answered and said unto him that told him, who is my mother? And who are my brethren?

MATTHEW 12:49

     And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

MATTHEW 12:50

     For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

If someone was to believe like this today they would call you a cult! Religious fanatic! Crazy! I can tell you that ever since I have been following Jesus from the beginning, all who I thought were my friends they no longer desired to have my friendship. I got out of the Army after 10 years and moved back home and found out that my natural family decided that they did not want my company around. Why? Because all I talk about is Jesus. He is my life. So I now have a new family, the people of faith. The ones who were not born by the will of man but the ones who where born by the will of God. You must be born again. So I understand what the scriptures mean that a man’s own foes shall be they of his own household.

These scriptures really causes problems when someone passes away and you do not show up for the funeral:

MATTHEW 8:21

      And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

MATTHEW 8:22

      But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

LUKE 9:59

     And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

LUKE 9:60

     Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

LUKE 9:61

     And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

LUKE 9:62

   And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Well, this is what I have done and a small few that are with me as we serve Jesus. Notice that the only ones that are asking Jesus the questions, are the disciples, that is who we say we are isn’t it? Many have put their hands to the plough and have not only looked back but have gone back. If anyone believes that they understand these scriptures please try to come and explain them to myself and the Elders here at Straitway. We have a serious desire to obey Him in all things.

Who are the dead? Jesus is not talking about the ones that are lying lifeless. He is talking about the ones that are not born again. So how do we answer people today? I mean everybody says that they are Christians believers. One thing for sure not everyone that saith Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of God. Everybody who says they are Christians are not Christians, they are doing their own thing. It is the responsibility of every believer to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere without fear!

Ok, now, what do the scriptures say about the believers and how they lived? Please remember to read before and after to get a good understanding.

MATTHEW 19:27

Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?

MATTHEW 19:28

And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

MATTHEW 19:29

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

MATTHEW 19:30

But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last [shall be] first.

Peter is busy again asking and learning of Jesus. Notice the beginning of the 19^th verse. “And everyone that hath forsaken”. Hardly anybody is doing this today. I know what spin and twist masters of the word are saying today. They say this, “Oh that was for then but Jesus does not expect this of us today!” You have just got finished talking with a person that is full of the devil, stay away from them. There is another account of this story:

MARK 10:28

      Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

MARK 10:29

     And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

MARK 10:30

      But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

MARK 10:31

      But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last first.

After reading these scriptures can anyone be His disciple today? Many people have duped themselves into believing just because they give mental ascent to something or what they say, they really believe that their opinion is gospel truth. Only one problem none of them is the savior and none of them is God  and none of them have died for your sins. Please obey the scriptures no matter what men say or how you look in the midst of this wicked and perverse world. People are dying and they will go to a living and burning Hell! This is the truth. Believe the gospel!

Now we go the Acts of the Apostles, this is how they lived after Jesus died. I think that the Apostles after living with Jesus for some three and a half years understood what He said. So this early church is the model for us Christians that do the word. This is how we are to live. It was written for our ensamples and learning.

ACTS 2:37

    Now when they heard [this], they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men [and] brethren, what shall we do?

ACTS 2:38

     Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

ACTS 2:39

      For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call.

ACTS 2:40

      And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

ACTS 2:41

     Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls.

ACTS 2:42

    And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

ACTS 2:43

      And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

ACTS 2:44

    And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

ACTS 2:45

      And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all [men], as every man had need.

ACTS 2:46

     And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

ACTS 2:47

      Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

I highlighted some words I hope that you would pay attention to the words and actions of the Apostles. My hope is that you would gladly receive this word.

ACTS 4:30

      By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

ACTS 4:31

     And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

ACTS 4:32

   And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any [of them] that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

ACTS 4:33

      And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

ACTS 4:34

      Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

ACTS 4:35

      And laid [them] down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

ACTS 4:36

     And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, [and] of the country of Cyprus,

ACTS 4:37

     Having land, sold [it], and brought the money, and laid [it] at the apostles' feet.

This is the kind of faith that the Saints had and did after the Apostles learned from Jesus. This type of faith is under attack by every spirit of hell today. Who can do this today? None but the righteous! Regardless of what the world is saying and those who say they are of Christ. We are living examples that it can be done.

This is why we receive so much opposition, not from the world but from those who say they are of Christ. Ananias and Sapphira where some type of people. You can read about them in Acts the 5^th chapter. They lied to the Holy Ghost and God took them.

The Early Church fashion was that Christians dwell together in unity. The scriptures support that God has desired for His people to live together as they always have since the beginning.

What is gone from the Church today? Why it’s the fear of God and His word. I pray that the fear of God may rest upon you. This is just a few examples of why we live the way we do in the midst of this wicked and perverse generation. We are keeping ourselves unspotted from the world.

HEBREWS 10:24

    And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

HEBREWS 10:25

      Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Living in a community allows for us to put into practice the word of God daily. We provoke one another to love. Everyone of us have lived in the world before. We are very familiar with the different types of life styles it has to offer. Everyone of us has the testimony that it does not make you more Godly living the same way the world does. Living this way like the scriptures say, requires us to forsake our own way of doing things, while we prefer our brothers and sisters above ourselves.

We live here because we know it is right and it is the will of God. If it was the will of God for us to continue living the way we once did, we would be living like that. After much study of the scriptures and much praying we know this to be the will of the Father for His people.

II CORINTHIANS 6:17

     Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,

II CORINTHIANS 6:18

      And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

As a result of us obeying God we have come out of the world while we are in the world. We have sanctified ourselves for the Fathers use. We are being perfected in Jesus name. We are healthy, we have no need of nothing. Our God supplies all of our needs. We like Moses:

HEBREWS 11:24

      By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

HEBREWS 11:25

      Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

HEBREWS 11:26

      Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

HEBREWS 11:27

      By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Praise the Lord! We are here because we want to be. Almighty YHWH has blessed us and it is our conviction after careful study that all Christians should be together and not scattered and splintered all over the place. When believers are scattered their power is very, very small.

This is only for believers get so close together with other real believers that you can walk to another brother or sisters house. The end is near. The King (JESUS) is coming.

Straitway