THE VALUE OF A LOCAL CHURCH

THE VALUE OF A LOCAL CHURCH

1. Jesus Always Immediately Brought People in Community

Matthew 10:1

And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean

spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease

Luke 10:1

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also and sent them two by two

before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.

Matthew 16:18

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the

gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

The Greek word for church is ekklēsia. Ekklēsia refers to an assembly. It also has the

connotation of a legislative or political assembly. This speaks largely about what the

church is and what it isn’t.

Eccl 4:9

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. 10 For if they

fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has

no one to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how

can one be warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered by another, two can

withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

2. Jesus is Inseparably Connected to the Church

Eph 1:22-23

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the

church, 23  which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all

3. The Church is the Visible Manifestation of the Invisible Christ

1 John 4:17

“…because as He is, so are we in this world”

1 John 4:20

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not

love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen

Ex. How we treat those in the church is an expression of How we treat Christ

1 Timothy 3:15

But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in

the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the

truth.

4. The Promises of God Assume a Corporate Body.

When we read both testaments, the promises and prophetic utterances were given in

the context of the nation of Israel or the corporate Church. Individuals never assumed

scripture was just for them. Since people didn’t walk around with Bibles during the early

Church, they would not have even known the word of the Lord if they weren’t either in

a synagogue or hearing somebody read a letter from one of the Apostles in a local

assembly

Phil 1:3-6

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4  always in every prayer of mine

making request for you all with joy, 5  for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day

until now, 6  being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you

will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

5. Discipleship Happens within the Church

Matthew 28:19-20

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all things that I

have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”

Acts 2:41-45

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three

thousand souls were added to them. 42  And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’

doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43  Then fear came upon

every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44  Now all who

believed were together, and had all things in common, 45  and sold their possessions and

goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

6. You cannot hear the whole counsel of God apart from the Church

In the book of revelation, Jesus said seven times to hear what the Spirit was saying to

the churches

Revelation 2:7

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches

Revelation 3:6

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

Revelation 11; Revelation 13; Revelation 17; Revelation 29; Revelation 22

People in their city could not hear the Lord’s word regarding the destiny of their city

without participating in their particular local Church. 

Also, it was interesting that when Jesus wanted to speak, He spoke through the

messenger of a particular church, which likely was the overseeing Bishop of that region.

He also assumed spiritual and apostolic alignment with the local Church for a Christian

to hear His word and walk out His message of warning, correction, and edification. 

7. Jesus is coming back for His bride.

Eph 5:27

Rev 19:6-9

And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and

as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent

reigns! 7  Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has

come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8  And to her it was granted to be arrayed in

fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9  Then he

said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the

Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

Matthew 25:1-5

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and

went out to meet the bridegroom. 2  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

3  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4  but the wise took

oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all

slumbered and slept.

8. We need the gifts and abilities of a committed congregation to function. 

Ephesians 4:11-12

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some

pastors and teachers, 12  for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the

edifying of the body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body,

being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into

one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to

drink into one Spirit. 14  For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15  If the foot

should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the

body? 16  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it

therefore not of the body? 17  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the

hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18  But now God has

set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19  And if they were

all one member, where would the body be? 20  But now indeed there are many members,

yet one body. 21  And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again

the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22  No, much rather, those members of the

body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23  And those members of the body which

we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our

unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24  but our presentable parts have no need.

But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,

25  that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the

same care for one another. 26  And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it;

or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27  Now you are the body of

Christ, and members individually

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5  There are differences of ministries,

but the same Lord. 6  And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who

works all in all. 7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of

all: 8  for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of

knowledge through the same Spirit, 9  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts

of healings by the same Spirit, 10  to another the working of miracles, to another

prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to

another the interpretation of tongues. 11  But one and the same Spirit works all these

things, distributing to each one individually as He wills

9. We need to benefit of the Cooperate Anointing

2 Chron 5:13-14

indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one

sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice

with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying:

“For He is good, For His mercy endures forever, that the house, the house of the LORD,

was filled with a cloud, 14  so that the priests could not continue ministering because of

the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

Acts 2:1-4

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it

filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3  Then there appeared to them divided

tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4  And they were all filled with the

Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 4:23-31

And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief

priests and elders had said to them. 24  So when they heard that, they raised their voice to

God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the

sea, and all that is in them, 25  who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why

did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their

stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.’

27  “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and

Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28  to

do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29  Now, Lord,

look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak

Your word, 30  by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be

done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31  And when they had prayed, the

place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the

Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

10. Certain Principles and Promises Require Community

Heb 10:19–25

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20  by a

new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21  and

having a High Priest over the house of God, 22  let us draw near with a true heart in full

assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies

washed with pure water. 23  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,

for He who promised is faithful. 24  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love

and good works, 25  not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner

of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day

approaching.

Many in the church have moved for a long time with a very robust and multifaceted

personally anointed community. But it is time to cultivate a corporate authority and

power that comes from the cumulative personal anointing working in concert with each

other A corporate anointing results in an exponential increase of God-given authority

and power as a body unifies and operates in submission to the Holy Spirit and each

other

FINANCIAL INSTABILITY

 

I.               AWARENESS

Gen 41:35-36

And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. ³⁶ Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be in the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine.

 

Acts 11:27-30

And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. ²⁹ Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. ³⁰ This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul

 

 

II.              HISTORY OF MONEY IN NORTH AMERICA

1.     Wampum -  Shells Native Americans (Used because they were scarce – Only found on the seashores)

·      Dutch Colonist figured out a way to make them and harvest them so the abundance made them loose their value

 

2.     Continental Currency

The Continental Congress issued paper money that wasn't backed by anything. It was called the continental currency, and it was used to fund the war against England

 

Both, State and Continental currency depreciated rapidly, becoming, in effect, worthless by the end of the war. This depreciation was caused by the government, stemming from the printing of large amounts of currency, in their effort to meet the monetary demands of the war.

 

3.     Currency Backed by Metal.

 

•               The U.S. has officially been on the Gold Standard since 1900, when gold was established by law as the only metal for redeeming paper currency.

•               However, the gold standard had been unofficially in effect far before that, since 1834.

•               When gold prices increased people started hording gold. Franklin Delano Roosevelt F.D.R did, closed the banks to try to stop this run on gold reserves. He then ordered Americans to get rid of all their gold, he said, if you have any gold, you need to exchange it for US dollars.

•               In 1934 the Gold Reserve Act made it illegal for us citizens to hold gold. Govt would hold it and issues dollars against it

 

4.     Bretton Woods

At a famous hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, when all of the held in 1944. They got together to establish sort of a new world currency agreement, which is called the Bretton Woods system. various major economies and their currencies were basically fixed to the dollar or pegged to the dollar.

 

5.     Loss of the Gold Standard

The US ended up cheating and printing many more dollars than they had gold to back it. By 1971, it became clear to the world that the US did not have enough gold to pay everyone back if they came and brought their US dollars to Fort Knox. So what Nixon did is cancel the convertibility of the US dollar to gold. So as of 1971, you could no longer bring your US dollars and trade them in for gold. End of the Gold Standard

 

6.     Petrodollar Standard (Oil Standard)

 

You needed us Dollars to buy oil. So countries needed dollars to buy oil.

This created an unnatural demand for US dollars which helped prop it up as the world currency

 

7.     Massive Inflation and Paul Volker

 

When we left the gold standard things went crazy. Inflation went to almost 15%.  Paul Volcker chairman of the Federal Reserve Boards raised prime rates to 21% in 1981to kill inflation. Triggered a major recession. In 70’s 

 

8.     Falling Interest Rates Ever Since

 

Whenever there is a problem in the economy or stock market the fed lowers interest rates to try and stimulate the economy

 

·      Bear Market 2000 to 2002 (Over valuation and 911) – Fed cut rates to 1%

 

·      Bull market 2002 to 2007 – (Had raised rates to about 5.25)

 

·      Housing Crisis 2007 and 2009 – Housing Bubble Popped and almost brought down the whole financial system.  Banks were insolvent Rates close to zero plus.

 

The Subprime Mortgage Crisis

·      The subprime mortgage is a home loans granted to borrowers with poor credit history

 

·      There was a housing boom in the US in the early to mid 2000’s. Housing prices continued to rise in Europe and the US, so institutions acquired thousands of risky mortgages in bulk. (These were in the form of mortgage back securities). They were trying to make a quick buck.

 

·      In February 2007 the Federal home loan mortgage corporation (Freddie Mac) announced it would no longer purchase risky subprime mortgage is our mortgage related securities.

 

·      In April 2007 the subprime mortgage lender New Century financial declared bankruptcy in April 2007

 

·      In August 2007 American Home Mortgage Investment Corporation entered chapter 11 bankruptcy.

 

·      Standard & Poor’s and Moody‘s credit rating services announced their intention to reduce the ratings on more than 100 bars back by second lien subprime mortgages. SNP also placed more than 600 securities backed by the subprime residential mortgages on credit watch.

 

·      Housing prices begin to fall putting millions of homeowners under water

 

·      Stock market hit a high October 9, 2007 when the Dow Jones industrial average exceeded 14,000 for the first time in history. After that, things begin to plunge rapidly. The Dow lost 6547 points over the next 18 months. And Americans lost about $14 trillion of their net worth.

 

·      The Feds reduce the interest rates from 5.25% to zero for the first time in history.

 

·      In February 2008 George W. Bush signed The Economic Stimulus Act into law. Americans got a check between $600-$1200. He also increased loan limits for Federal home loan programs like Freddie Mae and Freddie Mac hoping to stimulate the housing market. These didn’t work.

 

·      In March 2008 investment banking giant Bear Stearns collapsed due to subprime mortgages. JP Morgan Chase bought them got a cut right price.

 

·      Few months later Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy creating the largest bankruptcy in US history.

 

·      A few days after the Fed agreed to lend the insurance and investment company AIG 85 billion so I can remain afloat. They said that it was too big to fail and I would further hurt the US economy

 

·      The government then approved TARP the Troubled Asset Relief Program. This provided the US government with $700 billion in funds to purchase the assets of struggling companies to keep them in business. The government thought to sell them at a later date hopefully for profit

 

·      The US government then spent billions acquiring assets from nine US banks.  Banks like JP Morgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley And even bailed out General Motors in Chrysler and Bank of America.

 

·      January 2009 President Barack Obama became president. In his first few weeks he signed a second stimulus package into law marking 787 billion for tax cuts as well as spending on infrastructure, schools, healthcare and green energy

 

 

9.     Quantitative Easing

Fed prints money to buy things.  They brought these bad mortgages. Brought stock in some companies.

 

                        Problem is it props up asset prices making the rich richer and the poor poorer.   

 

10.  Fiat System

 

Fiat in Latin means just let there be, as in Fiat looks, let there be light. Fiat money is just paper money that governments can print and make as much money as they wanted

 

And so we're on this crazy treadmill mill where the fed has to continue to try to prop up asset prices, but they can't do it anymore by lowering interest rates. They can only do it by expanding the balance sheet, which means printing money out of nowhere and using it to buy things

 

 

11.  US Govt. Condition

 

·      Deficit is made up by borrowing money

·      Govt. Borrows money by issuing debt called treasury securities

·      They sell these and people give them cash, they hold them and Govt. pays their money back plus interest (Very little interest these days)

·      They have so much debt not enough people are buying it

The US Central Bank also called the Federal Reserve prints money out of thin air and buys the treasuries

·      Problem – The more dollars you print the less value they have

·      The U S currency is going to be devalued by all of this, which means things like gold. They're going to go up. Things like stocks will probably go up. And things like Bitcoin will go up.

·      Inflation (CPI 2%. Real is way higher)

 

In 2020, the government spent $6.55 trillion.

In 2020, the government collected $3.42 trillion in revenue.

The Budget deficit was 3.13 trillion dollars

 

12.  Danger of losing Reserve Currency Status

China, Russia, Emerging Super powers

 

·      Russia removing dollar assets from it’s National wealth fund

-       It’s a fund funded by oil revenue in Russia

-       Currently has about 35% of it’s funds in dollars

 

·      Russia had a gentleman’s agreement with China. They sell us goods and China takes those profits and reinvest it back into US economy by buying US treasuries. China stopped doing this a few years ago

 

·      Middle East Oil Producers would sell oil to the US (and other countries) for dollars then recycle those dollars back into the US buying treasuries and US Stocks, US Govt Bonds and US Real Estate. 

 

III.            WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

 

1.     Engage in Kingdom Hedging

Matthew 6:19-21

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also

 

Phil 4:15-17

Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. ¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.

 

Mark 10:28-31

Then Peter began to say to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You.” ²⁹ So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, ³⁰ who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first

 

2.     Develop a small emergency savings

$1000.00

 

3.     Retire Debt

Borrow money to make money not to lose it.

 

If you pay just the minimum due each month on an $8,400 credit balance, you will wind up having to make 365 monthly payments before it goes to zero. That’s thirty years and five months’ worth of payments.

 

i.               Stop digging the hole

ii.              Find out how much interest you are paying

iii.             Ask for a lower rate 

iv.             Consolidate your debt

v.              Rank your cards

·      Make a list of the current outstanding balances on each of your credit card accounts. 

·      Divide each balance by the minimum payment that particular card to get a payment ranking number.

·      For example, a card with a $500 balance and a minimum payment due of $50 will have a rank # of 10. 

·      Start paying card with lowest Rank Number first. 

4.     Save a Minimum of 3 to 6 Months Income

5.     Own Assets

a.     Buy a Home

Benefits of Home Ownership

Forced Savings

OPM

Tax Breaks

Pride of Ownership

It’s a Great Investment

TIPS

·      Go to www.eloan.com and calculate how much you can afford to spend on a home

According to the FHA, a good rule of thumb is that most people can afford to spend 29 percent of their gross income on housing expenses—as much as 41 percent if they have no debt

·      Decide to pay off early by making extra payment a year or increase your mortgage by 10% each month, 

·      Go to www.bankrate.com and use its calculator to see how much you can save by making your mortgage payments biweekly

 

b.     Own other Real Estate

c.     Invest in Stocks 

 

The S&P 500 Index originally began in 1926 as the "composite index" comprised of only 90 stocks.1 According to historical records, the average annual return since its inception in 1926 through 2018 is approximately 10%–11%.

 

d.     Learn About Other Assets (i.e. Crypto Currency)