TeachingNotes - Frontier Harvest Ministries

BLESSED ARE THE POOR

By Chuck King

I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to speak up for the rights of poor believers everywhere. There is so much need (not greed) among evangelical Christians among the nations! Let’s take a close look at what God thinks about this need:

GOD'S ADVICE FROM PROVERBS

The poor cannot speak for themselves or defend their rights (Prov. 31:8-9).
We ought to be satisfied to avoid the two extremes of either being poor or rich (Prov. 30:7-9).
Righteous people care about justice for the poor (Prov. 29:7).
Those who give to the poor lack nothing, while others are cursed (Prov. 28:8).
We are rewarded even for helping enemies in need (Prov. 25:21-22).
We are to show restraint in seeking to be rich (Prov. 23:4-5).
Do not take advantage of the needy (Prov. 22:22-23).
Do not make money by exploiting the poor or give to the rich (Prov. 22:16).
If you are generous to the poor, you are blessed (Prov. 22:9).
When you give to the poor, you lend to the Lord (Prov. 19:17).
Give freely and experience prosperity, but hold back in your giving and experience poverty. A generous person will prosper and be refreshed (Prov. 11:24-25).
Do not withhold from your neighbor in need (Prov. 3:27-28).

NEW TESTAMENT ADVICE

The poor are blessed, but the rich are warned (Luke 6:20-26).
Judgment comes upon the rich who ignore the poor (Luke 16:19-31).
Do not store up wealth on earth, rather put treasure in heaven (give to the poor). Your heart will be focused where your treasure is (Matt. 6:19-21).
You can’t serve God and money (Matt. 6:24).
The early church was committed to help the poor as a priority of ministry (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-35; 6:1).
The apostles made the poor their priority, too (Rom. 15:25-27; Gal. 2:10; 2 Cor. 8 & 9).
Avoid loving money and be content with God’s provision for you (Heb. 13:5-6).
Godliness with contentment brings true prosperity. Flee from the snare that the pursuit of riches and the love of money set for you (1 Tim. 6:6-12).
Command the rich to help the poor and so lay up treasure in heaven (1 Tim. 6:17-19).

Is the Holy Spirit speaking to you about your response to the poor believers around the world? Let’s seek Him for His will for each of us in these matters. We can make a huge difference for all eternity if we are obedient to His Word.

THE BEMA SEAT

By Chuck King

The eternal perspective was firmly rooted in the teaching of the first century church. Heaven was the goal. The present life in the body was simply preparation for celestial rewards. This focus kept the church filled with the fear of the Lord and therefore His wisdom as they served the Lord with passion and perseverance.

THE EARTHLY TENT VERSUS THE ETERNAL HOUSE (2 Cor. 5: 1-9)

Believers know that the body is a temporary “tent” while our eternal “house” is in heaven.
We long for this heavenly dwelling place.
We are burdened with the present “tent” of the human body.
We know that we have been created for one purpose: immortality in His Presence.
So we live by faith, not by sight.
Therefore this is our goal: to please Him whether on the earth or in heaven.

OUR APPOINTMENT WITH THE JUDGE (2 Cor. 5: 10-13)

We must all appear before His judgment seat.
We will receive our due for the life we lived on earth.
This motivates us to fear the Lord and to persuade men to fear and serve Him, too.

THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION (2 Cor. 5: 14-21)

Since Jesus died for all, we should no longer live for ourselves, but for Him Who died for us and was raised again.
If you are in Christ, you are a new creation, for your old life has been replaced by His new life.
We now have the ministry and message of reconciliation: a thorough change in our relationship with God that makes us right with Him.
We are to be His ambassadors who preach this message that we are to be righteous in Him.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

This Day of accountability is surely coming for each one of us! How shall we then live? Let’s live out our earthly lives in the fear and service of God as we broadcast this message of reconciliation to all who will hear and listen.

His Sanctuary

By Chuck King

The Lord God has given us some very clear and detailed revelation concerning His perspective of the buildings in which we worship.

Let’s take a look at what the Bible teaches us about this subject:

1. The Patriarchs used to worship the Lord by building simple altars and offering sacrifices in the open country (Gen. 22:13-14 & 28:18 & 19).

2. At first, Moses set up a simple tent outside the camp of Israel where he met with God (Ex. 33:7-11).

3. Then the Lord commanded him to construct a portable tabernacle using the freewill offerings of the people (Ex. 25:1-8).

4. This portable tabernacle was used for about 500 years, even into the ministry of Samuel (1 Sam. 3:1-3) and the reigns of David (1 Chron. 16:39-40) and Solomon (2 Chron. 1:3-6).

5. King David had the idea of building the first temple, though it is clear from Scripture that God did not require this (2 Sam. 7:1-17), nor was it God’s priority. In fact, the Lord’s message to David was that His plan was to build “a house for David”. He meant the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ our Lord, not an earthly building.

6. However, it is also clear that God permitted and blessed the temple under Solomon (1 Kings 5:3-5 & 6:11-13 & 2 Chron. 7:12).

7. Yet the first temple was destroyed as part of the judgment God sent upon Israel (2 Chron. 7:19-20 & 2 Chr. 36:15-19).

8. The second temple was also in God’s plan (Ezra, Nehemiah, & Haggai).

9. Yet we have the New Covenant revelation of Jesus Christ and His apostles that believers are the temple of God, and the second temple was also taken away in judgment (see Acts 7:44-50).

10. Although a third temple is promised to Israel, we do not have any mandate in Scripture as Christians to build buildings for our place of worship.

11. Neither do we have His command not to make use of church buildings, yet the tradition of placing so much emphasis and material investment into church buildings certainly can’t be justified with Biblical principles. In fact, God only ever provided for ONE building for all Israelites to worship in (tabernacle or temple). Millions of people shared and supported ONE building! Why do we need so many church buildings today?

Therefore, the following Biblical principles ought to be followed:

1. If church buildings are used (we like nice buildings, that’s why we have them, not because we are commanded to have them by the Lord), they should be financed by offerings, not the tithes of the people. The tabernacle and the temples were supported by offerings exclusively.

2. The tithes of the people should support God-called, gifted, full-time ministers of the Word of God.

3. The temple of the Spirit is the believer, not the building, so this should be our priority: don’t neglect the temple of God.

House Churches

By Chuck King

After being the pastor of five "traditional" local churches, I have come to the realization that the house church was the simple, local church of the New Testament. This local church model ought to be given your serious consideration for these reasons:

All New Testament local churches were house churches.

The typical church building usually becomes the focus of the local church, not the people. Note that even under the Old Covenant, God only provided for ONE building (tabernacle or temple) for MILLIONS of people. In the New Covenant, church buildings did not exist until about 300 hundred years into church history when the false teachings of men influenced the church's spiritual decline.

The expense of such real estate undermines the financial support of local church overseers as well as other ministers of the Word. The Bible does not teach us to spend our tithes on buildings but on God-called, gifted, full-time ministers of the Word of God.

The traditional church's organizations, traditions, and programs have replaced the New Testament priorities of transparency, humility, and accountability.

How To Plant A House Church

Keep the organization as simple as possible.

Make sure your overseers (pastors, elders) are called by God in the ministry of the Word of God and demonstrate the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Support them with your tithes.

Try to limit the size of each house church to around 10 to 20 people.

Start another house church if numbers increase.

Feel no pressure to meet in a rented or purchased building. If you choose to also meet in such a building to gather multiple house churches together, wait until the expenses are within your means using offerings, not tithes.

Be devoted to worship, the Word, prayer, and fellowship.

Make missions a top priority.

Stress evangelism and discipleship training.

Fellowship regularly with other local churches. Build bridges of fellowship, not walls.

Email Chuck King at: charlesjking@yahoo.com