The Holy Ghost has always been on the earth: whether it was after the Holy Ghost is poured out or before the day of Pentecost. (Genesis 1:2)
In the Old Testament, the Holy Ghost was only found primarily among his people (Israel) and around the prophets.
This was because most people taught the Holy Ghost didn’t come until the day of Pentecost.
We need the power of God in the church to be demonstrated (manifested) or released in the form of Spiritual gifts.
In the Old Testament, one could prophesy, or he could be a Prophet.
All 7 gifts can be found in the Old Testament (Word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits, faith, healing, miracles, and prophecy)
Things that are happening to the CLGI also happened to Israel in the wilderness. This happens to any good spiritual church.
In the Old Testament, there is no gift of tongues.
Why the gift of tongues was given on the day of Pentecost?
Given in the New Testament as a sign to the Jews who had the Holy Ghost among them. (Acts 10)
The Holy Ghost was poured out upon all flesh (Both Jews & Gentiles)
Isaiah prophesied to the Northern Kingdom before they went into captivity. They were the first to go into captivity.
The Southern Kingdom went into idolatry before getting carried off into captivity.
The good were carried off with the bad into Babylon – modern-day Iraq (Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah).
God will always have some good Bishops, District Superintendents, Pastors, Ministers.
Compare the Old Testament with the church today and we learn God has a way of separating.
We’re living in the last days, but God will separate the wheat from the tare (Matthew 13:24-30).
This separating is about to occur at the next judgment in a moment in a twinkling of an eye when the trumpet sounds (1 Corinthians 15:52).
When a person dies, he is judged immediately before God (Ezekiel 18:4).
Some people don’t like the fact the God judges and he determines where we spend eternity.
They don’t like being controlled so they look for a church that does not have rules.
They will look for a non-denominational church, but after a while, even that church will implement rules and begin to organize.
Organization is found throughout the bible. Israel was always organized.
These people do not like the fact that God has total control.
The last days is the end of any time or age (short or long).
Last days of the year (2021).
We need to work as if it is the last days.
This doesn’t mean the end of the world.
The god of this world (Satan) has blinded us to the knowledge of the fact that Jesus is
When a baby dies, does he send them to hell? This is where people begin to judge God.
They never judge other Gods (Buddha or Allah).
The soul that sinneth dies and God will send them to hell (Ezekiel 18:4).
By one man (Adam) sin came into the world (Romans 5:12-14).
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
We could have died when we were babies, but God had mercy on us to live.
The saints that die will have to declare victory over the grave (1 Corinthians 15:55).
Victory will be declared over the gravesite where the body is buried.
If this body be dissolved (2 Corinthians 5:7).
It can be too late for some to receive salvation.
Sometimes people can be aware of death towards the end of their life
The saints will get their reward for their labor after the trumpet sounds.
The world will continue to operate when the saints are in heaven.
The Raptured Saints Will Reign With Jesus Forever
Includes the dead in Christ rising first (I Thess 4:16-17)
The awareness of reigning with Christ governs our behavior.
The church is preparing the people to reign with Jesus.
So, don’t be weary in well-doing (Galatians 6:9).
James and John had concerns about reigning with Jesus (Matthew 20:20-23, Mark 10:35-40).
Temptation is designed to make us lose our reward.
Jehovah’s witnesses believe they are reigning now, and this is unscriptural.
Jesus has to reign until he rids the earth of sin and rebellion, then he will turn the earth over to God.
The earth will be inhabited the way God originally planned. (I Cor 15:24-28)
We don’t want our labor to be in vain. Labor within the CLGI.
Paul said he has a crown of righteousness waiting for him because of his labor (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
You have to be in the church if you plan to reign with Jesus.
People try to confess things into their lives (Proverbs 23:7).
This can be successful concerning spiritual things because the Holy City exists. The truth shall come to pass, and this will set us free.
Confessing to be a millionaire may or may not come to pass because there’s no scripture to support that thought.
The fire (renovating) on earth will not occur until the end of all ages (2 Peter 3:10-12).
In my Father’s house there are many mansions (John 14:2).
1 Corinthians 15
Apostle Paul wrote 14 chapters to get to the real problem that he wanted to tell them from the beginning.
Some of the Corinthians had a problem with the resurrection, and this is the reason they had other concerns; a man is in an inappropriate relationship with his stepmother (1 Corinthians 5).
We have to desire spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1).
There are nine gifts, how many do you have?
The number of gifts we have is determined by our desire. Do we want three cattle or a herd (represents the number of members in a church).
The number of members we have is based upon the number we desire.
We can have thoughts about things we would do concerning things in the ministry. This could be the Lord preparing us before he calls us. He puts those thoughts in our minds.
God gives us things according to how we use what he gives us (Parable of the talents – Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:12-27).
Paul was the chief of sinners, but he: didn’t lie on members, didn’t steal, didn’t fornicate, didn’t commit adultery, didn’t look at someone’s wife in the church. He had the lust of flesh under control (1 Timothy 1:15).
In every one of his Epistles, Paul writes about the lust of flesh even though he was living closer to God than some of the saints (Romans 1:29-31; I Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21, Ephesians 4:2-5:5 and Colossians 3:5-9).
Paul said he was chief of sinners because if he were living today, he would’ve had a website on the internet.
He would have been trending if he were on the internet because he would have posted things about the church to wear out the saints.
People can say whatever they want about our church, but make sure they cannot find fault with our church preaching and teaching.
Our righteousness determines our lifestyle.
We cannot remain unrighteous and continue to preach the truth.
We will begin to drift, and our behavior will begin to change.
When we hear the truth (Bible) then our behavior reflects it.
Doctrine determines or governs our behavior.
This Gospel changed our behavior when we first heard it.
1 Corinthians 13 describes how we should live a spirit-filled life.
1 Corinthians 15:12-13
What they were teaching, and preaching shaped their behavior.
The man that was sleeping with his mother probably didn’t believe and preached there was no resurrection.
They were trying to get into the Spirit, and then they were trying to prophesy with another spirit.
They did not believe in the Resurrection.
Behavior means what we do inside and outside of the church.
21st Century preachers preach Jesus died on the cross, but they don’t preach Jesus being risen from the dead.
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins (I Cor 15:17)
