#ALife_____ #UNCHND
My Journey (Intro)…
Each of us entered this world, as a baby, to a family we didn’t choose. Our lives were pre-determined and IF we were born into a “#ChristianHome” the basic rules (so to speak) had already been established for us.
BasicRules
1) Love the Lord God with ALL your heart.
2) Don’t take Gods name in vain
3) Be a partaker of the Word
4) Honor parents/ family
5) Don’t fight (verbally/ physically)
6) No sex outside of marriage (not really discussed until a preteen)
7) Do not take what isn’t yours
8] Do not lie
9) Do not covet another’s spouse (huh, not really understood until later)
10) Do not covet what another has, but share with others
Our home just so happened to be “Catholic”, so I was #Christened (age 6 weeks), I had my first #HolyCommunion (age 7) and I was #Confirmed (age 12).
All of that, but no tangible relationship with the Kingdom of God. Oh, I loved the Lord God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, but it was superficial. Heaven was a place I could get my needs met. At the time, I didn’t realize, God also has needs to be met.
Therefore, I wasn’t going to the throne room to meet the needs of God. So my life had very little fruit and what I did have was fading. There was no change mentioned in the scriptures. Maybe because I was still young and hadn’t really gotten into the complications of this world. Regardless, the assignment was on the inside of me (like all of us) from before the foundation.
Assignment_Training (age 7)
My family didn’t move around when I was a school aged child. We moved in 1974, from the Washington DC area to the Atlanta area when I was 4 yrs old. My Mom & Dad had gotten an apartment.
My Step-Dad purchased his first home just in time for me to start 1st Grade (1975; age 5). I lived in that home, until shortly after graduating High School (age 17). My home was very structured and disciplined. But what I wanted more than anything was a home for “those thought to be” less fortunate; to love on the ones no one else seemed to have time for.
My idea of the term “less fortunate” has transformed over the years, but that concept has remained for 50 yrs: ALL THINGS KINGDOM.
Transformation
I first prayed the sinners prayer, led by Jimmy Swaggert, while watching tv with my Uncle (age 12).
My Step-Dad, whom I began calling “Dad” (age 13) used to take my younger brother and I, to visit the courthouse and listen in on criminal hearings. This is where I began my love of law/s and the legal system, even planning to one day become an Attorney and fight for the disenfranchised. But not before, my adult life would become entangled with the court and its systems.
(More on that later)
I began leaving the “Catholic Church thinking” around this time while spending my free time reading the scriptures and officially (age 17) after I graduated High School.
Having said that, I began having sex (unmarried age 18) and my own family (1988; still unmarried, age 19).
Accepting Jesus as Lord & Savior “as a non-Catholic” happened (age 20) in a little church in the square; “#Signs_and_Wonders”, Lawrenceville, GA.
My entire life, God has always been at the forefront of my mind. I believe that is because those basic rules (aka 10 commandments) were established and instilled in me since birth. I am head strong when it comes to RIGHT vs WRONG. Therefore, I’ve always believed “#CHURCH_MUST_START_and_FINISH_AT_HOME”.
But what does that mean and look like? First in the #vessel/ #believer, second in #fellowship/ #followers.
Shortly after I made that outward confession of leaving the Catholic Church, my cut in began. Galatians 5:7
The reason being, as a young person, I understood: “THERE” is where church must begin, “IN THE CHURCH of ALL THINGS JESUS” aka #SubmissionToGod; rather than man.
Unfortunately, no one knew to or how to (lack of knowledge) explain the enemy wanted to destroy my chance of eternity with the God-head; Father, Son, Holy Spirit and that in order to be chosen (remnant), unimaginable trials would come.
FAST FORWARD 15 YEARS (TBC)…
I officially began our home ministry “SafeHaven” in 2005, and we have always met in OUR HOME.
I firmly believe the problems we are witnessing today, stem from NO church @ #Home.
InTheBeginningsOfChristianity
Began with the ministry of Jesus (c. 27-30) and ends with the First Council of Nicaea (325). [another topic maybe for later]
It is typically divided into two periods: the Apostolic Age (c. 30–100, when the first apostles were still alive) and the Ante-Nicene Period (c. 100–325).
The early followers of Christ, prayed and worshipped in #HOMES.
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TheOriginalHouseChurches
Acts 1:12-14 (AMP)
13 “When they had entered the city, they went upstairs to the UPPER ROOM WHERE THEY WERE STAYING [indefinitely]; that is, Peter, and John and [his brother] James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew (Nathanael) and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas (Thaddaeus) the son of James.
14 All these with one mind and one purpose were continually devoting themselves to prayer, [waiting together] along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”
1 Corinthians 16:19 (AMP)
“The churches of Asia send you their greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church [that meets] in their HOUSE, send you their warm greetings in the Lord.”
Romans 16:3-5 (AMP)
3 “Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4 who risked their own necks [endangering their very lives] for my life. To them not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
5 Also greet the church that meets in their HOUSE. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the first convert to Christ from [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor].”
Colossians 4:15 (AMP)
15 “Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church that meets in her HOUSE.”
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ChurchBeginsAndEndsAtHome
If we a people, do not get back to the basics (in our homes), we are headed for destruction.
Unchned... 