I am burden with our actions as of late. We for some reason are stuck in a cycle that makes us ineffective and unable to comprehend the teachings of Christ. I am asking for the Lords forgiveness for grieving the Holy Spirit as I hope many of us are. But further asking for Lords help to be able to strive, hear, and understand His word. Our biggest issues are these, lack of push to understand and function, not having a back bone to take correction, and having emotions on our sleeve. for some rebellion and others religion (either way, demonic in nature). It may be too late but i do pray to our Lord who is merciful to help us and somehow change the tide that we are in so we can fully grab hold of the teachings of Christ given to us by our Apostle. I am writing this under community because we are striving to be a community of believers who can change our communities with the Light of our savior. Any time we say "we should be doing", or "this should happen", we need to figure out how we can be the answer, the solution. So that the should becomes "by Gods empowerment I am doing...." or "we are changing...". I am asking for the Lords forgiveness and mercy and empowerment to do what is required of me and to do what I couldn't do in my own strength. and that we will somehow (not sure if this is scriptural but it is well needed) develop a backbone is us not to give up or to succumb to our emotions and feelings. Revival is here and God needs leaders and people who will stand strong, by standing in obedience, standing in truth, standing upon the revelations and teachings of our apostle which is the foundation the church of Christ. May the Lord forgive us and have mercy on us.

A system is the function, order or guidelines that are put in place. The result of a system is to affect the way a person thinks. Sin is in the world because people are connected to the wrong system (the system of darkness). The Kingdom of God is a system that has been put in place to affect the way we think about everything. His Kingdom has come to show us that there is a higher reality than what we are used to in the natural world. The reality in the natural world is if you become sick, you either need to get better or you will die. The reality of the Kingdom of God is that there is healing. In the natural, if you're broke, you either stay broke or you need to work hard in order to get out of that place. The reality of the Kingdom of God says that we have inheritance and prosperity. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus' body and His blood that has been poured out for us, we have been given a place in the Kingdom of God, we have been made new. Therefore, as a community of believers, our way of thinking has to change. We have been delivered! We are healed! We are prosperous!

God is after communities. The church was design to undue the works of darkness in a community. For example, let's take the Earrly Church. The early church impacted their communities by preaching the gospel and meeting the needs of the people. In the modern day church, many are building churches and not reaching to meet needs etc. The only way to impact a community is to meet the need! Community is a lifestyle. No one is living on an island. We are all connected to someone. We are light, we cannot hide a light within 4 walls.

Thoughts produce opinions. Opinions produce mindsets. Mindsets produce words. Words produce atmospheres. Atmospheres produce conduct/actions. Conduct/actions produce cultures. Cultures affect generations. The devil goes after our minds first so we have to be a people that know and develop the same mind of our Almighty God. Our thoughts should align with His, our words should align with His. If He wouldn't think it or say it, neither should we! Let us be a community that is so heavily influenced by and modeled after the one and only God in the flesh, our savior Jesus Christ, that the generations to come will never find themselves in a place of doubt, confusion or sin.

English poet John Donne said this: "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent." As it has been mentioned before, a community can never be a single person nor could culture be formed by a single person. God is interested in a community of believers moving together with one mind and on one accord. The community of believers is so much more than what we see on Sunday morning service. We are the ones that are to bring light and revelation to the world. If we don't, then there is no advancement of the Kingdom. And if there is no advancement of the Kingdom, then there probably is not a strong community of His people. We need to see things bigger than what can be done within the four walls of the church building.

As mentioned before, "but you are a chosen people..." 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV). This meaning a specific group of people with a specific purpose. What's important to understand is that you don't get the purpose until you understand the community that you are in. There are certain things you have in common, it may be music or technology, etc. The kingdom of God is grown in communities. It is a culture that is inspired by God, a Holy Spirit driven culture. God is not interested in building churches. God is interested in building communities. His people should be the ones the world comes to for all of their needs, His people should be owning businesses and land!

The Ekklesia is the "called-out ones" of God. It is the community of believers, not one individual. This was the original concept of the Church. I like how Edwin brought up the power that is available when we come together along with the persecution that comes when the Church is growing and succeeding in accomplishing its purpose of pushing back darkness. When the CHURCH came together and prayed, the earth was shaken in Acts 4, and Peter was loosed from his chains in Acts 12. If there is one thing God is looking for, it is for community. When He speaks, He is always speaking of the future. And when He moves, it is always for a people. I am not saying that God cannot or would not answer someone's personal prayer or meet their need with His power. But I believe it is important to know that He is concerned with just a select few.

During these times, it is very important to learn community. As the definition shown below; community is a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. The best example of community would be the Early New testament church In Acts 2:44 “and all that believed were together and had all things common.” .In a community everyone is one accord, with one mind and one purpose. Its impossible to be apart of a community and be by yourself. We must function in unity as a community. When we are connected in a community of believers, that is when the anointing is strongest. What amazes me most about the NT church is they believed hard and worked very hard. In history, we can see as the church was under heavy persecution, the church continued to thrive.

If you can think of any task that may be at hand, it is more than likely better done through a group. When it was time to send His disciples out, Jesus had them go in groups of two. There is something important and unique about fellowship; the coming together of like-minded believers.

Community is essential in our walk of faith. Too many believe that they can live this life on their own with the Lord. This is far from the truth. The author of the book of Hebrews addressed this very thing: "And let us consider how we can spur one another towards love and good deeds,not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25)." I love how the author says we are to spur one another towards LOVE and GOOD DEEDS. You can't love someone else by yourself, nor can you do good deeds.

Community: (N) - A social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.

Imagine that. A community of believers. Streets, towns, cities of people that are obedient to the Lord and are eager to do His work. An abundance of resources (financial, material, emotional, etc.). All of our needs are met. There is no struggle, there is no lack. Children that grow up having no encounters with darkness. Bloodlines being protected. Can you see it? This is possible!

Acts 4:32 - All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

Acts 2:46-47 - Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Psalm 133:1 - How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!

The anointing of God and the flow of the Holy Spirit are strongest in community. Fellowship and prayer is what brings breakthrough. It is so important that we as followers of Christ stick together. That we continue to push and sow into each other, recognizing who we are as members of His body. Working together to destroy the works of the devil and to love one another with sincerity.