What Is On The Horizon....

“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" Lk. 12:49

The Vision...

A few weeks back, while n prayer in the sanctuary at MC, I was shown what is on the horizon for the church.  The hungry church...the praying church...the purified church...the hearing/seeing church.

(A Note of Clarity:  The Church = each born-again child of God who understands and knows that we r who we are because of Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection and ascension.  He is now and will forever be the only way to the Father.)

“I saw a pile of smoldering embers; as I looked closer I could see the white dust, a residue of what had been, proof that in the past a fire had once been there but had lost something to burn and seemingly left nothing but the proof of the past fire.  But then I felt the urgency to look closer, under the proof of the past fire, the dust, I saw some glowing ember, .some very small particles that still had the fire in them.  As I stood gazing at the smoldering embers a wind began to blow across 'what was', the dust of the past fire, the dust was blown away, the wind continued to blow upon the small glowing embers and suddenly a fire burst out.  As I stood there the fire began to grow in intensity. As it grew I began to see people start noticing the fire and were drawn to it’s flames.  The higher the flames grew the further away it could be seen and it became like a magnet to those who saw it.  People began to come from far away places...large crowds of people...they came to see and experience the fire.

This morning, 7/17/18, my spirit was drawn back to that vision and I heard these words...”It will begin with a gentle breeze and will then grow n intensity".

To the hungry...the thirsty...Pastor or parishioner...get ready the gentle breeze, if it hasn’t’t already started blowing, it is about to begin and then the Wind.

(If this resonates with your spirit...share it with others.)

“Armed & Dangerous”

Preached:  6/10 & 17/18

Text:  I Peter 4:1, “Therefore since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also...”

Intro.  Can you imagine an army going into battle without...guns, bullets, missiles, war ships, tanks etc.  That would be sure suicide!   It just doesn’t happen!  Nor should we, the body of Christ, go into the daily battles we face unprepared....unarmed.   We must arm ourselves for the conflicts that will come our way...to fail to do so is to commit spiritual suicide. 

In Peter’s first letter he tells the child of God to ‘arm himself’....”So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves…"NLT

 Arm: (3695) (hoplizo from hoplon = weapon) This basically means to make ready or prepare, with a focus upon the process of equipping; or to arm, to furnish with arms or to provide. In the case of soldiers it means to equip one's self with weapons.

With What ...”with the same attitude (to have understanding, to think) he had,” 

Jesus was ready and willing to do ‘whatever it takes’….”be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.” I Pet. 4:1-3 NLT

He was willing to do whatever had to be done to accomplish what He was sent here to accomplish.  It is with this same attitude that we must  arm ourselves for our daily battles. 

 Note: Outlook determines outcome; a believer must have the right attitude if he is to live a right life. Since this is a constant struggle we need to be properly motivated and that is what Peter is doing in this section, teaching that we can be motivated by the truth that our Lord also suffered and also by the certainty of His imminent return to judge the living and the dead.

Victor Or Victim? You Choose:  Too many Christians live with a  ‘victim mentality’. It is used to shed light upon their needs...to produce sympathy for their cause.   The child of God ceased to be a victim the moment he/ she gave their heart to Christ.  At that very moment you became a VICTOR.  ‘Old things passed away all things became new’. II Cor. 5:17

 We Must Arm Ourselves With Facts To Become A Victor Not A Victim:

Fact # 1 - We will face/have difficulties in this life….10 John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation (great trouble or suffering);”  

Acts 14:22, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”  

I Thess. 3:3, “no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.”

We will never win without recognizing and accepting the FACT that we must fight....It is extremely destructive to teach a new Christian, or any Christian, that once they get saved everything is going to become easy.  The devil NEVER gives up!  He wants what he claims to be his property back....that is not going to happen if we are armed!!

Fact #2 - Knowing YOU Never Have To Lose….12 ”Listen! I have given you authority, so that you can...overcome all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you.”  Lk. 10:19  TEV

Listen!   Pay attention to what is about to be said.  Don’t drift off here...listen closely.

“I have given you authority (exousia: rightful, actual, and unimpeded power to act, or to possess, control, use, dispose of, something)”  Simply put….”I have given you the right to exercise the power I have given you.”

D. Sheets:  Where God and Satan are concerned, the issue has never been power, including over control of the earth.  God is al-powerful.  When Satan tried to pull off a coup in heaven, there was a flash of lightning and Satan was gone (Luke 10:18).  No battle, no time delay, no sweat or exertion on God’s part...just a release of His power and glory.  It is always and only a question of authority.

The same is true with us and our struggle against the kingdom of darkness.  Satan did’t gain any power at the fall and didn’t lose any at the cross.  His power or ability didn’t change at either event; his authority, or the right to use that power, did.  In fact, though Christians often state otherwise, 14 Scripture nowhere says that Christ delivered us from or dealt with Satan’s power at Calvary.  He dealt with Satan’s authority. 

The King James Version uses the Greek words dunamis (power) and exousia (authority) interchangeably, which is unfortunate and creates confusion.  In Colossians 1:13, for example, it translates exousia as power:  “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.“  The verse should read that Christ has delivered us from the authority of darkness, as most other translations actually do.  Likewise, in Matthew 28:18 Jesus didn’t say he has been give “all power, “ as the KJV renders...He already had that.  Christ used exousia:  He was stating that He had taken back the authority for us that Adam has lost. 

This is more than a mere technicality.  If Jesus stripped Satan of his power, as some teach, then we no longer need to concern ourselves with him...he becomes a nonissue.  Or if we Christians have been delivered from Satan’s power, as some teach, then he can no longer affect or control us.  We would be able to ignore him completely, which is precisely what many Christians do.

If on the other hand, Jesus dealt with Satan’s authority...the right to use his power or abilities...then we would need to deal with him as a usurper, a rebel, a thief that has no right to steal kill and destroy but will if not stopped (John 10:10).  If we have been delivered from Satan’s authority and given a higher authority in Christ’s name, then we must exercise that authority over the devil’s works and power.  When we do, God’s awesome power will back up our authority.  Luke 10:19 refers to this...using our authority over Satan’s power:  “Behold, I have give you authority (exousia) to tead upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power (dunamis) of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.”

Jesus said we have authority (keys) to “bind” the forces of hell (Matt.16:19).  The term is deo, and means to “fasten or tie, as with a chain or cord” (Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, NASB).  The word was also used in legal circles to mean “legally or contractually binding,” which obviously conveys the idea of authority, binding or tying Satan legally, and God will back us with His power.  So again, 15 what will determine victory for us is understanding and exercising our God given authority.

 Some Reminders:  Eph. 1:19-20, NLT “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.”

 I John 4:4, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

 I John 5:4, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”

Conc:  He has not left us unequipped!  He has given us what we need to win.....it is up to us to arm ourselves and go for the victory!! It is ours for the taking!!  We are and should be armed and dangerous...ready to reek havoc against the enemy of the Kingdom!!  The devil can’t take what we want allow!!

"The Fight Is On"

Excerpts from the series "A Fresh Glimpse of The Dove - The Fight Is On"    4/15/18

   I believe there is an ever increasing number of people today in and even out of the church who are tiring of the glitzy, glamour filled halls of religion we call the church today.  No longer are we satisfied with the religious robotics called worship that does little more than move carnal flesh.  The desire of many is for something that brings a true change to their lives.  A change that builds within them a faith that says life is worth living.  That it can truly be filled with joy, peace, freedom, purity, harmony, success, etc.   

Christianity Today - ‘The Rise of The Nons’:  This is a group of people who since the year 2000 have bailed out of ‘church as we know it.’  Why? many ask.  There are various reasons…I believe one of the main reasons is what is being offered.  The church has become so ‘trend concious’ until we’ve allowed the preaching of a life-changing gospel to take the back-row seat.  

There is and must be a God birthed desire for the reestablishment of a moral compass that will help define and give directions for what is right and what is wrong….what is good and what is bad.  

For to long we’ve allowed outside influences legislate to us, to our children, to the church as a whole, what is acceptable and what is unacceptable.  In truth this is nothing more than the blind leading the blind…the results?  They both end up in the ditch of despair!!  I say enough is enough; it is time for the church to return to preaching / teaching and living a Bible based lifestyle.   Jesus didn’t come to birth a church that is so materialistically controlled until the desire to see the lost converted ceases to be our primary pursuit.   He didn’t come to reveal to a sin crusted humanity a “feel good gospel” that does nothing to prepare man for eternity. He came for one purpose; to give His life as a sacrifice…as a ransom…as a redeemer.  He came to seek and to save the lost!!  He wanted to give man a way out of hell and a way into heaven.  And I say with the Apostle Paul, ”….knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.  Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.”  

In short it is time to resist what is wrong and stand for what is right while at the same time shouting to the devil and his minions “The Fight Is On!!”  The Fight Is On for the very core of what we as Christians stand for…no longer will we be dictated to by those who have no understanding of God, His will or His Word. 

II. Fight For It Or Lose It:  Passivity is not an acceptable part of the make up of a child of God.  We cannot and must not just sit back and let the enemy, religious or otherwise, take what God has blessed us with.  To do so is to doom the future of our children and grandchildren and definitely the demise of the Church as God intended it to be.  Part of the great commission demands that we ‘cast out devils’.  (Mk. 16:17)

The Monument Men: In WWII Adolf Hitler  who dreamed of being a great artist, led the Nazis' in the largest art heist in history.  German forces plundered thousand of paintings, sculptures, artifacts and relics.  Hitler’s plan was to house these treasures for himself in a massive and beautiful museum he would one day build.  Had it not been for a group of Allied forces called the Monument Mens, many of these prized possessions of European culture would have been lost with the demise of the Third Reich.  Organized as an Allied military unit during the war, this band of about 350 male and female art historians, museum curators and professors searched out the stolen loot.  By the time the war had ended, the Monuments Men had helped track down (and eventually return) about five million cultural and artistic objects.  The early stages of their salvage expedition, the Monument Mens were given little to no respect by combat soldiers; yet these men and women fought hard.  One man in the task force, Second Lieutenant Rorimer, had incredible resolve.  He once stood in front of a chateau that was on the list of protected monuments.  The building had been set fire and three of its four walls knocked down.  This monument was barely standing.  Rorimer heard a rumble of approaching bulldozer.  The massive machine thundered it's way toward the protected monument on a demolition mission.  Rorimer, jumped in front of the bulldozer and boldly thrust out his hand, demanding the driver to stop.  A commanding officer rushed over and demanded that the Monuments Man had no authority to tell anyone what to do.  Rorimer had not intention of backing down.  He was there to protect a protected monument!! And protect it he did!!

We need some Monument Men/Women today who understand the value of what  we stand for and what God’s Word demands and promises.  Men/women who are willing to fight the hords of hell and their co-horts for the what we know is rightfully ours.  We either must fight for it or lose it.  I say..."The Fight Is On".  What about you?