Living Word Christian Fellowship
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving...” Psalm 26:7
Vol. 15, No. 6 June 2006
The desire of the Lord is to bless His people. Why? So we can be a blessing to the people of the world. Psa 24:1 “The earth [is] the LORD'S, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”
As darkness increases it is difficult to find the blessings which the world will only see through the Church. When we are blessed, people will behold the glory of the Lord arising out of the darkness that encircles them.
People have thought their blessings to be money and prosperity and material possessions. But as the darkness matures, people are discovering those things don’t make for the blessings. What are the blessings? Peace of mind; calm of heart; joy of spirit; contentment in all things. These are all becoming increasingly difficult to find and experience, EXCEPT – in Christ alone! He alone can provide these things. Keep your mind stayed on the Lord and He will give you peace (Isa.26:3). Perfect peace-not superficial, but perfect which means it is Christ and Christ alone filling your innermost being. This peace is worth more than all the financial or material blessings.
Oh, by the way the Lord does say He will give us the financial and material blessings just because we seek after His kingdom first and foremost. Isn’t He amazing to not leave out anything for our standard of living? We get both sides, but the second without the first is soon to vanish away and only what is of Christ will last.
In Christ,
Pr. Steve
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
If God is your co-pilot—swap seats.
The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.
Pebbles In My Pocket
I have three pebbles in my pocket today,
Reminding me of the Life, the Truth, the Way.
Though the storm surged unexpectedly last night,
Papa had a plan and was ready for the fight.
Repentance, rejoicing, driving without a hand,
I know the One whose thoughts for me outnumber the sand.
Listening to the music again even now,
Thankful, resting, believing…WOW!
So glad you were there with me,
We witnessed His power and glory,
for He heard our earnest plea.
Let’s forever sing of His great love.
Let’s run the race with joy.
Let’s worship Him alone.
Let’s climb the mountain.
Let’s step off the shore.
Let’s choose to follow.*
Let’s remember we’ve been chosen…
for such a time as this.
-Christy Carey
*Words from the song, By Your Side, by Hillside Music
Agape Love - part 2 of 2
"Simon, son of the dove, do you have more compassion for me than the others?" He said, "Yes [indeed,] my Lord, you know that I have [great] affection for you." Jesus said to him, "Shepherd my rams." [Jesus] said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of the Dove, do you have compassion for me?" He said, "Yes [indeed,] my Lord, you know that I have [great] affection for you." Jesus said to him, "Shepherd my sheep." [Jesus] said again to him a third time, "Simon, son of the Dove, do you have compassion for me?" And it affected the Rock that he told him three times that, "Do you have compassion for me?" And he said to him, "My Lord, you command everything, you know that I have great affection for you." Jesus told him, "Shepherd my ewes.” (John 21:15-17)
What is mercy? To suffer with gentleness.
1Pet 3:8-9 “Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous: (9) Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”
Psm. 19:14 “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing unto you.” It is very hard today not to return evil for evil. But with the agape love of God in your heart not only is it possible, it is required. And it works if we keep our hearts in God’s love, which is compassion toward others instead of just affection.
A person who is merciful is always ready to receive back those who have messed up. When the prodigal son had spent all his inheritance foolishly, he left the pig pen and “He arose and came to his father. When he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion (agape love), and ran, and fell on his neck, kissing him.” (Luke 15:20) The Father expressed not just affection, but genuine compassion, which is mercy. This is the love God has for you when you mess up.
We have lost mercy because we don’t have the agape love of God flowing through us. Our minds tell us when to be affectionate, but our spirits telling us to be compassionate.
Another definition of “Mercy” = to treat others better than they deserve. This is as close to “grace” as we come. Grace is the outward working of mercy that comes as a result of agape love.
Numbers 14:18 “The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.”
Pro.20:28 “The throne of a king is strengthened by mercy.” Do you want to become stronger – become merciful to others. Pro.3:3 “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee. Bind them about thy neck and write them on the table of your heart.”
This mercy responds with forgiveness time after time after time. This is the love of God.
Mat 9:13 “But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mercy is to help those in trouble, forgiving, and pardoning them. Jesus was speaking from Hosea 6:6 which explains that God wants us to have mercy (steadfast love and goodness from the knowledge of God), not just sacrifice.
Remember the rich man who would not feed Lazarus. They both died, and the rich man went to hell. He raised his eyes and cried to father Abraham who had Lazarus: “Have mercy on me, I am tormented in this flame.” The rich man knew what mercy was, but it was too late for him. He did not walk in steadfast love and goodness in this life, so God did not extend to Him mercy in the next life.
Psalm 78:38 “But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.”
Yes, agape love includes anger and wrath, but these can be overcome with mercy since “MERCY” also means “to appease wrath.” Jesus successfully appeased the wrath of God when He took His own blood and placed it over the mercy seat, making a propitiation for us. Propitiation is “kindness and favor” so forgiveness can take place. Jesus was the ultimate of agape..
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world (had much compassion) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Remember when Jesus said to His disciples, “I now call you friends…”? He had just explained to them what it meant to become one of His disciples. When Jesus called them “friends” He was speaking forth the agape of God to them. It meant “please have PITY on me” because He knew what price had to be paid for this kind of love. To appease wrath is to take “pity.” Compassion is mercy plus pity!
Job said it this way: “Have pity on me my friends, for the hand of God has touched me.” (Job 19:21)
Psm.69:20 “I looked for pity, but I found none.” I looked for godly love, but found none. People are looking for Christ-like sacrificial love in others. Do you have it?
You see, when God looked upon mankind, it is God’s pity that sent Jesus to die for our foolishness. It is this kind of love that redeems us. Many have said, “Don’t have pity on me.” But we need that pity; for without this love flowing in and out of our lives, we are helpless. Jesus asked, “Should you not have compassion on others, like I have pity on you?” Should you not have love for others, like I love you?
The men, the women and the children all need this kind of love – not affection that encourages them in their carnal understanding, but agape that has compassion with mercy and pity.
-Pr. Steve
. . . My calling as a pastor
Pastor’s Journal 2005
June 2: I press on to take possession of that which Jesus Christ has taken possession of in me.
June 11: The dryness is so overpowering Lord, but I put my trust in You. You will revive us. You will feed us and give us the water of Your Spirit to sustain us. I seek after You alone. For You are sufficient to me.
June 13: “Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zeph. 2:3)
June 14: It’s not about being useful. It’s not about being important. It’s about being pleasing to my Lord and Master.
June 16: The one who walks and believes the Lord is his master must walk in a walk much higher than the average person and more sincere than the world.
June 20: “Rejoice for the steps of a righteous man are ordered by Me.”
June 23: The voice of a true prophet causes people to hear God’s Words that turn them from their evil ways. It is like fire and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.
June 24: “Keep silent before Me.” (Before, this was difficult but now I understand and am blessed. This is awesome – to know silence in the presence of God).
June 30: There is no defeat in obedience.
Kingdom First - part 2 of 2
Do we believe that God will not do anything to us when we serve something before Him? In the Old Testametn and New Testament God killed because of idolatry. Remember Ananias & Sapphira?
Mat 6:33 (NRSV) "But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
America today idolizes self. God has work to be done in the Kingdom but the laborers are few.
There is a change coming to this church. Are we together in this? What do we want more? Our vision will not come to pass, until our vision becomes someone else’s. We can’t just speak our vision, someone else must receive it as their own for the church. What part do we have in the vision for our place? Is the Kingdom of God first in our life? We must get rid of our idols.
Some have said they recognize the anointing on the teenagers. Well, the teens are ready to change the church. Many responsibilities in the Kingdom of God can be fulfilled by allowing the young people to find their place of servanthood. They want change more than anyone else, but they must be given a place of belonging in the church. They have the energy and the desire to do what is right before the Lord. They are not willing to sit back, waiting to know their purpose. They want to fulfill their purpose. The church of tomorrow’s purpose has yet to come. The church of today is walking out their destiny.
When the teens become active in the Kingdom of God, they want to be at church. They can’t wait to do something with meaning. Drama, dance, playing instruments, singing, teaching and prayer have life, have meaning. In school, drama, dance, band, choir have no eternal purpose in and of themselves. But when we offer these functions in the body of Christ, there is an eternal purpose. Young people will be more concerned about the things of God than they will be concerned with things like dating. Our worship is about to change. Our atmosphere is about to change. Our community is going to change.
Psa 8:2 (KJV) "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger."
Psa 8:2 (NIV) "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger."
The praise of the pure in heart is strength to stop the enemy. (“Still the enemy” means “hate the enemy” in the original text).
People are emotional beings, so why not direct those emotions to the spiritual realm where they belong, not to one another?.
If we’re having trouble getting things done, we should do something for the Kingdom. If we’re having trouble with our finances, give to the Kingdom. This is a principle of God.
Mat 6:33 (NCV) "The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you."
-Pr. S. Chad Ross
God Revealed
Mat 11:25-30 (KJV) “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (26) Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. (27) All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and [he] to whomsoever the Son will reveal [him]. (28) Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30) For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.”
Verses 29 and 30 are most commonly quoted independently; but to keep the scriptures in context, the prior four verses should not be excluded. That is important because the yoke of the Lord cannot be taken on by someone who has not had a revelation of God the Father by His Son Jesus Christ. Being introduced to God personally, by a spiritual impartation, is the only way to come to know Him. Yes, it is possible to learn about Him by reading the Bible, but it takes a spiritual revelation to become acquainted with the Author.
Pro 29:18a (NIV) “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.”
Usually, the first time that God is revealed to a person, is when by faith the person asks Him to be their Lord and Savior. From that point on, the person knows he or she has been in the presence of the King of kings. Why: Because no man can be in the presence of God without experiencing a change! To bring the point home, I feel that I must share one of my personal testimonies of how God revealed Himself to me, even after the initial revelation that led to my being born again. Working at a factory, in a small room, my co-workers would sit around telling dirty jokes. I had heard most of them before, but now I had given my life to the Lord, so I did not participate. But something happened one day when someone told a funny but naughty joke that I had never heard. I tried not to acknowledge it, but inside I chuckled. I did not understand how I could not be affected by all the other jokes but yet this one got me. I felt defiled, dirty; I felt like crying. After work, when I went home, I knelt before the Lord at my bedside and clenched my hands together and prayed earnestly: “Lord, please forgive me, I don’t want to think bad thoughts are funny.” As I was praying, I felt the most wonderful feeling all through my being. It grew so strong and intense that I did not know what all could happen. My hands parted, and my arms arose so fast that I did not know what hit me. That surprised me so much that I pulled my arms back down a little. As soon as I did, the feeling stopped growing. Nevertheless, I knew I certainly was not the same as I was before. In fact, I would have sworn that I could not sin again, because I felt hollow from my wrists to my waistline. This sensation seemed so incredible because I had just eaten before kneeling to pray, and now I felt hollow and holy. JESUS CHRIST HAD REVEALED HIS HOLINESS IN ME! I had not asked Him for a sign or a wonder, but rather to change my heart, and He chose to reveal His presence in me in a way that changed me. The point is, there is more of God to be revealed to those who will continue to seek Him.
Deu 4:29 (KJV) “But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find [him], if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”
-Kurt Thurston
Exaltation – Whose? - part 3 of 3
(Amplified and KJV)
Satan’s enticement to partake of the forbidden fruit sowed within the first couple mankind’s perpetual desire to be “like God” {Gen 2:5}. From that time on, man has sought to exalt himself by increasing his own wisdom, knowledge and glorification, even to the point of deification. Prior to the fall, man had no acquaintance with evil or calamity; but acting independently of God’s command indeed opened their eyes to the knowledge of good and evil, just as the serpent had said. Thereafter, those of every succeeding generation would either accept or reject God’s promised Redeemer.
So desirous was Cain of setting his own terms for what constituted a satisfactory offering to God that he brought a bloodless sacrifice from the work of his own hands, and with those same hands he jealously murdered his brother whose sacrifice God had accepted. Rather than being exalted as they had hoped, the parents were driven from God’s garden and their murderous son was cursed, destined to become “a fugitive and a vagabond” {Gen 4:12}.
Never quite forsaking the hope of becoming “like God,” man has become a god unto himself. Of Nimrod, a descendent of Noah, we later read, “And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel (Babylon)…{Gen 10:10}, a kingdom whose people desired to build a tower (self-effort), “…whose top may reach unto heaven” and whose desire for self-exaltation prompted them to agree, “Let us make a name…” {11:4}. How appropriate that the building materials are noted as being “brick” and “slime” {v. 3}. Such are man’s attempts at self-exaltation. In contrast, how honorable the prayer of the Psalmist, “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory…” {Psa 115:1}.
How many today shun the Lord’s warning “And beware lest you say in your [mind] and heart, my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth” {Deut 8:17}? Neither are men to accredit God’s gifts as the result of their own self-righteousness: “Speak not in thine heart…For my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land…” {Deut 9:4}. “I said to the arrogant and boastful, Deal not arrogantly [do not boast], and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn of personal aggrandizement], Lift not up your [aggressive] horn on high…For not from the east nor from the west nor from the south come promotion and lifting up. But God is the Judge! He puts down one and lifts up another…All the horns of the ungodly also will I cut off [says the Lord], but the horns of the [uncompromisingly] righteous shall be exalted” {Psa 75:4-7, 10}.
Left to themselves, men will first exalt and then deify either themselves, one another, or the work of their own hands. Many today walk so far from their God that they boldly declare the non-existence of a Creator, regimenting any hint of “divine miracles,” and even Christ’s crucifixion on the cross and resurrection from the dead as “myths” only to be believed by the “lowest and the least.” But to these “least,” the Father assigns positions of true authority, sharing with them the greatness and true riches of His Kingdom.
As participants in the building of Christ’s Kingdom in these last days, may we surrender all self-serving and all self-seeking exaltation to follow in the steps of the Pattern Son whose sole desire was to exalt His Heavenly Father by humbling Himself in obedience to all that was required. May we not fear to speak forth the Name of Jesus Christ, the only Name by which men must be saved; and may we be prepared, equipped and enabled to show forth His Word in power and demonstration—all for the exaltation of His Name and the establishment of His Kingdom on earth.
-Ruth French
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