Christian Fellowship
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving...” Psalm 26:7
Vol. 21, No. 7 July 2012
The Lord is calling us into the secret place with Him. He is angry with the world and the way it is behaving. We have been given authority and power to bring salvation to the earth. But we must be led by the Spirit and filled with Jesus’ life and image. If we are willing to seek Him during this time, something will happen that will be life- changing.
I have served the Lord for a multitude of years. We are progressing in His will. The enemy doesn’t like it. He is waging a war against the Church and the people of God to wear them down and keep them away from the Holy of Holies where we can meet with Him and be empowered with His life. The Church cannot survive like it is. Change is inevitable. But we can be the firstfruits of what God is doing. The Lord will only work through those who prepare themselves.
We are facing this new time with great spiritual attacks, but My God is greater and more powerful than anything the devil throws at us. And we will be victorious. The Lord has His faithful remnant that is pressing into Him and is going to come forth in His image. Oh what joy that awaits those who keep pressing in.
So remain in the secret place and wait on the Lord. He is faithful Who has promised.
Psa 91:1-9 (KJV) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (2) I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. (3) Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. (4) He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (5) Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; (6) Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. (7) A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. (8) Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. (9) Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
In Christ,
Pr. Steve
WAR IN HEAVENLIES
Rev 12:7-10 (KJV) “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, (8) And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. (9) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”
There have always been wars. Our generation has seen World War II, the Korean War, wars in Vietnam, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq, along with worldwide terrorism. All of these are a direct result of the war going on in the heavenlies. Each time a war breaks out is a reflection of what is going on in heaven. So no matter what people do, there is war after war after war. What happens in the earth is a result of what goes on in the spirit realm.
One might wonder why Michael and his angels were not able to drive Satan out of heaven previously. The answer is that Michael and the angels gain their strength through the church. This strength increases as the saints mature to the place that they are doing God’s will in the earth and are responding the way He desires.
When you mature and obey to this level, you are participating in the battle and giving Michael strength to be victorious. [Do you ever feel like you are having a blah day? There is a battle taking place all around you. Do God’s will and watch the victory come forth.]
The intensity of warfare has become greater because Michael is getting stronger. The saints are coming to maturity. We are very close to the time when Satan will be cast down. But the victory depends on people being willing to resist and overcome Satan. God has all the power, but He won’t use it until the church is strong enough to resist. YOUR JOB IS TO RESIST SATAN!
Jam 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Man is the one who let Satan into the earth and it is through man that Satan will be driven out of the heavenlies. Man let Satan in when he quickly believed the serpent’s “lie.” Man is not strong enough to overcome Satan, and will not do it himself. So God will not do it along. God and man working together will accomplish the task at hand. We have been given Jesus Christ so that we come to the place that God will be pleased; at time God will empower Michael to confront Satan and drive him from heaven.
THE ISSUE AT HAND IS: THE TRUTH vs. THE LIE. The issue is truth! We think the truth is “accuracy with the facts,” but that is not so. Truth is whatever is of God’s person: His will, His ways, and His eternal purpose in Christ. We observe the accuracy of this truth more and more as His word is being revealed to us in this day. Those four things are the testimony of truth: (1) Jesus is that truth. He tells us what is true of the person of God. (2) He tells us what the will of God is. (3) He tells us what the ways of God are. (4) And He tells us of the coming of the Kingdom of God – God’s eternal purpose in Christ. The earth is not going to be destroyed because of ozone depletion or any other natural threat. This earth was created for the purpose of God’s Kingdom.
In this world all we see is the lie. It is of the antichrist spirit and it is all a lie. This is hard to swallow. Truth is what sets us free; and since there is none outside of Jesus Christ, we feel depleted while we are working in the world. It is wearisome not to be around truth. We just want truth and justice, but these cannot be found outside of Jesus Christ. This is why church is so important. This is why gathering together more and more is so important. To edify one another with truth builds us up in the midst of warfare.
Today our struggle is not one of power. It is a struggle between truth and the lie. God has all the power and He has given it to Christ who exercises it in the will of God. So there is no problem with power. The problem is not with the truth. The problem is with the person, the will, the way one responds the purpose of God. Our finding that purpose in our lives every day is what our testimony becomes. Your testimony is what makes you a witness, and in these last days, one who will be empowered with Christ’s glory.
The enemy has destroyed the testimony of the church in America, making her weak and powerless. People themselves are becoming weak and powerless. It is not physical strength that we need. It is the testimony of truth flowing through us, a testimony that will make us strong enough to be victorious and overcome every obstacle of evil that infiltrates our society.
God promises to be faithful to us as we remain faithful to Him. Yes, we have received the benefit of salvation even when we have not been faithful. But if we continue to be unfaithful, the time will come when God refuses to listen to our prayers.
King Saul became unfaithful and over time, through the prophet Samuel, God told the king, “I will no longer listen to you.” Saul thought everything was right since he was the king. But God had commanded him to destroy the Amalekites and all they possessed. Instead of demonstrating complete obedience, however, Saul spared King Agag and kept the spoils of sheep and oxen, even daring to tell Samuel they were for sacrifice to God.
1Sa 15:22-23 (KJV) “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams. (23) For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.”
Samuel was so distraught about this event and Saul’s excuse that God had to chastise him. God told Samuel to stop crying over Saul because he was rejected. God then instructed Samuel to go to Jesse’s house and find Saul’s replacement. God said, in effect, “I want a man of valor, a man of war, a man who is prudent in matters. In other words ‘a man of testimony’ -- one who will listen to God and obey.”
God stopped listening to Saul. And what happened? Little by little Saul became harassed by demons until he could neither live in peace nor make decisions. In fact, every decision became worse!
Our testimony of who we have been and what we have become in Christ will save us in this day.
A true testimony sees God for who He is, not for what we want to make Him. [Do you think getting mad at God moves Him? Do you really think God says, “Oh, I am so sorry I offended you by my purposes”?]
What is the will of God? It is that we be conformed to the image of Christ, that we listen to Him at all times, and that we do what He says. How many today know this is truth?
Martin Luther once said, “When you are baptized with Christ you can do one of two things. You can either die with Him or you can swim.” Too many Christians are swimming today. Such effort results in “religion,” and God hates it. People are trying to save themselves and find their own security and safety in what they have and in who they think they are. Meanwhile, all God wants is that you die in Christ and let Him be Lord of all. Religion is the greatest enemy of God. The will of God is that His Church be righteous; but in the United States, many have replaced His will with the lie about grace that says “God has changed His mind about man and will accept man in his sin even though he is saved through the blood of Christ.” This lie denies that forgiveness of sins is the essential stepping stone to a changed life so that we can be conformed into the image of Christ in all that we are.
You can live in and with sin for a while and His love and gentleness will bear with you. But over time, if you are not changing your walk, you will no longer have a desire or hunger for the things of God. THAT APATHY IS THE WARFARE THAT WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH TODAY. You are in a battle for your soul and your very life. God does not want you to live your life in misery, but in joy and gladness with rejoicing even in the midst of difficulty. There are no limits when it comes to war. Nothing is fair in war. But God’s will is going to be completed, and I want it to be completed in me. And I want it to be completed in you.
Right before Jesus’ death he warned His disciples that they would not like what was going to happen, but He had prayed for them that their faith would not fail them. He said about Peter,
Luk 22:31-32 (KJV) “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat: (32) But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
When you have come through the time of testing will your testimony be such that others will receive life and strength because you did not give up and because the blood and body of Christ became your life and sustained you to the very end? Remember, we overcome by the blood and the word of our testimony, and we love not our lives even to death.
-Pr. Steve
I am going to be sharing with you thoughts from my journal over the past few years. This is to show you how the Lord has brought about His Word in my life to minister to you and to show you how real this walk can be. Please read and understand by the Spirit about ...
. . . My calling as a pastor
Pastor’s Journal 2011
Jul. 4: To lay hold on eternal Life.
Jul. 7: I will dwell with you and walk among you and I will be your God and you will be mine. So come out form among them and be separate, do not touch any unclean thing and I will welcome you. I will be a Father to you and you will be My son, says the Lord Almighty. (2Cor 6:16)
Jul. 8: Dear Lord: I have just come through one of the most difficult times of my life again. The stress was unbearable for months. But You, Lord, have once again been faithful and met every single need in one day. All my cries for help have been settled because of Your great love and favor. This was the most difficult to hear about, but I have clung to You no matter what. I pray the next battle won’t be so intense and painful. Strengthen me now while I am recovering from this enduring trial. May I be ever so aware of Your matchless glory, perceiving You more than ever before. May I now begin to function again knowing how much we are accepted by You. And have the confidence that Your mercies will not fail us, ever!
Jul. 9: Because the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; He will guide them to springs of living waters, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (Rev 7:17) The Lord truly is My Shepherd!
Jul. 14: To be filled with all the fullness of God is my prayer.
Jul. 15: Keep eating, you will be filled. (Mat 14:20)
Jul. 16: Let your face shine on Me.
Jul. 21: There is a release that comes as we continue to seek Your face. Truly the Lord knows our difficulties and trials; but if we will keep Him first, He will reveal Himself to those who love Him. My heart is overflowing once again with Your Presence and joy. Bless the Lord, oh my soul.
Jul. 24: I saw an airplane going higher and higher. The Lord said, “You will soar once again with the people into heavenly places of My glory.”
Jul. 25: You most believe that I am a rewarder of those who diligently seek Me.
WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?
People all over the earth are full of fears and insecurities concerning the future. Many of those people are Christians, and they are also wondering if Christ’s Second Coming is close because of all that is happening in the earth. The bottom line cause for the worrying seems to be an overwhelming concern for the here and now. But the cure for all the pins and needles could very well be simply to shift more of our concern towards maintaining our relationship with God and concentrating more on the well keeping of the eternal state of our souls.
Mat 6:19-21 (KJV) “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: (20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: (21) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Are the Godhead and their Kingdom your treasure? Or is your hope of heaven just a desire to have everything you have ever wanted on earth with no possibility of it decaying?
Mat 13:44-46 (KJV) “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (45) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: (46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”
People are quick to blame or question God when bad things happen to good people, but they seldom stop to realize that without God they would never have known anything good. I have never heard anyone who has lost everything to some form of calamity or disaster rejoice because the event had made it easier to follow after Jesus, but the truth is that God is still alive! He is accessible, and He cares about every need and every concern that we will ever have. Therefore. we can trust that He will make a way for our lives to be lived forever close to Him if we seek Him for such.
Mat 19:21-23 (KJV) “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. (22) But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”
It seems true that every person gets at least one opportunity to get to know the Lord Jesus Christ at some point in life, but it is also clear to see that there are many obstacles that try to get in the way of those opportunities.
Mat 6:31-34 (KJV) “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
When people put their trust and hopes in riches and possessions, it is more difficult to hear and to follow God closely. This truth is especially obvious when Christians withhold from God that “something else” which is more important to them than is a relationship with Him. But the truth is that without the goodness of God none of us would have anything except destruction because we would be subject to the destroyer.
Here are a few things that we should recall when we are tempted to doubt God or to trust more in anything in this realm than in our Creator.
GOD GIVES US LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY
Joh 10:10 (KJV) “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
GOD GIVES US POWER AND LOVE AND A SOUND MIND
2Ti 1:7 (KJV) “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
GOD KNEW ALL OF US BEFORE WE WERE BORN AND HE GAVE THE ‘OK’ TO LET US HAVE THIS TIME ON EARTH
Jer 1:5 (KJV) “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE? MAY WE HAVE WISDOM ENOUGH TO ADJUST OUR PRIORITIES AND FOLLOW GOD WITH OUR WHOLE HEARTS.
-Kurt Thurston
QUOTES:
"I wonder also how many Christians in our day have truly and completely abandoned themselves to Jesus Christ as their Lord.
We are very busy telling people to ‘accept Christ’-and that seems to be the only word we are using. We arrange a painless acceptance."
"The world lives in such a time of crisis. Christians alone are in a position to rescue the perishing. We dare not settle down to try to live as if things were normal."
"But a lot of people have gone too far and have written books and poetry that gets everybody believing that God is so kind and loving and gentle. God is so kind that infinity won´t measure it.
And God is so loving that He is immeasurably loving. But God is also holy and just."
"In some circles, God has been abridged, reduced, modified, edited, changed and amended until He is no longer the God whom Isaiah saw, high and lifted up."
"No matter what the circumstances, we Christians should keep our heads. God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind. It is a dismal thing to see a son of heaven cringe in terror before the sons of earth."
"Rightly understood, faith is not a substitute for moral conduct but a means toward it. The tree does not serve in lieu of fruit but as an agent by which fruit is secured. Fruit, not trees, is the end God has in mind in yonder orchard; so Christ-like conduct is the end of Christian faith."
"The only fear I have is to fear to get out of the will of God.
Outside of the will of God, there´s nothing I want, and in the will of God there´s nothing I fear, for God has sworn to keep me in His will."
-from “Success and the Christian”
"The christian life is an impossible one and it isn't for everyone.
You must enter through the narrow where you must leave everything behind and be stripped naked of yourself. You must get rid of your pride. Many so-called christians are on the wide road leading to destruction. They may have all the outward signs of being a christian (go to church, serve, read their bible, pray, etc.), but there is no inward change or repentance."
-Unknown Author
Next course from Christian Life Educators Network - Richmond Center:
The Priority of Praise and Worship by Ronald K. Kenoly
This course explores all the elements and dynamics of effective praise and worship
in the local church for pastoral leaders, musicians and laity in worship. It brings a
total understanding of the worship experience and the practice of praise and worship
for a congregation. Both leaders and participants in praise and worship will understand
the biblical foundation for becoming worshipers of the living God.
August 9-11
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