DECEMBER NEWSLETTER 2013

Living Word

Christian Fellowship

“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving...” Psalm 26:7

Vol. 22, No. 12   December   2013

The time is upon us for the holidays. Busy, busy, busy -- on top of all the other areas we have to deal with.  But we must not forget the Lord first and foremost.

Jas 4:8-10 (KJV)  “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  (9)  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  (10)  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

Is there not a hunger in your hearts for Jesus?  Especially at this season of the year?  I hope nothing hinders or stops you from this great desire.  Make sure you are keeping yourself in purity and holiness.  Clearly confess any problems or mistakes and name them for what they truly are. Firmly denounce them to the Lord.  This is a step of humility that is essential for drawing near to the Lord.  When we do this in earnest, we will discover that we have the ability to resist the devil:

Jas 4:7 (KJV)  “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

You will discover that this will be the best time of the year for you.  We have suffered greatly throughout the year.  It has been difficult, but our God has not abandoned us; neither has He forsaken us. 

I just pray this will be a blessed time of the year for each and every one of you. Don’t let the darkness rob you of the joy and peace that this time of year is supposed to bring.  Blessings and the favor and glory of God be with you.

In Christ

Pr. Steve

 

 

 Faith Comes By Hearing

Rom 10:17 (KJV)  “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

“Whatever is not of faith is sin” (Rom.14:23)

“Without faith it is not possible to please Him” (Heb.11:6)

Faith is compared to precious gold in 1 Pet.1:7. Its value is unique.  There is no substitute for it.  Without it we cannot approach God, we cannot please Him and we cannot receive His life.

How then do we acquire faith? Is it something we have no control over?  How many times have you said, “If I just had enough faith”?  Usually, that happens when we are in the valley of despair.  But we find in Rom.10:17 that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (word = rhema).  Faith “comes”! If I don’t have faith then how do I get it?  From the rhema of God.  All we have to do is get a word from the Lord.

Pro 4:20-22 (KJV)  “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  (21)  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  (22)  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.”

“My son…” God is speaking directly to us, His children.  He tells us that His Words are health to our being.  They are medicine to us to receive healing.  Doctors prescribe medicine for ailments that make us feel better.  God prescribes the Word to us to give us faith.

There are four directions to take God’s medicine:

-“Attend” – give undivided concentrated attention to God’s Words

-“Incline your ear” – to incline means to humble yourself and be teachable.  Lay aside your prejudices and misconceptions and receive with an open mind what God says to you

-“Let them not depart from your eyes” – Keep your eyes focused on God’s Words.  Don’t allow conflicting sources to fill your mind

-“Keep them in the midst of your heart” – Keep meditating on them and retaining them in the center of your heart

What is the difference between the logos (word) and the rhema (word)? Logos is the unchanging, self-existent “Word of God.”  It is God’s counsel, settled in eternity forever: Psa 119:89 (KJV)  “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

Rhema, on the other hand, is derived from a verb meaning to “speak” and denotes a specific word that is spoken – something that occurs in time and space.

When Paul said that “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God,” he is using the word “rhema,” not “logos.”  So this agrees with the fact that he is referring to hearing something that is spoken.

When you receive a rhema from God, at that moment it imparts life.  When you hear His Word speaking to your heart, there is life imparted. And the outcome will be faith coming to you.

2Co 3:6 (KJV)  “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

“The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Apart from the Holy Spirit, there can be no rhema.  The logos is available to everyone – but it is too vast and complex for the mind to comprehend.  Rhema is the way for the Holy Spirit to bring the logos out of eternity and relate to my human experience.  Rhema is that part of the total logos that applies to my particular situation. 

When faith comes in this particular situation, the initiative is with God.  This leaves no room for presumption on our part. It is God who knows what part of the logos we need at any given moment.  By His Holy Spirit He directs us to the very words that impart life so they become a rhema – a living voice for us to hear.  To the extent that we hear, we receive faith.

Once again - DIRECTIONS FOR HEARING: attend; incline your ear; let them not depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart.

As you follow these instructions you will hear.  So hearing consists of four elements. The rhema of God is made specific and personal. A rhema comes to each of us individually from God.  It is for a specific time and place.  It is ongoing; and with each successive rhema, our faith increases. 

Since life in the Spirit is contingent on having faith and allowing the Holy Spirit to feed you daily with the Word of God, what does it mean if you are not receiving rhema from God?  It means your faith is dwindling. Mat 4:4 (KJV)  “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

“Proceeds” is a continuous present tense.  We could say, “Every Word as it proceeds from the mouth of God to my spirit will cause me to live.”

Isa 55:8-13 (KJV)  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  (9)  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  (10)  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:  (11)  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.  (12)  For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.  (13)  Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

We have two levels operating here.  One is the heavenly and the other is earthly.  On the heavenly level is the divine logos – God’s ways and thoughts.  On the earthly level is man’s ways and thoughts, far below those of God.  They are actually incompatible with His. There is no way for man to rise from his level to that of God, but there is a way by which God’s ways and thoughts can be brought down to man.  Like the rain and snow that bring heaven’s life-giving moisture down to earth, God says, “So shall My Word be which goes forth from my mouth.”  It is a part of the heavenly logos coming down to earth as rhema to meet our needs.

When the rhema is received and obeyed, life comes forth and God’s glory is revealed. We go out with joy and are led forth with peace. Instead of thorns and briars (which represent our thoughts and our ways), we receive the myrtle and fir trees, (which typify God’s ways and thoughts).

This is the way that God works with His people today.  By the Holy Spirit He takes out from His eternal counsel (logos), a rhema – a specific word that fits our particular situation in time and in space.  As we hear this rhema, faith comes and we can please God. Rhema is the way that God brings down a part of eternity and relates it to our human experience.  And through the rhema, the logos becomes specific and personal for us.  It becomes our “daily bread” by which we can maintain our spiritual life and our ongoing walk with God.

-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 2012

Dec 01: The carnal mind is at enmity against God because it is not subject to the laws of God.  Therefore we must have the mind of Christ to guide us. Our decisions must follow the leading of the Spirit or we will not please God. Lord, help us to think on the higher things to keep us in this hour of darkness.

Dec 03: It is the spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life (John 6:63).

Dec 06: Your fellowship is sweet, O Lord. I walk in the purity of Your Holy Spirit so nothing will hinder Your closeness. I want nothing but You and Your guidance. Everything else is futile.  Thank You for the blessings of life and protection from the evil and darkness.

Dec 12: Thank You, Lord, for the most precious time You have given me this year for meditation and prayer to You. I have learned more than ever what it means to have Your mind and thoughts, especially when it comes to circumstance that affect us. You truly have answered cries to my heart and I can accept things that before were too difficult to ascertain.  There is a deep joy and peace in serving You this way. I feel like I have endured unnecessary things just to find that they are necessary.  Oh, God, help us to trust You more and more and let You be our all in all. AMEN.

Dec 17: The enemy has come to steal, kill, and to destroy; But I have come to give life and to give it more abundantly (John 10:10).

Dec 19: Stand firm! Let nothing move you. Keep giving yourself to the work of the Lord because your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Dec 22: Your desire, Father, is my desire.  To do Your will always is my prayer. Your will is to dwell in me all my days.  Thy will be done.

Dec 23: I will keep asking God for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that I may know Him.

Dec 24: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others above yourself.

Dec 25: Discouragement is the result of self-effort.  Fight the good fight of faith.

Dec 26: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong and there is not favoritism (Col.3:23-25).

Dec 27: I have separated you for Myself and sanctified you to be a dwelling place for Me.

Dec 29: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Who forgives all my iniquities and heals all my diseases and redeems my life from destruction and crowns me with lovingkindness.  Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Dec 31: Even though you have been rejected. I accept you. I approve you!

 

No Regrets

 Leaving the past, loving the present, and looking forward to the future -- that is what it is going to take if we are to have no regrets.  The good thing is that if we follow the leading of Jesus Christ as we move forward, we find we are not alone in our quest.

2Co 5:17 (KJV)  “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Yes, Christ will make all things new; and even though it may not be overnight, our faith in His assurance will keep us strong through the changes.  We must start to realize that we don’t have to re-live our past mistakes when we are walking closely with the Lord; for when we allow Him to rule, everything changes. And there is no limit to the situations and circumstances that God can make work together for our good.

Rom 8:28 (KJV)  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Joy, and peace, and love, and life are ours to live in Christ Jesus, because we have received the greatest gift of all through the sacrifice that He has made.

  I found a great acronym for the word regret:

 

 

R – Reliving past mistakes

E – Evoking the pain felt in the past to the way you feel today

G – Giving into the bondage of ‘would have, could have, and should have’

R – Remembering only the negatives, and missing the positives

E – Easily being absorbed into self-pity

T – Takes away your joy

A new start means NEW-- not just the old revamped.  It means fresh, clean, clear, and living.  Both the Old and New Testaments testify that God has always wanted to set His people free from regret and the things that cause it.

Isa 61:1-3 (KJV)  “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;  (2)  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;  (3)  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

With a world full of people who need to be set free from the past just as much as we do, we dare not monopolize all the healing for ourselves. Rather, we are commissioned to take Christ’s healing and freedom to them. 

-Kurt Thurston

 Quotes: 

"We must remember that Satan has his miracles, too."

            -John Calvin           

 

"Pride is God's most stubborn enemy! There is no sin so much like the devil as pride. It is a secret and subtle sin, and appears in a great many shapes which are undetected and unsuspected."

                                                 -Jonathan Edwards 

 

"Where God is not glorified - that place is sick."

-A.W. Tozer

  

"The devil's not fighting churches today, he's joining churches."

-Vance Havner

  

Next course from Christian Life Educators Network -  Richmond Center:

The Book of Jude by: Dr. Mark Allen

This course provides an exegetical and interpretive study of the Book of Jude. It searches out its richness of meaning by an examination of the original language, historical backgrounds and parallel passages.                                                        January 9-11, 2014

 

NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER 2013

Living Word

Christian Fellowship

“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving...” Psalm 26:7

Vol. 22   No. 11   November   2013

Amo 3:6 (KJV) “Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?”

As we see more and more destruction in our land we must remember that God is in control and that He is judging us.  It has taken a long time for ministers to accept the fact that that which is happening to us is the judgment of God.  Some still won’t accept it.  The sin in our land has overflowed the cup of the Lord and now we must pay the price.

It is during this time that we must repent and cry out to God for His protection and safety.  We must not look to the government for help, but we must look to Jesus.  Our government may fail us, but the Lord Jesus Christ is faithful and true.

We are not of this world.  We may experience many difficulties, but we will come through in victory if we keep Him filling our hearts and lives every moment of every day.

God may allow Satan to wreck our country, but he cannot wreck the life which is filled with Christ.  Whatever the judgment that comes, we must continue to believe and receive from the Lord.

What is necessary for each of us is to go deeper with the Lord.  Dig deep and allow the waters of life to flow freely.   This is the power of the Holy Spirit that works in the life of those who are baptized in the Holy Spirit.  The deeper you go, the greater the flow!  Don’t remain shallow because it just won’t be enough to sustain you.

The overcomers are promised great blessings.  And our God will give to each of us according to what each has sown. Gal 6:9 (KJV)  “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

In Christ, 

Pr. Steve

 

 

Love of God

Rev 3:7-13 (KJV)  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;  (8)  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.  (9)  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.  (10)  Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.  (11)  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.  (12)  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.  (13)  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Philadelphia means “city of love.”  There has been much emphasis in our time about love -- love -- love, but when we study Laodicea we find the reality is not on love but rather on the rights of people.  Philadelphia’s literal meaning is the love of people, thus we get “brotherly love.”

The first word that we get for the church of Philadelphia is “HOLY.”  In our generation holiness has had a bad name because it has been translated as meaning “legalism” – what you wear, how you dress, how you wear your hair, if you take aspirin instead of trusting the Lord for your healing. Women got hit hard; for example, according to some religious circles, if you wear cosmetics you are considered to be a Jezebel. 

Such legalistic restrictions have resulted in extreme reversals of response: Dress the way you want to whether it is appropriate or not; watch X-rated movies; get tattoos and body piercings.  We went from one extreme to another extreme.  After all, we are saved by grace so what does it matter?

It matters because the Bible says that without holiness no one shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:14).  Holiness is two things.  But first, let me tell you what holiness is not.  It is not the gifts of the Spirit.  Gifts are free, you don’t earn them; instead, you receive them from God.  So that includes salvation – the free gift of God.  Salvation is not holiness.  Salvation is the first step toward holiness, but it is not holiness.  Don’t idolize someone who has different gifts than you have.  It doesn’t mean they are closer to the Lord than you are.  We have seen too many gifted men fall away, so don’t be surprised when you see gifted men acting carnally. We have put the emphasis on something that is not biblical.

Neither is religious performance holiness.  Some people believe if they obey the letter of the law they will be holy.  Legalized obedience didn’t work in the old covenant, and it doesn’t make you holy in the new.

And lastly, consecration is not holiness.  I can commit myself to God every day, but that does not mean I am holy.  Consecration is a way of life, but it is not holiness.

Jesus came to the Philadelphia church as HOLY!  Holiness is two things: It is being set apart to God for His purposes; and secondly, it is to be free from unclean spirits. That’s what holiness is.

There is a holiness by God calling you holy. That happens when He called you out of darkness into His marvelous light for His purposes.  So God calls you holy.  But then there is a holiness that has to be worked out in behavior.  This holiness takes place as the Holy Spirit leads you to see unclean spirits, such as jealousy, rage, lying, and lust, which house themselves within your being. Once you acknowledge what the Holy Spirit has revealed, He will help you to confess these strongholds and get rid of them.  Remember, without holiness – you cannot see the Lord. So holiness is vastly important in our days.

The whole world today is one big lie. The emphasis in the media is to portray sex, money and pleasure as means to personal fulfillment. Based on a lie, satisfying these desires does not lead to what we ultimately want, the fruit of love, joy, and peace.  Although some people like being miserable, most of us want joy. We all need peace, but many unwisely seek peace by indulging in actions that bring only temporary satisfaction. Only those under the strain of mental illness and satanic torment do not desire love, joy and peace. A sickened world causes people to thrive off such spiritual and emotional states as hatred, misery, and unrest, conditions which are the opposite of love, joy and peace.

A healthy environment is one that is upbeat, with hope that says everything is going to be alright because God is making all things work together for the good of those who love Him. A person with that kind of attitude can make it through any circumstance of life. Those are the kind of people we like to hang out with.  It is not fun to hang out with those who revel in misery.  The old maxim that says “Misery loves company” is not true for the believer.  The believer enjoys the love and fellowship of those who know how to enjoy life. [We often carry on at restaurants with others we are fellowshipping with – not in a bad way.  But if there are people who love misery, look out; you can offend.]

Our culture today is teaching the hatred, the misery and the unrest, not love, joy and peace of life.  God’s way is the best way. The other way destroys the hope that we need to survive the difficulties of life that we are now up against. If you can get this hope now, you will save yourself much heartache as things continue to slide into the abyss.

Another thing we see about Philadelphia is that Jesus has the key of David that no man can shut, nor open. This has all been passed on to us: Mat 16:19  “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

That is the key to David! And when we are truly obeying Christ and moving in the Spirit, we have that authority. We don’t have it if we are careless Christians.  If we humbly serve Him without trying to “be someone,” His authority is ours.  This attitude is important because it will keep you from worrying about what is going to happen to us.  Worry and fretting are going to escalate to the place that men’s hearts will fail them.  The government is making so many changes they don’t even know what the outcome is going to be. Not knowing causes people to fret.

Know this:  JESUS IS IN CONTROL (say it).  There is nothing that anyone can do in this world without His permission. The devil himself can’t get into hell because Jesus has the keys. The Congress, the House, even the President can’t do anything outside of Jesus’ approval. He is working out everything for those He has called to be in His image. So when you fret, guess who you are fretting against?  You are fretting against the King. You are accusing Him of not knowing what He is doing. Such fretting and unbelief make Him jealous. In such cases, His attitude is, “If you want to serve antichrist go ahead and serve him.”

Jesus is not the little wimpy man people make Him out to be.  When you go messing with Jesus, He will show you who is King! If you have ever been close to Jesus, don’t get involved with something else because it breaks His heart. How can you give so much to someone and then turn and go off on some tangent, leaving behind the one who loves? How would you feel?  The Lord has those same feelings. That is why he says in Hebrews, “When you do that, there is no way back to Me. You are not going to do that to Me again.” That doesn’t mean you go to hell.  But it means that because you jilted Him you will not have that same kind of close relationship again with Him. Once you find intimacy with the Lord, don’t you dare turn away from it.  That sweet love of and for Christ is very precious. The Lord counts on it and He looks forward to it. That is why He paid the price at Calvary for it.  He longs for a relationship that never looks back. Heb 6:4-6 (KJV)  For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,  (5)  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,  (6)  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame.

Don’t crucify Christ all over again. Be careful!  You have the sweet peace of Christ, the sweet love and the sweet joy.  That is Jesus! He is good and faithful. And He wants us to be faithful to Him.

One other thing that we are told about the church of Philadelphia concerns TRUTH.  What is truth? Truth is a person --  it is the consuming fire of Israel. It is the only truth there is. What scientist’s tell us are facts (most of the time). But that is not truth. That is data.  What Jesus tells us focuses on “Why?”  or “ What is the purpose?” And He is the only one who knows. So the only truth in the world is the consuming fire – the Lord Jesus Christ.  Buy the truth and sell it not.  Ours is “The Day of the Big Lie.”  And Americans are buying into it wholesale.  As a result, God is bringing His judgment.  It is not a pretty picture, but that is where we are. So don’t be surprised by anything that happens; just know the King is in control. Keep His Word; do not deny His name; and know that He loves you dearly and that He will move heaven and earth to keep you safe.

HOLINESS – KEYS OF AUTHORITY – TRUTH

All that is required to keep you from great temptations that are filling the earth today is to stand in the love of God. Remember what verse 10 tells us: Rev 3:10 (KJV)  “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”

What is the “word of my patience”? Spiritually, it is to obey the commands of the Lord.  But literally it means “joy.” Maintain the joy of the Lord through it all.  We are told from Hebrews 12:2 that Jesus “Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.”  When you endure your cross with joy, you are keeping the word of His patience and you will be kept in the time of great temptations that will come upon all  the world. 

 -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 2012

Nov 3:  It is time to be loosed from the past and go on in the blessing of the Lord.  Be complete in Me and become fearless of the future.

Nov 5:  Blessed are you when people reject you because of the Son of Man.  Rejoice in that day for great is your reward in heaven.

Nov 7:  By your patience, possess your souls (Luk 21:19).  For you have need of endurance.

Nov 9:  And this is the confidence that we have in him; that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.  And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know we have the petitions that we desired of Him (1 Jn 5: 14-15)

Nov 16:  I am bringing change to your life.

Nov 18:  How beautiful are the feet of Him who brings good news.

Nov 21:  Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Mat 6:19-21)

Nov 22:  I am so thankful for loved ones.  My family extends all over the world because of the love of Jesus Christ. Thank you, Father, for Your son Jesus Christ, who gave His all for us that we might have so much, especially life abundant.  O Lord My God, I will give thanks unto You forever!

Nov 24:  All things are possible to him who believes. (Mark 9:23)

Nov 28:  Serve Him with gladness and joy divine.

Nov 29:  The greatest blessing in my life is that I am loved by God and by Jesus.

Nov 30:  Whether I go or come, sit or rise you are there with me.  I cannot hide from You.  You know my thoughts and You live in my heart.  I live for You.  Search me, test me, and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me and heal me in the way everlasting. (Psm 139)

 

Sedentary Christianity

 The word sedentary is used to describe a lack of, or complete absence of activity.  The most common example of sedentary behavior is “sitting around.” Specific examples of sedentary behaviors include: watching television, playing video games, using the computer, reading, and eating or drinking.  The main emphasis is not that a person should never sit down, but rather to expose the lethargy, as well as the diversions, that are inhibiting today’s Christians from answering the call to break their carnal routines and to get up and get going out into the world so that they can share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the love of God with the lost and those that are spiritually lifeless.

1Co 1:21 (KJV) “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

There are people in your realm of influence who need what God has placed in you as a witness for Him.  We Christians cannot continue to dismiss the responsibilities we have been given. To get up and get out there and share is not an option -- it is a requirement.

Mar 16:15-18 (KJV)  “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.  (16)  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  (17)  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;  (18)  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Christians need to witness, just as much as the people out there need to be witnessed to.  We are the ones who bring awareness that the Kingdom of God is here.  Of course there will be people who reject Jesus, and you; but that is not a good reason to sit around and do nothing.  Every Christian has the obligation to get out there and take the life of Christ to whomever they can reach.

Mat 16:24-25 (KJV)  “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  (25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”

Interestingly enough there is another correlation between losing your life to find it, and just continuing to be lethargic instead of getting up and doing what we know we should do. Research has proven that when people live sedentary lifestyles, they run a great risk of experiencing Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or deep venous thrombosis. DVT is the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) in a deep vein, predominantly in the legs.  There are potentially life-threatening complications caused by the detachment of a clot that travels to the lungs or brain.  And the correlation is that spiritually the same thing happens to us when we let ourselves fall into the trap of not caring and not getting out there to share Christ with others.  We must not allow the flow of Christ’s love to get clotted by our desire to kick back and stay sedentary.  People’s lives  depend on our faithful witness. 

-Kurt Thurston

 

Quotes:

"No man is ever fully accepted until he has,

first of all, been utterly rejected."

                                                              

                                                                          - Author unknown

 

 

 

Next course from Christian Life Educators Network -  Richmond Center: 

Winter Break! Classes Resume in January

 

OCTOBER NEWSLETTER 2013

Living Word

Christian Fellowship

“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving...” Psalm 26:7

Vol. 22, No. 10   October   2013

Where are you headed in this day?  What is happening in your walk with Jesus?  Are you discouraged and is your belief in question? Stop looking at yourself and what is in you and set your trust wholly upon God.

Psa 138:8 (KJV)  “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.”

Know God as the perfecter. Remember, He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.  If you believe this Word of God, then you must trust Him to continue the work

in you.

God the beginning:  He who began a good work in you will complete it. You did not choose Him, He chose you.  You are in Christ if you fellowship with Him.  And He is in you!

Php 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

The very thought of God strengthens the confidence that He will also perfect what He has begun. His faithfulness, His love, and His power are all pledged that He will perfect that good work.  Let your soul find rest and courage in this knowledge.

There is but one condition – You must trust Him for this. You must in faith allow Him to work.  You must say, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me.”

It will be glorious. He will equip, establish and prepare us for all the blessed work that we will do in His kingdom. He will make it glorious!

In Christ,

 Pr. Steve

Pressing Forward

For two thousand years the forgiveness of sins has served as a down payment on the redemption to come.  The forgiveness is a beginning aspect of deliverance from the authority of Satan.  It is a guarantee that when the Father’s time comes to make Christ’s enemies His footstool, giving Him the authority and power to redeem us from all that is evil, we will be “saved”, meaning we will be candidates for perfect and complete redemption from all wickedness.

This is what Paul is telling us here in the beginning of Ephesians: Eph 1:14 (NIV)
“ who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.”

“To the praise of His glory” is spoken three times in this text.  We were created for the glory of God, so all that is happening today in our redemption is for His glory.  If you can grasp that concept, it will enable you to get through all the transition of the new creation taking place today.

1Pe 1:5 (KJV)  “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Rom 13:11 (KJV)  “And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed.”

It is closer than you ever thought about before.  It is through the blood of the cross.  Our current redemption is a deposit on the full redemption that is to come in the last days when our entire personality is redeemed from the image and works of Satan.  This is the Day of Vengeance against all that is of the enemy of Christ.  IT IS NEW, AND IT IS SURPRISING, AND IT IS NOW.  You have to fight to win or you will be overtaken.  The Lord has covered you with protection if you are willing to fight this fight of faith.

Forgiveness of sins has been acquired by placing our faith in the atonement made through the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross – but that is not the primary work of redemption.  It is the starting point.  It is the prerequisite for true redemption which is deliverance from the hand of Satan as Jesus Christ frees us from worldliness, sinfulness and self-will.

We have all asked the Lord to forgive us our sins.  Now let us ask Him to deliver us so we can do the will of God.  This is the day of deliverance from evil!

During the Day of Atonement, the atonement was made by two goats.  One goat was slain and its blood sprinkled in the Most Holy Place.  The other goat was led out of the camp and let go in the wilderness (Lev.16:8-10).  This speaks of two actions that must be dealt with.  First, the sin must be atoned by the shedding of blood.  Second, an atonement (which is restoration or reconciliation to God) must be accomplished by the removal of the sin itself.

If God is to restore man and to reconcile man to Himself, not only must the sin be forgiven, but it must be removed.  So when we preach forgiveness without removal we are not fulfilling scripture.  Thus we have a very impotent church in this nation.

To preach forgiveness, removal of sin, and obedience to the King, we are preaching the full gospel message. Anything less than this is another gospel.  What God is doing today is to bring us forward in His plan.  Each of us must accept and flow with this plan the same way we did when we first came to the Lord.  It is not difficult, it is simply new and unique because we have not been discipled in this before now.  But it is still God.

Forgiveness of sin is not full redemption.  Full redemption goes beyond forgiveness to the transformation of people who do the will of Christ in every detail of their lives.  The issue today is one of complete obedience to the will of God. 

You see, this “get out of hell” free card isn’t so great if you aren’t doing the will of God.  Every one of us has a calling and a purpose.  As long as we are seeking the Lord continuously to please Him, then we are in His will.  It may take a lifetime of change; but we are in His will, doing what we know to do to the best of our ability.

It is a quite sobering to realize we are in a new day, but most people don’t even recognize it.  It is very sobering to see God doing a new and surprising thing today, and yet the church can’t see it.

Here is a TEST for you:  Even as a disciple of the Lord, is there something in your life that you continually wrestle with and can’t seem to gain the victory over?  Then try this and you will find out for yourself if things are changing in the spirit world.  NAME THE SPECIFIC SIN CLEARLY TO CHRIST.  DON’T CLOUD THE ISSUE WITH REASONS OR WORDS OF JUSTIFICATION.  If you have stolen, say, “I stole that Lord.”  If you lied, say, “I lied about that Lord.”  If you have hatred toward another person who irritates you, tell the Lord specifically about it. The more specific you can be, the greater your deliverance will be.

Now tell the Lord you need His help to never practice this behavior again – not ever again. 

At this point Christ forgives you regarding this specific sin and begins to set into motion the wisdom and power that will deliver you completely from its resulting behavior.  This is the transformation you have been waiting for.  Try and see if there is not a change in the spirit realm where God is ready to put His enemy and your enemy under the feet of Christ. When a healing is released, a freedom takes place, and a rest comes in the battle, you know you have fought  the good fight of faith.

From this point forward the Holy Spirit will bring to your attention, over a period of time, every bit of spiritual uncleanness in your life.  When the Spirit shows you something, you must confess it, and renounce it with the force that comes in the power of Christ in your life.  [Don’t make things up.  If there is nothing to confess, don’t confess it, but that is usually not the case.]

What I am talking about is a new day in Christ – the Day of Vengeance, the Day of Restoration, the Day of Salvation against evil and the enemies of God.

Judgment always begins at the house of God and with those who are closest to Him.  The Day of Vengeance will continue until the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ.  All sin must be removed from the creation so there will be no rebellion of any kind during the eternal reign of Christ over the new earth.  This is what the third day is all about and we are there.

This new and surprising thing the Lord is doing now, that which will make us more than conquerors throughout the judgments that are beginning to fall on the world because of sin, is our protection and preparation for the days ahead.

The enablement may be new to us, but not to God.  It has always been a part of His plan.  This new work of grace is built on all that has gone on before.  We are not removing the old landmarks but simply marching forward as Christ leads.

Three feasts of the Lord are all in operation today.  The Blowing of Trumpets means the King has come to His church so the Father may put the King’s enemies under His feet in our lives.  We are to open the everlasting doors of our personality so that the Lord “strong and mighty in battle” may enter in and drive out all that is not of Himself (Psalm 24).

The Day of Atonement signifies all worldliness and all lusts and all passions of our flesh and self-will are being removed from us as we cooperate with the Spirit of God.

The Feast of Tabernacles occurs as Christ is formed in us so the time will come when the Father and the Son come from heaven and take up residence in this mansion.

Christ has certainly kept the best wine until now!  Don’t you want to march forward with Him into the spiritual fulfillments of the last days? Faith and courage are required.  There is never anything wrong with asking for more faith and more courage because you will come against some strong unclean spirits that hate you and some that have used you in the past. These spirits believe they have the right to your life, but that is all coming down mighty fast. 

I want to keep pressing forward until all the sin is removed from my life and the full redemption of God is completed.  I do not believe we will be able to stand the onslaught unless we are willing to follow His orders in this day. So it is your choice! Will you press forward in restoration?

-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 2012

Oct 2:  The plans that I have for you are perfect.  If you find and follow those plans, your life will be complete.

Oct 5:  Let me bind what You bind and loose what You loose. (Mat 16:19)

Oct 8:  To maintain your health and wholeness keep joy flowing to your heart.  The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Oct. 16:  I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly. (Jn 10:10)

Oct 17:  I pray that I may speak the word with boldness by stretching forth Your hand to heal, with signs and miracles following in Your name. (Act 4:29)

Oct 18:  I lose my life that I might have Yours, O Lord.

Oct 22:  The Lord has chosen to give to you life and blessings if you will continue to obey Him and follow Him with all your heart.  Listen to His voice and hold fast to Him, for the Lord is your life.

Oct 25:  Only when we acknowledge our sinful behavior can we have the fullness of the Spirit.

Oct 27:  They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  My people must wait on Me if they are to walk through the darkness.  There is light ahead and My fellowship is in it.

The Professors and the Profane

 Since the beginning of mankind on the earth, people have had the knowledge of God and have been afforded the opportunity to accept or reject His intervention, but some people still wish to believe that they can think and act any way they want to and still be in God’s good graces.  The truth is that, “no matter how you wrap it,” the results are still the same today as were experienced from the beginning:  Committing bad actions breeds more of the same and such actions are always followed by undesirable consequences.

Gen 4:1-8 (KJV)  “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.  (2)  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.  (3)  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.  (4)  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:  (5)  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.  (6)  And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  (7)  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.  (8)  And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”

In the account of Cain and Able, Cain was given the opportunity to repent for the discrepancy in the offering that he had brought before the Lord; but instead of humbling himself and repenting, Cain chose to do an even worse evil by killing his brother Able.

  Gen 4:9 (KJV)   “And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?”

When confronted by God about the location of Abel, Cain showed disrespect and lied to God. Before Cain could be accepted by God there would have to be a voluntary change in his attitude and his actions.   But Cain would not relent of his evil ways, so God punished him.

Gen 4:14 (KJV)  “Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.”

The scriptures say that it “rains on the just and the unjust,” and that is true; but a little rain is not to be compared to the needless suffering that can be avoided by repenting of our evil deeds and then allowing God to be our loving Heavenly Father and Lord.  Current day Christianity is still subject to the Word of God.  The greasy grace that some preach is at most “wishful thinking” for those whose desires are still set only upon this carnal life; but for those who will have true life, only relationship with the Maker will suffice.

The reason that God allowed these examples to be part of His Bible is to show the future generations that there is a right and acceptable way to follow Him.

-Kurt Thurston

 

Quotes:

 "I had not discoursed long when the congregation melted into tears... a little boy about seven or eight years of age cried out exceeding piteously indeed and wept as though his little heart would break. I asked the little boy what he cried for. He answered 'my sins!' I then asked him what he wanted. He answered, 'Christ!'

...Many of the assembled were deeply affected, groaning and sobbing; there was a great weeping and mourning."

-William Bramwell

 

 

 

"I'm not about to put up a silly skit and preach a 15-minute message on 'how to cope' to a multitude of people who are dying and going to hell. I tremble at the thought."

-David Wilkerson

 

"Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car."

-Laurence J. Peter

 

"The devil's not fighting churches today, he's joining churches."

-Vance Havner

 

 

"Speak every time my dear brother as if it were your last..."

-George Whitefield

 

"Some of the greatest satanic activity in the end times will take place in the pulpit."

-Dwight Pentecost

 

 

 

Next course from Christian Life Educators Network -  Richmond Center:

 

Philosophy 1 by:  Dr. Ronald E. Cottle

This course is Part I of an introduction to philosophy. Emphases include basic questions of philosophy and major classifications of philosophy. Criticism and review are from a Christian perspective.

Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2013