Christian Fellowship
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving...” Psalm 26:7
Vol. 22, No. 3 March 2013
Spring is upon us which means change is in the air once again, but we hope the change will be pleasant and pleasing to our senses. After a harsh winter, spring becomes a blessing. With it, however, come some severe and violent storms. People are just worn out with all that keeps happening. I for one cannot endure much except for one thing – I know Who is in charge. As the times escalate we must be ready for the changes that God wants in us.
1Th 5:1 “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.”
We see what’s happening, we wish we could be ready for it, and we would like for it to stop. But the end will be greater than the beginning. We have to keep believing and maintain a sustaining faith that will cause us to press on in the good fight.
Everyone’s battle seems to be intensifying. But my prayer is that you are drawing ever so close to the Lord where He will give you strength for the fight. After all, He did warn us what was to come. Did we believe it? Did we prepare for it? It is upon us! Now what will we do?
We must overcome and keep our heads up, for our redemption is drawing near. It is closer than we can imagine. And it is going to be glorious. 1Ti 6:11 “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”
In Christ,
Pr. Steve
PURE VISION
Pro 29:18 “Where [there is] no vision, the people perish”: [Where there is no vision the people are unrestrained.]
“Vision” (Hebrew) = (c)hazon – supernatural mental insight;
“Vision” = “revelation” which brings things in focus and gives God’s understanding of things
“Unrestrained” = (people doing things their way, not God’s way)
“Without vision it is impossible for a group of people to accomplish a task.” Until we get an understanding of the vision we are unproductive.
Vision, defined as “an understanding of the will of God for one’s life,” comes by supernatural and mental insight.
Any area of your life for which you do not have God’s vision (understanding of things) is an area in which you will not succeed, e.g. finances, job, children, marriage, ministry, health. Because God has a vision for each of these areas of your life, it is imperative that you have God’s vision in each. It seems as if God is messing with each area of our lives for one purpose: To get through to us His vision for us.
VISION PRECEDES VICTORY! It does not matter what you do in life, without vision there is no outcome, no completion, no victory.
If you see nothing, you will be nothing
If you see less than God wants you to see, you will be less than God wants you to be
BUT: If you see what God wants you to see, you can be what God wants you to be. Look at the lesson of wood carving: To be good at this craft you have to cut away everything that does not look like what you want to make. In other words, you have to have a vision of what you are carving or you won’t do well at the task. If you take a piece of wood and don’t see anything, you won’t be a carver. If you see nothing, you will do nothing. If you see nothing, you will be nothing.
What does God want for your life? See it from God’s perspective and you will be able to set the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. You will finish the race and be victorious. Every vision should have facets in order to accomplish the final goal. Every part of your life should point to the goal. But there are many parts to arrive at the destination. For example, preaching is very important to every church. In fact, it is a requirement. Jesus went about preaching the Kingdom of God. Romans 16:25-26 tell us that preaching is what establishes you according to the revelation of the mystery…that is manifested through obedience. But preaching is not the vision of the church. Most churches have good preaching. But most churches lack a clear vision. The question is not how good is the preaching? The question is: “Does the preaching lead you to the vision?” You won’t know if you don’t know the vision. When people begin to attend a new church, in order for them to succeed in their spiritual walk, they must know what the vision of that church is. {Can you begin to see why so many give up on their church?} NOTE TO PREACHERS (not to scare you): Know where your message is taking the people!!! You must either have vision or be submitted to one who does have it so you can follow that vision. (My prayer is that you do.)
All of us must have some level of vision because our degree of finishing this race is absolutely contingent on our level of understanding of God’s vision for our life.
• No vision = no success
• Little vision = little success
• Great vision = great success
How will you know where you are going?
How will you know when you get there?
Remember, Paul did not accomplish all he could because He had a brilliant mind or because of His great education – it was his vision and revelation that pushed him on continually to the end. “…he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Mat 10:22).
Paul’s continual vision about his journeys of life kept him on focus, with power and strength to persist through extreme and adverse circumstances. “Without vision people perish.”
Remember, you cannot succeed in any area of your life for which you don’t have vision. Even as a believer in Christ, your level of vision determines how far you will go
Are there limits when considering vision? Absolutely! Vision must be walked out wisely; otherwise, where it is supposed to do great good it can cause great harm.
Therefore, your vision must be led with godly character. Many visionaries are destroyed because they lack the character or integrity to keep it at God’s level. We have seen this so much in the past 20 years. Satan is looking for character flaws and weaknesses in you so he can destroy God’s plan for your life.
“Satan is sifting us like wheat.” Why does God allow Satan to sift us like wheat? To prove that what is in us is of God. Satan will keep interfering with our lives until he can’t find anything that is ungodly, and then he will be gone.
To continue the vision, you must have godly character.
Whether in the home, in the church or on the job, true vision must be submitted to authority. Your vision is not truly of God until He gives you favor with those in authority over your life. If authority says, “This is not of God, then drop it.” If authority says, “This is not God’s timing, then hold it.” If authority says, “This is right on, then go for it.”
God is a God of Authority. Without authority directing your life, you are in for a great fall or defeat. If your vision goes against authority, then one of two things is true: your vision is not of God or you don’t understand God’s timing. You will have only as much authority as the amount of authority you are under. So submit to authority. I can’t say it enough. God hates rebellion!
WHERE DOES VISION COME FROM?
The Spirit of God is the source. Joel 2:28-29 (NIV) "And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. (29) Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
“I will pour out My Spirit…Old Men – dream dreams (chalom). Be careful about all dreams. When they are godly dreams, chalom means to conceive or to inseminate. So when the Spirit of God sends you a dream, He is putting seed in you so you can pour out His life. (This understanding will help to interpret your dreams.) Young men will see visions – A vision is part of a dream - “a dream fragrant.” God inseminates us by the Spirit to show us possibilities and potential.
Joh 16:13 “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth, and he will shew you things to come.”
Discernment does not come from your head or your heart but from your spirit by the Spirit of God. The Word of God is the Standard for the vision.
Psa 119:105 “Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
Psa 119:130 “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”
The vision is the standard by which I know if I am on the right track, doing the right work, and following the way of life everlasting.
Pro 29:18 (HCSB) “Without revelation people run wild.”
People seldom have God’s vision operating in the church any more. We must maintain what God has given us. God’s imparted vision is Biblical, it is by the Spirit, it is under authority, and it is operating through the character of Christ. Are we pressing into it every day, week, month and year? If so, according to God’s promise, we shall not perish as long we keep following His vision for us.
-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
Mar 1: The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. (1 Sam 27:23)
Mar 3: In quietness and confidence is my strength. (Isa 30:15)
Mar 7: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:5)
Mar 8: The sun is rising. A new day is upon you. Arise, shine, for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
Mar 12: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Mar 13: “You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, who remembers You in Your ways.” (Isa 64:5)
Mar 20: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11:6)
Mar 26: Praise the Lord, Praise the name of the Lord!
Mar 27: I will more gladly boast of my weaknesses that the power of Christ may rest on me. (2 Cor. 12:9)
Mar 28: All day long I wait on You, O God.
Mar 30: It has not entered into the heart of man what God can do for those who love Him.
Time to be Living Witnesses
Act 1:8 (KJV) “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
It seems that the Christian churches that preach Pentecost are usually quick to pray for their Christian believers to receive the gift of the Baptism in Holy Ghost, but there does not seem to be a real zeal upon the people to go out into the harvest. I do not mean to sound ungrateful for the gifts and the heavenly language, but to bring proper emphasis upon the main reason for receiving the Holy Ghost, and that is to empower Christians to be witnesses of Jesus Christ to the multitudes. So many times it is assumed that the fields of our influence are mainly foreign countries and faraway places, when in reality, those fields are our neighbors and our co-workers, as well as people we meet in public. Yes, we need to do all things according to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the written Word of God; but we also must be attentive and active in seeking the Lord daily or we won’t be prepared to receive His instructions.
Joh 4:34-38 (KJV) “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.”
The instructions that Jesus gave His followers were to “look on the fields.” He said; “The fields are ready to harvest,” even though naturally the fields did not appear ready. For the disciples then, as well as us today, the greatest challenge is to live and move through Christ instead of leaning on our own understanding. In fact, as Christians, the great challenges we face are no surprise, but rather par for the course. Therefore, when we venture to press forward we must walk in obedience and closely follow the instructions of our Lord. That is of great importance because one of our greatest challenges always seems to be our deciding between doing His will or continuing to do our own.
Mat 28:19-20 (KJV) “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (20) teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
We should not wait until we get to the last part of our lives and look back and say, “I should have reached out more.” Let’s take time now to be living witnesses for Jesus Christ! We don’t have to be ordained ministers to be witnesses for the Lord; we just need to stay filled with His Spirit while trusting and obeying in everything He leads us to do and say. We know that He is with us all the way to the end, so all we need to do is simply to be witnesses who are not ashamed of the Gospel and not afraid to proclaim the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
-Kurt Thurston
QUOTES:
"Tell the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.'"
- Jehovah
"The one thing we learn from history is that we don't learn from history."
- Leonard Ravenhill
"All it takes to make a preacher is a sermon - but it takes an altar to make a man of God."
"We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do."
- Oswald Chambers
"We want his power more than his purity."
- David Wilkerson
"With complete consecration comes perfect peace."
- Watchman Nee
Next course from Christian Life Educators Network - Richmond Center:
.Spiritual Deception: A Biblical Study by: Dr. Michael Sedler
This is a study of the impact upon a life when one is involved in listening to or spreading gossip, slander or other forms of evil reports. Emphasis will be placed upon the repercussions that occur within a life and how it impacts those around us. The different levels of defilement that lead to deception will be investigated. Specific biblical examples will be utilized to help each student grasp the seriousness of the issue. Practical, biblical strategies and interventions will be presented to aid each person in resisting the trap of the enemy.
April 4-6, 2013
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