Christian Fellowship
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving...” Psalm 26:7
Vol. 23 No. 3 March 2014
True holiness is the death of selfishness. Holiness is love. Abounding love is what Paul calls it. It is as the Lord makes us to increase and abound in love that He can establish our hearts in holiness.
It is a kind of “love toward each other, and toward all mankind.” This is what the Lord requires in order to walk as a disciple. It includes being very gentle and patient, forgiving and kind, and generous in our relationships with each other. It is a love that seeks not its own. It is the kind of love that is humble and gentle and self-denying and thoughtful toward others for Jesus’ sake.
Col 3:12-13 (KJV) “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
This kind of love is proven out daily as we interact with others. It discovers the needs of the most wretched and unworthy of mankind. It is the love of God that reaches to the needy. It is a holy, blameless love.
“Love seeks not its own. Love never fails; Love is the fulfilling of the law.” Love is the greatest gift of all! The end of the commandment is love. To love God and to love man is to be holy.
Bless the Lord who will make us increase and abound in love, and will establish us unblameable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus.
In Christ
Pr. Steve
Disaster All About Us
Psa 91:1-5 (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;”
The Spirit of the Lord is saying that trouble is all about us and disaster is on the way. This distress warning is not simply from what we see happening. It is from the Lord to prepare us. Just to accept Christ is not sufficient for what is coming. Being baptized in water is not sufficient for what is coming. Speaking in tongues is not sufficient for what is coming. Your gifts and ministry will not help you. But today the Lord wants us to know what is sufficient for what is coming. We must prepare ourselves. We American Christians tend to be casual. We don’t have nearly the crises that many nations have, but we are beginning to see problems because God’s covering is being removed from our nation. That is why we read and hear about some really weird things happening that don’t even make sense. Most of us can’t even understand it. But God’s Presence -- which would ordinarily prevent these demonic activities - -is withdrawing because of sin and because of allowing and even inviting other religions into our nation. [We all see evidence that little by little Christians are being restricted.]
Why does the cross offend so many people and the Ten Commandments bring such offense while Muslims are allowed their way of religion without restraints? It makes no sense. But that is because sin does not make any sense. Righteousness is clear, transparent and simple. Wickedness is always opaque, complex and hard to figure out. That is the way Satan is.
Demonic attacks are coming on people who don’t even know what is happening. It is a new day. The Lord has told us He has new and surprising things for those who will watch Him and obey Him; His provision will be more than adequate to take care of the evil that is coming.
The promises of this Psalm have many conditions that we must take to heart. For example, how can you be sure when 11,000 people fall at your side and it not touch you? How can you be sure you can trample on all the forces of hell? How can you be sure that these promises will apply to you? Well, here are the conditions!
1st. You must be sure you are dwelling in the secret place of the most High and abiding under the shadow of the Almighty. Jesus says in John 15 you must abide in Him. How do you do that? It does not mean to accept Christ initially, but only initially. It does not mean to go to church, although you must assemble. You have to keep yourself at all times aware of Christ. You may not feel His Presence or you may. But throughout the day and night you have multiple opportunities to look to Jesus. You are making decisions all the time, and all it takes is to involve Him in those decisions. Don’t take anything for granted!
Pro 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Does that mean to ignore the small or insignificant ways? Doesn’t the Bible say our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit? You are not your own. Then dwell in His shadow as often as possible, not just when you think about it. Don’t wait for the disasters to happen. Abide with Him AT ALL TIMES. With today’s trials we can’t wait for everything to get right before we pray and call upon the Lord. We have to be prayed up before they happen, while they are happening and after they have happened and we have gone through them.
When you dwell in the shadow of the Almighty you are keeping yourself in prayer and communing with God. In I Thessalonians Paul urged, “Pray without ceasing.” Outside of that, you are susceptible to disaster. We are coming up against some very hard and difficult situations. We must not be fearful or let anything grip our heart except the Lord Jesus Christ. Our idea of what is right and what is wrong can only come by way of the Holy Spirit. Circumstances don’t always agree with our idea of the way we think things should be. This is truer of intelligent people than it is of less intelligent people. [If your I.Q. is over 160 you are considered handicapped. Over-intelligence can make you crazy. Under 100 makes you also handicapped.]
1Ti 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil:”
Some writers interpret this verse to say, “A love for money…” The reason is so they can amass more money. The problem is that money does not bring you love, joy or peace. In fact, it can actually be a hindrance to love, joy and peace. That is why when some people lose large amounts of money they will give up on life. Most of the world does not have what we have; but if they have righteousness, peace and joy, they are content. What about you? Are you content with what you have? The reason messages about golden streets and mansions are so popular is that they appeal to the appetites of “the love of money.”
Love is what is important – it gives purpose to life. And without it, there is nothing of real value.
Know that “He is my refuge” when the storm hits you. Pro 16:7 “When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Depression and dread are enemies. They come from the adversary who is ruling many homes today. You have to tell them to leave, that they are not welcome. But you can keep them out by pleasing the Lord. Some will say that they plead the blood to keep out the enemy. But that is not biblical. Here is what is biblical: 1Jn 1:7 KJV “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
You see, it is easier to plead the blood than to walk in the light. What does it mean to walk in the light? It means to walk in the awareness of God and His will, to walk in a conscious and continual awareness of Him. Don’t ignore what you are walking in, which is your experience, but don’t ignore Him in it. A prayer: “I think this is the way I am supposed to go, but Lord, if it is not right then close the door. If it is right then let me have peace and the assurance of it.”
3-ways to insure God’s will:
· It must not conflict with God’s Word.
· It must line up with your circumstances (rarely is it miraculous). There can be difficulties; people may not agree.
· When you make your decision there needs to be a song inside and no dread. You should actually feel pretty good about it.
God does not come to crush all of our hopes; instead He comes with joy at His will when we listen to Him. The difficulties come to change us from the nature of Adam to the nature of Christ. Without suffering you will not change! Frustrations build character. They make you edible – people need to be eating your life when it is of Christ. But they can’t until God makes you bread. Bread is made when heat is applied to it. You are being made bread for the nations because you are the covenant of Christ in God in you. You are all that people have until they grow in Christ.
The Lord is our “fortress.” You don’t have to worry about the darkness. You can trust Him to protect you. But if you get out from the fortress, none of the defenses of God will help you. If you live like today’s average Christian who is waiting for the next thing to come on the scene, like twittering or i-tablets, you are always going to be waiting for something that won’t satisfy. Maybe age or maturity has something to do with it, but you don’t have to have the next thing and neither do your children. It will only serve to weaken them in difficulties and darkness. One reason young people are floundering today stems from their need for something new all the time to keep them focused. God doesn’t want you all excited about the next new thing which will take you out from the fortress and makes you a prey for the enemy.
If that new thing makes you forget who you are, forget the testimony of God, forget being made bread for people, forget that you are dwelling in the Presence of God, and all you can think about is that new thing that is coming, then the enemy will drag you away before you know what has happened. God’s Presence will withdraw from you, and it will be difficult to regain both your need for and your awareness of Him.
Eph 5:16 (KJV) “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
Stop wasting your time on that which will not satisfy. Give your life to the Master to use as He pleases. And He will help to deliver you from things that are worthless. If you are doing something that is wrong, ask the Lord to take it from you and He will. If you are sincere! It is not wrong to have toys and fun, but it has to be mixed with Jesus. We all need times of rest, but we simply have to know that Jesus is approving of that which occupies our time.
Bad times are all around and you won’t stand, and you won’t help others to stand, if you don’t prepare yourself during this testing time which is not going to go on much longer.
“Delivered from the snare of the fowler” A fowler is someone who sets traps. That is how Satan works. Satan sets traps all the time. That is why the writer tells us that God will deliver us from the evil one if we are abiding under the shadow of the Almighty; if we are praying to be delivered from the evil one. God is not obligated to save us if we are not doing what He says.
You don’t have to be afraid of the pestilence, disease or the devil. Accept whatever comes to you as something God will use to let your light shine, but know that you don’t have to be afraid. Pestilence is with us all the time. We just don’t know when it will strike, but don’t be afraid of it.
Now these promises will apply to your family if you are living a righteous life.
1Jn 1:7 (KJV) “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
That is the Lamb of God – one lamb per household. If you obey God sternly enough you can claim this for your entire household. He will cover you with his feathers. This is like living under the protection of a mother hen. Nothing can harm you there, for “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” Even as you witness the fall of 11,000, you will walk out fearless.
“His truth shall be your shield and buckler” (rampart = a mound of dirt that you hide behind so the mortars won’t come through). When you have the truth operating in you, there is protection all around you; so resist the fear and be filled with love, power and a sound mind when disaster comes your way. Remember that when it does come, you won’t have time to play with your toys. You will need Him to be your shield and rampart.
“Alright, Lord, You said it was coming. What am I going to do?” You are my shield and rampart and I am not going to panic. My family and I are going to be OK.
Make your decision now and practice living under the shadow of the Almighty, giving God the glory.
-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 2013
Mar. 4: When you don’t have answers, use your faith.
Mar. 5: When you can’t find the power to pray, pray in the Holy Spirit and the power will come!
Mar. 9: “He that departs from evil makes himself a prey. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. (Isa 59: 15,19) My spirit is upon you, and my words shall not depart out of your mouth or out of the mouth of your children and grand-children. (Isa 59:21)
Mar. 12: I keep you weak that you will learn to trust not in yourself but in Me. All self-confidence must be broken down so that you can depend absolutely and completely on God.
Mar. 14: “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.” The life of the cross is this mind!
Mar. 15: That He might present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight to continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and not moved away from the hope which is Christ in you the hope of glory.
Mar. 16: We carry a sentence of death everyday – The Cross!
Mar. 18: You will keep him and guard him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You leans on You and hopes confidently in You. (Isa 26:3)
Mar. 19: If our heart does not condemn us, then we have confidence toward God and whatsoever we ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
Mar. 20: I am your Healer – Jehovah Rophe.
Mar. 22: The pains are many, the sorrows great, but I can truly say of the Lord, “It is well with my soul.”
Mar. 29: To have the mind of Christ is to deny yourself. Take up your cross, and follow Him.
Mar. 30: My strength is made perfect in weakness. For when I am weak, then am I strong. (2Cor 12:9-10)
Spring Forth Into Forgiveness
Mat 6:9-15 (KJV) “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (11) Give us this day our daily bread. (12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. (14) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
For some reason it is very difficult for people to forgive one another -- and not only to say: “I forgive you,” but at the same time to also respond with kindness. Many times people who do say: “I forgive you” actually have not really dealt with the issues of their heart and have not yet realized that there is a root of bitterness growing while still buried deep inside of them. So one thing is for certain -- the fruition of what is hidden will be discovered when it reaches maturity. For example, everything seems to be going normally when one day you realize that you are not as friendly or as sweet, or you are feeling depressed, or finding fault, or being un-grateful. While you may not yet know how to deal with these new revelations, you will still need to find out how to because they don’t get better by themselves.
"I'm sorry" is a statement. "I won't do it again" is a promise. "How do I make it up to you?" is a responsibility.”
Mat 12:33-35 (KJV) “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. (34) O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (35) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”
We cannot make these kinds of life changes without the help of God. We have the Heavenly Father, Christ His Only Begotten Son, and His Holy Spirit, along with all of the words and examples that they have conveyed to His creation throughout history; and we must always remember that the One Who forgave and forgives us is the only One that can show us how to truly forgive others.
Gal 5:11-26 (KJV) “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. (12) I would they were even cut off which trouble you. (13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. (14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. (16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (18) But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (24) And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (25) If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (26) Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”
As we enter the upcoming season of spring, every moment is a new beginning. Everything you say, think, or do right now is a choice or a “seed” planted and the beginning of something new.
-Kurt Thurston
Quotes:
"A whole new generation of Christians has come up believing that it is possible to 'accept' Christ without forsaking the world."
-A.W. Tozer
"He frequently emphasized the fact that anything which is not Christ in resurrection is not the church."
-Watchman Nee
"The coming revival must begin with a great revival of prayer. It is in the closet, with the door shut, that the sound of abundance of rain will first be heard."
- Andrew Murray
Next course from Christian Life Educators Network - Richmond Center:
How to Pray the Father’s Heart by: Rev. Terry Mahan
This course offers a practical examination of prayer in regard to biblical principles. Emphasis is placed on knowing and praying the Father’s Heart (will) revealed in Jesus’ life and prayers.
April 3-5, 2014
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