Christian Fellowship
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving...” Psalm 26:7
Vol. 24 No. 6 June 2015
There is nothing more important than recognizing and walking in the will of God. When you don’t know His will, then you will be very insecure. Oh, you might cover it over with all kinds of carnal or worldly concepts; but inside, you will be empty. Knowing you are walking in His will enables you to rise above all the differences that invade your life.
Pro 3:6 (NLT) “Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”
The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of your life. God will even address your smallest concern. There is no place for two wills in one person. If you want God’s will, then you must be prepared to surrender your own will. Wills frequently clash, so there are choices you must make and maintain if you want to walk in obedience to God.
Remember, Jesus had to surrender His will to accomplish the Father’s will at Calvary. So surrender; then focus your heart and mind on God and His Word. Once you do, His will, will come forth, and joy will be your strength and victory.
In Christ,
Pr. Steve
What is Holding You Back?
2Ki 7:3 (KJV) “And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?”
There were four lepers sitting outside the city of Samaria in a quandary. They couldn’t go into the city because there was a famine. They couldn’t stay where they were because they were starving to death. And the Syrian army was camped in siege around the city of Samaria, which is why it was in a famine. And they were fearful what to do because they were lepers. So what were they going to do? They were in a dilemma. And so I want to ask the question today: What is holding you back? Verse 3 says: “Why sit we here until we die?”
This is a story about faith. The background is 850 B.C. The Assyrian army under Ben-Hadad had laid siege to the city of Samaria. Elisha had come and declared deliverance for the city. He was inside the city in the middle of the famine, but he told the people not to worry because the Syrians would not destroy them.
These four lepers were sitting outside in-between the enemy and the famine-ridden city. They were in misery because they had no food and were dying. Notice, the MISERY of the lepers preceded the MIRACLE of the Lord; for when they started walking, God started working.
Some people spend a whole lot of time “waiting on God” while God waits on them. As they started walking, God started working. Panic, poverty, pain -- these were tools to get them moving.
I want to share with you three things that hold us back from our miracle.
1. THE FEAR FACTOR: Run toward your fear, never away from it. We are in a state of change and transition. Do not fear it. Fear the status quo. Change is a constant in life. If change isn’t occurring in your life, then you are dead. Fear death or fear remaining the same.
The fear factor will do three things:
A.) Fear will paralyze our actions. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is purposeful action in spite of fear. There is a story of a young man in Argentina. This young man’s family lived in such a state that their refrigeration needs were behind the house, and it was his job to go out before each meal to get the cold drinks. The lad was only six years old, so he usually got the drinks for breakfast or lunch because dinner was served after dark. But this one day he was asked to go and get the drinks for supper. On this particular night the wind was blowing, the path was overgrown with weeds, and he had to walk about 75 steps to the building. When he got about half way and the light of the house was no longer visible, he froze in his steps. He couldn’t move because he was so terrified. He couldn’t turn around and run back into the house, and he couldn’t walk any further on the path. His father, who happened to see him out the window, came out and grabbed his little hand. Immediately all of the boy’s fears vanished, and he walked straight down that path without any more thought of fear because his father was with him. Fear will paralyze our actions if we allow it.
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.”
Fear is a spirit that can attack us and lodge itself within us and immobilize us. God wants to hold our hand if we will just start walking.
B.) Fear will not only paralyze our actions, it will also stifle our creativity. Creativity is the ability to operate outside the box. Fear paralyzes us from acting creatively. We lose our ideals and our ideas. We are not able to think clearly. We lose the ability to get the best out of our circumstances. We might be able to move, but it is like a puppet without any life. We lose our ability to be who we are.
2Co 10:5 (KJV) “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
Most fear is imaginary. It is in our minds.
C.) Not only does fear paralyze our actions and stifle our creativity, it also limits our vision. Fear makes a person near-sighted; he cannot see the big picture around him.
The children of Israel had just left Egypt (Exodus 14:13-15), and Pharaoh had brought the army of Egypt with him to bring them back into captivity. There they were, camped at the Red Sea. The army was drawing closer and the water was a big wall in front of them. They had no place to go, so they started to complain and curse Moses, their leader. They couldn’t see because fear had limited their vision. “Tell the children of Israel to move forward and when they start walking, I will start working.” They were allowing fear to limit their vision.
We, too, must deal with the fear factor. Those lepers asked, “Why are we sitting here until we die?” They dealt with their fear. Then they moved toward their fear and God gave them the victory.
When Goliath looked at David, he wasn’t afraid, but he had limited vision. He only saw a little boy with two sticks in his hand (as he called it). And Goliath laughed. David, on the other hand, got the big picture; he wasn’t afraid of Goliath’s words or his size. David didn’t have a sword, so how was he going to cut off Goliath’s head? But he had courage and he knew his God. Don’t let fear hinder your actions or stifle your creativity or limit your vision.
The second thing that can keep us from our miracle is:
2. THE FAITH FACTOR: The lepers sat and talked back and forth to each other, thereby building up their faith. Build up your confidence in God, not in yourself.
Jud 1:20-21 (KJV) “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, (21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Three ways to build up your faith: Pray in the Holy Ghost (You need to be one of those people). Eph 6:18 (KJV) “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
A true woman or man of God walks in prayer. And when those hard and difficult times come, you will have discernment by the Spirit. Rom 8:26-27 (KJV) “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. (27) And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
The Holy Spirit down inside of us knows exactly what we need and brings it up so we can pray and get hold of God.
The second way to build your faith is to “Keep yourself in love.” That is the heart of O.T. faith. Deu 6:5 (KJV) “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” [Heart = inner man; Soul = your middle man; Might = your outer man, your presence.]
So pray in the Spirit; keep yourself in love and expect God’s favor upon your life. Jude says, “Look for the favor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Look for it! Expect it; anticipate it.”
Luk 2:52 (KJV) “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”
As Jesus built Himself up in His faith with God, He grew in favor. As you grow in God, God will grow in you; and you can expect more and more of God’s favor in your life.
Build yourself up in the Holy Ghost, and the love of God, expecting the favor of God upon your life. That is what the lepers did. And as they built each other up, God began to work on their behalf. They dealt with the Faith Factor!
3. THE FEASIBILITY FACTOR: The third thing that can hold us back is the feasibility factor. Learn to turn your liabilities into assets. It was the lepers’ very liability that made them available and strategic to be used of God for this miracle. They weren’t in the city because they couldn’t go into the city; neither were they a part of the siege. So they could move between the city and the enemy.
They turned their liability into an asset. Instead of cursing their circumstances, they made use of them.
God doesn’t always use the logical solution. Elisha was in the city – God didn’t use him. He had prophesied that deliverance was coming. But how did God do that? He sent fear among the Syrian army, and they fled in the middle of the night. But in order for that miracle to produce fruit, God used the lepers to bring forth the prophetic word of God.
God sometimes uses the most unlikely people to bring about His miracles.
Think about Rahab the harlot. According to Joshua 2 this woman was not an ex-harlot or a converted harlot. She practiced her livelihood. But God used her because she dealt with her fear, turned her liability into an asset, and saved the spies from Israel.
Then there was Gideon – he was a coward according to Judges 6. He didn’t want to fight. He was just trying to survive. And all of a sudden the Angel of the Lord came and said, “Hail, you mighty man of valor.” I am sure Gideon looked around to see who he was talking to. God took this wimpy man and turned him into a mighty deliverer of the people of Israel.
Then there was a nameless child maid of Naaman’s wife in 2 Kings 5. Naaman had leprosy and needed help. He was dying. When he asked, “What can I do?” this little maid responded, “Why don’t you go to the man of God and ask him for help?” We don’t know her name, but God used her. God uses unlikely people in order to perform great things.
So let me ask you a question, WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK? Are you just sitting by waiting for something to happen until you die? Remember, when you start walking, God starts working. Don’t let fear immobilize you. Don’t let the lack of faith hold you back. Build up your faith by praying in the Spirit, keeping yourself in love and expecting the favor of God. And don’t let the feasibility factor hold you back. Don’t wait for your circumstance to be perfect. They never will be. God will use the most unlikely people to do great things. Why don’t you be one of those people?
-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 2014
Jun.02: I count all things loss that I may know Jesus Christ my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things so that I may gain Christ.
Jun.07: You 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. (Isa.55:12)
Jun.10: Say to one another “Take courage.” Do not fear. I am with you. Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you. I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.
Jun.14: O Lord, please help me to pray by the leading of the Holy Spirit because You are Spirit and we must worship in Spirit and in Truth. Often times my fears and worries lead me in prayer. I want to know You so much. I will ask according to Your will. AMEN.
Jun.17: Faith is to “press forward.” Don’t go back. I am not pleased when My people draw back. So press forward in Me and the blessings will follow.
Jun.20: All the power you need comes through the Holy Spirit in you.
Jun.23: Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. (Heb.10:35)
Jun,28: If you abide in Christ, then walk like Christ, as He walked.
(I Jn.2:6)
A Change of Heart
As Christians we should always be grateful for the new life that God has given us; and at the same time, we should embrace with gratitude the fact that we will all face many changes as we grow spiritually. As long as we live, there will always be “issues” and “changes” stemming from areas such as health, wealth, location, job, and with many other aspects of our lives. Thank God, we don’t have to go through the changes alone, for He is with us.
Jas 1:5-8 (KJV) “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (6) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (7) For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. (8) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
Growing in our relationship with God and understanding His ways involves a lifetime quest, one that can be especially challenging when things don’t go the way we think that they should. While for us there will continually be changes that need to be made, we should never forget that God does not change; nor does He need to change. Sometimes, when God does not let our circumstances change, it is because He is trying to change our heart.
Mal 3:6-12 (KJV) “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (7) Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? (8) Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. (9) Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. (10) Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. (11) And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts. (12) And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Second Corinthians chapter 4:4….sites the devil as being the “small g” god of this world, and it states that we can be blinded to the truth if we willingly walk in error. But when we find that we have compromised or have been just plain disobedient, then we know that we must change. God is full of mercy to those who are willing to humble themselves and turn from wickedness. However, we must do it His way and not try to do it our way; remembering always that compromise opens the door to the deceiver.
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.”
God is good, there is no shadow of turning in Him, and His ways are just. So if we are found to be in error, it is critical that we should humble ourselves and pray for a change of heart.
-Pr. Kurt Thurston
Quotes:
"Revival, no matter how great or small in its ultimate scope, always begins with individual believers whose hearts are desperate for God, and who are willing to pay the price to meet Him."
- Del Fehsenfeld Jr.
Next course from Christian Life Educators Network - Richmond Center:
Summer Break! Classes resume in August
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