Continuing on in our Isaiah study we looked at a lot of End Time prophesies.  But started out in the book of Acts to lay a foundation.

Acts 7:54-56 Regarding the stoning of Stephen When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

The spiritual realm is a different level of consciousness. Stephen was not one of the original apostles, he was a layman. We, as laymen, are to be able to clearly articulate the Gospel. Stephen saw into the Spirit realm.

Acts 7:57-60 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

He asked for forgiveness for those who stoned him, Paul/Saul was there, and Paul will later exhort believers to stir up the gift that is within you.

The error of satan was PRIDE, ARROGANCE and REBELLION

Isaiah 14:22 “For I will rise up against them,” says the LORD of hosts,  “and cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, and offspring and posterity,” says the LORD.

God's statement is concerning the input of satan, lucifer, and world leaders. God will cast him out but there is a form and function that he must carry out. The enemy is preparing satan's children for the slaughter.

Ezekiel 28 and Isaiah 14 show more about this for us to see. Babylon and Assyria will be destroyed.  These are strongholds of satan. There is an earthly Babylon and Assyria, but also a principality and power that is associated with Babylon and Assyria, so the battle is not only in the physical but also in the spiritual.

Isaiah 14:23-24 “ I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and marshes of muddy water; I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” says the LORD of hosts. The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand:"

This is an affirmation of the process of power and the sovereignty of God. If God thinks it, it will come to pass.  If He purposes it, it will not stand. Jesus told us that the gates of hell will not prevail against the revelation of who Jesus is. 

History, tradition, and arrogance will not prevent the sovereignty of God from manifesting what He has thought and purposed. No human is infallible from the Pope on down. Pastors have believed traditions that are not Biblical. The saints have messed up the message, but still the purpose and plan of God is set in stone.  Even when King David messed up, the Kingdom of God still stood and the throne of David did not fall.

In Revelation Jesus speaks to each of the churches and warns them of how they can fall. His plans will still go on and be established, but we can miss the mark. There are time periods where we have missed what God is doing, and we have not reached a level of sanctification and righteousness that God wants in our lives. We need to line ourselves up with what God wants so we don't miss the mark.  We don't want to fall below what God wants us to do.

Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written:  “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God is the Lord of History, and there is a battle both military and spiritual. We are the Lord's army and we are going with Him into the battlefield. He is the LORD OF HOSTS, and we want to give the totality of what it will take to win the battle and sustain and occupy with Glory. There are many workers in the army, not all of them are in the immediate battle field. There is the soldier shooting the ammo, the guy that drives the truck to bring the ammo to the soldier, the worker in the factory, the typist that works the orders, the people in town that provide food and sustenance for the workers, the farmers and miners, the wives.  All of these are part of what is necessary to fully equip the soldier. While we may not all be on the battlefield, we can all contribute to helping win the war.

There is an angelic host, seraphim, cherubim - these are not the little sweet cherubs that are sold today as "angels" but real warriors for the Kingdom of God. There is a host of angels in this battle and everything in Heaven and on earth has been ordained from the dawn of time. Angels and saints on the earth are under orders from Heaven. Some do not obey God. God will tell them to march and they think it doesn't suit them. If we want to participate in the winning of the war it demands obedience to God.

God is coming with the Bride of Christ to fight the battle, we will be in our supernatural resurrected bodies. We will not yield to the right or left, but go where God wants us to go. There are more of us than there are of them - for the host of heaven are more than the enemy on earth, the enemy is outnumbered and defeated.

Jesus knows His Church is theologically divided and confused. We need to seek the truth of God in His Word. Some errors are made in regard to the Sabbath, some recognize Jesus, but do not acknowledge the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, some churches speak in tongues, others consider tongues of the devil. Some feel that there are certain legalistic actions that will determine if you are righteous or not. Not all the doctrines in any church are 100% accurate.  There is sin in the church and some are not seeking the righteousness and truth of God.

God wants to strip away the error and confusion. The eventual end of this will be that we will be glorified and He will take away any error and confusion.

We not only need to teach the word, but we need to walk the talk.  People want us to do what they say, but God is saying that we should expect people to do what we do, and our actions should line up with the Word and what we are teaching others.

2 Corinthians 11:12 But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.

Many church leaders today want to be regarded as important as Paul, but they are not doing the things paul did, they are lifting themselves up in pride, boasting, but Paul walked what he talked.

2 Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

Not all who claim to be apostles are apostles. The Greek naval term, admiralship, speaks about a leader that leads other ships into battle. The admiralship determines who will go first, establishes communication, battle plans, etc. There are sent ones who are the front guard. The apostles are like the admirals in the navy, they are there to raise up others as disciples, and lead them into the Kingdom battles. They are to go into new territory and break up new ground for the Kingdom.

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

We need to be careful whom we follow, for if we follow a false leader, a deceitful worker, a false apostle we will end up in a disaster and not advance the Kingdom.

We will continue to examine these End Times events in future times, but know that there is a battle and we want to be lined up with God and His truth, not be pulled into the wrong battle or working against God by listening to lying apostles and angels of enlightenment.

Praying your day is blessed.

Heather

This is a longer than usual posting, but I am trying to get the Bible studies up to date and decided not to break it into two entries. Praying this blesses you, it was a remarkable question and answer session.  It always amazes me how Pastor Don can answer a question off the top of his head. I want to know the Bible that well!

Who is doing what?  In ministry we can get to the point where we are operating so fast that we are outside of what the Holy Spirit is doing. People pray not realizing that they have to operate with the Holy Spirit in their prayer life. Too often we want and ask God to approve what we are doing and it is hard for us to realize that we need to change what we are doing to line up with the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:12-14 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

The second death is die physically and obey the spirit. This text is defining "sons of God" as being led by the Spirit. We get confused by people who talk the talk, but don't walk it. You can tell you are being led by the Spirit by the way you love the brethren. We do not hate the people of God.

The Holy Spirit is ahead of us, leading us. If we encounter a phony or difficult challenge in our field of life and can't get anywhere, He hasn't led you to that field. There will be work, but the Holy Spirit prepares the ground for you. When you get to people He will have people ready for you.

We are LED - which means we are following and He has prepared the field.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out "Abba, Father."

Abba- Father

Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

How do we know we are led? The Spirit Himself bears witness with our Spirit, manifests in us, in the follower, and what we do will bear fruit. The sign in us is the fruit bearing that is caused by following the Holy Spirit, listening to our INWARD WITNESS. The witness testifies or manifests.

How do we do stupid?  We don't consult Who's in us. The Holy Spirit will lead us the right way, and our flesh tries to cancel what we are being told to do by our inward witness.  We are sheep and we are dumb. You won't become smart or be fully used by God until you realize how stupid you are. Give the flesh an opportunity to lead and you will fall. Go back, look at the mistakes made and you will see that it was a fleshly decision that caused them. If we are following our flesh we will end up with big problems. Our pride can get in the way.

Make an intelligent, spiritual decision that you are going to be led by the Holy Spirit in this situation. When you are led by the Spirit and committed to obeying the Spirit others cannot push your buttons to get you to react.

The Spirit bears witness with OUR SPIRIT. Our spirit hears from the Holy Spirit even before it registers on our brain. Our ego and pride can cause us to not want to yield to our spirit. Our spirit will correct us and we don't like correction for we feel it is a put-down. But correction is good so that we don't fall into someone's hole. Our spirit has to be developed so that we learn how to yield  our spirit. When we yield our spirit we are going to change. The enemy, satan, walks into a room and it gets darker. But hope and light emanates from our inner man. We begin to recognize, here comes old slewfoot to bring everybody down.

Ask for discernment. Do you have a yielded spirit? David prayed that God would not take the Holy Spirit from him.  King Saul's disobedience caused the Spirit to be removed from him, and King Saul lived in dark despair. For awhile David's singing brought some ease, but ultimately the enemy took control and King Saul repeatedly tried to kill David, the very thing that brought ease to King Saul.

Our spirit is under construction. Jesus told the disciples that He taught in parables because only the disciples were to know, the others had shut the door to the teaching.

Some are so victimized that the can't get out of victim mentality. We need to begin healing the inner man. We will grow and heal quicker from the inside out, from the spirit to the flesh.

Pastor Don shared a song called "Jesus on the inside working on the outside, oh what a change in my life."

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Our Spirit Man says it, and our brain will either obey or not obey it. That is why we have to refine our soulish reaction to defer to what the Spirit is telling us.What will determine if our brain obeys or not is the emotional filters that stuff comes through and our intellectual pride. If we are humble of heart we will yield to the Spirit.

A damaged person will have a difficult time letting the spirit lead. The spirit will never force a person to obey, it will guide us with compassion and patience. Some people are so abused that they put up walls of protection against not only evil people but against those trying to help them. It takes a healing and a yielding of the spirit to permit them to let down some of the walls. Some people you tell to go right and they go left. They are fighting the spirit and thus sign up for the struggles they are facing.

The Spirit of God is inside us and conforms us for we are His children. He will lead us and we will follow.

Romans 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

Without the Holy Spirit we don't know how to pray or what to pray about a situation.

Smith Wigglesworth's wife died and he prayed to bring her back. God rebuked him, for God knew that the next part of his ministry his wife couldn't go with him. Derek Prince's wife died and he ended up marrying an older woman that he was not particularly attracted to, but God led him to this marriage and Derek Prince's ministry expanded quickly. We think we know what we want, but often we do not know what or how to pray for a circumstance. The Holy Spirit wants to lead us.

The Body of Christ is ineffective because they haven't learned how to pray or be led by the Spirit in prayer. Many denominations have rejected the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and shut themselves off of the guidance of the Holy Spirit for their prayers. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be uttered.

The SPIRIT PRAYING for the heart of man. The Spirit of God interceding for us through the spirits of man. The Spirit of God knows the Mind of God. David had the Holy Spirit resting on him, but because of the New Covenant we have the Holy Spirit within us, and we have the choice to yield our flesh to the Spirit or not. The Holy Spirit will not force us.

Pastor Don was asked a question about the end times. He replied that the angels will not preach until God calls the end of the contract - turns it null and void. Satan's time is short, so he is trying to do as much damage as possible in the time remaining. There will be 144,000 pure Jews who will assist in the spreading of the Gospel and the work. The Holy Spirit will lead us as to what to do.

When asked about someone who is not listening to the truth, Pastor Don suggested praying for the person, putting their name in the appropriate places in the following prayer from Ephesians 1. 

Ephesians 1:15-23 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

We are to bring the Gospel to an unsaved generation, and we need to pray. Angels will help, but the Church needs to be praying.

Hebrews 1:13-14 But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand,  till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

They minister to us to help us get the job done..

Pastor Don spoke about how God can use us if we are praying. He says that when we are praying in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit looks for someone willing to pray and hooks up with them to pray a prayer that needs speaking and we can be praying for someone we don't know, will never find out about, but our willingness to pray in the Spirit allowed the Holy Spirit to pray through us for another.

Romans 8:27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit knows the mind of the father and makes intercession for the saints according to the Will of God.

Answer to another question regarding Judas and if His sin of betraying Christ was planned by God. Judas was a son of perdition before the dawn of time. God knows past, present, future, but at the same time we have free will. We are made in God's image and His image is that of free will.

Pastor then spoke about AION which is a segment of time, we don't know what that segment is, but the Bible speaks of aeons and aeons.  We don't know how long that is. There are some teachers out there saying that there will be no more heaven and hell, but that is not what the Word of God says. If you teach a nonbiblical truth like that you give people false hope,. We need to stick with what Jesus said. At the end of the 1000 year reign the devil will be let loose for one more time before being cast into the lake of fire. There will be the battle of Armageddon, and the white throne judgment where-death, hades, and those whose names are not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire forever and ever.

But time does not stop, there are aeons, and we don't know what happens after Revelation, but there are still people outside the gates of New Jerusalem and there are projects that God will have for us, but the Word of God does not elaborate on those.

Revelation 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

This is a new era

Revelation 21:2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Bride of Christ

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

God with man on earth, a new earth.

Revelation 21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

The former has passed away.

Revelation 21:5-7 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Everything new

Revelation 21:8  But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

BUT - there is the lake of fire, the second death, the end of an era, and the beginning of a new aeon.

Revelation 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

Judgment

Revelation 22:13-14  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.

Those who pass judgment will have the right to eat from the tree of life and enter in the gates of the city, but there will be those outside the city gates.

Revelation 22:15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

This is not elaborated on, it is a mystery, but there will be those outside the gates of the New City, but not put in the lake of fire.

We are the living stones of the city, we are the Temple,

Pastor Don told us that we are not to invent a pleasing theology that won't offend nonbelievers, but to stick to the truth of the Bible.

Romans 8:27-28  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Most people read this passage and focus only on the "all things work together for good" part of it, not reading the rest of the passage, "to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

All things will work together for good if the conditions are met:
1. LOVE GOD
2. Called according to God's purpose.

God has a specific purpose. And the Holy Spirit as verse 26 tells us intercedes for us when we don't know how to pray. He will have the Holy Spirit intercede and seek someone who is open to doing God's will. We need to stay in faith and listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and no matter the situation, some good will come of it. We can at least come out of the situation with a good testimony.

We are sons of God if we are led by the Spirit of God. Pastor Don sang a few lines of the song about peace like a river, and we can know it is well with our soul.

We can be dealing with a tough situation in our flesh but it is still well with our soul. The man that wrote the song it is well with my soul lost his wife and two daughters (who had made a trip to London without him), and the three died when the boat sank.  To be able to compose a song trusting God like that in the midst of a tragedy shows a person who is a spiritual giant.

When we don't know how to pray, w can pray in the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14 speaks about that if you want to read about praying in the spirit.

A question was asked about false teachers and prophets.

2 Corinthians 11:12-15  But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.  And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

There are some who will try to puff themselves up and pretend to be like Paul and the Apostles, but they are not of God. They will say they have a revelation that no one else has, and will not answer you when you question their revelation - pretending to have greater knowledge than you. There is no open dialogue with them. They will speak of the mysteries that God is supposedly revealing to them, but they are inventing something that is not in the Word of God.

In the book of Acts we read story after story of believers who are operating with the Holy Spirit, being led by the Holy Spirit and great miracles are performed. We are still living in the times of the Book of Acts and can do the same miracles and things demonstrated there if we are willing to be led by the Holy Spirit.

Someone asked about how do you know if a person praying in tongues is praying because of the Holy Spirit and not just doing a fleshly sounding like they are praying in tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
1 Corinthians 14:4  He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

There are two types of tongues, private prayer life and tongues that are prophesy. The one builds up the individual saint, the other is there to help build up the Body of Christ. Sometimes those in church get a tongue and do not ask God if it is a tongue for personal edification or a tongue for the Church. In Corinth the saints were out of order in how they prayed and there was far too much praying in tongues - that can lead to confusion and God is not a God of confusion. So Paul sent a word of correction to the Church, but he did not tell them to stop praying in tongues. Not all words that we receive from God are for the whole Church, some are just for our personal edification, or for a time in the future when we need to know something. We need discernment.

1 Corinthians 14:13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

We can ask God for an interpretation of our tongues. When we pray in our prayer language, ask the Holy Spirit what you just prayed. He will give us understanding. We will know in the Spirit, that's what I just said in tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

With tongues our spirit prays but we may not understand what we are praying.

1 Corinthians 14:15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

Paul is not telling the Church to not pray in tongues, but rather to use discernment - to pray in the Spirit and at the correct time instead of praying in the Spirit, pray with understanding. Discern which way we should pray. But Paul says to DO BOTH. The main purpose though is to make sure that as many as possible are edified. He would rather pray with understanding to make sure all understand, but at the same time he also prays with tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;

Paul states that he speaks in tongues more than the other believers. What is the fruit of that? He wrote 62% of the New Testament. He prayed in tongues lots, should we not emulate him?

Praying your day is blessed.

Heather

 

Part 1 is here

 

This is a continuation of the teaching Pastor Abraham did last Sunday.  We were all blessed by this great man of God. Check the end of Part 1 to see the work that is happening in Orissa and find a place to donate to this ministry.

 

Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 

 

The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us! The days of miracles are not ending. God still heals the sick, raises the dead, and performs miracles. The blind are healed, the lame walk, the deaf hear. We are all able to do these miracles; they are not only for our pastors to do. We are the royal priesthood. God wants us to use these powers for His Kingdom. Jesus paid the price so that we can do God’s will. We need to show people who Jesus is, and that He still has the power to do miracles. It is our responsibility. God wants to use us mightily for His Kingdom. He wants us to bring more people to the House of God.

 

We say we want to be used by God, but do we go to get souls for the Kingdom? Here in America there is little persecution for our faith, but that will not always be the case. When persecution comes will we still be willing to share Jesus Christ with the world? God will give us the power and ability to do so. Just as Jesus did what His Father did, we are to do what Jesus does.  Jesus lives in us.  We have the same power that Jesus has to do the Kingdom Work. We pray, “Fill me.”  But what are we doing with that filling? Are we pouring it out for the Kingdom? Are we using our knowledge to spread the truth about Jesus?

 

We must act in God’s will, pray, read the Bible, and do what is our duty, to share the Gospel. Pray for the sick. If you are a child of God, He has already given us the power to do His will.

 

Mark 16:15-18 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

 

Accept your responsibility as a believer. Pastor Abraham shared about a young Hindu girl who was crippled.  She could not stand on her feet. The girl’s whole Hindu family came and Pastor Abraham prayed for this girl.  The first time he prayed, he saw no change.  Nor was there a change on the 2^nd or 3^rd  day.  Pastor Abraham anointed her leg with oil and tried to get her foot on the floor, but it would not happen. He gave the family the bottle of Holy Oil and told them to keep praying and putting it on her leg, that he would pray also. After 10 days, Pastor Abraham received a phone call that in the morning the girl was walking and that same afternoon she was running. The family became believers because they saw the power of God. People long for signs and wonders and to see the power of God in their lives. This miracle that happened to the little girl greatly changed her family’s life.  The power of the Gospel and the name of Jesus works miracles.

 

The Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims pray but do not see miracles. But in Christianity there are miracles after miracles. We need to put our faith to the Word of God.

 

Luke 4:35-37 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

 

Notice that the miracle happened and then the Word spread out everywhere, even when there was no publicity or TV.  They realized that Jesus is the real deal.  That nothing is impossible for our God.

 

Acts 1:1-3 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

 

Jesus rose from the dead and did not do a lot of preaching. What convinced the people was sign after sign after sign during the 40 days He was on earth. 

 

Moses did 10 signs and wonders to convince Pharaoh to let the Children of Israel out of bondage. He used what he had in his hand, the staff to make it become a serpent, turn the sea blood red, and to do other miracles. We also have been given in our hands the tools necessary to do the work for God.

 

Hebrews 2:4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

 

God will bear witness of Himself with signs, wonders, and miracles.

 

John 21:25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

 

There is no way to write down all the miracles Jesus did. We received freely from Him and we are to freely give.

 

Jeremiah 4:19 O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

 

We are waiting for the sound of the trumpet. Matthew 24:31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

 

We don’t know when the trumpet will sound so we have our work cut out for us. We want every person possible to be saved. We will answer to God for what we have done for His Kingdom here on earth. When we stand in front of the throne of Judgment, we want to let Him know we shared the Gospel with everyone possible.  We are fishers of men and we need to fish the highways and byways on the earth. We are to use the talents that God has given us. 

 

David Livingston and a colleague went to the same college. David’s goal was to go to Africa and reach people for the Lord, his colleague wanted to start a hospital and gain a fortune and great reputation in the field of medicine. When David Livingston died there were thousands of people gathered for his funeral.  His colleague realized that he had made a wrong choice in seeking fame and fortune, and changed what he was doing so he could serve the Kingdom of God.

 

Acts 20:30-31 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

 

Paul preached, taught and ministered with tears.  How many tears have you cried for souls? Have you prayed to God, “Give me souls?” The God who calls us is faithful and true.

 

I AM A ZERO; MY LORD IS A HERO. Step out in faith and He will meet you with signs, wonders and miracles. Seek ways to tell others about Jesus. Go out into the market place and pray for others.  As your prayers are answered people will see that Jesus is alive and loves them, and there will be new souls for the Kingdom of God.

 

Worship and Service Part 1 by Pastor Abraham

 

We have had the privilege of having Pastor Abraham visit from India. His work in Orissa, even in the midst of persecution, has significantly increased the numbers of believers and churches in this area of India. What a blessed man of God, a real worshipper and prayer warrior.

 

Ezekiel 10:1-5 And I looked, and there in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubim, there appeared something like a sapphire stone, having the appearance of the likeness of a throne. Then He spoke to the man clothed with linen, and said, “Go in among the wheels, under the cherub, fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.” And he went in as I watched. Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the temple when the man went in, and the cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD’s glory.

 

Even in the outer court you could hear the sound of wings in the Church, the voice of Almighty God, and the whole court was FULL OF THE LORD’S GLORY.  The Throne of God came down on top of the worshippers.  God is speaking to His people. 

 

When there is real worship, God comes down. God responds to the praises of His servants. It is not just being a good singer or musician, but it is real heartfelt worship that matters. When we are in the presence of the Lord, we forget ourselves and move to higher levels of spiritual worship, connecting with the glory of God. People worship at the throne of God and they hear the voice of God. 

 

God is leading us to bigger experiences and a closer walk with Him. As we worship in the presence of the Lord we can reach higher spiritual experiences. As more people come to this experience there will be new faces and changes in the Church. Paul was completely changed on the road to Damascus. Ananias received a vision and was told to come and restore Saul/Paul’s sight. Ananias came to pray and the power of God and God’s glory came. Then everything completely changed for Saul/Paul and He mightily served Jesus from that time forth.

 

When we worship we reach a higher level of experience. Most of us have great experiences in outer court worship. How much more can we have in the inner court? When God speaks we will be much stronger.

 

Isaiah 6:1-8 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”  And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: 
“Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.” Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” 
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

 

The Seraphim’s wings covered their faces, feet, and with two they flew.  They were in the presence of the Lord and Isaiah heard the sound of their wings. In the presence of the Lord he became aware of his unclean lips. The Seraphim brought a coal and touched Isaiah’s lips, making them clean. People are searching for the glory of God, and the ministry of the Lord, but God asks us the question, “Who will go for us?”  Will we say, “Here I am, send me?”   For God to send us we need to be led by the Spirit of God and obedient to God.

 

When people are in the glory of God, they are changed.  Even those who reject Jesus in this life will kneel before Jesus in the last days when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

 

We must hear the voice of God.  God will give us new experiences and we will grow nearer and nearer to Him, day by day.  God is with us, in us, and close to us. Draw closer to Him. We will be under attack from the World. We are a chosen generation, a peculiar people, a royal priesthood. As royal priesthood, we have responsibility and a special purpose. God has called us to show forth His presence.

 

As servants of god, are we praying for souls and working on extending the Kingdom of God? We can read theology books. Pastors can have college degrees and graduate from seminaries, but how many preachers are catching people for the Lord? We are to catch fish. Win souls. God wants missionaries, those who live for Him, work for Him, and build up the Kingdom of God. There is much work to do, so much that we could be working day and night to do it. Our purpose is to win people for the Kingdom of God.

 

Take the cup of salvation, and share the truths about Jesus with everyone and that will bring us to higher levels of experience. If we say we are believers but our lives are no different, we may be in error. Our behavior as believers should be changed to be more like the Lord’s. We are a separated group of people. Even Peter was changed after he was restored to Jesus. We are washed with the Blood of Jesus and we are chemically changed. We are seated on the Rock of Ages.

 

Revelation 5:9-10 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”

 

Every tribe, people and nation will worship the only begotten Son. On the cross Jesus said, “It is finished.” What He did on the cross will be revealed to every nation.

 

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.

 

There is no difference. Jesus purchased salvation for every person. Everything belongs to Him.

 

Ezekiel 28:23 Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

 

God wants all to come to Him, to receive salvation. As a royal priesthood, we want to bring the message of salvation and the love of Jesus to every person.

 

Revelation 13:7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.

 

Jesus preached to every person, but satan wants to fight with the saints and destroy the plan of God.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

 

There is a lawlessness that is at work and seeks to pull us away from God. We see evidence of that in the media: TV, magazines, newspapers. The enemy, satan, uses this cunning way to give a person a spirit of lawlessness and separate people from God.

 

When you violate the rule of God you give satan power over you. There is sin that is being exposed in the leadership. Pastors and leaders are committing sins. We are to be in the world, but not OF the world as we are God’s Royal Priesthood. If we are not doing God’s will and fulfilling the responsibilities God has given us, satan will hurt others.

 

Luke 8:1-2 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, 2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons,

 

Every city, village, synagogue, and church.

 

Acts 20:19-21 serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Serve God with ALL humility. Paul spoke with humility going from house to house and to the street telling of the love of God, and sharing the TRUTH.

 

God called us for great purposes, not to just sit in a place of meeting. We are to go out into the world and heal the sick, preach the Gospel, and share the love of the Lord with others. There may be persecution.

 

Pastor Abraham was scheduled to preach in an area in India and he was brought to an elderly, infirm man who was on his deathbed. The Hindus in the area told him that if he wanted to preach, he had to heal this man. If the man wasn’t healed, not only wouldn’t he preach but they would beat Pastor Abraham up.  The power of God came and healed the man.

 

God will never put us in a place where he doesn’t meet us in our need. Pastor Abraham also told us about a time when pastors were handing out tracts in an area that was strong in Hindu worship and filled with Hindu idols. These Christians were beaten and forced to drink cow’s urine. A necklace of shoes and sandals were placed around their necks which was a huge insult and then they were chained and forced to walk into the city, being beaten at the time. The Hindus were trying to humiliate these pastors, but the pastors held strong in their faith.

 

Persecution will weaken the faith of some, but not these Christians. The government did not take responsibility for what the Hindus did. The people were beaten badly, but still are serving the Lord. Another pastor in India was preaching the Gospel, and refused to convert to Hinduism. The Hindus killed him, cut out his tongue and pulled out his eyes. The saints in India are willing to give their lives for the Kingdom of God.

 

Luke 13:31-32 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’  Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.

 

Jesus did not let the Scribes and Pharisees’ threats stop Him from doing His Father’s business. He called Herod a fox and sent the message that he was going to do the Gospel teaching, today and tomorrow. He was going to do what He needed to do to accomplish His purpose. Jesus cast out devils and the Kingdom of God was established everywhere.

 

Jesus has given us the same power and authority, and we are not in the hand or guidance of the Enemy.  We are working for the Lord. As we use Jesus’ name and anointing we will see the power advance for the Kingdom. It is our duty to bring all people to Jesus Christ’s feet. Jesus shed His blood for our salvation, and it is our duty to reach people for Him. Fight for God’s property. If someone died and we were to inherit their property, we would be willing to go to court to fight for our rights to own that land. We need to fight for God’s property, and reach souls for Him. We want to defend God’s property the same way we would defend ours.

 

Colossians 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

 

Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

 

Christ in us, the hope of glory, God gives us the power to do the work He wants us to do. As we do His will, God trusts us with more power.

Geography is important to God – Part 2 by Pastor Leon Forte

See part one here.

Pastor Forte told us some examples of how God placed people in scripture in the right place at the right time to receive their blessing.

SAUL/PAUL ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS – Saul was riding to Damascus with orders to persecute Christians. He was knocked to the ground, and blinded by Jesus. Jesus asks Saul why he is persecuting Him. Saul was blinded three days and then the Holy Spirit instructed him that Ananias was to come and restore his sight. At the same time Ananias was instructed to go to where Saul was, to the street called Straight, to restore Saul’s sight. Ananias says to God, “Yes, but, ‘scuse me, do you know who he is? He has persecuted us.” Had Ananias disobeyed and not gone to Saul, he would have lost his name being in the Bible. But Ananias obeyed God. God told him that Saul was going to be used by God to bring God’s name to the Gentiles. Sometimes God sets us to do something great but doesn’t tell us how great it is so that we don’t mess it up. Saul will be renamed Paul. And Paul ended up writing 2/3 of the New Testament. He was filled with the Holy Ghost, and ministered to many. When God tells us to minister to someone, we want to obey Him.

PETER SENT TO CORNELIUS – Peter raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-43), then he was tarrying by the seaside in Acts Chapter 10. God knows exactly where you are. Peter went to Joppa and was resting on the roof, hungry and waiting for a meal to be prepared. God was pleased with Cornelius, saw the alms and his generosity to people, how he prayed to God. God sent an angel to Cornelius to tell him to go to Joppa and look for Simon Peter, who was lodging with Simon the tanner. Pastor Forte said, this man was Italian, and a member of the police as well, and he’s going to knock on Simon’s door. At the same time, Peter is up on the roof, waiting for food, and he falls into a vision of a sheet coming down from heaven with all sorts of animals on it. God tells Peter to rise up, kill, and eat. Peter says, “Not so, Lord.” These animals were unclean for a Jew. God tells Peter, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

Even in the time of Peter there was racism. He did not want to associate with the Gentiles, and told God so, thinking that God wanted separation from the Gentiles. Peter needed to become aware of the grace of God and the power of the Blood. He had thought he was something special because he was a Jew, and God showed him differently, that God was no respecter of persons.

Those who want to do great works and be used to the fullest by God need to be available to everybody. God is not a respecter of persons. The vision that Peter had occurred three times. God normally speaks in threes. 2 Corinthians 13:1 This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”

Cornelius comes to Simon’s house, if it was the wrong house, then God was not in the vision. God has a PLACE designated to meet you. He orders your steps to get you to that place. Cornelius knocked at the door. Simon Peter goes to the door and sees the Italian police, who falls at Peter’s feet. Peter tells him to stand up for Peter is just a man. It turns out that both Peter and Cornelius had their visions at the 9th hour. Peter says, Acts 10:28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Peter goes with Cornelius, preaches the Gospel at his house, and the fruit of that was that Cornelius’ whole household was saved.

GOD EXPECTS YOU TO GO WHERE HE WANTS YOU TO GO WHETHER YOU UNDERSTAND WHY OR NOT. It takes maturity to trust God and just go where God wants you to go. An infant in their faith will want God to explain everything before they go. Some things you won’t understand until you see it, and you may not even see the fruit of what you are doing at the time. We have the faith thing mixed up. We say, “Because I’ve seen it, I have faith for it.” But that is not faith. Faith is the substance of things NOT seen.

God wants you to be who you are, and God likes to have fun too.

Peter realized that God is no respecter of persons.

PETER PREACHES AT PENTECOST – Peter preached a simple gospel message that, if you read it out loud, takes 3 minutes to read. The Holy Ghost fell on all assembled in the upper room. People began speaking in tongues, and racism went out the door. If Peter had not gone to the upper room he would have missed the opportunity for revelation. Geography matters to God. 3,000 souls were added to the Kingdom because of Peter’s obedience.

Pastor Forte told us that where we were born and what we experienced are very important to who we are today. Pastor Forte grew up in the north but his grandfather and cousins lived down south. Pastor Forte would visit and help pick cotton on his grandfather’s farm, and visit with his cousins. One day, they went into town and his grandfather gave all the children money for an ice cream. In the town walking, whenever a white person would come down the sidewalk all his cousins would jump off the sidewalk, but Pastor Forte did not because they didn’t do that where he lived. When they were waiting to cross the street all the boys looked down when near a white person for there was such a thing as “eye rape”, where a black man would be punished for looking at a white woman in the eye. Then when they got to the ice cream store there was no line in front, but a long line in the back. Pastor Forte went to the window at the front and the person questioned him. He said, “There is no line here, but a long line in the back.” At that time his grandfather came along and the clerk called his grandfather by his first name. That shocked Pastor Leon for everyone was taught to address elders as “Sir.” The clerk said that his grandfather should teach Leon the ways down south, for obviously he was used to northern ways. Pastor Forte told us he apologized to his grandfather, saying, “I didn’t do anything wrong, sir.” Pastor Forte’s grandfather got down on his knee, eye level with Pastor Forte, and said that he had sent Leon’s mother up north to live so that Pastor Leon would not get used to the discrimination. His cousins were happy in the line at the back of the store and Pastor Forte’s grandfather said that he wanted Leon to grow up and do something about it.

Who are you and where were you born? What is your purpose? God has given everyone a place and a purpose. Everyone has had things that they wanted and didn’t have, things that they love and hate. Pastor Forte told us that what we hate is an indication of what our assignment in life is. Do something about those things you feel passionately about.

SCARS are TROPHIES for the battles that we have fought. You are who you are because of where you are and what you came from. God wants us to TURN OUR SCARS INTO STARS. Do not be embarrassed to tell your story. God can use you to reach others.

1 Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.

DONKEY FOR JESUS -- Two disciples were sent out to seek a donkey and colt. They were told to go and find the donkey at a certain place, and if asked about why they needed the donkey, they were to say that the Master has need of it.

God can ask you to do something a little strange, do it and you obey God. You may be asked to speak to a sister in spandex and spike heels, and she is not “church” material, but God has need of her.

You may be given a test, but your test can turn into a testimony.

Pastor Forte gave a wonderful illustration of the donkey and the colt. He had a mom and her daughter stand up. He took the donkey and she held on to the mom’s hand. Coats from members in the church were placed on the daughter’s back, as mantles. A colt has never been ridden, so Jesus needed the donkey to show the colt what to do. Children don’t do what you tell them, they do what they see you doing. The colt learned what to do from its mom.

Pastor Forte told us that if you reject the gift you reject the giver. Jesus said that we advance on the backs of the next generation. What we do in the Kingdom today will affect the next generation.

Our testimony is a scalpel in the Kingdom of God.

He told us that, when we receive a prophesy, people do not know what to do with it. We need to write down the prophesy, memorize it, add faith to the prophesy, and speak it out of our mouth. When we get a prophesy there is timing involved as well. The prophesy may not be for tomorrow, although it could be. We need to learn about prophetic language. A prophesy will help to redefine how we see ourselves.

God is ready for the church to go to the next level. When the enemy comes in, praise God. Praise comes like a flood, and God uses the water of praise for His purposes.

Pastor Forte spoke of the MAC syndrome – Middle Age Carelessness.

Nehemiah realized that they would not want to build their walls unless they saw that God took care of Nehemiah and his needs. The ticket out of where you are is to be used by God where you are.

Worship God. David worshipped God in front of his men. These mighty men of David were disreputable when they first came in contact with David. By David’s example they grew to be a powerful force for God, and they imitated David’s worship and devotion.

Pastor Forte spoke words of prophesy over many in the church.

One thing he said for one of our members was so powerful I wanted to share it with you:

You can’t do anything about the last five minutes but you can do something about the next five minutes. Don’t confuse activity with accomplishment.

Before Pastor Forte began his talk, he demonstrated what a 30, 60, and 100 fold blessing meant. It is not a multiplication of blessing, but far greater than that. He asked for a piece of paper and folded it in half.  Then folded it in half a second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth time. After the sixth fold it was to small to fold again. When Pastor Forte opened up the paper he showed us that there were marks on the paper by the folds. A six-fold paper had 72 squares on it.  Imagine how many 30 or 60 or 100 fold would have!

 

I enjoy Pastor Forte’s teaching of the Bible. He mixes humor and examples in the telling of the scriptures and the teaching of the lessons. I think that humor helps us to learn better because tough messages can get to us through our laughter.  If Pastor Forte is ever speaking in your area, I highly recommend that you attend his teaching for you will be abundantly blessed.

 

Last night’s lesson was on Acts 17, when Paul visited Mar’s Hill. The people at Mar’s Hill were worshipping other gods, yet Paul was not offended. Paul understood that at least they were trying to worship but were looking for God in all the wrong places. Paul played the hand that was dealt.

 

When we go to minister to others, we have to remember that they too may be worshipping other gods, and we need to play the hand that we are dealt. Don’t forget that when we go to the lost sheep, they are going to be doing lost sheep things. Your dentist is not offended if you come with bad breath or a bad tooth. That is what your dentist is trained to do. Your plumber is not offended if you have a clogged pipe – it is what the plumber makes money from. We aren’t going to find new sinners just staying in church, we need to go where they are and win them to God. Sinners should not offend us for we are called to minister to them.

 

Acts 17:22-25 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.  

 

Then we read the next verse three times.  Acts 17:26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,

 

Notice ONE BLOOD, TIMES, and BOUNDARIES. We are one blood.  And geography is important to God who created places before he created people. When God created the earth, he made people for every place. People are made in the image of God, and filled with the Spirit. We have the potential to get back to where Adam was, all over again.

 

Demons want to possess people. They know that we have a voice, with power, given to us by God. Demons do not have a voice unless they can take over a body. Our bodies are earth suits that house eternal spirits.  Pastor Forte told us that if a person is demon possessed with a cursing spirit, you cannot imagine what can come out of the person’s mouth with such a spirit.  The devil wants to curse the earth and uses human mouths to do so. He also uses witchcraft and new age to curse the earth.

 

We are here (near Woodstock) for a purpose, to redeem evil. God is the redeemer. We can begin to redeem the earth by blessing everybody. Love people. As we grow in God we begin to see that it is not all about “me.” We can learn to love the unlovable – maybe not like them, but definitely love them. Sometimes we have to hit the wall several times to shake us out from being “me” centered. At some point we go over the wall and begin to reach out to help others, we become Kingdom centered and it isn’t all about us.  We want to be about the Father’s Business.  Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.  God is using HIS CHILDREN to get HIS stuff back.

 

WHERE YOU ARE IS AS IMPORANT AS WHO YOU ARE!  You may be where you are because of who you are.

 

Many of us are where we are because of who we are, what we’ve been through has equipped us to minister where we are.  We may not like the place we are at, we may be at a job where most of the people are ungodly, instead of in a nice Christian job where people are having devotionals at work and fasting two times a week. We may be at the job with the ungodly because people there need to hear the good news. We are not to just stay in church, God wants us (the church) to be out in the world where people need us.  God does not always move us to a place by a supernatural revelation, sometimes we are brought to where we are by physical circumstances.  An example of this is found in Luke 2, where Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem for the census.

 

Luke 2:1-5 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.  So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

 

Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, and God organized events to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Joseph was, at this point, not led by the Holy Ghost, circumstances made him travel.  There was no angel or voice from Heaven with the voice of Charlton Heston’s deep voice saying, “Go to Bethlehem.” The move came because of a DECREE from Caesar Agustus that there was a CENSUS.

 

Sometimes God uses NATURAL CIRCUMSTANCES to move you into position for His purpose.  Maybe there is a reason why you received that pink slip. God may use that to get you to go where He wants you to go. Maybe Tyrone backed out of the marriage so that the right person would come into your life. God may use Jimmy Hendrix to get you to come to Church. He will use natural circumstances to place you in the right position.

 

Sometimes we are rebuking the devil and the devil is not being “buked.”  It may be that the devil was not in the adverse circumstance, but it was God putting you into position. Sometimes when God says, “No,” He is helping you.  Sometimes God ignores you when you are acting like a fool, and that is to help you. It may not seem like help at the time, but it is.

 

Pastor Forte gave us the example of Simon Peter.  Jesus told Simon, Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. When God says your name more than once, He is trying to get your attention. And notice that satan had to ask permission to tempt Simon, to sift him.  To steal, kill and destroy is what satan desires to do. His first MO is to steal. You don’t steal wheat off of something unless there is wheat to steal. In order to be able to sift wheat, there has to be fruit to sift. The difference between the tares and the wheat in the parable is that the tares don’t produce fruit so they stand proud and tall, but the wheat plants bow down in worship. Peter did not know that he had wheat (fruit) but the devil did. 

 

Luke 33:32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

 

Jesus prayed for Peter.  Notice it is WHEN you have returned to me.  WHEN you are converted, not IF, but WHEN.

 

Peter tells him that no way would he betray Jesus; that he will go to prison or die for Jesus.  Jesus then tells him. Luke 33:34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

 

Pastor Forte tells us the rest of the story in modern terms. Jesus goes to Jail and before that Peter did some stuff. He cut off the ear of the police officer (guard). Jesus had to heal the ear before being taken to jail.  Peter messed up and he was the only one to receive a personal prophesy from Jesus.  The prophesy was, “Peter, you are getting ready to mess up.”  Jesus is brought to Caiaphas’ house for his first trial.

 

Peter ends up warming himself at the world’s fire. So often when we backslide we warm ourselves at the fire of the world.  While Peter was warming his hands, a serving girl asks him, “Weren’t you with Him?”  Peter tells her, “No.”  Little girls don’t give up and she asks again, and receives another “no” answer from Peter. She persists and asks a third time, “I know you’re one of His for your voice betrays you.”  People will know us because they recognize the change in our voice. The sheep begin to sound like the shepherd. Peter curses Jesus, and as soon as the curse comes out of his mouth the cock crows three times.

 

Jesus, after being beaten comes out and looks at Peter, but doesn’t say a word. In the flesh we would be tempted to say, “See, I told you so.” Jesus could have said, “Run Peter.”  One word from Jesus would have caused Peter to be killed, and Peter would have been crucified even before Jesus. Instead, Jesus kept his mouth shut.

 

Sometimes when God says nothing He is saving your life.  Don’t think God doesn’t see you.  Had Peter listened to Jesus, he would have been where he was supposed to be.

 

We then went back to Luke 2, with Mary and Joseph. God is the one that let natural circumstances guide Joseph to Bethlehem, not an angel or a prophet.  There was no vision, no prophesy, just an order from Caesar to go and be counted in the census.

 

SAUL, the 1^st King of Israel was searching for lost donkeys and couldn’t find them. Pastor Forte wondered how you could lose donkeys.  God permitted this to get Saul into a position to receive his anointing from Samuel. Saul’s servant suggested seeking a prophet to find the donkeys, but Saul told his servant that he had no gift to give a prophet. You don’t go to a prophet empty handed. His servant had a stash of money, for you never know when you need a prophet. The donkeys, Samuel told Saul, went back home.  Then Samuel told Saul to go up on a hill and he would meet a group of prophets, and prophesy with them. God used natural circumstances to get Saul to this point so that Samuel could anoint Saul and transfer the anointing.

 

God is transferring the anointing and then things in your circumstances will make sense, for they become the key to what you are to do. Our time for bench sitting is over.  We will be given supernatural ideas, for we are here for such a time as this.  Where you are matters as much as who you are. 

 

Mary and Joseph will have the baby, in a barn. This is not the place where a king would be born, so when Herod sets out to kill Jesus, the last place he would look would be a barn.

 

The devil does not know who you are. Remember the devil is NOT GOD’S EVIL EQUAL. He is an ex-employee, and disqualified.

 

Mary was pregnant, her water broke and she was going to have the baby. Herod was searching for this king.  The devil wants to kill the deliverer while he is in his infancy, before he can grow up to be a threat.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

 

Joseph isn’t spirit filled, but God led him through natural circumstances. God places Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in a safe place. Then the kings come bearing gifts for Jesus. We don’t know if they are three, the Bible does not tell us how many. The kings bring frankincense, gold, and myrrh. For being prophets, they are not too good in that area, for they do not know where the baby is. They arrive when he is a young child, and the first place they go is to the enemy to ask for where the child king is. Herod says, “Yes, and let me know where he is I want to ‘worship’ him too.”  Lie. Herod wants to know where the baby is to kill him.

 

Pastor Forte told us how a baby King was honored in those days.  The baby would be placed on a scale and then gold placed on the other pan of the scale, a coin at a time. When the two sides of the scale are equal, that is the price paid to honor the baby. A newborn baby would receive fewer gold coins than a young child.  Each of the kings brought gold to honor Jesus.  This gold was necessary for Joseph and Mary could not go to Egypt empty handed, they would need a lot of gold to support themselves.

 

GEOGRAPHY is important to God, and God gave Joseph and Mary the means to bring Jesus to safety and hide him until Herod dies. 

 

Sometimes God leaves you in a place and keeps you hidden so that you can grow, gain weight, get fat, and then people will recognize you and give you more, for now you have gained weight, and you will get the provision you need. This is where the saying, “worth his weight in gold,” comes from.

 

Sometimes God has us hidden in a place that you do not like, waiting until you grow and gain weight, and mature, to the point where you are ready to receive your blessing. Yet, while you are safely hiding, you are moaning and groaning because of where you are at.

 

God knows the right time to deliver you out of that place and get you ready. God has fashioned our days. God may have placed us in this area to raise us up as intercessors. We can be in a church in the woods at Woodstock for such a time as this. God has set us in a place to bless us and those around our area. 

 

Pastor told us that he loves our church for it is so diverse and multicultural. He told us we are like granola – fruits, nuts, flakes, sweetened with honey.

 

Pastor Forte told us some examples of how God placed people in scripture in the right place at the right time to receive their blessing.  I will share those examples with you tomorrow.

 

Have a blessed day!

Heather

Last night we had a visiting prophet - Pastor Leon Forte come to our church. What a blessed evening it was. He delivered a very powerful message and had us laughing so hard with his great sense of humor.  

There is going to be a turning in the Body of Christ.

Pastor Forte spoke about the Volcano in Iceland.  He was heading to speak at a conference and had flipped on the TV, only to find the volcano was reported on every channel. He said that when God shows you something three times it is a message to take note about (that does not mean seeing the same episode of a hit TV show).

What Pastor Forte perceived was that there was going to be a stirring of little things. The farmers moved their livestock to high places. The volcanic eruption was felt 16 miles away. There was a heat connected with it and what emerged from the volcano was ice and rock. The little volcano cut off all air traffic, not only in Iceland, but also in Europe. Even President Obama had to cancel his plans to attend a funeral.

The ice was glacier ice, which was thick and froze things in time. When the ice would melt, the water would flow in a river that was the size of the Amazon River.

Pastor Forte told us that this was a picture of what's about to happen.

Praise and Worship is perfected when there is need and desperation. Praise is more intense when we are empty and in need of God.  Oppression combined with emptiness causes praise to erupt.  Stay active in your praise and your tough circumstances will melt - there will be rivers in the desert. The desert will become a place of refreshment. The river will become a place of growth and will feed others. Tribulation does produce good fruit if you praise in the midst of it with all you got. You can praise  yourself out of tough situations, praise yourself into good health, praise yourself out of financial despair, praise can change things.

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Do not be conformed.  To try and conform is a syndrome that will keep us from God's perfected gift in our lives. We are chosen by God, but unless we are willing to be transformed by God, we will not fully use the gifts that God has given us. We need to let GOD transform our lives.

What you conform to matters. We need to be aware of the approval trap.  That is what is holding up the body of christ. We tend to blame the devil for things that were not caused by the devil. We can be unhappy because of what we have chosen to do or not to do, and the devil does not have anything to do with it.

IF WE DON'T KNOW WHO WE ARE, ANYONE CAN DEFINE US. Don't accept the limitations of those in the world who choose to define us, look at who we are in Christ. One of the main ways that we let the world define us is by searching for approval of man. Everyone has a longing for approval. But that longing for approval can bring a spirit of defeat on ourselves.

Pastor Forte spoke about playing basketball, and having to find 10 players. Usually in a pick up game there are 9 good players and one who has no basketball skills - that person is called "self-checked."  In a game the opposing team has to cover the good players to keep them from scoring - that is called checking a player. If there is a player that is no threat to the game - no chance of scoring or effectively doing anything with the ball the team would consider the person to be "self-checked. They aren't any good, won't do anything, and you just hope they stay out of the way. "  Meaning no valuable player needed to be assigned to watch the player. 

When we are very concerned about the opinion of man or the world satan does not have to send a valuable demon to guard us, our need for approval makes us self checked.

In the world there is a struggle to achieve someone else's approval, we self check. We have a need to be liked, to gain validation. We seek validation from others - students seek validation from teachers, players from coaches, spouses from other spouses, and children from parents. The devil seeks to tell you that you are the opposite of who you really are. He wants to get you to the point where you compromise and seek the approval of others.

Pastor Forte told us that sometimes we lie to get approval. Since no one would probably want to admit to that, he used himself as an example. At a pastor's conference the pastors talk faith, but embellish their stories. One pastor spoke about 250 men that he had in his chorus and asked Pastor Forte how many men he had in his chorus. Instead of saying that he didn't have 200 in his whole church, he said, "We don't believe in a chorus." The pastor with the 250 men went to talk with another. Pastor Forte did not want to speak the truth in front of the pastors.

Your need to seek approval will transform you into the ultimate chameleon, changing your personality depending on who you are with. Pastor Forte calls this the CHAMELEON SYNDROME. The changing of colors is a defense mechanism so that you blend into your environment. If you are around people who curse, you curse; who gossip, you gossip. In the Church we don't call it gossip, we call it "sharing." And Pastor Forte told us that some of us are VERY gifted in "sharing." Sometimes if you are with someone who likes to bash their spouse, you bash your spouse. He told some funny examples from men not wanting to ask directions.

He told this joke: A husband tells someone, "My wife is an angel, she is always up in the air harping about something."

Pastor Forte cautioned women not to dominate their men for then the men will put the woman in the place of their mom, and that cools the relationship. He told men that women are looking for three things in a relationship.
1. A father figure to affirm them; 2. a lover, one that they can be naked and unashamed around; and 3. a companion, not a leader, who will listen to them, and share in decisions. If any of those three are out of balance, you end up in a problem in your relationship.

We need approval from our spouse. We, as the church should be expert at loving others. Yet the Church has a higher level of divorce than the world.

Pastor Forte then said that if you are a racist, you talk racist. Racism would not have had such a hold on the United States if the Church did not back it in the early history of the country. If we allow racism in the church it sanctions it in the world. It is not enough to just not participate in racism, we need to speak out about it. We are called to be standard bearers, and our children do not do what we say, they imitate what they see. We have depersonalized whole cultures by our racist attitudes. No matter who the President of the United States is, we need to pray for them - even if we do not like them or like their policies. If God placed them over us, we need to pray for them.

Not every Muslim is a terrorist.

In Eubonics Pastor Forte told us the story of Abraham & Sara, Isaac and Hagar & Ishmael.

God told Abraham that he was going to be the father of many nations, and that he would have a baby from Sara. Pastor Forte had us laughing when he said that Abraham's mistake was telling Sara about this, that he had to be a brother because he probably went home and said, "Daddy's here." He spoke about Hagar and Ishmael, and how once Ishmael was born, Hagar treated Sara poorly. Sara responded by saying that Hagar had to go. We learn a few lessons about relationships from this episode. 1. Listen to your wife. 2. Don't get unequally yoked. According to Pastor Forte God in effect told Abraham that I gave you an "H" for your name - changing it from Abram to Abraham, give your wife an "H" - Sarah.

Isaac was the son of the covenant. Yet God heard Hagar's prayer and made Ishmael a prince of twelve tribes.

God had a baby who became illegitimate and he had to send him away - Adam from the Garden of Eden.
Ishmael - Arabs Isaac - the Israelites. But both are sons of Abraham.

When we sit in judgment over an entire race of people it is because we need approval from others. God wants us to remove the bitter root of judgment from our lives. We can get drunk on patriotism. One of Pastor Fortes' strongest prayer warriors was a former Muslim who converted. When she went back home, she prayed and blind people received their sight. God is good and seeks to reach all people.

Christians need approval, and they will go to great lengths to conform. Pastor Forte speaks about being a Baptiscostal. He would go to the Baptist church in the morning for his father and the Pentecostal church in the evening for his mother. Very different types of activities occurred and he had to adjust his behavior depending on the church he was attending.

Teenage girls will often have sex with boys prior to marriage because they are seeking approval not just from the boy but from girl friends who feel she should go with rich so and so, prestigious so and so, or that someone was prophesied to become a pastor, so sleep with him to become his wife. A lot goes on during youth camp and vacation Bible school. The Catholics are not the only ones with sexual sin in the church, so do the Protestants.

There is evil stuff in the world. The enemy wants us to miss the call of God on our life because of distraction or fear. We can miss the call of God because we are afraid of losing the approval of man.

Jesus had to deal with this. Jesus was told by the Holy Spirit to go to Samaria, where he sat by a well. He told his disciples to go and get food, for he knew that they would not be able to understand the nature of the divine appointment he had, they would flap their mouths wondering why a Jewish male was talking to a Samaritan woman. Some Holy Ghost assignments are solo. Sometimes a woman with issues needs to talk with a man, sometimes a man with a woman. We need to obey the Holy Spirit, and be led by God in this. The woman came and Jesus had a conversation with her. When the topic got too close to her sensitive area she turned to classism and racism by asking Jesus why he, a Jew was speaking to a Samaritan. This woman was coming to the well at this time of the day because she was avoiding the looks and comments of the other women because of her marital status.

Pastor Forte told us that we are not an event, but a person beloved by God. Just because we have lived a former sinful life, or have been raped, molested, divorced, had a child out of wedlock does not mean that God does not have a purpose or plan for your life. He can get you out of stuff, and take these events and turn them to a good end. Scriptures tell us that the hearts of the fathers will turn to the children.

Our Daddy God sees us as pretty and sweet. He gives seed to the sower, but what you do with the seed is up to you. If Dad gives you seed He expects you to sow it. The woman at the well, after Jesus told her about herself tells Jesus, "I perceive you are a prophet." Jesus told her she had relationships with six men. Now she was in the presence of the SEVENTH MAN (Jesus), and this relationship would change her life. The world looked at this woman as a sinner, but Jesus saw a city-wide evangelist.

Jesus looked at her and saw her destiny, not her past. Jesus looks at what you ARE, not what you DO.
Your ROLE is what you do, your IDENTITY is who you are. Jesus looks at our identity, not our role.

Pastor Forte is surprised that, given the wonderful freedom life in Christ provides us, that we aren't more drawn to intercessory prayer, and that it is hard for churches to keep prayer groups going.

Our need for approval keeps us seeking for approval from wrong places. When we are asked to compromise in our quest for approval we don't have to give into it. It is a wonderful cycle of blessing that God provides for us. He blesses us and we then turn to praise God for the blessings He has given us, which He then praises us for blessing Him. How awesome what God has provided for us.

We can stop struggling and being driven by our need for approval because God approves of us and loves us

Sometimes our tough situations are given to us by God because He knows we can handle them and turn them around to His glory. For example, Mary was given Jesus by being impregnated by the Holy Spirit. Some in her world would have scorned the explanation that it was the Holy Ghost that gave her Jesus. In today's church the woman would be brought to a room with the other sisters and asked to tell the truth about who made her pregnant - they wouldn't believe the Holy Ghost did it. Joseph would be confronted by the brothers to make an honest confession of how he got Mary pregnant. Yet Mary told the truth. God brought Mary to Elizabeth, who was in a similar situation of a supernatural pregnancy so that they could support and comfort each other. God will always provide someone in a similar situation to help us in the midst of our trials.

We are never alone or the ONLY ONE to go through a trial. God will provide someone to help us through the situation.

YOU ARE NOT AN EVENT, YOU ARE PRE-APPROVED. God planned your life before you were born. Approval comes because of God, and He will position us for a purpose. Remember God sees you as fulfilling your purpose, not as you are now.

Pastor Forte then asked all the visiting pastors to go to the altar area, and the pastors were each to speak a blessing over every person in the congregation - in this receiving line, we received many blessings - were told that God loves us, that we are approved by God, beautiful in His eyes, blessed, etc. The pastors represented our earthly fathers who may not have spoken such words of affirmation over us. We all needed to hear these statements, and there were few dry eyes after hearing God's affirmations.

Praying your day is blessed. Tonight Pastor Forte is ministering again, if you can I suggest you attend.

God bless you,
Heather

Who is doing what?  In ministry you can get to where you are operating so fast that you can get outside of what the Holy Spirit is doing.

People pray, not realizing that they are praying against what the Holy Spirit is saying in our prayer life. Too often we do things then ask God to approve of what we are doing, but it may not be what God wanted us to do. It is hard for us to accept waiting and making the necessary changes in our lives that God wants.

Romans 8:12-14 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

There are two deaths - we need to die physically and spirituall. The definition of a son of God is being led by the Spirit of God. Therefore we get confused when people talk the talk, but they don't live and walk their talk. The way you can tell you are led by the spirit is your love of the brethren. We cant hate the people of God. 

We can get ahead of where God is leading us. If we are plowing a difficult field and we can't get anywhere, it could be that God hasn't led us to that particular field. God does have work for us and He has prepared a field for us. When we get to the right place that God wants us to be, He will have people ready for us. He has prepared the field.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Abba means "Daddy"

Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

How do we know we are led? The Spirit HIMSELF bears witness with our spirits, He manifests in us, in teh follower. What we do will bear fruit, and there will be a sense in us, in our innward witness, that it is the Holy Spirit leading us. The witness tests or manifests. 

When we do stupid it is because we didn't consult with what is in us.  The inner witness wants to direct us, but when we are led by the flesh we will cancel with the Inner Witness is telling us to do.  We are SHEEP, and sheep are dumb. You can't become smart until you are aware of how stupid you are.  IF YOU GIVE YOUR FLESH THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU WILL FALL.  Go back and look at mistakes you have made.  You will find where you didn't listen to your inward witness.  Pride is what causes us to go wrong. 

Make an intelligent, spiritual decision. Tell yourself, "I am going to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Let me consult God here. I am going to let the Holy Spirit lead me in this situation."  When we are led by the Holy Spirit in humility there are no buttons that people can pus in us to cause us to do something wrong.  Judge the situation by asking, "Holy Spirit is this a good decision or not?"  Then be led by what the Holy Spirit tells you.  We want our spirit to accept it before it registers on the brain. The Ego and pride will not want to yield to the action God wants, so we need to let the Spirit lead.  We fear correction, thinking it is a put down, but when God corrects us it is because He loves us. Correction is good for it helps us to prevent us from falling into some hole.

Listening to the Spirit has to be developed. Ye choose to yield to our Spirit. When we do, we are going to change. Pastor Don gave the example of Darth Vader who, after contacting his son, could not kill his son.

The decision to follow the spirit eminates from the inner man. How can old slewfoot bring everybody down?  Ask for discernment to figure out why. Do they have a yielded spirit?  King David understood the importance of the Spirit, for when he sinned, he prayed, "Don't take Your Spirit" from me."  Saul allowed his spirit to become darkened, did not do what Samuel told him to do, and then made excuses, not asking for forgiveness for his actions. Saul chose to listen to the people, not to what God directed him to do.

Our human spirit is under construction. Jesus spoke to the people in parables for some things were not given for the Israelites to know. Other people shut down their spirits. Some people are so victimized by life that they can't get out of their victim mentality.  You are the one that will pay with troubles if you do not do somethinga bout your inner man.  We can't make effective change only working on the outside, we need to also change or inner man.

Pastor Don sang part of a song, "Jesus on the inside working on the outside. Oh what a change in my life."

We are told that we will have what we say, and what we say comes from what we think. As a man thinketh...

1. The Spirit man says it
2. Our brains obey or don't obey - and obedience is what refinse our soulish reaction. We can choose to not listen, or deal from our emotions, from our intelectual pride, or we can tell ourselves to stop and not do what the Spirit does not want us to do. We need to be humble of heart and obedient, then our flesh will begin to be corrected. If we choose to not listen to the Spirit then we move from excuse to excuse.

It is very difficult to get a damaged person to the place where they see that their actions were wrong. That they received what they did because they refused to be led by the Spirit. The Spirit will never have you put the reality of the world over God, and the Spirit will never cause you to disobey God. Disobedience comes from a different realm.

The Spirit of God on the inside will confirm to us that we are His Children. He will lead and we will follow.

We need to have compassion and patience because some people have been so abused that they keep their wall up for both the evil and the good. It is hard to et them to change their spriit, for they stay in fight and flight mode. The will disobey out of fear. You can tell them to go right and they will go left,.  There is fighting in their Spirit and they signed up for the struggle.

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

 

We are taking a detailed look at the book of Isaiah. Pastor Don did a bit of a summary for we had many new people at Bible study.  Sometimes on a Friday afternoon we have to add more tables to fit all the people in which is a blessing. 

Here is a picture of one of our recent Friday Bible studies:

Pastor Don is seated at the left of the lady in the red shirt.

Pastor Don pointed out that spiritual things are hidden in the scriptures so you need to carefully read to seek them out, but the Bible is it's own dictionary.  The enemy is called by many names, lucifer, satan, devil, dragon.  The eternal being; lucifer has many names, and can disguise himself so that those on earth do not realize his influence. We see this today in the new age movements which are very skilled at hiding a lie amongst a lot of truths.  Another name given to him int he bible is the king of babylon.  Babylon was considered the cradle of civilization.  Early stories about Babylon include those of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel. 

satan masquerades himself as an angel of light - enlightenment.  He tries to convince people that they have special dispensations, that they are more superior than the rest of us, better at politics or theology, etc. What he wants to do is to get us to trust our knowledge, intellect, and emotions, to get us to become prideful.  He is successful by stealth (silent, deadly taking by subtle force), but then he comes down hard on those who accept his lies.

Someone asked about the postmortem experience, can a person be saved in those few seconds after they died and before their spirit leaves their body. They also wondered about what happened to the souls that never knew Jesus, would they go to hell because they did not know Jesus. Pastor Don replied that with salvation, only God knows the heart and spirit of a person, we cannot make a determination of the person's eventual outcome - only God can do that. We don't know if with the last breath they cried out to Jesus - only God knows that.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Jesus died for all men, but it is the person's decision to accept this gift of salvation or not. Pastor Don told us to not wait too long to choose if we haven't chosen for we never know the hour or second of our death and we may not have those few seconds to call out to Jesus.  We can be dead in the flesh, but we are ALIVE in the Spirit.

1 Peter 3:19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

Pastor asked us, why did Jesus preach to those in Sheol, in prison, if there was not a decision to be made.

1 Peter 3:20  who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

These are people who lived before the time of Noah, before Moses, and those who lived under the law of Moses, but did not know Jesus.  Moses died under the Law of Moses.

1 Peter 3:21-22 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,  who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

Jesus goes and preaches to the souls in prison to what end? They cannot be judged until they have heard the Gospel message. They were in the spirit, and thus out of their body, but could not make a decision for Christ until they heard the Gospel. 

Isaiah 6:5-7 So I said:  “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”

Isaiah was taken up to Heaven in the Spirit and saw the throne of God. He realized that he was a man of unclean lips. The angel took a coal from the the altar with tongs and touched Isaiah's lips. God cleansed Isaiah through this.  Some of the saints will have to be cleansed before they can be in the presence of God. If your name is written in the Book of Life, you are going to have to unload at the eye of the needle all the baggage you have been carrying around with you.  The eye of the needle is a very small opening in the wall. Those who drove camels would have to unload the camels so that the goods could be searched. The camel would crawl through the eye of the needle on its knees, then the goods would be brought in and reloaded on the camel. We have the decision to make, will we remove the baggage and let God clean us?

Revelation 21:4  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Why are there tears? In the presence of God there will be no hidden truths. We will be held accountable for every idle word. Salvation comes by faith in our hearts knowing that Jesus is Lord and we cannot get saved by the Law, it is accepting His Sacrifice for us on the Cross.  Only God can judge people regarding salvation, we are not able to do that. 

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

The Tabernacle of God is with us. We will all have ideas that need to die at the Cross.

Ephesians 4:9  (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?

Sheol was in the depths of the earth, the earth's core is fiery. These were the people caught in fire and brimstone, but also in the subsection of Sheol known as Abraham's bosom. In Abraham's bosom as we learned from Jesus there was no fire or torment like what Lazarus experienced. They had to stay there until Jesus preached the Gospel and they could make their choice - now Abraham's bosom is empty, and the only place those who reject Jesus and are waiting for the final judgment is hell - the fire and brimstone.

Ephesians 4:10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Jesus fills all things, He not only descended but ascended. Jesus died for all (past, present, future) and He died once for all. Whoever follows the path of salvation are saved, those who don't wait the final judgment.  God is just, and each and every person needed the opportunity to hear the Gospel. Without all being given the opportunity, God could not judge all flesh justly.

There will be a rapture - and there are precedents in the Old Testament regarding this. Enoch walked with God, Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind,

Luke 16:26-31 (Lazarus in Sheol) And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’  And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’  But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

God will judge no man until they have heard the Gospel.

Ephesians 4:8 Therefore He says:  “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”

Psalm 68:18 You have ascended on high, You have led captivity captive; You have received gifts among men,  even from the rebellious, that the LORD God might dwell there.

Gifts will be given to God. The Lord was able to lead captivity captive. Who weren't saved at the time?

We can't build a theology on a grey area where scripture doesn't clearly delineate. We can't judge who will go to Heaven or Hell.

Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 speak of lucifer.

Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart:  ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.

Ezekiel 28 speaks of the King of Tyre. This was a spiritual area, not the physical city of Tyre.  For example the Emperor of Rome also was the Emperor of Judea and Greece and all the other countries that Rome conquered.  The King of Tyre was a spiritual jurisdiction of this spirit being. So when they speak of the King of Babylon and the King of Tyre they are not speaking about a physical ruler, but a spiritual jurisdiction.

Ezekiel 28:12b (speaking of lucifer) You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

There were four beings in Eden - The Lord, Adam, Eve and the serpent. The term "serpent" is a description of how he acts and performs.

The serpent, lucifer wanted to rule and reign forever. He planed to replace God and make himself god over everything. God tells lucifer that he was cursed, and lucifer's reaction is to try and destroy what is beloved to God - destroying God's creation - the man and woman. Had Adam and Eve stood up to the serpent things would have had a different outcome. They could have said, "God said it and He meant it."  What satan wants to do is everything he can to kill and prevent the bloodline that leads to salvation to continue. He started with Adam and Eve, but it continued when he tried to pervert the blood line - the sons of god mating with the daughters of men. That is why God needed to send the flood, for only Noah and his family had a pure bloodline - and that was needed for Jesus to be born.

Genesis 6:1-4 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

Notice that it says that man's days would be 120 years.  120 times 50 jubilees = 6,000 years.  The giants on earth from this ungodly mating are the fodder that created the mythologies. God wiped out all but Noah's family, but now we are seeing more and more demonic activity again, and it is increasing. We are not at the time ordained for God to begin to destroy the seed for the last time - destroy it in the Lake of Fire. 

Pastor Don then pointed out how there are various demonic strongholds in a city. For example areas of prostitution or drug addiction, where there is a higher than normal incidence of those activities indicate a stronghold.

Ezekiel is not speaking of the natural King of Tyre, but of a stronghold of satan.

Ezekiel 28:13b  The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes  was prepared for you on the day you were created.

Workmanship -satan was created perfectly.

Ezekiel 28:14-17  You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you.

Love of money and trade. We see that satan promises lies to us, then when we get settled in that love of money, trade,and riches, he takes it away leaving you in worse shape. The enemy's greatest desire is to steal your joy. He wants us blinded with pride - our pride will snare us. The greatest tool of the enemy is to get us to focus on our expectations, not on God. We can be unhappy with ourselves and our expectations can drive us deeper into unhappiness. We need to be focusing on what God has told us we should be doing, not on what everyone else is telling us we should do.  Our happiness comes from focusing on God.

Praying your day is blessed.

Pastor Dona came to teach at our Friday Bible study on 2/5/09 and it blessed us greatly.

Matthew 17:14-21 And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.”  And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

At this point Jesus' ministry was winding down and He was making His final journey to Jerusalem. Jesus is wanting to impart final teachings to His disciples.about the Word and the power of the Word. Two times he has predicted his death but His disciples will forget those predictions until He reappears to them.  On the road to Emmaus, He caused the disciples finally realized it was Jesus with them, and later they said that their hearts burned within them. Distractions caused them to forget what Jesus had said to them.  We forget that with God all things are possible.

The story from Matthew 17 is also found in Mark 9 and Luke 9.

The disciples should have been able to heal this boy. They had been sent out in Chapter 10 and instructed to go into Israel, town to town, and minister to people. They had the commission from Jesus to do that, and yet in this case they were unable to heal the boy.  Why?

The epileptic spirit is a tough spirit to command to leave.  To have his son throwing fits was frightening for the father and for the disciples. The son kept trying to harm himself, and the enemy was trying to kill him.

Jesus speaks "O faithless and perverse generation..."  Notice, Jesus did NOT SAY "O faithless and perverse disciples"  Jesus was speaking to the GENERATION.  All humans, and this generation  looked at the circumstance with fear.

The dad sought people to help and prayed but in an ineffective way. 

Notice in verse 16, the man tells Jesus that he brought his son to the disciples BUT they could not cure him.

Dona said something so profound:

WHATEVER FOLLOWS "BUT" IS GREATER THAN WHAT PRECEEDES IT.

We can think, I'm going to pray for him BUT he's pretty bad off.  Remember: YOU WILL HAVE WHAT YOU SAY.

People make excuses such as: But you don't know my situation.

We don't need to have answers up front for that is working by sight.  If we are working by sight, we are not operating in faith. If we are not operating in faith we won't get our answers.

The disciples were looking at what happened to the boy, and thus they were not operating in faith, so the child was not healed.

We need mustard seed faith. Jesus told us to go and heal the sick, to do the things that Jesus did.

In severe situations we may feel we do not have enough faith, or that we need greater faith. We can lean on another's faith, thinking we need people to shore us up. At some point, though, we need to realize that God gave us enough faith and that what we need to do is stir up our faith.

With our children, when they are little we pray for them and cover them, but when they become young adults they have to stand on their own faith, they can't depend on our faith for them.

God hears and answers our prayers. We need to stand on our own feet and pray for ourselves. Yes, we disciple a new believer or a convert and begin to show them how to pray and stand in faith. But the disciples had spent three years with Jesus.  They were comfortable walking with Jesus, and knew that Jesus could heal.  When they were commissioned they were able to heal the sick, and now they were puzzled, and asked Jesus why it didn't work this particular time.

We need a closer look at Jesus in our walk in faith.  We are given mustard seed faith. When we are considered faithless it is because doubt disconnects us from our faith.  The word "perverse" speaks of sin.  Distractions and comforts of the world can distract us.  We can get distracted by family, friends, life. 

The disciples were so used to relying on Jesus that they fell into SPIRITUAL LAZINESS.

1 Timothy 6:5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppress that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself

It is our tendency to fall back on previous knowledge and experience, to think of the situation in material terms or as part of humanity.  But we are not to do that, we need to see things as God sees them.

Matthew 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

Jesus rebuked the demon and the demon came out of the child from that hour. The enemy comes to kill, steal and destroy.  Jesus came to bring life.  The enemy saw the disciples not believing in their authority to cast the demon out.  The man heard about Jesus and came to Jesus' disciples for help. The demon sought to destroy the boy before the boy could be healed.  There were two kingdoms at war.

Matthew 17:19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”

The disciples privately came to Jesus to ask why they couldn't cast the demon out. They got disconnected through their unbelief and connected to the world. Jesus needed to show them how to reconnect to God and disconnect from the world. When connected to the world they became full of unbelief and faithlessness.

Matthew 17:20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Jesus told them that if they reconnected, they could pray and then they would be able to do the miraculous things - to move mountains.

Matthew 17:21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

PRAYER RECONNECTS US TO FAITH AND FASTING DISCONNECTS US FROM THE WORLD. 

The disciples had walked with Jesus for three years.  They observed Jesus getting up in the morning and going off to pray. Jesus was modeling what the disciples should be doing. When Jesus went to pray in the Garden He asked the disciples why they couldn't pray with Him for one hour.

When Moses died, Joshua took over leadership of the people, it was not natural selection from father through sons.  Aaron did not take over the leadership from Moses. Moses did not obey God and struck the rock twice - so he was not able to enter the Promised Land. Aaron stayed with the people and got influenced by their desire to have a god they could see, casting a golden calf. Joshua went with Moses to the mountain and stayed as close as He could to God and Moses. That is why God put His Spirit on Joshua, not on Aaron.

With Elijah and Elisha, Elisha stayed close to Elijah, knowing that Elijah promised Elisha that he would receive a double portion if he saw Elijah depart. There was a price to be paid to take that position. He had to CHOOSE to stay with Elijah instead of staying with the school of disciples and watching. Elisha chose to  press in.

The disciples saw that Jesus received strength from His prayers, so they asked Jesus how to pray.  Jesus taught them the "Our Father."  Then He explains to them that He only did what His Father told Him to do.  The disciples were with Jesus, and could look at Jesus, but one still asked Him to tell Him about the Father.  When we look at Jesus we see the Father. Jesus later tells the disciples that whatever they ask the Father in Jesus' Name, the Father will give it to them. 

As Christians when we pray we need to remember the Father and the Holy Spirit as well as Jesus. Jesus is represented in the Godhead.

In these awesome days it is time to dig deep.  We were chosen to live at this time period. God has a reason for us to be born at this time. We need a revival of the kind of faith that Jesus taught us and not let the world walk all over us. While we have been comfortable in our faith, people have been walking all over our liberty. We want people to realize that we do what we do because of the Love of Jesus. Yet we are seeing the liberty of our society being nullified by the lack of morality of our generation.

To reverse this downward spiral we need to dig deep and not compromise. We need to walk according to the Word of God, not how we feel or what makes us comfortable. The deeper we dig, the sweeter the water. If we fast and spend time in prayer, even fasting from the internet, news, TV, etc. and listen for the voice of God, we will gain direction. The water is sweeter.

If you want to hear from God, pray and fast. The disciples missed out on what Jesus did because they did not share His prayers and fasts. But when Jesus instructed them, after His resurrection, to go to Jerusalem and stay in the Upper Room, what Jesus had, the disciples received through Pentecost. The disciples spent 10 days in the Upper Room .  When Jesus was resurrected He was seen by 500 people, but only 120 went to the Upper Room.

Only those who obeyed him and went to the Upper Room had the experience of the Holy Spirit, the rest of those 500 that went their way did not receive the Holy Spirit at that time. The 120 chose to pray and fast and wait on God. 

TO CONNECT TO GOD YOU NEED TO DISCONNECT FROM THE WORLD ON PURPOSE.

We need to meditate on who we are in Christ and appropriate the authority that we have IN JESUS. We need to appropriate our own faith. The choice is in our hands and it is up to us what we do with it.

There are many who have spoken the Word with conviction - Kenneth Hagin, Pastor Don Moore, Pastor Cho, Smith Wigglesworth. God will give us what we want, as much as we want. But do we want more?  We have to listen and ask God.  Do you dare to believe?   Pray and Fast.

Pastor Wendell, who is Pastor Dona's Husband spoke about Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." and James 1:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

He pointed out that besides prayer and fasting, God also cares about what we give. When we are giving liberally we are flowing in the character of God.  Loving and giving go hand in hand. We are to give to the Kingdom liberally, not only money but talent and time.  Be generous and gracious to all. We can have as much of God as we want, but we also need to give out what God is giving us, then more of God will flow through us. we need to give without making the person who is receiving go through hoops.

So, press in to God with prayer, fasting, and giving liberally of God's love to others.

Praying your day is blessed.

Heather