Blog
Great future in Peru, IN
July 15, 2010
There is something else I want to add that I noted about the great church in Peru. Pastor Reed is setting a good example of being active in soul winning. He is keeping busy with giving home Bible studies to four families right now. And they are producing good returns as well. One of the students from one of the studies made a major start for God Sunday by coming to the altar and praying for the first time. It is apparent that the church is along side him sharing his vision for outreach.
When you add to that mix that the new folks are learning how to participate in worship, and that there is a strong backing of elders, it is obvious that reaching a high point of 50 in attendance on Sunday will only be a temporary resting point on the way to reaching many, many more. I can see that great godly things are in store for Peru!
Outpouring in Peru , IN
July 12, 2010
I often mention my prayer walks in the woods because so much happens there. A few weeks ago I felt the Lord drop a thought into my mind: “On the outside looking in.” It was a phrase that a woman spoke in a testimony about how she felt before God saved her and her family. She was struggling with the feelings of alienation from God because of the life of sin she and her family was living in. But now that she and her family were restored in God, she was “On the inside looking out.”
I had been praying about what to preach in Peru , Indiana , for my good friend, Pastor Chris Reed, and as clearly as I spoke that request to God, I sensed God spoke that back to me.
Others examples came to mind from scripture who were outsiders looking in—observing what was going on in God's work yet on the outside—and it became clear that important lessons could be passed to the church from those individuals. Here is a quick summary.
- The angels: they desire to look into this (1 Peter 1:12)
- King Herod Agrippa II: he knew about this but remained “almost persuaded” (Acts 26:28)
- Demas: he had the truth, lived the truth, yet walked away from the truth (2 Timothy 4:10)
- Queen Athaliah: she got angry with and wanted to hinder those pursuing righteousness (2 Chronicles 23)
- The rich man: He ignored the truth until it was too late (Luke 16:19-24)
- Observers at Pentecost: they were the unique group who heard the message of truth and went so far as to ask the question: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) Then they obeyed and made the transition from being on the outside looking in, to being on the inside looking out.
Except for 1. and 6., each of those groups was aware of God's work and purposes yet chose to set themselves on the outside.
After preaching this message to the great people in Peru, Indiana yesterday, and with an altar full of folks desiring to “get in”, God filled two with the Holy Ghost, and at least one other was very close. A hunger for God was very obvious on the faces of all the new people and the visitors. Great expectation was obvious in the established church family. Bro. and Sis. Reed, your church is ripe for a great explosive growth with more Holy Ghost outpourings! May it be in Jesus' name!
Church: a social club with a uniform?
July 7, 2010
A thought from my walk in the woods… I’ve been praying a great deal about me being a more effective 11th hour harvest laborer. I absolutely loved and was challenged by Elder David Bernard’s message at Indiana District Family Camp last night. In that line of thought, why don’t more people WANT to come to our churches? Why are not more people coming up to us and asking us about our church?
I think that some people feel that our churches are merely a social club with a uniform. That is what “people like you” do, “but I’m not like you. It’s not my thing.”
Church should not be defined as a gathering of like-minded, similarly-dressed people of the same social and ethnic class, but a place where people of all sorts can find the presence of God and be moved to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus. It would be very much “their thing” if they realized they could find the presence of God in our church in such a way that it translates into the peace of God in their hearts by the indwelling Holy Ghost.
Are all religions equal?
July 2, 2010
Should we not stop bickering among religions and forget our differences and all join hand in hand and proclaim unity while embracing our diversity? Well if the goal is the go among all nations and make disciples as Jesus said, the answer is No. Jesus proclaimed:
John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he , ye shall die in your sins.
That means all are not equal. There is a right and a wrong choice.
Take a look back 2700 years for another illustration. King Hezekiah succeeded in bringing national revival to the kingdom of Judah by ridding the nation of idolatry and reinstituting the worship of the Yahweh (Jehovah). Simultaneous to this the major world power to the west, the Assyrians, were moving Nazi style to the east invading and conquering into submission every nation in their path. The Assyrians brought down Judah’s idolatrous brother nation, Israel, just across their northern border.
Then Assyria surrounded Jerusalem and began to broadcast their propaganda to the Jews about how many nations had fallen to them.
2 Kings 18:32-33
32…hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.
33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land out of the hand of the king of Assyria?
So Hezekiah had a prayer meeting that went like this:
2 Kings 19:15-19
15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
16 LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to reproach the living God.
17 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the nations and their lands,
18 And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.
19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.
The Assyrians thought that the God of the Jews was just like all the other gods of the other nations they had conquered. However, Hezekiah knew that “they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands.”
No, all religions are not equal. When you serve the God of truth, Jehovah-Yahweh/God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, you on the only way. “Thou art the LORD God, even thou only.”
The current of the current
June 29, 2010
Today I was out on one of my prayer walks through the woods praying for a situation that has been a burden on my heart. During that prayer this thought struck me:
When you are caught up in the current of the current, grab ahold of the Rock of the eternal.
Sometimes the daily issues of life we are currently facing sweep around us with the force of a rapid river current and press against us causing us to feel unstable. The feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and entrapment swirl around us and threaten to make us lose our standing and draw us down into the unsafe depths below. When you feel like you are getting caught in the current of the current, get a grip on the solid Rock that is not in any way moved by the current. Jesus lives in your current, your past, and your future. Because He is in all those places, comfort is also there. Security is there. Jesus is eternal and nothing in our current situation can stop Him or topple Him. He is unmoveable. Get a grip on Him. That is a safe place.
The road to mercy
June 25, 2010
Prov 28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. NKJV
God is a God of mercy, there is no doubt about that. But we are mistaken if we believe that we can justify continuing to participate in sin because God loves us and is merciful. The road to mercy is not indulgence in sin but forsaking sin. If you hope to obtain God's mercy, repent of the sin and quit playing with it.
Dreams realized
June 23, 2010
Eccl 5:3 For a dream comes through much activity,
And a fool's voice is known by his many words. NKJV
I need to work my dream and quit talking about my dream.
Signs in the sun
June 18, 2010
Luke 21:25-27
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
A June 10, 2010 article at Foxnews.com is entitled, "Electronic Armageddon? Congress Worries That Solar Flares Could Spell Disaster." (Click here for the article.) The article addresses the fact that the sun is ready to enter a period of increased solar activity and the Energy and Commerce committed voted unanimously to approve a bill allocating $100 million to protect the energy grid from disaster. The concern is that "A major solar storm could cause 20 times more economic damage than Hurricane Katrina," per the National Academy of Sciences.
My interest is in the fact that the period in which Jesus predicted these "signs in the sun" was going to occur when "the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). In other words, the conclusion of the church age or the rapture. Church, we don't need to look up in worry, we should look up for redemption! That is, unless you are not a candidate for that redemption yet. Great time to get in good with Jesus!
Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up , and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Pray or protest?
June 17, 2010
In Acts 12, Peter was arrested and jailed by King Herod Agrippa with the intent of putting him to death the next day. If this happened in modern times, I wonder if the church would have staged a protest rally across the front lawn of Herod's castle. The saints would go marching in with picket signs, "Free Peter!" and chanting in rhythm, "Herod, you fox, let Peter out of the box!" They could have generated public sympathy and produced a 100,000 signature petition of protest against the King.
Instead, we find the church going into intercessory prayer for Peter. As a result, we read how an angel delivered Peter from prison, and shortly after, Herod dies a miserable death. With that lesson in mind, "pray and obey," Peter later writes:
1 Peter 2:13-14, 17
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
God = forever
June 17, 2010
Since January 2009, I started using a new Bible for my daily Bible reading. My son Jacob bought me the Chronological Study Bible, New King James Version, published by Thomas Nelson. I have always read through the Bible in the order of the books as they appear in my Thompson Chain Reference King James Bible so I wanted to try reading the Bible through using the chronological method. I have really enjoyed that approach. As a result, the passages I quote here in this blog will most often be from the New King James Version.
Here is the first of my attempts at taking you into my private study time and my note taking. In order for me to be able to regularly sustain these posts, they will have to be brief so here it goes.
* Whatever God does, it shall be forever.
Eccl 3:14
I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
NKJV
New focus
June 16, 2010
I have been wondering what to do on this blog space as it has been a looong time since I have updated it. I am going to attempt to update this at least weekly (rather than weakly as it has been) with brief thoughts of inspiration that arise from my personal daily Bible reading.
When I read my Bible, I keep a 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper in hand for note taking. I fold the page in half, turn it sideways and use it like a four page booklet. I number the top right corner of each folded page 1-4. When I start notes at the top of a page I put that day's date next to the page number so the note sheets become something like a journal. You might even choose to put a date with each entry.
I write thoughts on that paper that jump out at me in relation to a verse I have read. It may be just a summary of that verse or some modern practical application of that verse. To start a new entry, I write a heavy black dot in the left margin of the page and then write down the thought and the scriptural reference next to it. I feel that these thoughts are the Holy Ghost speaking through His Word directly to my heart. These thoughts generally become the seeds of sermons that I preach or studies that I pursue, or maybe just a useful meditation.
I have read the Bible through many times and I have kept note sheets like this for many years. I find it interesting how that different passages and different applications stand out to me during a reading that I may not have caught before.
My goal will be to put some of those examples from my notes here in the blog. It might be that a thought that inspired me will also bless you.
Be filled with the Spirit - part 2
September 8, 2009
Be Filled With the Spirit (Adapted from a message preached 8/30/2009 at Liberty Tabernacle.)
What is the Holy Ghost? It is called the Spirit of Jesus or the Spirit of God. And in this verse in John, it is also called the Spirit of Truth:
John 14:17-18
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
And that Spirit of Truth is Jesus: “I will come to you.” Oh yes! I can have Jesus in me! I need the Comforter to comfort my afflictions and bruises, I need the Miracle Worker, the Creator in me.
And what is a comforter? Do you have one or several of them in your house? I'm talking about those big, thick blankets you toss over your bed in the winter. When there is a chill in the house on those cold winter nights you pull that heavy comforter over you and after a short time you begin to warm up. The blanket does not produce any heat and it does not change the temperature in the room. It simply insulates you so that your own body heat remains with you.
Jesus said the Comforter is the Holy Ghost:
John 14:26 But the Comforter , which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
So when you get covered with the Holy Ghost, that Spirit will be a comforter to you. He may not change the circumstances around you but will insulate and protect you so that the Spirit remains about you in the midst of the uncomfortable circumstance.
Truth changes you. And let me assure you, receiving Jesus, the Holy Ghost, inside of you is not an event that passes by without making a significant impact on your life. When truth is revealed in you, in other words, when you receive the Spirit of Truth, the light of truth begins to shine in your life, and truth changes you.
Some years an individual I know had trouble quitting smoking. This person occasionally came to church and heard the preached Word of God, but didn't seem to take in the truth and let it impact their life. But the truth came to the person with renewed strength after discovering spreading and incurable cancer. Then it was easy to quit smoking. Truth transformed that life.
Truth changed me. Recently I was reminded of how receiving the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost, change me and my life. Recently I reconnected with an old friend through Facebook. I had not heard from him in almost 30 years. It was Tony, the man who was responsible for connecting my family with the truth and the message of “Be filled with the Spirit.” He invited us to a truth-proclaiming church for the first time in 1976. After coming to church for a month, I was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ on June 26, 1976. Then after a second month of going to church, I was filed with the Spirit. I received the gift of the Holy Ghost on July 11, 1976. Our nation was excitedly celebrating the bicentennial of independence from Great Britain , and I was excitedly celebrating independence from sin.
Connecting with Tony on Facebook got me thinking about the influence that the Spirit of God had in my life. In fact because of the truth that transformed my life, I think of Tony often. That is because truth changed my associations: It did not take long before I had a different circle of friends after receiving the Holy Ghost. All these changed as well: the places I went; the things I did; the employment I pursued; who was my best friend; who I met, who I dated, who I married; hobbies I partook of; my musical interests; things I purchased; and even my health was impacted. When the Spirit is within you, you will find a new set of priorities. You gain a purpose in life and your goals change.
All these things were and continue to be influenced by having the Holy Ghost. So don't think that the Holy Ghost will come inside of you and you won't notice!
Be filled with the Spirit
August 31, 2009
Be Filled With the Spirit (Adapted from a message preached 8/30/2009 at Liberty Tabernacle.)
Ephesians 5:17-18
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
As we read in Ephesians, being filled with the Spirit is God's will. You don't have to wonder if God wants to fill you with His spirit, He declared it clearly in His Word. The Holy Ghost is simply God's Spirit living inside of us, and I don't know anyone who would not want God to be with and living in them. And because it is God's will for us to have His Spirit, it is not something to think of as optional in our lives, but something we should diligently pursue as a life goal. Don't leave earth without it.
Peter spoke of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost and referred to it as the “salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:9-12
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
10 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
I want to point out four things from those verses. First, as noted, receiving the “end of your faith”, which from the context is speaking of the Holy Ghost, is the salvation of your souls. What is God's will: not that any should perish but that we would all receive the salvation of our souls: which occurs when we are filled with the Holy Ghost.
So let me ask you: Do you want to be saved? Then be filled with the Spirit.
The second thing I want to point out is how Peter referred to the God of the Old Testament in those verses: Did you notice that Peter called the God of the Old Testament “The Spirit of Christ”? That is significant because the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ are not two different “persons” but as demonstrated here, just two different titles used interchangeably about the same God!
And third thing to note from those verses is how that Peter spoke of the outpouring of Holy Ghost as something prophets of old inquired and searched diligently for but did not find because it was for a time “that should follow.” V. 11. But that time had come according to Peter “unto us” (v. 12) as it is “now reported unto you”.
So those old prophets wanted the Spirit, they diligently sought after it because they knew it was coming, but had not experienced it. Is that where you are today? That is the fourth thing I want to note from Peter. Perhaps you are like those Peter spoke of, in that you have heard about the Holy Ghost outpouring, you want it for yourself, you've even prayed for it, but as of now, you have not received the Spirit.
Or maybe you are like those folks in Ephesus whom Paul asked:
Acts 19:2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
In case you don't know about the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, or in case you have heard about it but have not received it, I'm here to declare it—It is for you!
Ephesians 5:17-18
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
To be continued next week.
In this to the end
July 30, 2009
Sometimes I read a passage of scripture and it impacts me with a new revelation that I have never seen before. It is as though I never read it previously. Sometimes I think, “Wow. I didn't know that was in there.” Or perhaps I catch the humor or irony of a passage for the first time. It is at such times that I again see the evidence for the truth of Hebrews 4:12:
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Word comes alive in me again and again.
Ok, that was the tangent. Here is what is really on my mind. It is just one verse in the drama of Joshua taking the nation of Israel across the Jordan River into Canaan , the land of promise. But first let's consider how many people made that crossing. Numbers 26:51 tells that there were over 600,000 adult males so it would have been nearly 2 million people crossing the river that day. That was a lengthy procession. But we must remember that it was the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant who stepped into the river first as they watched the waters of the flood-swollen river roll back away from their feet and reveal dry ground. And, it was those same priests who remained in the center of the river, still holding up the Ark as the remainder of the nation passed over. You will notice that the people “hasted and passed over” all the while that the priests remained in the river.
Joshua 4:10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
The humor I see in that is that Joshua was speaking to the people as they were crossing over. And although this was a major miracle for the Israelites, comparable only to the parting of the Red Sea a generation before, and it should have been a moment of great faith; however, I can see a worried Israelite staring at the water being held back by some invisible force, hurrying to get across while the getting was good and saying, “Hurry up Grandpa Gershon. Don't walk so slow!”
However, while the whole nation hurried up to get across, the priests just hung in there. Their job was to take a stand and uphold the Ark of the Covenant which contained the commandments which God had personally written for Moses. While others moved on, they stayed in the middle of the river. They took the increased risk of personal danger; they endured physical fatigue remaining in position while holding a heavy gold-plated box; they waited patiently on the rest to cross, and then waited on their leader to finish speaking to the multitude after they got across.
I like the attitude and characteristic that reveals. Patience, endurance, willingness to be a bridge to be used by others, willingness to hang out and complete the task at hand while others depart looking for greater comfort. Those qualities reveal a higher calling—one with greater responsibility, yet one with greater rewards. That is a leader or a leader in the making.
Does that describe you? Are you in this to the end?
No Compromise
July 23, 2009
There are times when it is appropriate to give in a little for the sake of harmony. It has often been the case that after Sunday morning church that a conversation would ensue something like this:
“Where are we going to eat?” my son would ask.
"I want to go to Long Johns,” my daughter responds.
“But we ate there last week,” I interject.
My wife adds, “Wherever it is, it needs to be quick and cheap. I've been craving Chinese food.”
“But I can't stand Chinese food,” another son responds. “Let's eat at Burger King.”
Then my wife, the peace maker asks, “Anthony, where do you want to eat? We'll let you settle it.”
With the mind to settle the matter I say, “Well, I've been craving Golden Corral. We've not been there in a while.”
Then three kids simultaneously respond, “Yuck. I don't want to eat there!”
Ok, you get the point. If I insist on my way, I would accomplish only one thing: satisfying my urge to show that I can win an argument. However, such a situation is a good spot for compromise. It won't hurt me to give in a little for the sake of harmony. But not all situations are open for compromise and harmony may not be the greater goal. There are some issues that are not areas where we can bend and still be pleasing to God.
Paul found him in one of those no compromise places. After returning from his first missionary journey to the region of south Galatia, some false brethren were passing along a false doctrine that offered another way of salvation other than through Jesus Christ. Paul was adamant about it and demonstrated a zero-tolerance policy for such a false doctrine:
Gal 2:4-5 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), 5 to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. NKJV
Paul's stand was that he was not, for even one hour, willing to submit to that obvious departure from the truth that Jesus had taught them. This is is certainly a relevant argument today. It is often culturally acceptable to discuss God, but when we start using the name of Jesus and make an assertion like Paul, that Jesus was the only way, we are judged as being intolerent.
While it may be culturally detestable to be labeled as intolerant, it is better to not tolerate an opinion in our churches with the goal of being people-friendly if the end result would make our church not God-friendly. If God judges something as unacceptable, we cannot simply say it is ok because we don't want to hurt someone's feelings. For instance, we may make some friends if we preach in our church that immorality is perfectly ok. However, you won't make a friend of God. And consider this. If a loved one were to develop a malignant tumor, we would want the doctor to be truthful with us about the prognosis and wouldn't want him to settle for telling us something to make us think our loved one is ok when the truth is that they require a radical surgery. We would have a zero tolerance for an error in diagnosis. That is why there are so many medical malpractice cases today.
Don't be afraid to have a strong opinion of something that is solidly backed by the Word of God. Such a place is a place of no compromise.
I am protected and LOVED
July 16, 2009
I am protected and Loved
July 16, 2009
Here is the second half of the July 9th blog: I am loved! Again, this comes from my daily Bible reading. I want to share the thought that has carried me along for several days.
This is a super simple fact. In fact it is so simple I believe we tend to complicate it. We seek to analyze God and His word so we may comprehend its meaning and apply it to daily living, but sometimes we make a matter much more difficult than God indended it to be. Like this one. God loves me.
I was privileged to be at the Senior High Camp this past Wednesday night where Bro. Joel Urshan spoke on the Revelation of John. Not the last book of the Bible, but a very special revelation that John got that it seemed that the others did not get. He was the only disciple who followed Jesus all the way to the cross. All the rest had fled in fear. But standing under the feet of Jesus after He was fastened there on the cross, John saw the blood of Jesus dripping down from His wounds and very possibly, the wind may have blown some of that blood onto John. Seeing that the God of eternity would stoop down to the level of men and become the sinless offering for his sin made him realize this amazing revelation: Hey-God really does love me! He didn’t have to but He did. We have done nothing to deserve His love but He does.
The verse I wish to point out is from Deuteronomy 23. After the false prophet Balaam was paid to curse Israel, he was unable to come up with a curse for them. The reason?
Deuteronomy 23:5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.
God turned the curse into a blessing. Wouldn’t that be a great thing to have happen for us? But what was the reason God did that for Israel? Not because they were just such good folks that God felt obligated to bless them. No. It was because God loved them.
That can move you to tears if you think about it long and deeply enough. Hey my friend, you are loved by God. And as a result of that love, you will find that He is a God who backs up His love by blessing you. Look at the things that appear to be a curse in your life. Perhaps it is a difficult person you must regularly deal with, or an illness, or the loss of a job, finances and security. God loves you and will turn that curse into a blessing.
Yeah as I said it is simple. Almost too simple to make sense. Why would God go that far for me? Because He loves me and wants to turn your curses into blessings. Meditate on this truth for a while and see how you may submit some of the curses in your life to God to transform them into something that looks like a heaven-sent blessing. I am loved!
I am PROTECTED and loved
July 9, 2009
I've just got to share a couple of verses from my daily Bible reading the other day that blessed and carried me through the day (and each day since). At the end of his long life, Moses was instructed by the Lord that he was going to die soon so Moses gathered the people of Israel around him and passed along some dying words of wisdom. His message is recorded in scripture as the entire book of Deuteronomy. I want to point out two very useful truths about God that Moses revealed in that message. Our message today will cover the first of those truths.
In giving advice concerning going to war, he instructed the priests to approach the troops with this word of encouragement:
Deuteronomy 20:1-4
1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;
4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
They were going to face enemies who were larger in number than them but that didn't need to cause them any fear—God was going with them and God had already proven Himself by delivering them out of bondage to the greatest nation on the planet at the time. So Moses instructed the priests to advise the troops on this wise: don't let your heart faint, don't tremble, and don't be terrified. Why? Because God would save them by fighting their enemies Himself.
Apply that to what you are facing today—your enemy. If you are a child of God, most of your adversities come your way through the adversary of your soul, the devil. Understand that God permits that because He intends that even the devil's work will be turned around for your good. But that depends on how well we trust and allow God to fight our battles.
Ok the enemy brought something—or how about this—brought someone—against you. Normally that situation or person intimidates you, makes you feel little, makes you feel like backing down and quitting, and causes you to feel terror and even to tremble. But God says don't be intimidated, don't feel small or inadequate, don't back down or quit, and certainly do not be afraid. Trust God to take care of that problem for you. Remind yourself of who you are: I am a child of God! I am blessed of God! I am protected by God! And ask God to fight that battle for you and then surrender the situation to Him, trusting the outcome to His hands. You will be surprised how God will turn the situation around and give you the courage to face the thing with new confidence until it becomes a victory and you stop being the victim. I am protected!
Tune in again soon as we look at this truth: I am LOVED!
What a terrific celebration
July 7, 2009
This Independence Day was like none I remember. It rained continuously the entire day and I felt ill. I spent the greatest part of the day watching the drenching rain fall as I lay in bed or on the couch. For those whose celebration was all about fireworks, cookouts, and outdoor games, there was not much room for celebration. But what a celebration the weekend turned into.
Toward the evening on the 4 th of July, I started feeling better but that wasn't the greatest cause of celebration. I had the pleasure of having family to share the day with, and that is always a cause of joy and celebration, and as much as I love my family, that was not the greatest cause of celebration. The greater joy and celebration of the weekend came when I went into the house of the Lord on Sunday and found myself lost in His presence.
It never fails but that Pastor Lane passionately pursues a connection with the Lord's presence in the service. And when the assembly got connected, and we did, we met the Lord with fireworks! Oh there was no gunpowder behind these fireworks, only the firepower of the Lord. The preaching of the Word was with anointing and explosive zeal. We even saw a demonstration of why Pentecostals got the name, “holy rollers.” The response of the people was to glorify and worship the Lord. No greater shouts were ever heard in a concert or sports event. Many marched around in victory, many ran around the church, many danced before the Lord, some bowed and worshiped the Lord through tears. The freedom and liberty we found in the presence of the Lord brought many through to victory over the obstacles of their faith.
Even without fireworks, food and games, we had the most amazing and terrific celebration possible for a Independence Day (weekend). We have a lot to be thankful for living in a country that was founded with the purpose of giving people an opportunity to freely worship the Lord. So we celebrate the independence, not so much from the dominion of another country, but we can celebrate the independence from the dominion of the devil and his control over our lives. We have been set free by Jesus Christ and brought into life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Free indeed
June 23, 2009
Our country (for our U.S. readers) is getting geared up to celebrate Independence Day, July 4th, the day our nation’s declaration of freedom document was signed. Nothing against our readers in Great Britain, but there was much to gain from declaring independence from England, despite the loss that the colonists knew lay ahead of them. In fact, the Revolutionary War claimed the lives of 4,435 American soldiers. But some things are worth paying even the ultimate price. Freedom is one of those things.
I was raised as a military kid, my father having served during the Korean War, but I have personally had little dealings with fighting for freedom. One thing I am certain about, though, is I love freedom! We have been so blessed to have so many military men and women who were willing to risk their lives to gain and protect that freedom. They deserve our honor and recognition.
I could say much more about the benefits of political freedom but there is even a higher level of freedom than political freedom. It is a freedom that was fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Think with me for a moment about the many men and women who suffered in Communist prison camps solely because they were Christians. I have been reading Richard Wurmbrand’s, Tortured for Christ (see http://www.persecution.com where you can get a free copy). Wurmbrand told of many Christians behind bars who, although they had lost their personal freedoms for Christ’s sake, they lived free within their cells. He told of Communist soldiers who once were their torturers but became fellow prisoners due to falling out of favor with the party. Now being imprisoned side-by-side with the very people who had previously mercilessly beat them, Christians came to their aid in prison, sometimes giving them their meager bread and medicine rations. These Christians were living free from hatred, malice, bitterness, and resentment. That freedom was purchased and provided by our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jesus talked about that freedom:
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
That is exactly how I feel. I am free indeed! As Jesus began His public ministry, it was with this declaration:
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
If you are poor, broken, captive, blind, or bruised, the good news is that Jesus came to set you free. I am so very happy for the freedom that I feel in my soul. Even right now as I type this, I feel the Holy Ghost churning and burning in my spirit producing joy because I have been set free from the captivity and bruising that sin’s control used to exercise over me. Free indeed!
Welcome/update
June 20, 2009
Welcome back to Moreword.com. After being silent for around six months during a transition period, the site is back up and running. And have I got a lot to tell!
On a personal note, here is a little update on our family.We have made a dramatic change this year. After twenty-three years of service (the last ten as pastor) at the Whitehall Pentecostal Church, we have accepted a reassignment. I am now serving as an assistant pastor under the dynamic ministry of Pastor Brian Lane in New Whiteland, near Greenwood, Indiana, at Liberty Tabernacle. Pastor Lane and his wife, Jessica, as well as the saints of the assembly, have opened their arms and hearts to our family. I didn’t imagine that we could so quickly melt and merge into another congregation and feel so connected and a part, but that has happened at Liberty Tabernacle.
My wife, Rebecca, and I lead worship on a rotational basis, something we passionately enjoy. Music has been a calling of our family (see the Music page for details of my recent CD project). Something else I enjoy is that with rotational duty at leading worship, I get to play my trumpet on the off-nights, something I have not been able to do for many years. Pastor Lane has me preach/teach occasionally, and we have recently been assigned as directors of educational ministries, a work we hope to jump into and develop as the Lord leads.
All of my family has been greatly blessed to be a part of church in New Whiteland. This past week I had the very special delight of seeing my daughter Naomi reconsecrate her heart and life to the Lord and of baptizing my daughter-in-law, Caitlyn, in the name of Jesus Christ. What a tremendous thrill that was! True to its name, Liberty Tabernacle it is a place where we feel the liberating power of the Lord. Each of my family members has commented on how much we enjoy the powerful preaching and the lively worship and friendliness of these people. Check out the church website at www.libtab.com. They have recently begun posting sermons. You will be blessed by taking the time to listen.
For Moreword.com, we hope to continue to offer more of the Word of God to you to minister to your hungry heart. We will post the daily Proverb-a-day verses here (see the Proverb-a-day page for more details), a weekly blog, and Bible studies and sermons to further your spiritual growth.
Welcome back moreword.com
"More Word to the World" was a phrase that encompassed a ministry vision that I felt the Lord gave me in late 2003. Moreword.com began to be an outlet of that vision when we began posting sermons and notes for free download. Last year I received a request from a minister in India who wished to translate my sermons for use in the churches over which he had oversight. That is part of the vision.
Very soon we will resume offering audio sermons and notes again on this site. For now, Moreword.com includes a blog (usually updated weekly) with inspirational thoughts from the Word of God, the Monday-Friday Proverb-a-day, a preview and download page for my new CD project, and from time to time, relevant news.
I am thrilled to be offering More Word to World once again.
Blessings,
Anthony Warner