Tag: Jesus Christ

Categories
Bible Teaching

The Power of the Name

<<THROWBACK SERMON: December 13, 2007 (Rockport, IN)>>

God wants you to receive your miracle tonight (Word of the Lord to me on 12-9-07): 

They came from distant lands and around the block.  They traveled by foot, land, and sea.  They spent money they didn’t have to get to a place where they could worship and sacrifice to God.  They did it every year, but this year was different.  God was pouring out His Spirit in Jerusalem on Pentecost.  Many heard the noise and received, but the majority didn’t.  Don’t come all this way and receive nothing.  Don’t allow ritual to get in the way of your Holy Ghost appointed miracle.

“The devil may be out to defeat you, but God is out to defeat the devil.”[1]

In fact, He has already done more than that: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn. 3:8).

Jesus Christ has all power (Mt. 28:18, “…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”) and we have access to that power through the Name of Jesus.

Acts 3:4-7

4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

“Look on us” – – you’ve got to be focused to receive your miracle.  This is the way to deal with people in pain and in need of the touch of God.  Get their attention.  You have what they need.  You have JESUS!

Give your total attention to Jesus and look Him in the eyes with eyes of faith and expectation.  Get so close to Him that you don’t see anybody else, hear anyone else, or are aware of anyone but Him.  Strive to only hear and see Jesus.

Peter and John had everything they needed to minister to the man.  They had a Name: It was stronger than the devil’s name – It’s stronger than your problem – Greater than your need – More intoxicating than your pain

That name is Jesus!

That Name is higher than any other name and it “is holy, harmless, undefiled…and made higher than the heavens” (Heb.7:26).

Philippians 2:9-11, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Only the Name of Jesus can heal you and make whole that lameness in your spirit, soul, or body.

Why is there so much power in the Name of Jesus?  T.W. Barnes believed that this was so because:

  1. His Word is in it – John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word…”
  2. His Blood is in it – Jesus is a blood name that redeems all people from sin and the effects of sin (sickness, disease, mental disorders).
  3. His Spirit is in it – The Holy Ghost that you received when you spoke in tongues the first time was that Spirit of Christ in you.
  4. The authority of heaven is in it – All power in Heaven and earth belongs to Jesus Christ.
  5. His faith is in it – He made every by the power of His own Word.  He spoke it and it happened.[2]

When we speak the name of Jesus the devil sees all these things coming at him and he runs.  Satan cannot stand against the Name of JESUS.

Aren’t you tired of shouting and nothing happens?  Do you ever “Amen” the preacher but no change happens in your life?  Are you aware of the people all around you every day in need of this Name and not experiencing the power of Jesus, His Blood, mercy, the Holy Ghost?

Put the name into Action!

According to T.W. Barnes, many people pronounce the name of Jesus without really knowing how to say it. He specified four ways to say the name of Jesus:

  1. Say it with love; the early church had great success, because they loved not their lives, they loved that Name. Love is powerful. Their love gave them reverence for the Name
  2. Say it with vision. Say it seeing the invisible. A woman said, “I resist the devil and he doesn’t leave.” Bro. Barnes asked her, “What do you look for? The Bible doesn’t say resist him and see him sitting on your shoulder; when you resist him you should see him running. The devil no doubt left you when you said in Jesus Name, but since you did not expect him to go, your thinking made you as miserable as if he stayed with you.”
  3. Say His name with faith. Religious leaders in Israel asked the disciples, “How did you heal the man crippled from his mother’s womb?” Peter answered, “…by the name of Jesus Christ…”
  4. Say it while living a life of sacrifice. The disciples sacrificed everything for that name. We need to love it enough that no sacrifice is too great to make for Jesus.[3]

We’ve go to learn to put that name in action.  All that man needed once the Name was spoken into his life was for somebody to put it into action and help him get to his feet so he could stand, walk, and leap.

There are people in the church and in the world who need you to speak the right name into their life.

That name is JESUS!

Reach out your hand in faith, call upon that Name, and place your confidence on Jesus, not the person praying for you. 

Place your trust in Jesus and He will heal your sickness/lameness, He’ll strengthen you in your areas of weakness and give you boldness.

[1] Jakes, T.D. (1997). So You Call Yourself A Man? Bethany House Publishers: Bloomington, MN. p. 40.  (**Much of this is taken from pages 56-58 as well**)

[2] Freeman, Nona. (2007). A Prophet in our Time.

[3] Ibid.

Categories
Bible Teaching

Take Dead Aim!

A throwback sermon preached on September 30, 2014.

TEXT

John 4:19-24

(19) The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.  (20)  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.  (21)  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  (22)  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.  (23)  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  (24)  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

INTRODUCTION

Unless you follow closely the world of professional golf you might never hear the name “Harvey Penick.”

Harvey Penick was a well-respected golf instructor who invested his life in teaching men and women how to play their best game of golf. He taught children, amateurs, collegians, professionals, and even duffers.

He also wrote a book entitled: Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a Lifetime in Golf. It is from those pages that I want direct your attention:

When my student Betsy Rawls was in a playoff for the U.S. Women’s Open championship, I sent her a one-sentence telegram.

It said:

“Take Dead Aim!”

Betsy won the playoff.

For golfers who might not understand Texas talk, let me put the advice in the telegram a different way: Once you address the golf ball, hitting it has got to be the most important thing in your life at that moment. Shut out all thoughts other than picking out a target and taking dead aim it.

This is a good way to calm a case of nerves.

Everybody gets nervous on the first tee, whether it’s Betsy Rawls in a playoff for the Open or a high handicapper teeing off at the club in a $2 Nassau with friends.

Instead of worrying about making a fool of yourself in front of a crowd of 4 or 40,000, forget about how your swing may look and concentrate instead on where you want the ball to go. Pretty is as pretty does.

I would approach my college players before a match and tell them the same thing: Take dead aim.

This is a wonderful thought to keep in mind all the way around the course, not just on the first tee. Take dead aim at a spot on the fairway or the green, refuse to allow any negative thought to enter your head, and swing away.[1]

The Lord is searching for true worshippers to live their lives in worship to Him.

And tonight I want to address this topic, take aim, and swing away.

KEYPOINTS

  1. Cares of Life.

It’s easy to get sidetracked from a life of worship.

Luke 8:14, “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.”

Mark 4:19, “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”

The word rendered “cares” denotes in the original “distracting anxieties,” which, as it were, “cut a man in sunder.”[2]

Life has a way of getting away from us sometimes, grabbing the bit, and running in its own direction.

We are people of purpose who need to grab the reins and live, and worship, on purpose.

The worship of the Lord Jesus Christ should be so much a part of your life that no decision is made without that in mind.

Ask yourself the question:

How does this magnify God?

Is the Lord pleased by my choice?

I know bills are high, work is a struggle, and the devil wants to fill your mind so full of fear and second-guessing that you might find it difficult to even focus on God long enough for a season of prayer, but I would admonish you to

“Take Dead Aim!”

Find that prayer closet, sing that song of praise, let all your focus turn to Jesus and worship Him.

  • True worship begins in the spirit.

The “mind,” the “soul,” the “heart.” They shall worship God with a sincere “mind;” with the simple offering of gratitude and prayer; with a desire to glorify him, and without external pomp and splendor.[3]

The mind has to be sincere in its approach to God, void of showmanship, or entertainment.

God’s pleasure in you is not increased by the litany of complex verbiage exiting your mouth, but by the simple thanksgiving and prayer.

And, also, it is the presence of the sincere life that is governed by God’s Holy Spirit impacting and influencing your rational soul.

We focus our mind on the Lord and then

“Take Dead Aim!”

  • True worship is truthful.

To be true in your worship is to stand before God as you really are, and not in some fashion of fakery.

It is the life of authenticity and vulnerability.

It is you being the real you.

It is you opening up the most true part of yourself to God, focusing on Him, and then

“Take Dead Aim!”

CLOSE

David and Michal.

Woman at the well.

[1] Penick, Harvey. (1992). Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a Lifetime in Golf. Simon & Schuster. Page 45.

[2] The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Mark 4:19.

[3] Albert Barnes

Categories
Bible Preaching church history

A Threshold Decision at Pergamos

Ruins of the temple of Trajan at Pergamos. Roman citizens had to offer incense to the emperor once each year, for which they were given a certificate showing they had complied with their civic duty. This temple was one place where this could be accomplished (photo by Joel Meeker). Source: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/revelation/seven-churches-of-revelation/pergamos/

Here’s a throwback sermon from January 3, 2016 I preached to the congregation of Bible Apostolic Church.

Text: “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2).

The book of Revelation is probably one of the most misunderstood and discussed books in the Bible.

Many, including myself, often read its pages attempting to figure out answers to questions we describe as the end times, or eschatology (the study of the end times).

In those pages, written by the apostle John – John the beloved – students of the Word of God try to figure out future events coming to this world.

My interest today is not about when, where or how the catching away of the Church will take place.

Nor am I going to discuss seals, vials, elders, or the four beasts sitting around the throne.

I’m not even interested in who the beast, false prophet, or antichrist are, and if they are alive right now.

I know that rockets are dropping all over Jerusalem and Israel even while I am in this podium, and that many are discussing the coming of the Lord for that very reason, but that is not why I have lifted this text to our attention today.

You see the Book of Revelation is primarily written to reveal Jesus to us. It is a disclosure of the everlasting Truth of who Jesus Christ is yesterday, today, and forever. And along with that is the unveiling of the Church in its relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:” (Rev. 1:1).

It is a “Jesus” book, and in its pages we see Jesus Christ as:

  • The Alpha and Omega – the Almighty.
  • The One in the midst of the candlesticks.
  • The One holding the seven stars of the churches.
  • The One sitting on the throne.
  • The Lion of the tribe of Judah.
  • The Lamb slain.
  • The reigning King on a white horse.
  • The Judge of the living and dead.

It is also a book written to the church about the past, present, and future.

It is specifically addressed to seven churches: “What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.”

Seven Churches of Asia:

  1. Ephesus              
  2. Smyrna               
  3. Pergamos 
  4. Thyatira               
  5. Sardis                           
  6. Philadelphia
  7. Laodicea

Some believe that these seven churches are symbolic of various ages that the Church will have gone through from Acts until today:

Church~Name Defined~Time Period

Ephesus ~ Desirable ~ 100-200 A.D.

Smyrna ~ Myrrh ~ 200-300 A.D.

Pergamos ~ Marriage/Elevation ~ 300-500 A.D.

Thyatira ~ Continual Sacrifice ~ 500-1500 A.D.

Sardis ~ Remnant ~ 1500-1900 A.D.

Philadelphia ~ Brotherly Love ~ 1900-Rapture

Laodicea ~ People Rule ~ Present-Rapture[1]

I think it is referring to conditions evident in churches right now, spiritual conditions that exist in local assemblies and even in the lives of its individual members.

Today, as we enter a new year and a fresh start, you are at a threshold moment.

This moment can be your last step in a life of mediocrity, defeat, condemnation, insecurity, enslavement, abuse, addiction, hypocrisy, and self-hate as you step over the threshold of Divine mercy and grace into the life of righteousness, peace and joy Jesus has always had prepared for you.

TAKE THAT STEP.

There is conflict at the threshold. Your flesh has been in control and doesn’t want to take that step. 

Satan does not want you to be victorious. He’ll appeal to you in anyway he can to keep you from crossing the threshold.

Three Tactics of the Devil at the Threshold (Bishop Norman L. Wagner):

1. Compromise

2. Change

3. Quit

With that in mind, it is this third church mentioned in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ that I am bringing to your attention today: Pergamos.

PERGAMOS[2]

Revelation 2:12-17

(12)  And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;  

  • Pergamos literally means “married with the world.”
  • It refers to a condition and time when satan changed tactics to attack the Church.
  • We all want to be accepted.
  • So, satan stopped persecuting the church and began popularizing it.
  • The church became the “in thing” to join.  And so it became fashionable.
  • But while fashionable it was impure. Those joining didn’t leave their sinful practices and those already in it became influenced by the world.
  • This led to a condition where the Church would become unfaithful to Christ and married to the world.
  • Jesus is stating here that He is coming with a two-edged sword  to divide the true Church from the false church that is full of compromise and polluted works.

(13)  I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 

  • Even as popular culture tried to pervert, popularize, and convolute the name of Jesus, the Church held on to the truth of the mighty God in Christ.
  • They still understood:
    • Neither is there salvation in any other…
    • In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily…
    • Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name…
  • God has always had a True Church that has held onto His name.
  • Somewhere and somehow Truth has always been preserved.
  • Even when satan changes tactics, God is always steps ahead preserving and protecting the Church.
  • You see, Truth doesn’t need protecting. Truth is true whether all believe it, or none do.
  • It was Adrian Rodgers who said:
    • It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to speak the truth that hurts and then heals, than falsehood that comforts and then kills. Let me tell you something, friend, it is not love and it is not friendship if we fail to declare the whole counsel of God. It is better to be hated for telling the truth, than to be loved for telling a lie. It is impossible to find anyone in the Bible who was a power for God who did not have enemies and was not hated. It’s better to stand alone with the truth, than to be wrong with a multitude. It is better to ultimately succeed with the truth than to temporarily succeed with a lie. There is only one Gospel and Paul said, “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” -Adrian Rodgers, National Religious Broadcasters Convention in 1996
  • Pergamos had martyrs who died for Truth by holding fast to the name of Jesus – Antipas (thought to be the pastor).
  • Unfortunately, there are some who have not taken hold of that lovely name and cherished it like they should. Instead, they’ve taken the name of the Lord in vain by living compromised lives in partnership, relationship, union, agreement, fellowship, and marriage with the world.
  • I plead with you today, as John did in his epistle:
    • “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:15-17).
  • All of these fleshly appetites gone out of control married to the world are temporal. They won’t last. Only what you do for Christ will last. They won’t satisfy. Only Jesus can satisfy your soul.
  • You would never consider cheating on your spouse. Why then do you so easily and nonchalantly cheat on your Maker who is your husband?

(14)  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 

  • It was Balaam who couldn’t curse the Hebrews. So, he encouraged Balac to have his pagan people intermarry with the Hebrews.
  • Thus, the Hebrews brought a curse on themselves when their gentile wives brought false gods, heathen practices, and compromise into their homes.
  • The devil wants you to bring a curse on yourself by allowing a marriage of the holy with the profane in your life.

(15)  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.  

  • The doctrine (deeds) of the Nicolaitans: Corrupted Paul’s teaching concerning grace, and made it a license to sin.
  • They were sensual and unrepentant.
  • They turned the grace of God into lasciviousness.
  • Paul wrote in reponsse to them: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1-2).
  • 2 Corinthians 6:17, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”

(16)  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 

  • REPENT – Jesus here gives to John the very first word of the Gospel that He shared in the beginning – REPENT.
  • It is the only solution for your sin.
  • It is better to fall in humble repentance now than to be broken by God’s judgment.
  • Psalms 103:8-11, “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.”

(17)  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

  • Hidden manna = Divine provision both natural and spiritual.
    • The Bread of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ, is our sustenance.
  • White stone = a sign of purity and innocence.
    • Even in this wicked age of compromise God can keep you pure and declare you innocent.
  • Name recorded in stone = worthy of eternal life.
    • God would not condemn the True Church to Hell because of the failures of their generation.

“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11-12).

I ask you today:

Are you ready to be an overcomer, or are you content to live a compromised life married to this world and bound by your lust and pride?

Will you step through the threshold?

Your last step of defeat, pain, sorrow, heartache, and compromise can be today as your next step over the threshold becomes an entrance to a life of victory, righteousness, peace, joy, Divine Provision, Divine Favor, purity, innocence, and the Lord’s promise of eternal life.

Come on, leave that worldly compromise. Settle it once and for all.

Take advantage of this threshold moment offered by Jesus Christ to  you today.

This Threshold Decision at Pergamos is a decision to once and for all divorce yourself from this wicked and perverse world and be truly espoused (married) to Christ.

[1] Purpose Institute. #5206 – The Book of Revelation. Lesson 1: The Church. 2014.

[2] Dustin L. Abbott. 2007. Revelation Unveiled. Pages 44-48.

Categories
Bible Preaching

Nothing Can Separate Us -Bishop James A. Johnson

Categories
Bible Preaching

But I Won

Text: 2 Cor. 2:14, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” 

SONG:

The devil and I had a fight, BUT I WON!

Me and devil and can’t agree, I hate him and he hates me.

And I’m still winning!

Give God a victory praise…you’re still winning!

People may have talked, gossiped and judged, but you won.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

Shammah

(11) And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. (12) But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.[1]

1 Tim. 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

Matthew 12:9-21

(9)  And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

(10)  And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

(11)  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

(12)  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

(13)  Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

(14)  Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.

(15)  But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

  • He knew of the plot which they had formed against his life; but his hour was not yet come, and he therefore sought security.
  • By remaining, his presence would only have provoked them further and endangered his own life. He acted, therefore, the part of prudence and withdrew.
  • Just because you can don’t mean you should.
  • “He healed them all.”  Jesus healed their diseases, and preached to them the good news of salvation.[2]

(16)  And charged them that they should not make him known:

(17)  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,

(18)  Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

(19)  He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

  • He did not shout as a warrior.
  • He is meek, retiring, and peaceful.
  • He didn’t seek publicity, fame and popularity.[3]

(20)  A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

  • Jesus did not oppress the feeble and poor
  • The “bruised reed” is a type of the brokenness of the soul on account of sin; weeping and mourning for transgression.
  • Jesus will not break it; He will not be severe, unforgiving, and cruel. He will heal you, pardon you, and give you strength.
  • He will not further oppress those who have little strength; nor put out hope and life when it seems to be almost extinct.
  • He will cherish the feeble flame, tend to it and give it the oil of grace until it is kindled into a blaze.
  • He will not allow you to be defeated – BUT I WON!
  • The truth is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ conquer.[4]

(21)  And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

The Portal of Victory:[5]

  1. Intense Prayer
  2. Intense Hunger & Desire
  3. Faith & Expectation

1 John 5:4-5

(4)  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

(5)  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

But I Won

[1] 2 Samuel 23:11-12

[2] Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible. Matthew 12:9-21.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Missionary MVMUTHU. (n.d.). The River of God’s Glory.

Categories
Bible Teaching

Did You Hear That?

Apostolic Life Cathedral | 11/17/2024 | 10:00 Am
Categories
Bible Preaching

The Battle for the House

Apostolic Life Cathedral | Aug. 18, 2024 | 10:00 AM

Psalms 127:1, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

God desires to dwell in the midst of His people.

David – “…when kings go to battle…”

  • 2 Samuel 11:1-18
    • Put the Ammonite king’s crown on his head
    • Pride of life
    • Ammonite king, numbered the people not the fighting men
    • Human spirit
    • 70,000 people dead
  • 1 Chronicles 20:1
    • Uriah
    • Bathsheba
    • Lust of the flesh
    • 2 people die
    • Sword never leaves the house of Davud
    • Amnon
    • Civil war

1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

  • Stedfast – firm, settled
  • Unmoveable – not to be moved from its place. Firmly persistent.
  • Always abounding – at all times, to be in excess, exceed, excel.

“…In the work of the Lord…” – “Except the Lord build the house”

Categories
Bible Preaching

The Joyful Sound

Apostolic Life Cathedral | July 28, 2024 | 6:30 PM

Text: Psalms 89:15-17, “(15)  Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. (16)  In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. (17)  For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.”

Psalms 1:1-6, “(1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  (2)  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  (3)  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  (4)  The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.  (5)  Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.  (6)  For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”

Blessed = “Happy”[1] is the condition.[2]

Go deeper = “to be straight, level, right, to go forward, be honest, prosper.”[3]

The joyful sound is the call to celebrate, to rejoice, to continually delight in:

  1. The Name of the Lord
  2. The Righteousness of the Lord

Tonight, the Holy Ghost is calling you to respond with a joyful sound for all that Jesus did for you and all that His name brings to bear in your life.

Rejoice in all that God did for you to walk a straight, level, righteousness path of prosperity and purpose.

The Samaritans knew about that joy: “(5) Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. (6)  And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. (7)  For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. (8)  And there was great joy in that city.”

“There was great joy in that city.”

How many here tonight want to see that same great joy in Huntington and the Tri-State Region?

It is God’s Will for the The Joyful Sound to echo along the riverbanks, valleys, and hillsides of our community:

We have heard the joyful sound:

Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Spread the tidings all around:

Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

Bear the news to ev’ry land,

Climb the steeps and cross the waves;

Onward! ’tis our Lord’s command;

Jesus saves! Jesus saves![4]

The Joyful Sound – Jesus Saves!

Every day, Jesus Saves!

God is calling for repentance…to be part of the joyful sound.

Paul was in Athens on Mars’ hill when he saw the altar written TO THE UNKNOWN GOD and he began to tell them of the one that they, in their superstition, were ignorantly worshipping.

Saying, “that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”

Repentance, led by true godly sorrow, will bring the joyful sound.

The fruit of mercy is restoration. The fruit of grace is maturity.

Unfortunately, life has a way of causing you to lose sight of what originally created the happy condition…the joyful sound.

What was once exciting and revealing, full of life and rewarding, has now become mundane and lost its vitality.

The daily life is at war with the joyful sound: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah” (Psalms 68:19).

We should come daily to His storehouse of blessing.

The problem is we have become so busy doing the work we forget the relationship with the God of the work.

Oftentimes, people fail because they have their spiritual life, their prayer life, their relationship with Jesus on autopilot.

Like a pilot in a plane, or a driver in a car, you are content to sit disengaged and apathetic.

What once drove your passion has now become drudgery.

The work that inspired is now nothing more than perspiration.

The hope that enlarged your heart and gave you faith is now a vague memory, like the beauty of nature you miss will cruising by unbothered by what is just outside your window.

You have become trapped with the thought that you just need to get the job done.

You have stopped hearing the joyful sound.

This is why you are to become renewed daily in the spirit of your mind.

Turn off the of auto pilot, disengage the cruise control,

Look around you and see all the beauty, blessing, and opportunity!

The need and possibility around you

Paul wrote, “I have fought a good fight…I have kept the faith,” but he did not stop fighting.

It is time to recapture that joy that originally caught you:

  • Is. 12:3, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”
  • Is. 55:12, “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
  • 1 Peter 1:7-9, “(7)  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (8)  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (9)  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
  • Is. 9:3, “…they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.”
  • Acts2:1-4

You are going to have to press into it. To reach for it. To recapture the joyful sound: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

To press means you will have to disengage the cruise control.

Revelation 19:6-7, “(6)  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (7)  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”

[1] Strong’s. H835.

[2] Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible. Psalm 89:15.

[3] Strong’s. H833.

[4]  Priscilla J. Owens. (1882). We Have Heard the Joyful Sound.

Categories
Bible Preaching

Your Season of Refreshing

Apostolic Life Cathedral| July 21, 2024 | 10:00 AM

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, “(1)  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: (2)  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; (3)  A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; (4)  A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; (5)  A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; (6)  A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; (7)  A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; (8)  A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

The Invitation: Matthew 11:28-30

(28)  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29)  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (30)  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

A Refreshing Invitation:[1]

  1. Come to Me.
    • Attach yourself to Jesus
    • A call to intimacy
      • Experience His
        • Tender love for us
        • Delight in us
        • Longing to be with us
      • The “with Jesus” principle – they took note of them that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).
  2. Take My yoke.
    • Transformational learning-by-example
    • Two oxen harnessed togetherEnter the yoke = submission to the Master
    • It’s not about your brilliance, but willingness to submit to the yoke
  3. Learn from Me.
    • Training a new young ox  =  custom fitted yoke
    • Emphasis on learning from someone, not independent study
    • Study, prayer, solitude, fasting, service
    • Grace is a teacher, and it is not cheap:
      • “Grace is the treasure hidden in the field…a man will go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price…a man will sell all his goods to obtain it. It is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him. Grace calls us us to follow Jesus Christ, and to willingly yoke ourselves to Him. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner.”[2]
    • You were bought with a price
  4. You will find rest.
    • First time “rest” is mentioned is in Genesis 2:1-3, “(1)  Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (2)  And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” God rested because He delighted in the goodness of His creation: “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (Gen. 1:31).
    • Our rest today is not about our weariness, tiredness and exhaustion, but to delight in His goodness and provision.
    • The rest of the Holy Ghost – “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear” (Isa 28:11-12)”
    • “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;” (Act 3:19).

Today, right now, is Your Season of Refreshing

[1] Tom Nelson. (2021). The Flourishing Pastor. Paraphrased

[2] Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Paraphrased.

Categories
Bible Teaching

How are People Saved? -Harold Hoffman

“The value of truth is never diminished because of repetition.” -Harold Hoffman