Pastor Syd encouraged all to be careful listeners and doers. Rocky Veach: Coming back from Australia, Rocky sensed a spiritual darkness upon arriving in the USA. This is a critical time. We have become familiar with the ways things are, but we need to remember who we are and who Jesus is. We need to walk as God has laid out for us to walk. His yoke is easy and His burden is light, but it is still a yoke and a burden. We are to make a difference here and to hold back darkness, doing what God wants us to do. There are some teachers, and there are some builders. We are to build in the Spirit. Expect to finish your race. Believe that you are going to make it. There are two things happening in the world. One is the mystery of iniquity, which is the world system, which is against the body of Christ. The other is the mystery of godliness and faith. The book of Revelation talks first to the church. Church is a bad word. The right word is the call of God. We are a body. The vision of a believer is to do the will of God. Do not go with the flow but make a difference. We should be impacting issues like abortion and stop looking like everyone else. The Word is deadly. You do not play with it. God wants us to get things working and stop acting like everything is fine. Text: Ephesians 2. God, in His mercy and great love, made us alive (quickened us), who were dead in sins. He made us alive (quickened us) together with Christ. He raised us up together. He made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. He fitted us together. We are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. The books Paul wrote were to groups of people. God, wake us up. We are the ones to choose to walk out the call of God for ourselves. Take what you can and move with it. The opposition we may face is nothing compared to the glory. We are not to treat God as common. We should not be that easy to figure out, because we are a secret society (Ephesians1). The Ephesians 1 and 3 prayers are powerful. God wants to give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. God is working with the energy in us that was in Jesus. Spiritual issues manifest in more obvious problems, such as in areas of relationships, finances, and health. Darkness is the working of Satan. The workings of God are in our coming to Him, specifically in prayer. We have to work with Him and step into spiritual things. Do we want the spirit of revelation? Find out who God is and the power He has. Expect supernatural things. If you keep coming up to a wall, come into the secret place with God and find out what is the spiritual barrier. We need to be in our prayer closet. God hears the voice of the Spirit. Pray in the Spirit. Get the armor on and get into the Spirit. Build what builds the heart of God. We need to be difference-makers. The Ephesians prayers, chapters 1 and 3, are about what should happen in us. The mystery needs to be working. Prayer is spiritual warfare. Satan copies what God does. Sadly, many in the body do not even believe in the devil. Bohemian Grove is an evil and real place. Many in the church ignore or refuse to believe the evil that is happening, BUT GOD!
The Mystery of the Body of Christ – Together – Tuesday Jan 19
Four speakers – Monday evening – Jan 18
Pastor Syd (Hearing and Listening for God’s Spirit’s Leading): Isaiah 50:4, 5. We need open ears to hear what the Lord is saying. Pastor Syd told of how he stood in faith to hear what the Holy Spirit wanted him to do concerning a school for his son, but no answer was coming. He asked the Lord about it, and he heard all the word curses he had spoken against school when he was a child. He immediately repented and put the blood of Jesus over those he had cursed. Immediately He gave him the name of the school and the first grade teacher, and so he knew which was God’s choice. In Mark 4:9 Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” This was the Parable of the Sower. Mark 4:22 tells about the hidden and revealed things, and also says in verse 23, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” We have to pay attention to what we hear. He will show you more if you recognize that the Lord is speaking to you. Then be careful how you hear. We need God’s Spirit to know His hidden wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:6-3:3). He has revealed the hidden things of what He has prepared for us. The deep things are the things we need to develop and cultivate. The natural mind does not receive the things of the Spirit of God. We have the mind of Christ. Paul tired to speak of spiritual things to the people, but they were too carnal to receive them.
Bob Hawk gave a word about shifting, preparation, an awakening, a stirring within us, removing weights, running with new shoes and with the Word. This is a new day and hour of God’s power.
Rocky Veach: A great thing is ahead of us. There is preparation. Rocky shared how one month after he was born-again, the Lord showed him a photograph and said that she was his wife. Expect to hear. Expect Him to surprise you. Expect Him to speak to you. Put yourself in a position to hear. He said that 2016 is “The Year of the Angler”. Put your line with a big hook in the water and let the Lord give you a big catch, some big fish. Jesus used parables because the ones who do not have a heart to hear, will not hear. Parables bypassed the natural mind and were meant to go to the heart. We are open to subliminal things, but open yourselves to the Word and hear what God has to say.
Ron Cohn: Secrets. Hearing. Changing. We should hear the secrets of God and then change. The secret things belong to the Lord our God (Deuteronomy 29:29). Everyday God does something to us, for us, and through us. He shared about paying attention to God connections, like seeing “Rocky” on a TV in a business he was in the same day he was going to meet Rocky Veach for the first time. The body of Christ needs to be ready to hear God’s revelations. Some things God reveals to you are never to be shared, if people are not ready to hear them. There is an alignment of heaven and earth. Ron shared about a “God meeting” with a young man at the gas station and how he knows that his obedience caused that man’s life to be forever changed. Are you willing to pay the price to get God’s secrets? To do that you must cut some things off and consecrate yourself. When God’s secrets are given to a person, they become revelations. God does not hide things from us but for us. In Daniel1:20 Daniel and the three other Hebrews were willing to pay the price and were ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers. God reveals secrets (Daniel 2:21, 28, 29). Ron shared four recent occurrences, such as words from God and open visions that he was to share with people. Can God trust you with His secrets? Will you be willing to pay the price? God knows what is in the darkness. God has His own noise cancellation system. It is not praise and worship. It is a joyful noise.
Healing – Is It God’s Will to Heal Today
When we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. Then we can know that we have what we ask (1 John 5:14). Luke 5:12, 13 is about Jesus being willing to cleanse the leper. Jesus is always willing, but the hindrance is our lack of faith. We are told in Isaiah 52:14 – 53:5 that Jesus bore our sicknesses and diseases (incorrectly translated “griefs” in some translations), and carried our pains (sometimes translated “sorrows”), and by His stripes (wounds) we are healed. Matthew 8:14-17 says that He healed all who were sick, and quoting Isaiah, he wrote, He took our weaknesses (infirmities) and bore our sicknesses. First Peter 2:24 notes that He bore our sins, by whose stripes we were healed (past tense). He already provided for our healing. We enforce His Word in our healing. We take it. Acts 3:1-10 is about the lame man who was healed in the name of Jesus Christ. He did not just stand, but he leaped, praising God. The Greek word for “saved” is sozo, meaning physical healing, deliverance, well-being, and more. It is by the name of Jesus Christ that the man was made whole (Acts 4:8-12). There is no other name under heaven that is given among men by which we must be saved. Christ redeemed us from the law (Galatians 3:13). What does that mean? Deuteronomy 28:16-68 are the things that are curses. [They are the curses we have been redeemed from.] We are to go and preach, and those who believe and are baptized will be saved. There would be signs to those who believe, such as laying hands on the sick, and they shall recover (Mark 16:15-18). If you are suffering, pray for yourself. If you are sick, call for the elders of the church and let them pray over you and anoint you in the name of Jesus, and if you believe, the Lord will raise him up. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man makes great power available. We need meekness of heart to believe and receive. The humble get the grace.
Serving Jesus – Jan 10
(There was a word given about shakings, the church awakening, changed lives, digging deeper into the Word, and Christ as the living sacrifice.) Offering sermon: Finances are a grace of the Lord. God is able to make every grace abound to you (2 Corinthians 6:8). Sermon text: Matthew 25:31-40. Jesus separates the sheep and the goats, which means that those who are saved (the sheep) are those who believe and confess Him as their Lord. However, we are judged (not saved) by our works. Every act of service that we do horizontally, to other believers, we do vertically in spiritual service or worship to God. We are to be living sacrifices, choosing to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God, holy, acceptable, which is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1). Service is spiritual worship. It is not lip-service, but it is doing, waiting on as a waiter waits on customers. We should ask ourselves: What is my personal service to God and to the Body of Christ? We are to use our freedom to serve one another through love (Galatians 5:13). Fruitless Christians are selfish Christians. The five-fold ministry gifts are for the training and equipping of the Body so they can serve one another (Ephesians4:11). Serving is work, and we can do it as onto the Lord. There should be two to three people deep in each position on the “service teams” in the body at CWI. Jesus gave us the example of being a servant when He humbled Himself and took the place of a slave by washing the feet of His disciples (John 13:4-17). Take the lowliest job and serve each other. If you know these things, you are blessed (happy) if you do them. Want to be happy? Serve others. Colossians 2:23 and Ephesians 6:7 relate about serving enthusiastically and with a good attitude as to the Lord and not to men.
God’s Word and His Presence Are One: Speak the Truth in Love
Offering Message: The Word is working mightily in me. Just as your soul prospers, which is mind renewal with the Word, so will you be in health (3 John 1, 2). We believe in our heart (our spirit) and confess with our mouth (our flesh). Deliverance does not give you mind-renewal. Thinking God’s thoughts in our soul prospers us. We will work Your Word, Lord. Sermon Message: Political correctness is a cancer in this nation and is trying to shut down truth. It started in the church by our allowing political correctness, and what the church allows, grows. The earth is our place, and we have God’s authority here. We must repent, walk in a love of truth, and be able to discern when and what to speak. We need to speak the truth in love. Ezekiel 3:10, 11 tell us to receive God’s Word into our hearts and hear with our ears. Jesus said that he who comes, listens, and does is a wise man. Speaking truth does not depend on the other person’s receptivity to it. Jesus is the truth. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. His Word gives us access to His presence (John 1:1-18). His Word is the doorway and leads us into God’s presence. Let’s love the Word. Let’s love Jesus. Matthew 8:5-13. God sent His Word and healed them. His Word brings the Presence of God. His Word and His Presence are one.
Standing
Ephesians 6:10-13. Our root nature is to win and conquer. We are victorious. Be strong in the Lord, and do not be afraid of weakness or trial. The wiles of the devil are the strategies behind the events. Follow God’s plan and destroy the devils. Satan hates you and your family. You do not wrestle with a helmet, shield, and sword. Paul is talking about standing. You will never have victory over Satan by wrestling. The battle is the Lord’s, and the victory is mine. Stand in what Jesus has provided so that you may be able to withstand in the evil day. This is an evil day for Ukraine. A couple years ago the Lord told Apostle Dale to run as fast as you can and preach as much as you can. Now he knows why: so he could stand in the evil day. Realize the season you are in, whether it is a time of resting or learning or whatever. Any time of preparation is not wasted time. You withstand. Recognize God is preparing you so you can withstand in the evil day. He will prepare you for loss or trial, so that you do not fall. Stand for the integrity of the Word and do not compromise. What are the principles before standing? Have we done all to stand? #1 Make sure there is no wall, no sin between you and God. Check if things are right with you and God and your brothers and sisters. If not, get your relationships right. Matthew 25 tells us to get our relationships right with our brothers and sisters before worshiping God. A broken relationship will allow the evil one to win. The devil cannot steal what you are willing to give. Strife is the biggest hindrance to your standing. Repent. Cut off strife and ask God to pardon you. Forgive the other person in the name of Jesus. #2 When there is a problem, give something away. For every need, there is a seed. You are a pipeline of God. God wants to flow through you, so give. Apostle Dale told of how he was blessed by taking a hitchhiker in the other direction when his gas tank was on empty. #3 Check on your monitors, your spiritual warning gauges. What are they? They are peace and joy. Let peace be your umpire. Ask “why?” when you lose your peace. Let peace rule and guide you. The joy of the Lord is your strength. Depression is a sin and is selfish. Concentrating on yourself is looking for happiness, not joy. You get joy in the presence of God. Joy keeps you going. You must express joy.
Victory in Christ Jesus
Jesus Christ is our Lord, Savior, and Master. We can share about our encounters with God with those in godless societies. We found God and had an encounter with Him. God encountered the whole world at Christmas. Paul says that God will perform the good work that He started in us (Philippians 1:6). He loves so many individuals that it encompasses the whole world. If we are not careful, we let the world’s negativity get on us, but we are the victorious! 1 Corinthians 15:57 and 58 tell us that God GIVES us the victory through Jesus Christ. We do not have to fight through it. He wants to give us the victory. Romans says that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. The closer we get to the will of God, the easier it gets. If there is a struggle in your life, ask Him if you are doing His will, because that is where the victory is. He gives us to victory, and our part is to be steadfast and abounding in the work of the Lord. The Lord wants us to have a spirit of victory, a victorious consciousness. God wants to encounter and break into our lives. It is not doing penance. He gives us the victory. God comforts us when we go through things, so we comfort others with the victory that He gave us (2 Corinthians 1:3). He brought us through victoriously. We go through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23). We do not camp out there. We have the victory. You are going to win. It is a matter of the truth of God’s Word. God always causes us to triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14). He manifests the savor (the taste and smell) of Himself in us. We are the Bible that people read. We represent Jesus and His victory. Apostle Dale told of going to a Ukrainian hospital with the President’s wife. This is where wounded soldiers are hospitalized. Two young men, both with missing legs on opposite sides, were in beds. Simultaneously both the President’s wife and Apostle Dale started crying. The wounded soldiers, so excited and honored to have the President’s wife visit them, cheered them up. We serve the Lord Jesus Christ! He is still the Captain of the host. The world has always been crazy, but the joy of the Lord is our strength. Now we have much to be thankful for (2 Corinthians 2:14), because God always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Apostle Dale told of a Bulgarian pastor who was chained in a dark prison cell with an evil man. He shared his food and the gospel with his cell mate and brought him to Christ. The authorities released them into the bright sunlight, causing them to be blinded, but the pastor kept sharing the gospel. God always causes us to triumph. You have to develop a victorious consciousness. It is easy to get into the barrage of negativity. The widow said she was preparing her and her son’s last meal before they died, but the prophet told her to feed him first, and she and her son did not die. The victory is in Christ Jesus. Christmas is a hard time for those who lost someone. Be sensitive to them and remember you are the victorious ones. Come through. Turn from sadness and loss. Decide to let the lost ones go, and get on with life and rejoice.
What Am I Following After in Life
There is a common thread in the Christmas story. Mary (Luke 1:26-38), Joseph (Matthew 1:20-23), the shepherds (Luke 2:15), Simeon (Luke 2:25-29), Anna, and the wise men (Matthew 2:2-6) all received a word from the Lord, either through an angel or through a prophet’s word in Scripture. It is only the Word of the Lord that leads people to the Savior. We all need to be willing to follow after the Word of the Lord. What are we following after? Do we know what is word of the Lord? If we gain everything, but lose our soul, what does it profit us (Mark 8:36)? Think about what you are doing: How is it fulfilling the will of God for my life? Shane testified to his brother’s life and how his premature death on Christmas Eve 2011 was due to what he was following after. All that God has provided for, His promises, protection, and provision, are available for us when we are in His will. Where do we look for help when we are in pain? We will be subject to whatever we yield to and follow. Repent and move from whatever you are subject to. Take an inventory of what you eat, speak, read, etc. We must be willing to judge ourselves. In Matthew 16:21-24 Peter did not look at what Jesus was saying would happen to Him from the perspective of His following God’s will. God’s will for your life is your cross to bear. Jesus is our life source. Because Jesus has the words of life, where else shall we go? If we follow another road, we are subject to whatever is on that road. Examine your life. Is there anything in your life that keeps you from being sold out to Jesus? Follow the Word of God for your life, the unique word for you. A key of understanding everything about a great relationship with God is what it means to have a covenant relationship. Develop your covenant relationship.
Serving Jesus – Dec 13
Text: Matthew 25:31-46. Salvation is not by works but by grace through faith. That is what divides the “sheep” and the “goats”. However, God judges the sheep, those who have received Jesus, and rewards them according to their works. Those who do not believe are cursed.The sheep are the Body of Christ, the family of God. Jesus gave the five-fold ministry (Ephesians 4:11-13) to train the Body to do the work of the ministry. We are to do the work of the ministry. Romans 12:1 says that presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice is our reasonable service. We are alive and have to choose to be set apart. When we take our place, the whole Body can function. The Amplified Bible says that being a living sacrifice is “spiritual worship”. Ministry is service. It is like being a table waiter, waiting on someone. Service is spiritual worship. Ephesians 6:5-8 tells servants and slaves to be obedient as to Christ. When you sow spiritually to the Lord, you reap back. Galatians 6:10 says to do good to all, especially to those of the household of faith. We are to serve God with spiritual gifts, show honor to one another, and do His will (Romans 12:2-13). Jesus came to serve and for doing that God gave Him the highest position (Matthew 20:25-28). We should not be selfish (Galatians 5:13). We should grow and stop thinking about ourselves. To become great, you must first be a servant. Jesus served the greatest. A mark of maturity is when you stop thinking of yourself and serve others instead. Look out for the interests in others. He humbled Himself to the point of death. He is exalted to the right hand of God, and Jesus allows us to sit with Him. Our homework assignment is to read John 13:1-17.
Vision for Ethiopia
Pastor Demeke Getahun and Wagayhu Ketema shared the vision for Ethiopia. John 9:7, the name “Siloam” means “sent”. In 1993 the Lord told Pastor Demeke that he would remember the poor (Galatians 2:10). The vision that Pastor Demeke and Wagayhu have in their hearts is for establishing clinics in Muslim communities, address sanitation and hygiene needs, and teach about micro-financing, nutritional support, and development of their own resources. God has given Pastor Demeke a fifteen year vision (2016-2031). He was in a Muslim elementary school. He fled Ethiopia and went through a land where he is now going to go back to. Their approach will be to show the love of Jesus to the Muslim people. Their first clinic will be in the eastern part of Ethiopia, which is a 97.5% Muslim area. A member of their church has given them this land. They have started the non-profit process and have a couple board members, one of which is Pastor Syd. In March Pastor Demeke, Wagayhu, and the woman who donated the land will meet in Ethiopia with local church leaders. They will need a team to work with them, and they will study the local government. Pastor also wants to go back to a church that was established many years ago. Wagayhu is getting rehab training. A medical team is to come from here to Ethiopia. The children there need immunization treatments and instruction in nutrition. There is much TB, malaria, and polio. Also, the girls get married when they are eleven to thirteen years old and need help with pregnancy issues. Clean water supplies are a concern, too. Pastor Demeke and Wagayhu will go to show the love of Jesus Christ. Please pray and give.
Serving Jesus – Nov 29
Jesus gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to us to train and equip the saints (the Body of Christ) to do the work of the ministry and to build the Body until we all come to the unity of faith (Ephesians 4:11-13). The Body of Christ could be compared to a picture of Christ in collage form made up of many individual pictures. Ministry is work. Each person takes his or her part. We are not saved by our works, but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. In Matthew 25:31-46 the first thing Jesus does is to separate the sheep from the goats. This Scripture is about the sheep (the righteous, the believers). It does not apply to the Syrian refugees, except those who are Christians. We are made righteous only by Jesus. His righteousness has been given to us. God sees us as Jesus. Whatever we do for the Body of Christ, for our brothers and sisters in Christ, we do for Jesus, whether it is providing food, drink, clothing, shelter, health, or comfort, when we do it as to the Lord. We need to use wisdom in our priorities and responsibilities, not putting those we are responsible for in danger. We are the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), and Jesus Christ is the Head (Ephesians 1:22, 23). Although we are not saved by works, we are judged and rewarded for them. We are to work for the good of all, especially our fellow believers (Galatians 6:10). What we did to the least of His Body, we did for Him. We are called to freedom and through love to serve one another. We are selfish if we want to be served, rather than serving.
The children’s ministry
Earnestly Desire Spiritual Gifts
Jesus said that it was better for Him to go to heaven than to stay here on earth, so the Holy Spirit could come to us (John 16:5-7). Jesus said that we would do even greater things than He did, because He was going away (John14:12). First Corinthians 14:1 states that we are to pursue love and to earnestly desire spiritual gifts. Do you desire spiritual gifts? Do you strongly want them? Ask and you will receive. Make it your burning desire to have God’s spiritual gifts. God has established strength to silence the enemy and the avenger (Psalm 8:1-2). Take authority. Your tongue can establish or tear down strongholds. For example, both Goliath and David used their tongues to decree, but David spoke God’s Word. The Holy Spirit prompts us to declare and decree things. He waits for our words to be spoken. (Kevin Burrows ministered a word and song, and released the anointing to an individual. Larry Hostettter shared a word of testimony and encouragement.)
Finishing Strong in Faith – Nov 8
We are to occupy for the Lord. It is about how you finish. We need to see and hear the Word, so that we get it and maintain it. When we have the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which is the Word of God, grace and peace are multiplied to us. The Bible is our instruction manual. If you want to know God, get to know His Word. His Word in us causes us to change and grow (2 Peter 1:2-4). We receive His divine power through His Word. We have been called to glory and virtue. We belong to the Lord and should live like His children, seeking first His kingdom. God’s #1 problem with us is that of our wills. His #2 problem with us is changing our minds. The truth will set you free, but you can decide to either be a spectator or a participator. Participators receive more. What do you think about all day? The first temptation was doubting the Word. We are to meditate on, act on, and speak the Word (Joshua 1:8). Satan puts lying symptoms on our bodies. They are lies because Jesus already bore all our sicknesses. Doubt is taking a second thought. I believe the truth, and I say the truth. It is written! Find a promise in the Word for your problem, because there is one truth will change your situation. The Word is an infallible truth and anchor. Believing the Word is faith. God wants you to have faith in Him. Remember, no situation is bigger than God. Hebrews 5:13, 14 say that we should exercise our (spiritual) senses to discern good and evil. Do not let the world live in you, but renew your mind with the Word (Romans 12:1, 2). Use your imagination for God, by seeing yourself doing the things that Jesus did. Hell is the absence of God. God will use whatever you have, even if it is just a smile. Think big. Give more, Get into the Word and fan the fire of the Word of God. Allow the Lord to speak to you about your faith life. Develop the muscle of faith and exercise faith every day, so you have faith-fitness. Finish strong. Will He find faith? Offering Message (Josh Yoder): Psalm 37:21-26 (AMP) I am righteous and deal kindly with other. I am able to give. Money is a tool to bring people to the Lord. Our inheritance is all those who we bring to salvation in Jesus Christ. Your giving affects the next generation. You can receive when you get excited about the Lord.
Good Steps or Intimacy
Josh Yoder read a word that the Lord gave him, and then he expounded on it. God wants intimacy with us. There should be a longing, a passion, a desire in us for Him. We might learn and perform good “dance steps”, but if we don’t have the passion with joy, it is just like good works. God’s heart is for His people to be as free as He is. Let ever increasing revelation come to each Scripture. A revelation makes you vulnerable to it. Read John 3:16, 17. Give yourself as Jesus gave Himself. Don’t jump off the altar when the fire gets hot. You can come out with victory. God will lead us through the valley of the shadow of death. We are to help and give water to those in the dry places and help those in the wilderness. When you plateau, you wither and are thrown in the fire (John 15). Judgment is grace. God judged Jesus so we can have grace. Judge yourself. Prune off the dead. Are you and do you stay fired up? Dry times are your fault, not God’s. If entertainment is filling you, it’s wrong. Relaxation is from the Lord. You can get dry if you’re putting other things in. It’s like giving salt to an already thirsty person. We are only fed by the Word of God. Do something to keep yourself awake. Get the Word into you. The Word must be in quality, along with love and works. James 2:17 says that faith without works is dead. A good dancer may have good steps, but an elite dancer does the steps with passion. In James 2:18-26 Abraham’s faith was backed up with good works. What you connect to, you act with and build on. 2 Corinthians 3:6 says that the letter of the law kills. You must have the Spirit and the Word. You need intimacy with God. Don’t allow questions to ruin your foundation. Seek God and the result will be the revealed Word. You attraction is based on your desires. What do you desire? Delight in the Lord. Bend yourself toward Him. Stretching is painful. Getting in the Word can be like stretching. Get closer to the Lord. How do we flex the Word when we are in tragedy? Moving in love in the dance is love. We know in part. We are beginning to know who we are in Christ. It comes through intimacy. The Holy Spirit guides us through the things of God. What are ears to hear? Our spiritual ears work only in an atmosphere of love.
Making Covenant with the Lord and Each Other
How should you find a spouse? Seek the Lord first, and then He will show you or lead you to His choice for a spouse. You make a covenant when you set yourself apart to God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us to draw near to God, seek Him, believe that He exists, and believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. He rewards our seeking Him and our drawing near to Him. Faith pleases Him. We get faith by hearing and hearing by the Word. Proverbs 18:22 says that he who finds a good wife finds a good thing, and he obtains favor from the Lord. Seek God and then the blessings come, but do not seek Him just for the blessings. Make God your number one priority. Seek the Lord, and you will not lack any good thing (Psalm 34:10). As you get closer to God, you are getting closer to your future spouse. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). If you abide in God, He will abide in you; you shall ask whatever you desire, and it shall be done for you (John 15:7). Matthew 6:33 commands us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these other things will be provided. God spoke a blessing over Israel and to us, that His plans for us are to give us a future and a hope, but we must seek Him with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:10-14). [There was a service of covenant and communion for singles and then for married couples.]
Marriage and Divorce: Legal Covenant – Oct 18
The Pharisees asked Jesus if it is lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason (Matthew 19:3-12). God’s plan is that a male and female leave their parents and be joined together. Jesus said that what God has joined together must not be separated. Moses said that a man may not remarry his wife, if she has married another in between. Moses allowed divorce because of the hardness of their hearts. When you divorce, you are in your own plan, not God’s. Jesus said the only exception for divorce is sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9). Paul wished that all men would be unmarried (1 Corinthians 7:6-16). Your marital status does not indicate your spiritual status. The Lord commands that a wife is not to leave her husband. If she does leave him, she is not to remarry or be reconciled to her husband. A husband is not to divorce his wife. Paul said that a believer should stay with an unbelieving wife, if she is willing to live with him, and not to divorce her (or vice versa wife for husband). The believing spouse is set apart by the believing spouse. You are still in oneness, and there is still an open door to the spouse. God has a covenant with the believer. Submit your life to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 7:27, 28 tell us to not seek to be loosed from a wife. Married people have trouble in the flesh. If you are looking for a loophole to get out of marriage, you are like a Pharisee. The sin of divorce is forgivable. Repent and live in the new covenant. While talking to the Samaritan woman, Jesus recognized the five marriages she had had (John 4:17-19). A wife is bound to her husband as long as her husband lives (1 Corinthians 7:39, 40). In Genesis 15 after Abram rescued people from Sodom and Gomorrah, God made a blood covenant with him that he would inherit the land and have many descendants. He and Sarai took things into their own hands and caused an Ishmael. God reestablished His covenant with Abram, changed his name to Abraham, told him he would be the father of many nations, and renamed him Abraham with a blood covenant. God renewed His covenant with Israel, whom He considered as His wife (Exodus 24:1-18). Throughout the Old Testament, such as in Jeremiah and Isaiah, God was angered by Israel’s adultery against Him. When Moses was on the Mt. Sinai for forty days, with smoke and fire coming from the mountain, he received the two stone tablets (Exodus 24-31). The words of the covenant were called The Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28). The people had corrupted themselves, while Moses was up on the mountain (Exodus 32:7). Moses (a type of Christ), interceded for God’s people and reminded God of His covenant with the Israelites, and God relented (Exodus 32:7-14). Why did God change during this “melt-down marriage” problem with Israel? It was because of His covenant with them. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Husbands, walk in the ministry of reconciliation. We are reconciled to Him because of the New Covenant. Baby dedication and offering message is placed after the message.
Go in the Name of Jesus
Text: John 4. As a result of the testimony of the “woman at the well” in Samaria, many believed, heard Jesus, and believed in Him. Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. Jesus’ name is to be glorified, not our own. God can use us to change those around us. He has a plan and sees great things for each one of us. He saw a great plan for Abram and named him Abraham, the father of many nations, when he and his wife were childless. He is looking for one person who will say “yes” to Him. Who is willing to go? Who is willing to deny himself? Today the church is compromising the truth. Some preachers will not say “Jesus” in public, because they are ashamed of the name of Jesus Christ. Paul, and we, must suffer for His name’s sake. Acts 4:17 tells about a time when the early church disciples were forbidden to speak in the name of Jesus. Why? Salvation is in the name of Jesus. Healing is in the name of Jesus. We should not be ashamed of the name of Jesus, the Anointed One. Jesus is coming back to take His beloved ones who are reigning. Let’s be witnesses everywhere and use every opportunity (Acts 1:8). We are witnesses and light. Without us there is darkness. Being a witness is our primary calling. Jesus was compelled by the Holy Spirit to go through Samaria. It was a divine appointment. We must be willing to go, even if we do not want to go. If we obey, we will see His mighty hand. Pastor Demeke told of a successful man in Canada who was called to go back to a remote area of Ethiopia. There was no clean water, cars, or bikes, but there were demonic forces there. He joined a society to help the people, living with and like the people there. The whole community came to the Lord, and they prospered. If Jesus can find one person who is willing, he/she can change the world. The well where the unnamed woman was in John 4 was Jacob’s well that he gave to his son, Joseph. It was a gift. Jesus came to the gift (the well) as the gift. In John 4:10 He said that He was the gift of God. Jesus broke the unspoken rules: Jews did not associate with Samaritans. The unnamed woman had hurdles she had to deal with in order to enter Jesus’ fullness. Her manmade boxes were: 1) her race; 2) she did not like men; 3) religion and her belief; and 4) sin. Before we can worship God, we need to deal with our barriers. He told her that we are to worship in spirit and truth. We know that sin has no power when we encounter Jesus. How did Jesus get into her heart? He asked her to give Him a drink. Jesus was saying, “I need you. I am willing to drink from your cup. I want to commune with you. You are important to Me.” That opened her up to Him. He won her with His love. We should be willing to drink from the same cup as others. Salvation is the well of water into everlasting life, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit brings living rivers out of us. We should not be satisfied with what the world gives.
Holiness- Wholly for God
Marriage is to reflect Christ and the Church. We are to be set apart for and to God. Proverbs 18:22 says that the man who finds a wife finds a good thing. Psalm 34:10 says that those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing. If you are looking for a good wife, first seek the Lord. A video with John Bevere being interviewed with Sheila Walsh and Randy Robison about John’s book, Good or God? was shown. Have we replaced good for our relationship with God? Jesus is coming back for a holy church. The angels cry out, “Holy, holy, holy!” Holiness means that we are set apart to be completely His. Pursue holiness and chase after it. There are two aspects of holiness. One is positional, as seen in Ephesians one. He chose us to be holy and without blame before Him in love. The second aspect is behavioral. We either act like the world or behave like Jesus. We have been created for intimacy with God. We draw near to Him because we love Him, not because we want something from Him. James 4:5 tells us that the Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously. God is a jealous God. He is jealous for you. God wants our whole heart. To want or have the world in any part of you is adultery against God. A person can change when he or she is in the presence of God.
Marriage: Getting and Staying Out of Strife – Sept 27
(There was a word given.) God made them male and female, so that they could become one flesh as husband and wife (Matthew 19:4-6). We are to reflect Christ and His Church in our marriage, which is why Satan hates it. We are not to separate a-God-joined marriage or other relationships. Pastor Syd gave the example of Abram and Lot. Any home or city divided against itself will not stand (Matthew 12:25), so Satan tries to bring division. We are to love our neighbor, which includes our spouse (Galatians 5:13, 14). If you devour one another, you will be consumed by one another. Where there is strife, there is every evil work. Unity in your marriage is your strong man. It is how you walk together, even if you disagree. If you walk in love with your family, you can walk in love with anyone. James 3 tells about the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21 states that life and death are in the power of the tongue. There are three keys to victory using your speech. 1) Love: never quits; 2) Faith: all things are possible to him who believes. Do not release death. Change the words of your mouth by saying what God says about the situation; 3) Release God’s truth. Speak it. Speak God’s truth in love and faith. The four things to be Spirit-led (the rules for speaking): 1) If I say … (Proverbs 10:19; James 1:19; Proverbs 13:3; 2) What you say (Ephesians 4:29); 3) When you say it (Proverbs 30:32, 33; Proverbs 25:11); 4) How you say it (Proverbs 15:1; 16:21). God brought us out of the fire and water to a place of rich fulfillment (Psalm 66:12). Peace is the manifest presence of God, and strife is the manifest presence of Satan. You do not have to speak how you feel when you are with your spouse in a time of disagreement. Pride tells and demands. Speak God’s truth into your marriage, so you give Him an open door to your spouse’s life. Declare the Word of the Lord. Truth is eternal, but facts can change.