What is the purpose of crisis? In Exodus 14 and 15 God used the Israelites as a trap to get Pharaoh, because he wanted to destroy Egypt. God does not always tell us what He is going to do and how it will turn out. Sometimes we think, “God, what are You doing?” The promises of God look like they are not working when things look hopeless. The children of God went out of Egypt and captivity with great boldness, but it turned to great panic in a short time. We can get into great fear and the strategies of the enemy, but we need to realize that God has a plan. God told them, “The enemy you see today, you will never see again.” The breath of God blew and separated the waters of the Red Sea. What is stopping you from entering the promises of God? God has a plan to destroy the enemy and to bring glory to Himself. We may get something from God, but then something else tries to stop it; it sees God and then becomes afraid (Psalm 77:1-20). We do not know God’s plan and how He will remove what is stopping us. The earth and the sea are alive. In Psalm 114:3 the sea saw it and fled and the Jordan River turned back. Satan is afraid of you. Psalm 85:13 says that righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway. Do not worry. Here comes God. Why do crises come? To destroy the enemy and to glorify God. Trust Him. There is always victory. The three Hebrews did not lose the victory when King Nebuchadnezzar threw them into the fire. We lose the victory when “we are marching to the fire”, and say, “It didn’t work!” God is willing to deliver us. Can you trust God in a crisis to do a miracle? Change can cause a crisis. In Mark 4 the disciples had a crisis when it looked like the boat they were on was going to sink. When a crisis comes, focus on the crisis controller (God), and your boat will not sink. Moses and Paul almost despaired, but when they refocused on God, He “resurrected” them (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). Trust in God. Every miracle was first a crisis. God wants to work a miracle in you. Say, “This is just a crisis, a miracle in the making.” Sometimes we have a crisis because of wrong decisions. Even so, every crisis can be a set-up for a miracle. DO NOT LET CRISES TALK TO YOU! Do not listen to the repetitious recording, but listen to God’s Word. God is faithful (2 Timothy 2:13). Jesus’ life sacrifice was the greatest change, and so is your salvation, healing, and deliverance.
What You Are Afraid of is Afraid of You or Your Crisis Is Afraid of You
Marriage Submission and Irreconcilable Differences – June 7
God can move and revival can come when our marriages reflect Christ and the Church. Satan wants us to think truth is bondage. God’s commands carry power and authority. Irreconcilable differences in a legal sense mean that there is no chance a marriage can be saved and the two partners can no longer agree. The point you disagree on opens the door to seeing more points of disagreement. Focus on what you agree on and find the common ground. The only solutions that will work are God’s solutions. Submission is not bondage, because God is not the author of bondage. We need deliverance from strife in our marriages, not from our marriages. Submission applies to the man as well as to the woman. James 4:6 tells us that He gives greater grace. He resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Pride is the nature of Satan. We should say, “I am pleased with …” rather than saying, “I’m proud of …”. Pride is being unteachable. Pride cares about looking good. Pride is 100% devil. James 4:7 instructs us to submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. You only successfully resist the devil when you submit to God. There are demonic spirits working in the disobedient (Ephesians 2). The spirit of rebellion is deadly and opens the door to destruction. Humble yourself before the Lord, and He will lift you up. Submission literally means “under the mission”, to be under, to yield to, and taking your place under the person God told you to be under. We submit by making Jesus Christ our Lord and king. We all have the same rights to the kingdom of God, but we are not of the same rank. Submission is NOT: 1) agreement, 2) easy, 3) being forced or made to do something, nor 4) weakness. It takes great strength to submit. Meekness is not weakness. Jesus and God had two different wills, but He submitted to God’s will. God may ask you to lay down your life. Jesus suffered when He submitted. Submission is done in the heart. Submission was required in the Godhead (1 Corinthians 15:28). 1 Corinthians 11:3 tells us, “Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.” Some people mistakingly call love, submission. It is God’s anointing that gives leadership to the man. He is the one who is to lead. Hebrews 13:17 reminds us to obey those who are leading us and to submit to them. Today many pastors are not shepherds, but hirelings. The man is the head because he is ordained by God. Respect the place, even if you do not respect everything. Respect the place, but you may not everything he does. A mark of submission is humbleness. His grace will come to you. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Marriage – Being One with Christ – May 31
(Communion was received during praise and worship time.) Mini-sermon: The disciples were kingdom-minded (Acts 1:8). They waited for the Holy Spirit and power, and they became witnesses. Being a witness means you share what you have seen and experienced of the Lord and what He has done for you. Allow God to move through you. Sermon: Text: Ephesians 5:22-33. Your marriage should reflect Christ and the church. God loves us because we are part of His own body. Like Christ, the husband provides, protects, and gives gentle care-taking. In Matthew 1:1, 16 the Bible records that Joseph was the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called the Christ. In Luke 1:26-35 the angel appeared to Mary and told her that her son would be called the Son of God. Then she went to Elizabeth, and she came back three months pregnant. Luke 3:23 records that Mary’s baby was thought to be Joseph’s child. Mary became one with Joseph and took on his lineage. When a couple marries, the wife takes on the husband’s lineage, and they become one. This is not about headship in the home. In the same way we take on Jesus’ identity. Your body is your spouse’s (1 Corinthians 7:1-6). The body is for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body (1 Corinthians 6:12-20). There is a covenant of oneness between spouses. Christ is the image of God over all creation. Colossians 1:15-23 tells about the image of being one. Christ is the head of the Body. He presents us as holy, blameless, and above reproach. A husband should lead.
The Fullness of God – May 24
The Word of God is a revelation of Jesus Christ, who is the Word. Jesus Christ is greater than the written Word. When we read the Word, we need to engage the author. The Book is not greater than the author. Your theology should match your experience, so you live out the Word in your life. Your barrenness only reveals the greatest battle, yet the greatest victory to be had in your life for the fulfillment of the promises of God. Where are you barren, hurting, sick, or in a broken relationship? That is the place where God wants you to live. We are to face it with the fullness of God. He wants to mend and to fill the barren place. Contend for the fullness of God in the area that you are in the most need of it. Ephesians 4:11-14 says that the purpose of the five-fold offices is so that the Body is built up and there is unity of faith in the Body. Build, encourage, and attain His fullness. In His presence there is fullness of joy and more (Psalm 16:11). We have God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit in us, the measure of His fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9; Galatians 4:6). How do we live in the fullness of God? We begin by understanding that the fullness of God lives in us. Embrace the mystery of experiencing His love that surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:19). His love is the centerpiece. When have you experienced God’s goodness? Moses experienced God’s goodness and was changed. Release hope. God will teach you all things that He has (John 16:15). What fills you will come out. Moses was full of the law. Jesus was full of grace. When you are full, it is easy for heaven to come to earth. Earth’s atmosphere is perpendicular to heaven. Where you feel you are disqualified, that is where He wants to come in with power inside of you. Stir up the gift of God which is in you (2 Timothy 1:6-7). Everyone has a gift. Use your gift. We need each other’s gift.
Marriage – May 17
(There was a time of prayer and a powerful testimony by John) The answer to every question in your marriage can be answered by the relationship of Christ and the Church. Satan attacks marriage because it should resemble Christ and the Church. If someone should be caught or snared in wrongdoing, those who are spiritual should restore him/her (Galatians 6:1-2). Those who are developed spiritually in love carry one another’s burdens. To restore means to repair, build up, and lift up out of the trap. Restore with a spirit of gentleness, humility, being quick to listen and not being full of pride. The greatest problem in marriages is selfishness. Watch out for yourselves, spy on yourself, take aim at, and keep an eye on yourself. A fleshly person examines others for faults. You can be tempted by pride. Flesh and the devil always want more. Temptations begin in your desires. Each person is tempted by his own evil desires (James). Is your flesh ruling you? Tempted means to be drawn away, enticed, lured, and baited. Satan tempts you based on your desires. He often gets blamed for what is really your own flesh. Remember, Satan is not omnipresent. He just gives the order for his fallen angels and demons to do his work. Just like Satan with Jesus in the wilderness, he overplays his hand. Satan wants you to go against the Word of God. Take authority over both Satan and your flesh.
How to Pray Like a Mother – May 10
Ephesians 5:17-20 tells us to not be unwise. (The Greek language used a double negative for emphasis.) We are to understand what the will of God is. If you do the will of God, you will not have to focus on trying to be holy. We are to make melody in our hearts to the Lord at all times. How do we do that? We do it by being filled with the Holy Spirit. Prayer is a lifestyle. It is being with the Lord all the time, dialoguing with Him. We are to give thanks to Him. Prayer is like a rudder. Your tongue is a rudder, because you go where your words take you. In 1 Samuel 1 we see the result of a praying mother. Before Samuel was conceived, Hannah prayed and made a vow to the Lord. Although the priest thought she was drunk, she was praying in the Spirit (1:9-16). Why did Israel transition from prophet to king? Israel prayed for a king. Why? Because there was no one praying for what came after Samuel. Hannah prayed a selfless prayer, praying by the Spirit’s leading. Apostle Dale shared about his mother praying for his salvation and his praying with his grandmother for a Russian believer. Prayers are never lost. God collects them and pours them out. Prayer directs destiny and directs us into the will of God. Do not live in a house that prayer has not built. Apostle Dale related about meeting a Ukrainian four-star general, who did not look good in a report, but when Apostle Dale would pray, this general would keep coming up. He asked, “Lord, what about him?” We need to trust the Holy Spirit in prayer. God sends you divine appointments. Apostle Dale met a Muslim in Crimea and after about three hours of talking with him about Jesus, the other man said, “I believe god (God) sent you to me.” Look for God. When you have divine appointments, do not let them go. Keep in touch with them. Before Apostle Dale and Teri moved to Moscow, he met a Russian pastor from Moscow in Tulsa. God put them together. Dale asked the Lord to give him an idea for a gift for him when they were in Moscow, and He told him to get a book on Ronald Reagan. It was exactly what the Russian pastor wanted. Prayer will open doors. Galatians 4:19 says that Paul labored in birth pains until Christ was formed in the Galatian believers. Praying is giving birth to salvation and to people being established in the faith. The character of Christ is formed in prayer.
Current Events and the Believers Involvement – May 5
Pastor Sydney shared his heart about what is happening in this country and what is our responsibility. The Constitution is the highest authority in our government. The role of judges is to uphold the law, not to make it. What is our role? We need to pray and vote for just judges. If someone is attacking you, turn the other cheek, but if there is an attack against your family or others, be prepared to protect them. Be armed. You have the Holy Spirit in you. Pray in the Spirit. Surrender is different from being overpowered. Jesus told His disciples to get swords in the Garden of Gethsemane. Raise your kids to respect authority and to love justice and truth. Justice is not the same as getting even or getting revenge. Justice has to do with what is right. Our families should raise a generation that loves truth. In one generation we can change a nation. Bring changes. Rise up and change this nation. People who blame others will not change, do not take responsibility, and are not in faith. Do not blame your spouse. Do not blame groups in society, political or otherwise. Bring righteousness back to this nation. Pray and walk it out. Faith activates works.
Marriage – You Are to Be Valued April 26
Our marriages should reflect Christ and the church. When Satan attacks marriages, he is trying to destroy Christ and the church. Even if you had a broken marriage, you can walk in victory. Look to God to fulfill what you need in your marriage. Ephesians 5:25-33 tells how marriage should look: a husband should wash the wife and family in the washing of water by the Word and love his own wife like he cares for his own body. Each one of us is valuable to God. God gave His Son for me. Psalm 49:7-8 and 1 Peter 1:18-19 tell us that nothing and no one can redeem us; only Christ and His blood could and did. We make a big mistake when we do not value what God values and honors. People are what are most important to God. We are to treat others, such as our spouses, as though they are extremely precious. Stay anchored in love. First Peter 3:3-4 says that our beauty comes from our inner being, the hidden person of the heart. What God values is a gentle and quiet spirit. Satan tries to devalue whatever God values. Be careful not to let Satan lure you into devaluing what God values, even in a joking way. It takes away the other person’s life. Satan tries to get you to devalue and even despise your spouse in your mind. Take control over your mind and see your spouse as God does. 1 Peter 3:7 says for the husband to give honor to the wife as being equal heirs of equal value. Do you value your spouse? We are not to judge (James 4:11 and Romans 2:1). The people in Jesus’ hometown did not value Jesus (Matthew 13:54-58) because they judged Him after the flesh. We need to judge according to the Spirit. Call out to the deep, good things in the other person.
Our Confidence in the Word – April 19
You are significant to this body of believers, and you are important to the plan of God. God planted you here, and you are to bloom and grow here. We have to agree with the way God does things. He thinks good things about you. John 10:10 says that God is good, and He only does good things. Satan is bad and only does bad things. Psalm 103:1-5 reminds us to not forget God’s benefits, such as forgiveness of our iniquities and healing of our diseases. Is the blood of Jesus enough to forgive you of all your sins? We should not be under condemnation. God convicts because He loves us, but Satan condemns. Satan wants to take away the Word of faith and God in you. He knows the blood of Jesus defeated him, but he does not want you to know it. Greater is He who is in you. You will have a fight with Satan, when you agree with God’s Word. The three most important things to do are 1) be born again, 2) be baptized in the Holy Spirit, and 3) (Romans 12:1, 2) and be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Think like the Father. Be a participator and give God glory every day. The kingdom is in you (Romans 14:17). Righteousness, joy, and peace are in you. Do not waste His blood. Do not fellowship with demons by complaining and murmuring. The Greater One lives in you. You are an atmosphere-changer. Take Jesus wherever you go. You touch people in your sphere of influence who need Jesus. You kids and others are watching you. You have what you need for victory. Karen shared her goals at the beginning of the year to hear God more clearly and to be more like Jesus. God convicted her of something that she needed to lay on the altar. God told her that He is most interested in her journey to reach her goal. Every day He encourages her (and us) in righteousness, joy, and peace. God told her He would teach her how to reach her goals, that it would be full of adjustments, and that she would learn by her mistakes. God is interested in our learning how to keep what we receive from Him, whether it is healing or something we knew He wanted us to do. Allow Him to teach you how to do what you need by His Word. Truth moves facts; facts are subject to change. The Word is forever settled in heaven. Your circumstances have to change according to the Word. He has delivered us from destruction (Psalm 103:4). He has crowned us with loving kindness and tender mercies. We represent Him. He satisfies our mouths with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagles. Eat live food in the natural and let your words be speaking life. When we complain, we fuel the enemy. Instead, speak out loud the Word. Every time you confess weakness, disease, or failure you magnify the enemy above the Father, and you destroy your confidence in the Word. Do not have two confessions: one that is assenting to the Word and a different one that confesses pain, etc. That second confession nullifies the first. The fight of faith is to gain mastery over your confession. Satan does not know what you think, but he does hear what you say. Scriptures: 2 Corinthians4:13 (I believe, therefore I spoke.); Psalm 118:17 (I shall live and not die and declare the works of the Lord.); Romans 4:17 (Call those things that be not as though they were.); Psalm 91:12 (God is my refuge.); James 4:7 (Submit to God; resist (speak against) Satan, and he must flee.). Our tool of victory is our mouths. Talk more out loud My Word. God looks over His Word to perform it.
Marriage Walking in Love – April 19
1 Corinthians 13. Husbands and wives, remember and do these four things: 1) The answer to every question in your marriage can be answered by Christ and the church. 2) New Covenant Christians have one law: the law of love (John 13:34-35). We are to love one another as Christ loved us. He loved us by giving His life. What is love? It is a choice, an act of your will. Choose to act in love. You can love someone, but still get feelings of hate or whatever. What is not love? It is not a feeling, but it produces feelings. It is not sex, but sex can be an expression of love. All the other gifts work by the better way, which is love (1 Corinthians 12:31). You can speak and pray in tongues, but without love, it is like a noise (1 Corinthians 13:1). You can have strong faith, but without love, it does not work. Love in the home should reflect Christ and the church. GOD IS LOVE. FAITH WORKS BY LOVE. If your faith is not working, check out your love-walk. Love suffers long, is kind, does not envy, and does not fail. It means I will endure with you, act properly toward you. 3) Giving. The greatest expression of love is giving. A person who loves forgoes their own comfort for that of the other person. Love is not conceited, does not behave improperly, does not seek its own, and rejoices in what is right. It is not about who is right, but what is right. Discern when to keep your mouth shut. Love never gives up, because God is love. Hope is expectation with pleasure. Love is the gateway to God. There is no defense against love, which means that Satan is powerless against love. Love is a commandment and a spiritual force. You give access for someone when you walk in love toward them.
Are You Homesick – April 12
We are part of a heavenly kingdom. Being homesick means a longing for something that is familiar or is a part of you but is missing and nothing else can replace it. Is there anything in you that is replacing God’s kingdom in you? God does not want us to be lukewarm or distracted so that we lose our homesickness for heaven. We are vessels to be used for God and His kingdom here. We can have heaven here because we have Jesus in us. Are we homesick, or are we comfortable? Live a lifestyle that puts you out of your comfort zone. If you are homesick, it is harder to sin and to fall away from God. Matthew 6:19-24 tells us to lay up our treasure in heaven. Your eye is the lamp of the body. You can not serve God and deceit, money, and riches. Pursue God over success. Now is not the time to be comfortable. The times Christ was the most opposed were the times His ministry was the most powerful. The church is not the church it is supposed to be. Christians must be homesick. When the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah were taken over, there was a time of revival when Josiah brought out the books of the Law and tore down the idols of the false gods. There were some people from that time who wanted to serve God and to know His Word, such as Daniel. He and numerous other intelligent men who served God were taken by King Nebuchadnezzar to be trained. The purpose was to brainwash them with worldly knowledge, and lead them away from God. This would cause the other Jews to be led astray, too. This did not happen because one man, Daniel, did not go with the plan. He went with godliness, and the king’s heart was changed. If you give your life to Jesus, the light in you will not die. How do other people see you? Lukewarm; beating them over the head with the Bible? Show people you truly care about them. Let God’s love radiate in you. The Holy Spirit in you changes the atmosphere in a room. Do they know you as a citizen of God’s kingdom? Can they recognize you by your fruit? Why would people want to be in church if the church is like the world? We are to profess the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:9-11 says that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. If you are comfortable, you will not want to change and make a stand against the antichrist. Why are so many pastors preaching about marriage? God wants people to see unconditional love. True marriage is to see the true church. In Acts they sold everything to provide the needs in the community. What is mine is yours. They showed unconditional, godly love. How do we do that? By the Holy Spirit in us. He is our empowerment. Be obedient to the Holy Spirit, and give up comfort to be homesick. Remind yourself who you are in Christ everyday. God loves you.
Resurrection’s Now Reality – April 5
Pastor Sydney read Ephesians 2. We are members of God’s household. He dwells in each one of us. Resurrection is a now reality. He is alive in me. Karen Burrows’ sermon message: Colossians 1:12-14 says that God takes us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God. Jesus was the firstborn of many sons. I am of God. We are called to be a testimony of God (Colossians 1:25-28). He made known the mystery, which is Christ in me, the hope of glory. The Jehovah Witnesses do not believe that Jesus came into our my flesh. Galatians 2:20 also notes that Christ lives in me. He gave His life for me. We are to behold the new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Think upon the resurrection power that is in you. Walk in the Spirit of truth. Romans 6:11; Romans 8:37. Are you still thinking the old thoughts? Satan wants to know if you know he is defeated. You are a child of God. Renew your mind (Romans 12:1-2). God is pleased with you because of the righteousness of Christ in you. I present my body as a living sacrifice. My Father is God. Do not think like the world, but change the way you think. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Discern between good and wrong thoughts. You can come against temptation like Jesus did, by declaring what the Word says. To do that you need to know the Word (Joshua 1:8). Get into the Word everyday. The Body of Christ needs to rise up in the resurrection power. We are all valuable pieces of a puzzle. The love of God is in our hearts. He was long-suffering, and so can you be. You are seated in a place of authority. Ephesians 1 tells us that God has blessed us with spiritual blessings. You are adopted and accepted. Adopted children are taken in at a higher level of love. We are loved by the Father. We are in relationship with God. He lives in us. We are delivered from the power of the enemy. The devil has nothing over us (Ephesians 6:12). We have the authority and power. We pray the will of the Father. Successful prayer is saying to the Father what is in the Word. Speak the word that addresses your problem. Symptoms are a lie from hell. Present the truth to the Father and agree with the Word. Declare: I am coming out of this! Debt? Repent and speak the Word. Make the word a vital reality in your life. The more you sow, the more you become like the image of God. He has given us the right to be the children of God. He has redeemed us from the curse of the law. Believe and do it.
Who Are You Following – March 29
Hebrews 6:12 “that you do not become slothful, but follow those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Apostle Dale told of being 23 years old and speaking to a group of influential Christians in Washington, D. C. The Lord told him to speak on Hebrews 6:12, and he told the group, “Stop following parked cars.” There was a handicapped woman at the meeting. She felt something happening in her body and when Dale told her to do something she could not do before, she bent over, and everyone was amazed. She had had a metal rod in her back. A homosexual man was delivered, and another man was filled with the Spirit. Be a follower, but ask yourself, “Who am I following?” Do not be slothful, lazy, living without motivation. The source of a lack of motivation is caused by not following or by whom you are or are not following. If you lack self-motivation, stick close to someone who has it. Not everyone is a leader. You can tell a lot about people by the books they read, whom they associate with, and whom they are following. If you are not evangelizing anyone, you are not following Jesus. Focus on Him. Be a follower of Jesus. Follow people who get results. Following means obedience and conformity. If you want a greater prayer life, get close to someone who prays with results. Be like Elisha with Elijah. Joshua was in the background with Moses. You inherit something when you are a descendant; you are following someone. You did not work for what you inherit, but you followed the person. God is not into the styles and fads of the church. Do not follow fads. Patience is the ability to stay constant under pressure. Fads change. Do not keep looking for the “new thing”. Find people who are full of faith and patience. Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God. If faith is not in what you are doing, it does not please God and others. You are healed to heal and blessed to be a blessing.
Worship Makes You Whole” (“One Out of Ten Worships God – March 22
In Luke 17:12-19 we read of ten lepers who cried out to Jesus. They yelled, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” Jesus told them to go and show themselves to the priest, and as they went, they were cleansed. “Cleansed” here means cauterized; their wounds were cauterized, burned to close the wounds up. It was stopping the disease. One of them, when he saw that he was healed, glorified God and worshiped and thanked Jesus, and he was a Samaritan. If He told them to go to the priest, why would He not expect them to keep on going? The others were healed. The one who was healed realized Who was responsible for his healing. Jesus did not say they others were not healed. They were, and they still did not glorify God. Are we glorifying God when He blesses and heals us? He was made whole (sozo), which means wholeness, health, soundness, salvation. The praise secret is to glorify the Lord. Be the one out of the ten. The first key of worship is to turn back and remember and write down what God has done for you. Turn back to Jesus. The second secret is to use a LOUD voice, use your mouth to praise the Lord ALOUD! Glorifying God is not listening to worship music or watching other people worship Him. Use your own mouth and praise Him. The man who was healed used a loud voice at Jesus’ feet. You cannot doubt and shout at the same time. Apostle Dale told of rescuing Gene Olon after he was beaten up in Romania and twenty-five percent of his brain was dead. The atmosphere when he was with him was so heavy, but the breakthrough came when he praised the Lord. In Luke 18:38-43 a blind man cried out to Jesus, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Did you notice both the lepers and the blind man greeted Him similarly and pleaded for mercy, not for healing? Apostle Dale told of a time he needed money to pay for the motel room when he was in sales and how God came through for him. Apostle Dale worship the Lord and praised Him aloud. Worship is not music. It comes out of your heart. Glorify God. Sickness never glorifies God. Worship is an act of your heart.
Marriage – March 15
In our marriages we can get caught up in the moment, but we need to ask ourselves, “How important is this?”, especially in the light of eternity. The role of the husband is to be the love enforcer, and the wife is to be his helper. (Ephesians 5:22-28) There are four things to remember and to do that will answer every question about marriage. Pastor Syd was able to teach about two of these. #1) How we should relate to one another is love, as Christ loved the church (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:2). Love is more important than faith. #2) There is one law under the New Covenant, and that is, as believers, to love one another (Matthew 22:35-39; Romans 13:8-10; 1 John 3:23-24; John 13:34). Believe in the name of Jesus Christ and love one another just as He has loved you, even more than you love yourself. Jesus laid down His life. The sign that you are a believer is how you honor and prefer others. Love your enemies. Home should not be a place to flesh out. If you do not want to be “fleshy”, renew your mind as soon as you get up in the morning. Love is a choice. You choose to love, even when you feel hate. We were Christ’s enemy, but He chose to love us. Choose to love. The feelings will come. Love is not a feeling. Sex is not love. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:3-8). You can choose to walk in love. Do not act like you feel, but base yourself on the Word.
Marriage – March 8
Genesis 3:11-24 tells of God’s cursing the serpent, the woman in childbirth, and the land that man would take care of, after Adam and Eve sinned. Genesis 1:28-31 is about God’s creating man in His image. The unsaved still live under the curse of the law. With faith, all curses can be broken. Man’s original role was to work and keep watch over the land. He was to nurture, plant, work, and care for (Genesis 2:4-15). God told the man not to eat of the tree of good and evil. Eve had not been formed or created at that time. The right to name the animals took authority. There was no helper for man, so God took one of Adam’s ribs and made woman. Women’s role before the fall was to be a helper and an aide. Both Adam and Eve had equal authority before the fall. God formed the male and fashioned the female. Man was to watch over the garden, and it was up to him to take authority. Eve stepped out of her “aide” role. Adam did not protect her, but chose to follow her rather than to follow God, which was idolatry (Genesis 3:1-9). God called to the man, because he was to be the responsible one. The role of the husband is to be the head of the home. He is to protect his wife. The role of the wife is to be his helper. Adam did not try to stop Eve. He followed her rather than God, which was idolatry. Husbands, how will you answer: “Why didn’t I do what I was supposed to do?” Wives, how will you answer: “Why didn’t I operate in the role God created me for?” The wives should only read Ephesians 5:22-24. Husbands should only read Ephesians 5:25-33. The husband’s role is to love his wife, take leadership, and ask himself: “What would love (Christ) do?” Wives, Christ compares you to the Church. You should ask: “How should I (the Church) respond to Christ (my husband)?”
Marriage That Reflects Christ – March 1
Our thinking and beliefs sometimes can filter what we hear in a way that changes truth. It is extremely important that we hear correctly and use the Word correctly. Heed how you hear. We need to compare Scripture with Scripture. If we just read Galatians 3:28 out of context and without comparing it with other Scriptures, we can distort what God is saying. Lord, show us truth. In 1 Peter 3:7 husbands and wives are said to be co-heirs. There is rank in the home, but there is also equal value to each of the married pair. In James 3 we find there are four kinds of wisdom: godly, earthly, sensual, and demonic. Romans 1:18-32 gives a description that easily could be for the time we are in. It tells about people with darkened hearts, trading truth for lies, being ungodly and unrighteous, being wise in their own eyes, worshiping and serving the created things rather than the Creator, not glorifying God, being unthankful, not using their bodies the way God intended them to be used, being disobedient, etc. Hollywood wants to make homosexuality seem natural and normal. A darkened mind will believe sinful ways are truth. We will look at marriage from the standpoint of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:24-32, 22-24, and 33).
Marriage That Reflects Christ – Feb 15
There are so many wrong beliefs about marriage, many from our society. Many people are not as interested in truth as much as they are in knowing that what they believe is true. For example, when Pastor Syd became filled with the Spirit, everything that he believed before needed to be looked at to determine if it was correct. Does it line up with what the Word says. We need to love truth. Lord, show us truth, and we will get rid of the pre-conceived ideas. Allow the Spirit to take the Word and bring it to life in your marriage. A humble person acknowledges that my perspective maybe isn’t right (2 Chronicles 7:12-14). Seeking the Lord starts at home. What happens in the home impacts the church and then the nation. The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. The singular cause for the decline of this nation comes out of the home. We need to turn from our wicked ways. The home should reflect Christ and the church. The marriage unit has always been the last wall to fall before judgment takes place in a nation. The marriage unit is critical for the church to be what it is called to be and for our nation to survive and be effective. The second important point is that every question and concern about marriage can be answered in Christ’s relationship with the Church. How should I respond to my wife in this situation? The answer is, “How would Christ respond to the Church?” The marriage unit reflects Christ and the Church. Some Scriptures are misquoted or taken out of context. For example, people sometimes take Galatians 3:28 out of the context of the rights to things of the kingdom in verses 19 – 4:7. It can be taken and misapplied and opens the door for the enemy to do more harm. The idea of marriage being 50/50 is not Scriptural. Our marriages should reflect Christ and the Church. Homosexual relations are wrong (1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10). Satan does not care if he gets a woman in the ditch on one side or the other: “under a man’s thumb” as seen in some repressive religions or as seen in the Women’s Lib movement, which is bondage packaged as freedom and is geared at breaking down the leadership of the man. God wants women free. Ephesians 5:22-33. Keep thinking and reflecting Christ and the Church. Anything that is not truth is bondage, because the truth sets us free. Sin is pleasurable for a season, but then comes the bondage. Determine to structure your marriage as the Word says it should be. If we need to change something, we will.
A Heart After God – Feb 8
Text: Joshua 5:13-6:1. Even though the Israelites knew they were going to the Promised Land, they still had to fight to take it. Even those who believed Joshua and Caleb’s report had to go through the wilderness. The victory at Jericho was the beginning of taking back what the Lord had for them. It took obedience and faith with a willing heart. Jeremiah 33 is about God’s covenant to David, stating that David would never fail to have a man sitting on the throne, and that is Jesus. We have been grafted into the house of Israel. Joel 2:28-3:21 is about God’s promising the Holy Spirit and His pronouncement of judgment. Amos 9:11-15 is God’s declaration of restoration. This is the time when the harvesters overtake the sowers. Brother Ron Cohn: encouraged us to go up to a new level. He shared about the two swords mentioned in the Bible. There is the sword of the enemy, of death, of darkness, and of conflict without solution. The other sword is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. This Sword of the Spirit will bring life or death, death if you lack experience and discipline and use it as religion. The degree of your effectiveness in this world and success as a child of God will depend on how disciplined and trained and skillful you are in using the Word of God. It is a sword. You need to know how to use the Sword so that it severs, separates, brings healing, and ministers. God placed cherubim at the east gate of the Garden of Eden and a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:23-24). The flaming sword is a type of the Spirit and the Word of God. The typologies of the Spirit in the Bible are oil, water, wind, and fire. Typology means sketches, outlines, hints. The Gospel books are transition books. The New Testament from Acts to Revelation has only some typologies. The flaming sword turned eight ways. We are to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). Do not seek experiences. You will have experiences because you serve God. Seek the Word, the Sword of the Spirit.
Prophetic Conference – The Gifts of the Spirit – Feb 7
Sermon texts: 1 Corinthians 12:28-13:2; 1 Corinthians 14. All members of Christ’s body are unique and express different things. We need to respect and receive from them and their differences. Apostles lay the foundation, and then prophets come, then teachers, and after that, in the perspective of time, miracles. Apostle Dale shared about Ron Cohn and how the visions that God showed him brought about a woman’s healing in Dale’s church. A special speaker, Ron Bruce, came to Pastor Dale’s church in Titusville. By inspiration of the Holy Spirit Ron had a “tongues check” (to see who spoke in tongues), and as strange as it was, a “dragged to church husband” got saved as a result. The Holy Spirit moves through His body in different ways, and just like parents love all their children even though each one is different from the other, we need to love one another in the body of Christ. Follow after charity, desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. Prophecy has the greatest capacity for blessing the church, because it contributes to body life. It is important to be in family. Paul says to let all things be done. Do not be afraid to let go of your “form”. Let go of the flesh. You have to desire spiritual gifts. You can have as much of God as you want. The best gift is the one you need at the time. Desire calls for a gift. Why did Jesus use a miracle to get a place prepared for the Last Supper? It is written, “With great desire, I have desired to eat this meal with you.” Daniel was called, “Oh man of great desire.” Be passionate. Even better than desire is love. Love first, and then desire. There will always be things missing in your life if you do not have the prophetic. Prophecy edifies, exhorts, and comforts. Concerning women prophesying: Paul was responding to a letter previously written. The comment about not allowing women to speak in a meeting (1 Corinthians 14:34-35) was not Paul’s view, but the view of the people who had written to him. Paul’s response was in verses 36-40. He was saying, “Let all things be done”, including women prophesying, but let it be done decently and in order. Acts 2:17-18 states that daughters and maidservants will have the Spirit poured out on them. (There was ministry to Apostle Dale and the congregation concerning the USA, the Landisville Campgrounds, and Apostle Dale’s commission. There was a time of prayer after the declaration of 2 Chronicles 7:14.) (At the beginning of the service Jay Stoltzfus shared visions that the Lord gave him this week: angels with a large container of oil, fire- some people are not ready for it, and light- the glory of God.)