FEAR OF THE LORD LEADS TO OBEDIENCE

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This message is for ministers/pastors/leaders:

To build Christians that will stand strong and stay the course, leaders will need to not only to teach sound doctrine, but even more importantly, be a godly example and live a sanctified life of fidelity to the truth, thus helping to mature the saints. Ministers and especially pastors/shepherds will, like leaders in the Book of Acts, need to share their lives with their flock, and therefore, teach more by their life example perhaps than anything else.

In Jesus’ parable (Matt. 7:24-27) He uses a storm, signifying the pressures, hardships and trials of life, as well as the persecutions we will suffer for the gospel, as a measuring gauge for how solid our foundation is. And what is our foundation based upon? Jesus taught us that it is based upon doing His sayings. Obedience is the issue. “”Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). Obedience, not lip service, is what God requires.

Have you ever thought about what gives us the strength and fuel to obey God? Why are some people obedient and some are not? Why are some doers of the Word and some are not? Why do some people stay faithful to God and remain true while others do not? Why do some start this Christian race but never finish? What is it that causes us to endure to the end (Matt. 24:13)?

I would like to suggest that it is the fear of the Lord. Obedience to the Lord is not only proof of your love for Him (John 14:21), but also of your fear of Him. There’s been an emphasis on love, although we’ve fallen short of the full counsel of God in that area, too, but there has not been nearly as much of an emphasis on the fear of the Lord. It takes both of them to produce a strong constitution in your Christian life. Notice in the following two different translations how the love of obedience in Jesus was rooted in the fear of the Lord. They are identical. Or a better way to say it would be that the manifestation of the fear of the Lord is obedience to His Word and His commandments.

“And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.” Isaiah 11:3 ESV

“He will delight in obeying the Lord.” Isaiah 11:3 NLT

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; Proverbs 24:3

If we build our lives and homes on the true wisdom and knowledge of God that comes from the foundation of the fear of the Lord, we need not fear the storm, because we will stand.

Paul’s Great Desire

One of the apostle Paul’s greatest burdens was this very thing: that the people He ministered to would stand firm in their faith and remain obedient to God even in the midst of the troubles and persecutions of his day. Other New Testament writers shared the same burden.

Paul’s great desire was that the people he taught would not falter under pressure, lest his work be useless or his labour be in vain. Notice his great concern for the Thessalonian saints (1 Thess. 3:1-9). He had warned them of the troubles that would soon come. In his farewell speech to the Ephesian elders, he warned them of the same troubles (Acts 20:25-31). To the Galatians and the Hebrews he did the same, warning them not to turn back to the Law. He was preparing them for the storm and the persecution they would receive from preaching the cross and paying the price to follow Jesus. Warnings are such a large part of the Scriptural admonition that Paul and the other New Testament writers gave to the churches. Today there is a glaring absence of these warnings in our preaching.

Here are some more scripture warnings: Matthew 7:15, 10:17, 24:4-5, 24:11-13, 24:24; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 12:1, 15; Acts 20:29-31; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10:12, 11:3; Galatians 6:7; Ephesians 5:6, Philippians 3:2, 18; Colossians 1:28, 2:8; 1 Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 2:1-3, 4:1; 2 Peter 1:10, 3:17.

Fellow minister and preacher, how well are you preparing yourself and your people for the storm? Are you teaching them the whole counsel of God or catering to itching ears? Are you including the warnings in your preaching? Are you preaching on only the goodness and mercy of God, or do you also preach on His severity, wrath and judgments? Are you only preaching on the love of God, or do you place emphasis on His holiness too? Do you ever preach on sin and repentance? Are your concepts of the love of God and the grace of God accurate and in accordance with Scripture?

If not, then Paul warns, we may be guilty of the blood of men: “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not keep from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. …. Therefore watch, remembering that for three years night and day I did not cease to warn everyone with tears” (Acts 20:26-27, 31).

Make sure you are preparing yourselves and those whom God has entrusted to you for the storm. Oh, how much stronger our churches would be if we included these things in our preaching and teaching and living them out before the people!

extracted from message by Bert M. Farias, revivalist and founder of Holy Fire Ministries, 

TIME TO STAND STRONG AND STAY THE COURSE

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Francis Chan speaks to pastors, realising there is an urgency at this time to challenge leaders of the need to be courageous and fearless, and to prepare their flock for the coming of the Lord. Of the need to stay on course, despite the tragic end times events that are unfolding. Don’t judge those outside the church, but we do need to judge those inside the church.

He takes us to 2 Timothy 3. In the last days there will come times of great difficulty, people will be lovers of self, “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”, even having the appearance of godliness.

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3;1-7

He really challenges these pastors:

  • about loving their flock, as Jesus prayed to His Father that they would be one as we are one. Why? So that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
  • about teaching the truth of God’s Word.
  • about the truth of what can be achieved with the Holy Spirit.

 

THIS FALSE BELIEF IS THE ROOT OF THE CHURCH’S PROBLEMS

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Francis Chan believes the modern church has an outreach problem. We pray and intercede with fervour for miracles and the supernatural—and yet few of us take that same passion into outreach ministry. Worse yet, he says, we rely on our own power to save people, believing we can do anything to persuade someone more or less to Christ. He diagnoses the problem—and offers a persuasive answer—in this sermon. Pastor’s you need to see this message. It will be 20 minutes invested in eternal life.

PREPARE FOR PERSECUTION AS YOU STAND ON THE AUTHORITY OF GOD’S WORD

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Paul provides the model of how to behave in the dark days ahead and how to finish strongly. Jesus told us that in the “last days” the love of many will grow cold. There will be a great falling away in the church (Apostasy), even the elect deceived.

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Note many friends will leave you as they did Paul, “Demas in love with this present world has deserted me.” If you are doing God’s will, many will harm you as they did Paul “Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm”. In fact, Paul says, “no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me.” BUT Paul also says, “the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the (GOSPEL) message might be fully proclaimed and all the gentiles might hear it. 

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. At my first defence no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:6-18

IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP AND WATCH OUT!

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This article by our Singaporean brother in Christ, Jonathan Heng is relevant for today, particularly his acknowledgement that the Word of God is under attack like never before. As a result, the prophesied apostasy in the church is upon us.

“Friends, we need to understand the times we live in. The church ought to be a beacon of truth and light. Yet there is so much spiritual apathy and lethargy! We need the person and power of Holy Spirit to awaken us, and make us alive in Christ. We need to come before God with fear and trembling. Today, many preachers attempt to amuse and entertain the crowds. Fewer and fewer would preach on repentance and surrender. A true minister must allow the Holy Spirit to have His way. The great need of this hour is a revival of the Holy Spirit’s power.

When we are ablaze with the Spirit, we will hunger for the Word, which has the power to wash and cleanse us. The Word of God is under attack today. Often, the assault is not outright, but subtle. The danger is to add to, or subtract from the Word. We need to get back to declaring the whole counsel of God’s Word. Not mixtures. Not half truth and half falsehood, but we must speak the truth in love.

As we are filled with the Spirit and the Word, we will be watchful and sober, spiritually speaking. Watch out! Be alert! We have a responsibility to guard the truth! Defend the doctrines of our faith! Be ready for the rapture! Watch and pray! At the same time, occupy till He comes! Be in the business of winning souls! The priority of the church is to fulfill the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus is coming soon! While we are still alive today, let us ask God not for temporal earthly treasures but for eternal treasures!”

For online resources from Jonathan visit: jonathanheng.com and whgoc.com

A WATERSHED END TIMES EVENT – PART TWO

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On December 13th, the heads of state and top officials from Islamic nations gathered together at an emergency summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Turkey, in an attempt to forge a unified Muslim world stance against Trump’s move.

The Istanbul gathering of heads of state and top officials from the 57-member OIC could offer a strong response by the Muslim world to Washington’s move.

Abbas says America’s role in middle east peace process is over

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan— the current president of the OIC — called on countries to urgently recognise the Palestinian state and Jerusalem as its capital.

Erdogan has been among the most vocal critics of Trump’s announcement. In remarks to the summit, he said Israel is an “occupying state” and a “terror state.”

Palestinian Authority head, Abbas, called Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital a “crime” that threatened world peace.

These bizarre statements explains why there already has been three major battles by these Muslim nations in an attempt to destroy Israel. Miraculously, Israel won them all despite overwhelming odds. Sadly, Jesus prophecies a coming battle during the prophesied 70th week of Daniel which Israel does not win. It is before His prophesied return to earth to restore Israel after the final battle of Armageddon.

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfil all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Luke 21:20-24

Are you living as if we are in the prophesied “last days”? Are you in a church that understands the times and is raising up disciples to reach the lost? As you would know from reading my posts, I believe the last days church will be like the church described in the Book of Acts. Leaders such as Francis Chan and Torben Sondergaard are leading the way in this regard. With the Holy Spirit’s prompting, one further step I have taken is to connect with like minded Christian brothers to provide sermons and videos which will equip the “last days” church for the escalating tribulation that is prophesied. Take a look at the website, which is a work in progress, http://www.powerpointsermons.net  and the resources already there. Feedback is welcome and please sign up to get a regular Newsletter. Also, please get the word around to churches that could benefit from the resources that are there, and will continue to be added, as we connect with more Christian leaders that can contribute resources to the site.

 

 

END TIMES SIGN – ECONOMIC COLLAPSE

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A “LAST DAYS” PROPHETIC EVENT IS UPON US AS ECONOMISTS REALISE THE WORLD’S DEBT IS BEYOND RECOVERY. THE WORLD HAS NEVER BEEN AS INDEBTED AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.

 

In the month of October, 2017 alone, the US national debt has soared by nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars.

The government of the largest, most important economy in the world is completely, woefully bankrupt. And its rate of decline is accelerating.

You’d think this would be on the front page of every major newspaper in the world. But it’s not. It’s shrugged off as par for the course, as if accumulating historic levels of debt is somehow consequence-free. And this complacency is what I find the MOST bizarre. Consider the following: the US government spends nearly the ENTIRETY of its tax revenue on Social Security, Medicare, and Interest on the Debt. Throw in national defence spending and the budget deficit is already hundreds of billions of dollars.

The only realistic way out is for the US government to eventually capitulate… and default. 

This could mean selectively defaulting on holders of US debt (for example– the Chinese, Japanese, Federal Reserve, Social Security Trust Fund, etc.);  one day Uncle Sam simply stops paying.

Or it could mean defaulting on promises made to citizens, like providing a strong national defense, maintaining a stable currency, or paying out Social Security benefits as advertised.

Each of these scenarios has its own particular consequences, ranging from steep inflation to a full-blown global financial crisis.

Bottom line, there is no possible rosy scenario here for the USA and Europe is in a worse debt crisis.  As the global economy is interrelated, if major trading blocks like the Eurozone or countries like the US or China go into recession, it’s likely to affect economic growth around the world.

Sadly, as Jesus prophesied  in the last days there would be a great falling away in the church, even the elect being deceived. This is most evident in the denominational church which is compromising with the world on issues such as gay marriage, homosexual leaders in the church, evolution and billions of years.

Make sure you are in a Bible believing church that understands we are in the “last days” and is equipping the Saints to bring in the harvest. As the world gets darker our light will shine brighter. Our joy and hope in the Lord will be evident and the power of God on display with healing and miracles following. Live eternal NOW.

CHURCH HAS LOST FAITH IN THE SUPERNATURAL

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Great message from Francis Chan on what the church has lost and how we need to take it back from the enemy. Knowing what God promises is the key. Supernatural power is available when we are in God’s will. We need church like in the Book of Acts when Holy Spirit power was evident. Sharing possessions like the church in the Book of Acts. The church is one, like Jesus prayed to the Father for, so the world would believe.

BIGGEST THREAT TO CHRISTIANITY IN THE 21st CENTURY.

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The biggest threat to Christianity in the modern day comes from within, a panel of theologians said at an event hosted by Ligonier Ministries on Tuesday evening to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.

The panel of theologians at the Ligonier Ministries event “Reformation 500 Celebration” on Tuesday, October 30, 2017. Left to right: Chris Larson, president and CEO of Ligonier Ministries; Stephen J. Nichols, president of Reformation Bible College; Sinclair Ferguson, teaching fellow and Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary; and Derek W.H. Thomas, senior minister at the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina, and professor at Reformed Theological Seminary.

Sinclair Ferguson, Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, responded that the greatest threat is “probably Christianity in this century.”

“That’s a greater threat than Islam. Christendom is a far greater threat to Christianity than Islam is. Islam can never destroy the Gospel, but Christendom can easily destroy the Gospel and is destroying the Gospel,” said Ferguson, adding, “the Church is the greatest threat to real Christianity in the world. God help us.”

“Especially with the Church in America, we have far too casual a view of God and that might be right at the centre of some of our theological malaise,” noted Nichols.

They stated the truth, but what they failed to say is that the majority of church denominations and Bible Colleges in the USA no longer hold to the inerrancy of Scripture, particularly the foundational book of the Bible – GENESIS. The acceptance of Evolution and billions of years history for the universe totally undermines the foundations laid in Genesis and its history of the Cosmos. Moreover, we should not be surprised as the Bible tells us that in the “last days” apostasy is rife – “there will be a great falling away”.

A NEW CHURCH REFORMATION NEEDED SAYS JOHN LEE GRADY

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The following article by John Lee Grady for Charisma Magazine outlines great reforms needed in the church. What it does not address is what Francis Chan is heralding; we need to get back to church as it is outlined in the Book of Acts. Francis discovered that you can’t train up disciples who will be committed to the great commission in a church of thousands, even hundreds. Moreover, the cost of buildings and paid staff is better off being spent on outreach to our communities.

Image result for picture of Martin Luther nailing Theses to door in Wittenberg

In honour of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, I’m (John Lee Grady) offering my own list of needed reforms in the modern charismatic/Pentecostal movement. And since I can’t hammer these on the Wittenberg door, I’ll post them online. Feel free to nail them everywhere.

  1. Let’s reform our theology. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is God and He is holy. He is not an “it.” He is not a blob, a force or an innate power. We must stop manipulating Him, commanding Him and throwing Him around. (And we should also stop ignoring Him, as if He is an optional “add-on” to our scripted agendas.)
  1. Let’s return to the Bible. The Word of God is the foundation for the Christian experience. Any exotic experience must be tested by the Word and the Holy Spirit’s discernment. Visions, dreams, prophecies and encounters with angels must be in line with Scripture. If we don’t measure them against Scripture, we could end up spreading deception.
  1. It’s time for personal responsibility. We charismatics must stop blaming everything on demons. People are usually the problem.
  1. Stop playing charismatic games. Spiritual warfare is a reality, but we are not going to win the world to Jesus just by shouting at demonic principalities. We must pray, preach and persevere to see ultimate victory.
  1. Stop the foolishness. People who hit, slap or push others during prayer should be asked to sit down until they learn that gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
  1. End all spiritual extortion now. Christian television ministries must cease and desist from all manipulative fundraising tactics. We must stop giving platforms to prosperity preachers who make outlandish claims of supernatural financial returns, especially when Scripture is twisted, deadlines are imposed and the poor are exploited.
  1. No more Lone Rangers. Those who claim to be ministers of God—whether they are traveling evangelists, local pastors or heads of ministries—must be accountable to other leaders. Any who refuse to submit their lives to godly discipline should be corrected.
  1. Expose the creeps. Preachers who have been hiding criminal records, lying about their past marriages, preying on women or refusing to pay child support should be exposed as charlatans and shunned if they do not repent.
  1. Stop faking the anointing. God is God, and He does not need our “help” to manifest Himself. That means we don’t sprinkle glitter on ourselves to suggest God’s glory is with us, hide fake jewels on the floor to prove we are anointed or pull feathers out of our sleeves to pretend angels are in the room. This is lying to the Holy Spirit.
  1. Let’s return to purity. We’ve had enough scandals. The charismatic church must develop a system for the restoration of fallen ministers. Those who fall morally can be restored, but they must be willing to submit to a process of healing rather than rushing immediately back into the pulpit to cause more damage.
  1. We need humility. Ministers who demand celebrity treatment, require lavish salaries, insist on titles or exhibit aloofness from others are guilty of spiritual pride. Christians should avoid prideful leaders instead of rewarding them with applause.
  1. No more big shots. Apostles are the bondslaves of Christ and should be the most impeccable models of humility. True apostles do not wield top-down, hierarchical authority over the church. They serve the church from the bottom up as true servants.
  1. Never promote gifts at the expense of character. Those who operate in prophecy, healing and miracles must also exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit. And while we continue to encourage the gift of tongues, let’s make sure we don’t treat it like some kind of badge of superiority. The world needs to see our love, not our glossolalia.
  1. Hold the prophets accountable. Those who refuse to take responsibility for inaccurate statements should not be given platforms. And “prophets” who live immoral lives don’t deserve a public voice.
  1. Stop the politics. Our deadly mixing of nationalism and party politics with the gospel has diluted our message and ruined our credibility. We are not Democrats or Republicans first—we are followers of the Lamb. Our allegiance is to Jesus, not Trump or Obama. Christ’s kingdom transcends presidents.
  1. Quit trying to be so cool. Our desire to be popular has ruined our witness. Today we care more about our giant LED screens, our coffee bars and our stage lighting than whether people have an experience with the Holy Spirit.
  1. No more racial division. Let’s get rid of the idea of a “black church” or a “white church.” There is only one body of Christ, yet we pretend we are integrated if one person of color serves on our greeter team. True Pentecost is multicultural. The Holy Spirit builds bridges, not walls.
  1. Let’s make the main thing the main thing. The purpose of the Holy Spirit’s anointing is to empower us to reach others. We are at a crossroads today: Either we continue entertaining people with our charismatic sideshows or we throw ourselves into evangelism, church planting, missions, discipleship, and compassionate ministry that helps the poor and fights injustice. Churches that embrace this New Reformation will stop trying to please the crowd so they can focus on God’s priorities.

J. Lee Grady was editor of Charisma for 11 years before he launched into full-time ministry in 2010. Today he directs The Mordecai Project, a Christian charitable organisation that is taking the healing of Jesus to women and girls who suffer abuse and cultural oppression.