tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57734365964162638512024-03-13T14:04:49.659-07:00Shepherd's BlogWORDS OF HOPE AND STRENGTHChaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.comBlogger270125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-50775521552714657052024-01-08T06:13:00.000-08:002024-01-08T06:13:17.998-08:00Fence Walkers<p> Revelation 3:14-16, “And to the angel of the church of the
Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness,
the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are
neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because
you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">You will hear a lot these days
about change you can believe in. I want to talk about change God can believe
in. We always say, "I believe in God," but did you know that God
believes in you too? And whenever you confess your sins and become born again,
then that’s when God wants to believe in you the most. Our text tells us that
it literally sickens God whenever we can’t make up our minds. Do we want to
serve God? Do we want a part-time salvation? Or will we commit to His fullness
and be obedient to His word?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">What does your life look like? Are
you lukewarm? Are you hot or on fire for God? Or has your desire for Him grown
cold and only now and then "fires" up? I believe it all begins with
genuine repentance. Are you truly sorry whenever you sin? Have you changed
since you were saved? Or do you feel guilty now whenever you sin? What is the
fruit of your salvation? If you’ve just recently been saved, can your friends
see a difference in your life? There needs to be a change that we all can
believe in!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Here’s a fact of life.....change is
inevitable. That’s right, we are going to change whether we want to or not.
Don’t believe me? Pull out some pictures of yourself from last Christmas. Have
you changed? I have! A little fatter, a little greyer. Things change even when
we don’t want them to. Not all changes are good! Some changes are for the
better...some are not. Some grow "hotter" in God. Some cool off and
go from lukewarm to cold. So, we have to be aware that change will occur and
make a conscious decision to continue to grow closer to God instead of growing
away from Him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Life is like a river. There is a
current constantly flowing. Usually, we go upriver. We must paddle. If we quit
paddling in the middle of a current, we don’t just sit still in the same place.
We go wherever the current takes us. That’s probably what we were doing before
we came to the Lord. That’s not changed; that’s the same old, same old. It
takes determination and drive to paddle. It takes strength and faith to keep
paddling for your destination. It takes the Holy Ghost to continue whenever you
don’t feel like paddling.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">The gospel is about change. A
person who has accepted Jesus as their personal Savior and has made a
commitment to Him is going to change. A person who claims to have accepted
Jesus as their Lord and who continues to be substantially what they always have
been is kidding no one but themselves. If you catch on to this gospel, it will
change you! There is a contradiction these days that comes out of a word that
has become the motto of the contemporary religious scene, and that word is
"tolerance." Some are saying, "I’m okay, you’re okay." Some
are saying that Jesus accepts us just the way we are.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Now, this is true only if it is
understood what the gospel is all about. Coming to Jesus just the way we are is
like getting into the shower just the way we are. A person doesn’t take a
shower before they get in. They get into the shower just the way they are,
literally. But when they get out of the shower, they are different; they are
clean. Because that is what showers are for. Showering is what I do to get
clean and keep clean. And so a person comes to Jesus just as they are like you
or I get into the shower after working in the yard. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">A person who comes to Jesus just as
they are...proud, selfish, bitter, resentful, lustful and out of control...and
who stays that way hasn’t really come to Jesus at all. Coming to Jesus is about
being washed and being made clean. The scripture is clear that those who are
forgiven must also be cleansed from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9, “If we
confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Look at the first part of that. “If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.”
Forgiveness is freely given for genuine repentance. To repent means literally
to "turn away" from the act that you are seeking forgiveness for.
Genuine repentance means that you are sorry and that you will stop doing that
which has grieved God and separated you from Him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">How about this....“Lord, I’m really
sorry I got caught.” or “God, I really regret that sin. I sure hope I can do
better next time.” Does either of these statements indicate genuine repentance?
I don’t think so. Both are prompted out of guilt or embarrassment, not a
heartfelt sense of remorse over the fact that the Father has been grieved.
Usually, those who pray like this have no intention of changing. They just want
God off their backs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Genuine repentance involves several
things. First, confession. Not just, “Lord, I’m sorry for my mistake,” but
“Lord, I have sinned against you.” Confession acknowledges guilt. The second is
repentance. Repentance involves recognizing that the sin was against God.
Although David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband
killed, he realized that his sin was primarily against the Lord. Psalm 51:2-4, “Wash
me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge
my transgressions and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I
sinned, And done this evil in Your sight.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">All of us need to recognize that
our sin is primarily against God. Other people may be hurt as well. However,
when we hold our sin up to the love of the Father expressed through the Cross,
we see that is where sin is darkest. Repentance also includes taking full
responsibility for our sins. David didn’t blame Bathsheba or make any excuses
for himself. He said, “For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before
me.” He didn’t say, "The devil made me do it"! David realized that he
alone was responsible for his sin. Whenever we catch ourselves blaming someone
else...even the devil...for our sin, our repentance is incomplete. We should
take full responsibility for our offense, no matter what happened or who was
involved. Regardless of the temptation, we are ultimately the ones who choose
to sin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lastly, repentance is not complete without honesty. I
believe God is looking for us to be honest about our weaknesses, our failures,
and our frustrations. Honesty promotes fellowship. If we are open and honest
with the Lord, He can continue to work with us, even after we have sinned. We
get into trouble when we start to cover things up: “Now, Lord, I know I made a
mistake. But after all, everybody makes mistakes. Nobody’s perfect.” Responding
this way avoids the real issue and is therefore dishonest. If we approach God
in that fashion, there is not much He can do with us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">look at 1 John 1:9 again, “If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” That says that He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness if
we what? Confess our sins. It is so important for the believer to repent.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Repentance is different, however,
for the believer and the unbeliever. Repentance for those outside of Christ
means a change of mind. The unbeliever is to change his mind about what he
believes concerning Jesus. He moves from unbelief to the belief that Christ
paid the penalty for his sin. An unsaved person admits that they cannot save
their self. They trust Jesus instead of their own goodness for eternal life.
They change their mind about God and His payment for our sins. It is important
to understand that repentance for the unbeliever does not refer to cleaning up
his life. There is no magic wand that makes them perfected in Christ
overnight...any more than the believer has a magic wand that causes them to make
the right decisions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">And unbelievers should understand
this.... you don’t clean up your life and come to God...you come to God and let
His Spirit clean you up! Let Him change you...because He will if you are
obedient to Him. But even after you come to Christ, you will still have the
need at times for repentance. After you receive Jesus, you will continue to
repent as you grow in Christian faith and character. This repentance is a
change of mind that leads to a change in behavior.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">What happens when we delay our
repentance? The Bible teaches that God disciplines those who are disobedient.
When we keep on in our sin with no intention of stopping, we won’t escape the
disciplining hand of the Father. There is a consequence to our sin and our
failure to address it. However, we know that if you and I deal with our sins
genuinely, openly, and immediately, God can lessen the severity of our
discipline. We are wise to repent as quickly as the Holy Spirit has convicted
us. That’s another reason that we should desire more and more of the Holy
Spirit of God in our lives.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">The issue is not whether we should change;
God is insisting that we change. We are all going to change before this is
over. But scripture and history teach us that some will change and be saved,
and others will change and be lost.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">There is one thing that hasn’t
changed. And that is the Word of God. It was infallible when it was written,
and it is infallible now. Just because you have changed, or society has changed
doesn’t mean God’s Word has or ever will. Malachi 3:6, “ For I am the LORD, I
do not change.” or Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My
words will by no means pass away.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">It used to be taught that the hour
of God’s judgment means that we are in danger. It was taught there are forces
out there that can do us in and that our only safety is to be completely
committed to Jesus. It was taught that the devil was going to be destroyed, and
those who persisted in being on his side would be finally destroyed with him in
hell. That’s the way it used to be taught.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">There is a new spin being given to
things now. Hell is out. It is “politically incorrect” to talk about hell. Love
is in. The truth is that if you really want to know what the love of God is all
about, you must keep hell in the picture. Can’t you see how that must be? If we
do away with hell, there is not really much incentive to respond to the love of
God.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We are not hearing enough about the devil and his tactics
these days. We do not seem to be aware that there is an enemy after us who is
more dangerous than a sniper, a stalker, or a pedophile. There is an enemy who
is after us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from the time we are born into
this world until we check out at the end. If the devil ain’t chasing you, it’s
because he’s already got you! He has some new tactics, though.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">You remember that at the beginning
of the Christian era, Satan tried to destroy the church by force. But this only
caused the church to band together and to grow. Satan then changed his tactic,
and instead of trying to wipe out the church by force, he simply decided to
join it, and he encouraged his infidel followers to do the same. What was true
way back then is especially true in this generation. If a person is not aware
of this infiltration and expects the devil to be on the outside and the good
guys on the inside, that person will be in for a big surprise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">When the devil appeared to Jesus in
the wilderness, he did not appear in the form of a red imp with a pitchfork. He
appeared as an angel from heaven. If Jesus had judged strictly from
appearances, He might have been deceived. And so, in the 21st century, if we
judge strictly by appearances, we will be deceived. The scripture is clear in
the book of Revelation that before this is all over, the very elect could be
deceived. There will be miracles wrought and other signs and wonders. God’s
Word has NOT changed!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">The problem is that since the devil
was baptized and became a member of the church in good and regular standing, he
has been trying to change the rules and redefine the parameters of the game. Of
course, this must not be allowed in the church because, as far as church
doctrine and the meaning of holiness and godly living are concerned, it is the
Word of God that has the last say. It is not up for a vote or a matter of how a
person may see it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">We must return to the Word of God
as the standard of righteousness. We must wake up and see that, although we are
changing and we must change, the change must be a change toward holiness and
godliness and not a change that would institutionalize the world and its sinful
ways. It cannot be a change that “tolerates” what is an abomination to the
Lord.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Some would say that we ought to empathize
with people and compromise the truth in order to get people into church. The
ideology that we must meet people’s needs if we are to attract them to Jesus is
flawed unless it is well thought out. Dope addicts have needs. Their need is
more dope. Those who sell drugs are meeting that need. What they really need is
to understand the grace of God and the life that they can have in Christ! The
drugs just satisfy a passing fancy....and getting people into the church by
entertaining them is simply satisfying a temporal need and not an eternal one!
They must recognize the need for true repentance and change in their lives!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Friends, the church is not a club
or a social event. It is a place to come and worship God in Spirit and in
truth. It is a place to gather with like-minded people to strengthen our faith
and encourage each other. It is a place that reminds us that we need to come to
God with genuine repentance and to offer up the change in our lives that God
Himself can believe in!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdZ3db5RJs6-CwdNpYzjAJqdU52b_tWuA0uiZT-JNlId1_vjSjgwPrBwT_oXYovNZmVWOkkGuaTo2XhV8_dYajOk3Labfv5NeOIu22u0MFnlZXONBia6iMkXxRiR7R6izMoTy6XS5JbT8guQpcqcpbajcVWrfM9sH1RkQcb7n10Vsw_VZPoP2v2uBvPub/s262/Fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="262" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdZ3db5RJs6-CwdNpYzjAJqdU52b_tWuA0uiZT-JNlId1_vjSjgwPrBwT_oXYovNZmVWOkkGuaTo2XhV8_dYajOk3Labfv5NeOIu22u0MFnlZXONBia6iMkXxRiR7R6izMoTy6XS5JbT8guQpcqcpbajcVWrfM9sH1RkQcb7n10Vsw_VZPoP2v2uBvPub/s1600/Fence.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br /></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-6619175349003977062024-01-02T14:09:00.000-08:002024-01-08T06:29:33.515-08:00The Incomparable Jesus<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">There is a song that we used to sing:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Lord you are more precious than silver<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Lord you are more costly than gold<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Lord you are more beautiful than
diamonds<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And nothing I desire compares to you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Those are some wonderful words, and when they are spoken from
the heart of a man or woman who truly loves the Lord, they are transformed into
words of worship and praise to Jesus. In our attempt to compare Jesus, we try
to use the most precious, beautiful, and costly things in creation to describe
how great Christ is and how much we love him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">But no matter how hard we try, there is nothing in this world
that can compare to the greatness, the mercy, and the love of God that we can
sense in our hearts. As Christians, we do all that we can do to give glory to
our Savior, but our finite minds cannot begin to fathom just how great Jesus
really is. No matter what words we sing that are so beautiful; no matter what
poems we write that glorify Him; no matter what we try to compare Jesus to, it
is never good enough.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">How can we compare the love of God to anything in this earth?
How can we compare the mercy of God and the grace of God to anything in
creation? How can anything that has been created possibly compare to the
Creator? There are no words that can truly describe the wondrous God that we
serve. Somehow, all attempts fall short of what we really want to say to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In the Book of Isaiah the Prophet, God begins to speak to His
own people in Israel and explain to them that there is nothing that can compare
to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Isaiah
40:18, "To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare
unto him?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Isaiah
40:22, "It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the
inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a
curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Isaiah
40:25-26, "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the
Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things,
that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the
greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Christian, what is there in this world that can compare to
Jesus? And what can we use to compare the beauty of our Heavenly Home?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">There are so many lost souls in this world who are convinced
that what they can see with their eyes, feel with their hands, taste with their
mouths, and hear with their ears is all there is to life. Their eyes are
blinded to the beauty of the eternal things of God and the beauty of the Holy
Spirit in their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Their hands can build beautiful buildings and create
wonderful landscapes and create wonderful works of art, but their hands are
limited to only what they can touch in this corrupt and sinful world. They
can’t reach over into the spiritual realm by faith and grasp hold of the beauty
of salvation and the gospel. They can’t handle the truth and feel its power in
their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">They can taste the good things of this life, the wonderful
foods, and the good life that can be had for a price. Still, not one of them is
able to “taste and see that the Lord is Good” with their natural instincts, so
they cannot begin to understand that the best this world has to offer is less
than nothing compared to what God offers to His people in the spiritual realm.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">They can hear the grand music that stirs the soul and warms
the heart; music that man, whom God has blessed with such great talents, has
written even in his fallen, degenerate, and sinful condition. They can hear the
voices of their loved ones as they speak and let those voices of love bring joy
to their lives. But even these things of such great beauty and grace cannot
compare to the beauty and grace of hearing the voice of God as he speaks to
your heart and feeling the perfect love of Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">They can learn the wisdom of men, and there are some great
things that man can teach, but the wisest of men and greatest of man’s wisdom
and knowledge is nothing but foolishness in the eyes of God. “For the wisdom of
this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in
their own craftiness” (1 Corinthians 3:19).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">What can compare to God? What can compare to His love? What
can compare to his grace? What can compare to God’s power?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">No matter what our level of education and our ability to
express our feelings and to articulate our thoughts, we are so very incapable
of truly describing the glory and majesty of Almighty God. Our God is an
incomparable God! Nothing can compare to him!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Once we have handled the Word of God, we have tasted the
goodness of God; we have heard the voice of the Lord speak to us; and we have
beheld His beauty and grace, and we have gained the wisdom that He has to offer,
and we have seen his majesty and power. We will know that certainly there is
nothing that can compare to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Some of you may be like I am. I love to travel and see the
beauty of this country in the mountains, the seashores, and the cities that men
have created. There are some wonderful sights to behold. When I look at the
majesty of the mountains of this world, whether they are the Great Smoky
Mountains or the Rockies, or the Cascades out west, I can’t help but be moved
by their beauty. When I look at nature with the wonderful parks, rivers, and
lakes that are meant for man to enjoy, I marvel at the beauty that God has
created for all of us. I look at the Grand Canyon and all of the great wonders
of the world. And I am amazed by God’s great design.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And yet, I must remember that all of these wonderful things,
in their beauty and majesty, cannot compare with the glory of that New
Jerusalem and the New Heavens and New Earth that Jesus will have waiting for me
on the other side.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">May we never forget that all these things – all of the
campgrounds, the rivers, the lakes, the mountains that rise above the clouds,
and the valleys that lie below in all their beauty, and the skies above, with
the beautiful stars and the clouds that grace the sky. All of it, every bit of
it, will soon be dissolved forever as the old is cast aside and burned away
like chaff to allow the rise of the new things that Jesus has for us all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Friends, if your eyes are focused only on the things of this
present world and you are not looking with eyes of faith upon those things that
are eternal, you will miss the best that God has to offer. Let us not be so
focused on enjoying the wonders of this present world that we miss the far
greater wonders of the world to come.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The song says we think of Jesus as more precious than silver
and more costly than gold. My, what an understatement! How can I compare the
value of a piece of silver, or the cost of a bar of gold, to the value of my
salvation and my Savior? There is no comparison there!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">All the silver in the world is nothing compared to the
presence of the Holy Ghost in my life! And there isn’t enough gold in the world
to buy even one drop of the precious blood that was shed for me!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The love of God is free, and I’m glad it is, for there is no
price that could be paid to buy that love. The grace and mercies of God are
free, and it’s a good thing, for no amount of sacrifice and no amount of money
could purchase them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me confess that this life that I live for the Lord Jesus
Christ is not always easy. It is not always fun. I am not always living on top
of the mountain. There are times when I can feel the weight of the world and
the heaviness of sin, and there are times when I feel like I’m walking through
the valley of the shadow of death, but there is no life that can compare to the
peace that I feel even in the worst of those times.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In times of sickness, I’m glad to know that there are some
good doctors out there who can help us to get well. Still, I’m so glad that
when those doctors can’t do anymore and they have reached their limitations, I
still know the Great Physician, and I can call on Him anytime without an
appointment, without a co-pay, and I won’t have to sit in a waiting room for
hours to reach him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In Exodus 15:26, God spoke to Israel and said, “… I am the
LORD that healeth thee." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">He is the Lord that healeth me, and He is only a prayer away
all the time. I can call on Jesus anytime. I don’t have to call an ambulance to
get to where he is. I don’t have to jump into a car and fly through the night
in an emergency. Jesus is with us all the time, and he is ever waiting for our
cry to him. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">He is a merciful Lord and able to heal all our sickness and
cure all our diseases. He is an incomparable Lord. I don’t have an earthly
doctor who studied in some medical school for years and who lives with me all
the time, but I have someone better than that. I have the very God who created
this body in the first place living with me all the time, and He’s there when I
need him. All I must do is reach out by faith and receive what He has for me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In times of financial difficulties, I can call on Jesus. I
can call the bank, but they may not want to loan you the money, and if they do,
there will be a lot of interest to pay for the “favor” of loaning it to you.
And the more you need their help, the less likely they are to give it. But my
Father in Heaven owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He knows how to meet my
need and he has never failed me. Best of all, what he gives is a gift that
carries no interest, no carrying costs, and never has to be given back. And it
doesn’t matter what I need; I know my God is sufficient to meet that need.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I may never be rich in this world’s goods. I may never live
the lifestyles of the rich and famous, but I do know that His Word promises us
in Psalms 37:25-26, "… I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his
seed begging bread. He is ever merciful and lendeth, and his seed is
blessed."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In times of sorrow, in times of distress, in times of
despair, and in times of discouragement, I know that I can call on Jesus
anytime and I know that he will hear me and answer my prayer. He stays closer
than a brother. When everything else fails me, and everyone else leaves me, and
no one can help anymore, Jesus will still be there! He is my incomparable
Savior and my ever-present help in time of need! According to Hebrews 4:16, I
can go, “… boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The sad part is that there are so many people in this world
who don’t know my Incomparable Lord! They have never heard the name of Jesus
spoken to them in such a way that they can sense his love reaching out to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And there are many who claim to know him. But do they really
know him? They haven’t experienced his great love. They haven’t felt his peace
in their hearts. They haven’t had the joy of receiving the baptism in the Holy
Ghost. They don’t know the true salvation that I know. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">They know about the Lord, but they don’t have a personal,
one-on-one relationship with Him! They are still trying to compare him with the
world. When you really love the Lord, and you truly know Him in the power of
His might and have experienced the presence of the Holy Ghost in your life,
there is nothing else that can take their place anymore. There is nothing in
this world that can compare.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Perhaps you haven’t felt the presence of the Lord in your
life. Somewhere, down deep inside, there is an emptiness that only Jesus can
fill. That empty place is your heart and your soul, and it is there for a
purpose. It is there as a dwelling place, down deep inside, for the presence of
the Lord to live in you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe you haven’t known the peace of God that is beyond
understanding. Maybe you haven’t felt the love of God as He wraps his arms
around you and draws you close to his side. Maybe you haven’t experienced the
wonderful joy that knowing Jesus as your Savior can bring.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">There is nothing that I can use to describe to you what all
of these things feel like. You must experience them for yourself. There’s
nothing that can compare to the things that God has for you. But you’ll never
know what they are until you surrender your heart to Jesus and let Him be the
Lord of your life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">If there is someone like that reading this, I urge you today
to come to my Incomparable Christ and give your life to him. I won’t promise
you a life of ease or constant victory, but I will promise you that Jesus will
always be there when you need him and that He will meet your every need. Most
of all, I promise you, upon God’s Word, that you will enjoy the wonders of
Heaven and miss that awful place called hell. God will give you eternal life
right now if you want it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Perhaps you have come to Christ and have a begun a walk with
him, and yet there is still something missing. There is still an emptiness on
the inside. How long has it been since you heard the voice of the Lord speak to
you? How long has it been since you really felt that wonderful peace in your
heart? How long has it been since you felt the sweet presence of the Holy
Ghost?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">How long will you allow Satan to blind you and lead you away
from God? Right now you can come back to Jesus. God still loves you. He won’t
give up on you easily. He is long-suffering toward us, and His greatest desire
is to see us come back to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you know my Incomparable Jesus? Is He living in you, and
is He the Lord of your life? Why not come to Christ and then walk with him in
the greatest life that anyone can have? A life that is wholly surrendered to
God’s will?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-59555552736202504182024-01-02T14:08:00.000-08:002024-01-02T14:08:20.903-08:00Be Strong and Courageous<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Joshua 1:1-9</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This story from the life of Joshua gives us the perfect
picture of the commitment we must have if we are to accomplish great things for
the Kingdom of God. It also lets us know why we often fail to accomplish those
great things.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1:1 “Now
after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD
spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1:2 “Moses
my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all
this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of
Israel.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Regardless of who we are, there will come a time when we must
step out in faith and walk with God without anyone there to hold our hand.
Ultimately, the life we live before God is between our own heart and the heart
of God. No one else can answer for our actions, and no one else can remove the
consequences of those actions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joshua had lost his mentor. Until this time, Joshua had been
a follower more than a leader. It was easier to lead when Moses was there to
help answer the tough questions. It is always easy to make decisions, correct
problems, or say what needs to be done if you aren’t involved in the front
lines of the fight. In the thick of the battle, though, it isn’t so easy to see
or make those quick decisions when you come to realize that every word you
speak, every action you take, and every command you give can mean the
difference between life and death. In the church, this is even more damaging
when you realize that the decision doesn’t mean just life on earth but can
cause the eternal loss of a soul.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a statement that I read once that said this, “When
in charge, ponder. When in trouble, delegate. When in doubt, mumble.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That little statement contains so much truth. A leader never
wants to appear indecisive or admit he doesn’t know the answer. They will sit
and think about a situation for a long time, hoping that it will solve itself
in the meantime. They get in trouble for either making a decision too quickly
without knowing all the facts and then they try to put the blame on anything
but our own inadequacies. The last portion of that saying is the truest of all.
If they don’t know what to do or have an answer, so, they say anything but not
loud enough to sound like they are giving instructions. They just mumble and
let those around them work it out the best way they can.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then, when it comes out right, they love to jump up, take the
recognition, and claim that they solved the problem. God help us when we don’t
have the courage to say those words that every man finds nearly impossible to
say when asked a question, “I DON’T KNOW!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joshua found himself alone with God and responsible for the
fulfillment of the destiny of the nation of Israel. God’s command and promise
of a land that they would occupy as their own still stood true, and yet Joshua
knew the fickle nature of the Jews.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In his heart, Joshua may have felt a lot like the baby whale
who heard his mother say, "When you get to the top and start letting off
steam, that’s the time you’re most apt to be harpooned."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This nation of people had failed in their first attempt to
obey God and possess the land God had promised, and now they were here for
their second opportunity to obey. Joshua knew that this time, it was do or die
because he would never survive another 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
Israel had to go over the Jordan River and conquer Canaan, or there would most
likely never be an Israel again, and God would have to raise up another people
to call His own.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have you ever been to a point in your spiritual life where
you knew that you had been here before, a kind of “spiritual de-ja-vu?” How
many times has God brought us to the “Jordan” and told us to go over, and we
fell back in doubt and fear? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God never saves a soul with the intention of allowing that
soul to be lost in the end. He paid a terrible price for our salvation, and He
wants us all to be blessed beyond measure. He desires for all of us to take up
our cross and follow Him to the end.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Can you hear yourself asking, “God, why do I keep failing
repeatedly? Why, Lord, must I face the same old friends, the same old
temptations, the same set of circumstances and fail every time I face them? God
why can’t I move on and become more stable in my walk with you? Why can’t I
live a more sanctified and holy life? Why am I so unstable?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I believe that if we follow the commands of God to Joshua and
Joshua’s example in obeying those commands, we will quit riding the roller
coaster life of failure and victory, and we will be victorious in all things.
If we just learn to listen and obey.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Understand that God never changes his command to us. Once the
Spirit of God speaks direction into the heart of a man, that direction never
changes. God had commanded Moses to take the Children of Israel into the
Promised Land, and Moses had failed and was not allowed to lead them over. But
Joshua was to continue the work for the command had not changed and the promise
of God had not failed. Now, Joshua was to complete the task that God had
commanded.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God has given each of us a command to follow Him. He has
instructed us to take the land and win souls for Him. He may have done so
through a command to teach, to preach, to witness on the streets, to witness to
our own family, to work in some capacity in the church, or any combination of
these things. Still, He has commanded us to occupy until He comes, and that
means work, not sit idle or do nothing. This means that He has chosen each of
us to take up the gauntlet and see the work go forth that those who came before
us were unable to complete in their lifetime.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I can tell you this. There are times when you will begin to
move out in obedience to God’s commands, and you know that God has given you
the authority and the ability to accomplish the work He has called you to do.
Even so, I sometimes feel like General John Galvin, Supreme Allied Commander in
Europe and Commander-in-Chief of U.S. European Command, was asked what it was
like to be in charge of so many various forces. His reply: "I often feel
like the director of a cemetery. I have a lot of people under me, but nobody
listens."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1:3 “Every
place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you,
as I said unto Moses.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1:4 “From
the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates,
all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of
the sun, shall be your coast.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1:5 “There
shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I
was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As you can see, God’s command to Joshua was to carry on the
work that was begun by Moses. Now Joshua had to look to God for answers, for no
man could give him the help that was available from God. When God gives you a
job to do, He will also equip you for the challenges of that job. Someone said,
"Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for
tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I must make the point at this time that Joshua was not
manipulating people or jockeying for the position of leader of Israel. God gave
Joshua this position only after Joshua had proven for many years as a follower
and obedient servant to the man that God had put over him. Joshua left Egypt
with Moses over 40 years before.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Too many times, we want God to place us in a position of
authority and put us in the limelight of ministry without paying the price of
being a follower and learning the lessons of leadership first. God never works
that way. We must be faithful in many small things before God can allow us to
be responsible for many things, especially the souls of His people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1:6 “Be
strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an
inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1:7 “Only be
thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to
all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the
right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since God’s plan requires courage you will have to depend
upon him and face the challenges of life and win over them if you would
experience God’s best for your life. It is easier to have courage when you know
what the purpose of God is in your life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have discovered that a lot of people I talk to claim to be strong
spiritually, but every time I see them, they are down in the dumps about
something. I feel like telling them, “If you are so strong and victorious in
your life, why don’t you let your attitude reflect it and your face show it?” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I realize that we all have bad times and bad days. But we
must have courage and faith, and trust in God that it will all be right. We
should pick our heads up and live on victoriously.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In verse 7, I believe that we can see the real reason that so
many people live such wishy-washy Christian lives. They are up one day and down
the next, living large one day and under their circumstances the next! Do you
see the reason?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We must observe to obey all of God’s commands, not just those
we like. Most people read the Ten Commandments and say to themselves, like the
Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19, “All these things have I kept from my youth up:
what lack I yet?” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus told him to give up everything and follow Me, and the
young ruler could not, for he was too self-centered and focused on the material
things of this life. He wanted to live life on his terms and not God’s.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We must not focus on this life, our desires, our ambitions,
our goals, our likes or dislikes. We must focus on God’s commands and move out!
We must not turn to the right to see even that which is good and yet will turn
us from God’s chosen path. We must not turn to the left or any other direction
and chase after the pleasures and possessions of this present world, forgetting
that it shall all perish. Put on your spiritual blinders and resist temptation.
Keep yourself from the very appearance of evil, and you won’t face so much
temptation. Keep the blinders on and your eyes on Jesus and the prize of
eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1:8 “This
book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate
therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is
written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou
shalt have good success.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1:9 “Have
not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither
be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here is the key to ultimate victory in our daily walk with
God. We should keep the Laws of God in our hearts and minds all the time. We
must learn to meditate upon the Word, chew it up, digest it, and allow it to
change us from day to day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We will only have a prosperous life and experience good
success if we stay in the Word of God and obey its commands. We must stay true
to the call of God. We must focus only on His will for our lives. Only when our
will and our desires begin to coincide with the will and desires of God will we
really experience “the good life” and have good success in our work for Him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finally, let me exhort you. Just as God spoke the words, “Be
strong and of good courage,” to Joshua three times, He is speaking those same
words to us right now. Don’t allow fear, doubt, and frustration to sidetrack
your work for God. Step out in faith, trusting God for the victory. Learn to be
a good follower so that God can make you into a great leader. Then, go out with
courage and face the challenges of ministry to accomplish great works for the
Kingdom of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> God is with you
wherever you go and whatever you do for Him. Since God is with us and helping
us, how can we fail? We can do nothing else but have good success. “What shall
we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that
spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with
him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:31-32).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" /></span>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-67352681667914372312024-01-02T14:07:00.000-08:002024-01-02T14:07:01.535-08:00Don't Be Afraid to Dunk<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">The story is about two ducks and a frog living together in a
farm pond. They were best of friends. You could watch them amuse themselves and
play together in their pond all day. When the hot summer days came, however,
the pond began to dry up, and soon it was evident they would have to move. This
was no problem for the ducks. They could easily fly to another pond. But the
frog was in trouble. He would be long dead before he could find another pond to
live in.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So it was decided that they would use a stick that could be
held on both ends in the bill of two ducks that would fly side my side. That
way the frog could hang on to the stick with his mouth as they flew to another
pond and safety. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The plan worked well. It was a strange sight to see the ducks
and the frog flying along and so, as they were flying along a farmer looked up
in sky and saw them. In admiration for their ingenuity he said. "Well,
isn’t that a clever idea! I wonder who thought of it?" The frog forgot
what he was doing and with a sense of great pride in his wisdom he opened his
mouth and said, "I d i i d ..!" A few moments later he was dead,
splattered on the ground. He was too proud of his own accomplishments to keep
his mouth shut and save his own life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pride is a terrible thing. That frog found out in a very hard
lesson that the Word of God is true.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before
destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was pride that caused man to fall into the Garden of Eden.
Adam was too proud to admit that he could not be as God. It was pride that
caused the population of the whole world to perish in the flood. Their pride
wouldn’t let them repent and be invited into the Ark. It is pride that causes
so many people today to refuse to confess that they need God, and that pride
will certainly lead to their eternal downfall.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How many times does God give us the way out of our sentence
of death for sin in His Word? How many places can we find where God gives us
some specific instructions on how to live in a manner that is pleasing to Him?
How many times does His Word tell us that he will be our God if we will only be
His people? Time and time again, God reaches out to mankind, making every
effort to bring people back into the right relationship with Him, but pride
won’t let us hear him. Pride won’t let us obey Him. Pride won’t let us
surrender our will to His will. Pride leads us through life like we have a ring
in our nose and it’s pulling our nose upward all the time. We are snubbing our
nose at God with arrogance and pride saying that we don’t need Him, we can make
it on our own.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Word of God contains a very pointed story of the pride of
one man. It speaks to each of us concerning our own pre-conceived ideas of how
God should move on our behalf. We are so arrogant that we think we have it all
figured out, and we try to put God in a box and tell Him how to bless us and
where to lead us. Even Christians, who are born again and filled with the Holy
Ghost, often have this same sense of pride. We think we know what’s best for
ourselves, and we don’t even ask God what He thinks. We do our thing and then
expect God to bless us just because we acknowledge Him from time to time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Friends, God won’t fit into your box or my box. Our
preconceived ideas and notions don’t restrict him. Romans 11:33 says, “O the
depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable
are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we think we have it all figured out, God bursts forth
from our box and begins to move and work in ways we could not have imagined.
That’s what happens in this story found in 2 Kings, chapter 5. Let us examine
the story together and glean for ourselves what the Holy Spirit and the Word of
God would say to each of us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2 Kings 5:1,
“Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his
master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto
Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now here was a great man. He was the 4-star general of the
Syrian army and had led his army in victory after victory with a chest full of
medals to prove his accomplishments. He was a man of integrity, a man of
courage, a man of great strength of character, and wisdom, a man who was highly
educated and highly acclaimed by his own people. He was a man of great honor
and was highly favored by the king of Syria. But – he was also a leper.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We live in a world where there are great people and there are
not-so-great people – at least according to the world’s definition of great.
Most of us are in the “not-so-great” category. We won’t see our names in the
headlines of the newspaper after we have accomplished some outstanding
achievements. Our name will never become a household word. Our picture won’t be
in the Who’s Who book of American heroes. We will be listed among the mediocre.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, lest you get into a “Pity Party,” let me tell you that
the world is not the final authority on greatness, and neither are worldly
accomplishments the only standard by which greatness is judged. God rewards
faithfulness, not greatness. If you want to be counted as great in the Kingdom
of God, then be found completely faithful to the calling of God upon your life.
I would rather hear Jesus say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant,” than
have the President of the United States give me a Citizenship Medal for my
service to the nation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are a lot of people out there who will, and have,
achieved far more than I ever will. Some people have built businesses and
amassed huge fortunes or even established great Trust Funds to help humanity
for years to come. Some have rooms filled with trophies awarded for their
agility, power, and skill at a game of sports or some other field of endeavor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">However, like Naaman, they all are living with a terminal
illness. They might be wealthy, successful, educated, and healthy, “But” they
all are condemned to die eternally because of sin. Not one will escape. The
debt of sin will always be there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For Naaman, his sentence of death came when he found he had
leprosy. For all of mankind, since the fall in the Garden of Eden, there has
always been a “But” that is added to their lives… “but,” all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The “But” that affects the life of every man, woman and child
on the face of the earth is called sin, and one of those sins is the sin of
Pride. It may not seem so bad to many people, but let me remind you that Pride
is one of the three areas of sin that John wrote about in 1 John 2:16, “For all
that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">According to this verse, “Pride” (including self-sufficiency,
arrogance, and rebellion) is one of the core aspects of sin along with “Lust”
which is an extraordinary desire for whatever we want, no matter what the cost.
Pride causes the downfall of everyman who refuses to bend his knee in surrender
to the Lord Jesus Christ, and Pride is the sin in the heart of every man who
refuses to allow Jesus to be the Lord of his life. Pride, coupled with a lust
for the things of the world, are the sins that keep man from living a holy life
and obeying every word of God. Naaman had Pride too as we shall soon see. But
first, let’s look at what happens next.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2 Kings
5:2-4, “And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive
out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And
she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in
Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. And one went in, and told his
lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A captured slave girl from Israel was appointed to serve this
Commander of the Syrian Army. She had no choice about where she was to be, but
she did have a choice on the kind of attitude and spirit she would have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She could have been like so many people I know who hate those
who are over them. They hate their parents. They hate their boss on the job.
They hate the policeman who stops them from driving too fast. They even hate
the preacher when he preaches the truth and does all he can to get them ready
for the rapture and for the Judgment. You can see people with these attitudes
everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This young girl from Israel, from the land of Samaria, living
as a captive in the home of the very general that had taken her from her
comfortable home, and likely killed some of her family and destroyed her home,
refused to live with that kind of attitude. She never forgot what she loved and
knew about Israel, but she also refused to hate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She might have been in a foreign land, serving a foreign
master and living as a slave in the household of her enemy, but she learned to
love Naaman as a master, and she cared for his well-being. She knew of the
prophets back home and the power of God that they had to heal the sick. Her
witness began the journey for Naaman’s salvation from certain death.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2 Kings
5:5-6, “And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto
the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver,
and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought the
letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee,
behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest
recover him of his leprosy.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Naaman did not know how to approach the prophets of Israel.
He had not been taught the ways of Moses. He began his search in the only way
that most of the world knows. He began by trying to buy his way back to health
and the blessings of God. He didn’t understand or know the God of Israel but he
was desperate for healing. All of the embellishments of his dazzling uniform
and the gleaming medals upon his chest made the world gaze in wonder, but
underneath it all – NAAMAN WAS A DYING LEPER!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Friends, when the day comes that we must face death and then
face judgment, there will be a lot of people who are going to try to find a way
of escape, but there will be none.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hebrews
9:27-28, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them
that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto
salvation."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All the wealth you have gathered won’t buy one instant in
Heaven. It won’t pay for one drop of water in the pits of Hell. It won’t buy
one breath when the death comes to claim your life. All the degrees behind your
name won’t mean a thing on that day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All the property you won will be left behind for others to
fight over. You cannot pay the price to escape – But it has been paid for you –
if you are willing to accept the terms of the payment. In exchange for your
eternal life, Jesus gave his life and shed His blood on the Cross. The debt is
paid, but only if you accept Jesus as your Savior and surrender your life to
him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I see people walking everywhere with a façade built up around
them. On the outside and on the surface, they all try to wear a smile. They all
try to make you believe that everything is fine. They try to confess that all
is well. They put on every appearance possible of being a success. But
underneath it all, they all have the “Leprosy of Sin,” and it’s killing their
very soul, and they need a Savior!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2 Kings
5:10, “And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that
he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this
man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I
pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. And it was so, when
Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes,
that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him
come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman
came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house
of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan
seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Naaman had tried to be healed his way. He had tried to play
“Let’s Make A Deal,” but it wouldn’t work. He quickly learned that it was
either going to be God’s way or no way at all, and he didn’t like that answer.
He felt offended because the prophet didn’t even come out to shake his hand and
recognize Naaman’s position.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Elijah told him to go dunk in the muddy water of the Jordan
River seven times if he wanted his healing. But Naaman was just TOO PROUD TO
DUNK! What was more humiliating, to die of leprosy or to dunk into the muddy
Jordan? To Naaman, the Jordan was more humiliating. His first thought was that
he would rather die than obey the prophet of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Oh, how often I see this same attitude and spirit of
rebellion in the hearts of men today! How often do they refuse to accept the
bloody sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross because it just doesn’t look pretty or
feel good to them? They would rather choose to live life on the edge of hell
and then die and fall into the flames, than to trust in the blood of Jesus.
They want to be saved, but only in their own way, so they try to “work out”
their own salvation, only to find that the “leprosy of sin” has not gone but
grown worse than ever. They are just TOO PROUD TO DUNK UNDER THE BLOOD OF
CHRIST and let that blood wash away their sin!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2 Kings
5:11-13, “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He
will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his
God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana
and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I
not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his
servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, my father, if the prophet had
bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather
then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m going to take the place of Naaman’s servants in this
message. I’m going to try to talk some sense into you. I’m going to try to make
you realize that there is only one answer to your “leprosy of sin.” You can’t
receive forgiveness in sports, in medical care, in your job, in your title, in
your position, in your own way. There’s only one way – through the blood of
Jesus Christ and surrendering your life completely to His will.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When the Day of Judgment comes, you will have to surrender
everything to be there. The grave that covers you won’t keep you down. The
wealth of the world will be nothing. The power and prestige will melt away, and
you will be left standing alone before the Judge of the Universe to answer for
the life that you lived.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There will be no one to defend you if you have not
surrendered to and accepted Jesus into your life! There will be excuses that
will hold water on that day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is no doubt that you would offer all that you have, all
that you are, all that you can think of, just to escape the final verdict of
guilty on that day. There would be no price high enough, but nothing you have
will be enough. The die is cast, the end has come, and there is no escaping the
destiny that awaits you. But it doesn’t have to be that way!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Naaman finally understood that the only way was God’s way. He
had to do what Elijah said, or he would surely die. He finally decided to
swallow his pride, humble himself before the will of God, and DUNK SEVEN TIMES
IN THE JORDAN RIVER.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It wasn’t easy for Naaman. I can imagine that every time he
went down, he held his breath, held his nose, closed his eyes, and hoped no mud
would fill his ears. He probably came up sputtering and spitting each time,
wondering if this was really going to work. Six times he dunked under the water
and nothing happened. But on that seventh dunk, it all changed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2 Kings 5:14:
“Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the
saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a
little child, and he was clean.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What a feeling he had, then! I can imagine that even the
“ultimately cool” general of the Syrian Army started shouting for joy at the
new skin and new life that he had been given. The leprosy was gone, and he
recognized that there was only one God who could have done this thing – and He
Praised the God of Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Friends, let me tell you that one moment in Heaven will be
worth it all! Nothing can compare to the knowledge that you have eternal life
and forgiveness through the Blood of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why not do it God’s way for a change? Swallow your pride, bow
your will to God’s will, bow your knee before the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords, surrender your life to God for his service, and then let Jesus be the
Lord of your life. His blood will wash away all sin and shame, and then you can
rejoice because your name is written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are you too
proud to dunk? I certainly hope you will not be. You can either dunk under the
Blood of Jesus or swim in the Lake of Fire. Which will it be?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-68570222774653018132024-01-02T14:05:00.000-08:002024-01-02T14:05:21.838-08:00Between the Living and the Dead<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Numbers
16:48, "And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was
stayed."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Whether we are talking about man in the beginning of time or
man in this present hour, there is a common ground that we all stand upon, and
that ground is the place of rebellion. Adam stood in that place while in the
Garden of Eden and became a “Rebel” against the commandment of the Lion of the
Tribe of Judah, defying the Word of his Creator and declaring that he would not
live under the Law of his God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Modern man does the same thing. He declares, either by word
or deed, that he will not bend his knee, bow his head, or reverence and fear
the God of all Creation. A quick look at the news of our day will show the
defiance in the hearts of men against God Almighty. Humanity is so filled with
pride and selfishness that the heart still drives mankind to Rebel against the
Lion of Judah, and very few are willing to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Even in the very House of God, among His Adopted Children,
there is often a spirit of rebellion: rebellion against the Word that convicts
for sin, rebellion against authority that God ordains, and rebellion against
anything or anyone who tends to try to change us to become anything other than
what we already believe is good enough.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a story in the Book of Numbers, Chapter 16,
concerning the Children of Israel in their march through the wilderness under
the leadership of Moses. God had wrought miracle after miracle in their
deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Yet, the Children of Israel continually
found themselves in a state of rebellion against the leadership that God had
placed over them and, indeed, against the God that had delivered them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Understand this: God had already brought them out of bondage,
and that bondage in Egypt is a type, a representation in Old Testament form, of
the pit of miry clay called sin that every one of us was born in. When each new
generation was born in Egypt, they didn’t have to be made slaves; they were
born slaves and had no power to deliver themselves from the iron fist of
Pharaoh. They needed a Savior and Deliverer, someone who would step up and call
down the power of God to deliver them. Of course, we know that the man whom God
called to do just that was Moses, and Moses was given a voice, someone who
would speak for him, his own brother whose name was Aaron.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is often said that Moses is a type of Christ as that
deliverer of the church and that Aaron, Moses' brother and spokesman, is a type
of the Holy Spirit that speaks to us and leads us to follow Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let’s fast forward to the journey of the Israelites and
remember that they made it all the way to the Jordan River, the very boundary
of the Promised Land that God had given to Abraham, and it was described in the
Bible as “a land that flowed with milk and honey.” Their Promised Land had
everything in it that they would have ever needed to be a powerful, happy,
prosperous, and godly nation. But nothing comes from God without a living,
active faith, and faith is something that the Children of Israel showed a lack
of at every turn. Here, at the very brink of great victory and the fulfillment
of the promises of God, their faith failed, and they were turned back into the
wilderness to wander for another 40 years. A whole generation of faithless
Children of God perished in the wilderness and never obtained the promises of
God because they refused to believe God would fulfill His word to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I wonder how many generations of Gentiles, your ancestors and
mine, failed that test of faith? How many failed to see the Promised Land,
failed to trust God to give them the desires of their hearts, and failed to
believe that in Jesus, there was provision for the body, water for the soul,
and life forevermore? How many times have we, right here this day, come to the
brink of the river, tried to look over on the other side, and could not see any
way that God would give us the life we wanted? All we saw were the giants in
the Land, obstacles too big, people who had more power to drag us down than we
could handle, and persecution from friends and neighbors that we considered
greater than the promises of the Almighty God!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How many of us today are facing our own Jordan River, and God
is saying, “Step out by faith and take the land that is before you!” But we
won’t move because it’s a scary thing to step out into the unknown. It seems so
much safer just to hang out where we are and watch the river flow than to step
into the water and take a chance of making a wrong step and drowning. Some
people stand by the river, looking over into that place where they know they
should go in God, into a deeper relationship; into a more active ministry, into
a work that they’ve been called to do, but they won’t step out into the water
by faith and trust God to bring it to pass. It’s just too comfortable to hang
on in the desert place and enjoy thinking about it rather than doing it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You will never inherit the land hanging out on the wrong side
of the river. You must step out in faith, believing, and let the Holy Ghost
guide you. You’ll have to learn to walk closer to Jesus. You’ll have to just
trust and keep on making the next step. But Jesus will take you into places
that you never dreamed possible if you only have the faith to step out and
follow Him!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It wasn’t Moses’ fault that they didn’t enter the Promised
Land. It wasn’t Aaron’s fault that they had no faith! It wasn’t God’s fault
that they wouldn’t trust Him and follow Him to victory! It was their own lack
of faith despite all that God had done for them! They had that slave mentality
that had kept them in bondage in Egypt, and though God had taken them out of
Egypt, they hadn’t taken Egypt out of their own hearts and minds, and like
Lot’s Wife, they kept looking back to where they’ve been instead of where they
were going.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let that be a lesson to all of us; you’ll never move forward
or grow in the Lord as you should as long as you are always focusing on the
past! You can’t change the past, but you can stop it from controlling your
future! Learn from it, remember the pit that God brought you out of, then
forget it and keep moving forward, keeping your eyes on the prize of the Crown
of Victory that is ahead instead of the defeats that are left behind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They were turned back into the wilderness, and with their
backs facing the Promised Land, they walked into a continual and deadly place
of rebellion against God and Moses! They kept looking toward Egypt instead of
looking toward the Promised Land. Where their heart was, their mind stayed, and
their whole life was wasted looking in the wrong direction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I studied Numbers chapter 16, I began to see a clear
pattern that has been repeated many times in the hearts of men throughout
history and is still being repeated today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the 3rd verse, four men rose up against Moses; four men
who were full of pride and jealousy! These men were Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and
On. These were men of the tribes of Israel, three of them being from the Tribe
of Levi and one from the tribe of Rueben.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Suppose you remember anything about the Tribes of Israel. In
that case, you will also know the Tribe of Levi was chosen by God to be
ministers and servants who were to work at caring for the Tabernacle and that
the Tabernacle was the place in the camp where the presence of God dwelt. What
a privilege it is to be chosen by God to work in His kingdom. Regardless of
whether their job was hammering stakes to hold up the outer walls, assembling
and disassembling the gold-plated Acacia boards of the Holy Place, or carefully
folding and wrapping the veils that stood before the Ark of the Covenant, it
was all a labor of love for God; at least it should have been a labor of love.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some of the Levites sang in the choir as the sacrifices were
offered. Others took part in assembling the Brazen Altar and the Laver of
Water, where the priests were commanded to do their work. Only the priests
could carry the Ark of the Covenant, but that was a commandment of God, and
anyone who touched that Ark other than those chosen to carry it would die
instantly under God’s judgment. The Levites were not chosen to be priests but
to serve in the Tabernacle. They could do everything except what the priests
were given to do, but there was a dividing line that they must never cross.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The only people who were chosen to serve as priests were the
sons of Aaron. The Aaronic Priests were called and anointed to carry the blood
of the lamb, to present the blood before God in the Holy of Holies, and to care
for the Altar of Incense, the Lampstand, and the Table of Showbread. Only a
priest could enter the Holy Place, and only the High Priest could enter the
Holy of Holies. Only a priest could handle the sacrificial offerings. This all
pointed to the fact that only Jesus, our Great High Priest, would be worthy to
be the sacrifice for our sins. For anyone else to try to usurp that authority
or to push himself into that position without the anointing of God meant death.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since Aaron is a type of the Holy Ghost in speaking for
Moses, it seems to me that what the Bible is trying to tell us is it takes the
anointing of the Holy Ghost to serve as a priest. It’s a special anointing that
no Levite had. They were anointed to serve in one capacity and the priests in
another. God chooses whom He will, and He anoints us to do a job. We should be
grateful to serve wherever God chooses to use us. It’s a great and wonderful
privilege to work in the House of the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Two of Aaron’s own sons, men who were chosen to be priests,
overstepped their bounds even though they were anointed. They took it upon
themselves to offer strange fire upon the Altar of Incense, overstepping their
assigned duties, going beyond their anointed task. In Leviticus 1:1-2, we are
told that the fire of God’s judgment shot out from the altar and consumed them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When God gives us a place, that’s where we need to be. This
lesson from God’s Word tells us that if we don’t obey the Lord and not only
stay in our place, but carry out our duties as God specifies, then we are
subject to the judgment of God for our rebellious heart. Too many people
presume too much; just presuming that you can do the same thing that God calls
someone else to do and then trying to usurp that position can get you into more
trouble with God than you want to handle.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These four men, Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On, along with
many others who came under their influence, were soon to discover how dangerous
it is to play the games of jealousy, envy, and rebellion against the will of
God!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Somehow, it comes into the heart of man that he deserves so
much more than he’s getting. Mankind also believes that he should be the master
of his own destiny and the ruler of his own life. Pride and selfishness reign
in all of us occasionally, and even in the people of God; I’ve seen this.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Korah and his followers decided to call a meeting and
confront Moses and Aaron with their grievances. Now, it’s one thing to come to
God with questions and concerns, but it’s another thing altogether to come to
God with the attitude of a know-it-all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Their accusation against Moses and Aaron was simple. They
accused Moses and Aaron of taking too much power. Their attitude was one that
I’ve heard so many times; “Just who do you think you are, Moses? What gives you
the right to exercise the authority that you have over us? Are we not as good
as you are? Are we not as holy before God as you are? What makes you any better
than us? And the same goes for Aaron!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Moses immediately fell on his face before God. He didn’t lash
back at them, although he probably felt like doing just that. Instead, Moses
fell down and prayed for these men and all of the camp of Israel, for Moses
knew that what they had done was not against him but against God!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was God who set Moses and Aaron over the Children of
Israel; and it was God who had placed the Levites in their positions; and these
men were defying the divine order of God! Terror for what God might do to the
people struck the heart of Moses. He feared for Israel and cried out to God for
mercy on their behalf. The acts of defiance against Moses, Aaron, and God would
not go unanswered.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Proverbs
16:18 says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a
fall." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These defiant Jews were about to find out just how terrible
God’s power of destruction can be. In the 13th verse of Numbers chapter 16,
these defiant men even confessed that they thought the land of Egypt was better
than the Promised Land. They called Egypt the land of milk and honey.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Oh, how terrible it is when we begin to live in rebellion
against the Law of God! Isaiah 5:20, "Woe unto them that call evil good,
and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put
bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we begin to listen to the voice of Satan, and allow
pride and jealousy to arise in us, our vision of right and wrong are skewed.
And we are in danger of God’s wrath.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Look around our society today, and you can see this in
action. Many are saying that Christianity is the evil that plagues the world
and that those who preach that Jesus is the only way to salvation are the
troublemakers because we are intolerant of people who teach anything else. Men
will try to excuse their rebellion against the authority of Jesus by saying
that there are many ways to Heaven. They will pass laws to make immorality and
degenerate behavior legal and, at the same time, pass laws that restrict even
speaking the name of Jesus or reading a Bible in a public place, saying that it
infringes upon the right of all men to think the way they want. America is
fulfilling Isaiah 5:20 right now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Like Korah and his followers, mankind says, “We are good as
you. We are equal or even better than Jesus. We don’t need a leader. We can
save ourselves. We don’t need to hear some preacher or some book to tell us
what to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve seen this same attitude in the Church! “Preacher, I
don’t need you to tell me how to act, what to do, and what not to do! I’m as
good as my neighbor, even better than many! I can hear from God just as much as
you can. I don’t need church! I don’t need a teacher! I can get it all on my
own! If I feel like I want to do something for God, I don’t need the approval
of anyone because I can hear the voice of the Lord just as good as they can.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s nothing more than an evil spirit of pride, a spirit
that rejects the counsel of God and defies the leading of the Holy Ghost! Yes,
you can hear the voice of the Lord as well as the pastor can, but do you have
the anointing that he has for the office, and do you have the authority under
the Word of God to do whatever you want to? God has a divine order and when we
step out of that order, we are walking on dangerous ground!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Korah and 250 of his followers brought their own brass
censers to the court of the Tabernacle. Censers were used to carry burning
incense before the Lord, and only a priest could do that according to God’s
instructions. They came to show Moses and Aaron that they could do the work of
a priest and a leader of the people just as well as Moses and Aaron could. They
came and stood before the very door of the Holy Place and took fire off the
Brazen Altar to burn their incense.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Incense is a type of the prayers of the saints and these men
had their prayers, but their prayers and offerings were not accepted because of
the pride of their hearts. We can pray all we want to for God to give us this
ministry, or let us be lifted up, but unless it’s in God’s will, we pray in
vain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are people today who are full of themselves. They
aren’t teachable; they never shut up long enough to hear anyone or learn
anything. They’ve always got to put in their two cents worth, and frankly, I
think that most of the time, we need to give them at least a penny and a half
in change because what they have to say is so foolish. All it does is prove to
the whole world just how little they really know, but they are so full of
selfish pride and a know-it-all attitude that they think they’re really being
helpful. Sometimes, you just want to say, “If you’ll be quiet and listen,
rather than keep running off at the mouth and arguing about every point, you
might accidentally learn how foolish you really are.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But realistically, the best thing you can do for people like
that is just put them in God’s hands and walk away. They aren’t teachable and
will probably never hear anything other than their own voices.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Like Korah and his cronies, their hearts are set on
rebellion, fixed on pride of self, and their only desire is to take over where
they have no place. Because of their continued hard-headed and hard-hearted
attitude and jealousy, God finally told Moses and Aaron to separate themselves
from these rebellious men and that everyone whose tents were even close to them
should move away lest they be consumed with the same judgment as Korah and his
followers. They were not to touch one thing that belonged to these men because
it was all cursed in the eyes of God for their rebellious attitude!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you’re a Child of God, you better check your heart and
attitude to see if pride and jealousy are there because God hates those things.
They are a sin that will steal your eternal soul and bring death, both
physically and spiritually.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Moses, Aaron, and all the people of Israel who stood with
them separated themselves from Korah and his followers. Even the 250 who had
been drawn in to be a part of Korah’s rebellion drew back a little. Something
happened to put the fear of God into their hearts.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Shekinah Glory, the power and presence of Almighty God
that normally rested between the Cherubim above the Mercy Seat upon the Ark of
the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, came forward and stood at the door of the
Tabernacle. God’s presence was with Moses and Aaron in a clear and visible way!
There was no question whose side God was on in this battle. He stood with his
anointed ones, Moses and Aaron.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 Chronicles
16:22 says, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me tell you, child of God, that you better be careful
when you speak out against a man or woman of God! You might not agree with
their form of ministry. You might not like the way they preach or teach. You
might think that you know more than they do. You might think that they are
being too hard, or too soft, or too anything. But never forget that if they are
preaching Christ and Him crucified, they are still speaking under the anointing
of the Holy Ghost. Don’t put yourself in the place of “touching the anointed
one of God,” and don’t let yourself be caught up in trying to discredit those
God has anointed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At Moses’ word, God honored his chosen man and proved who was
on the Lord’s side. The ground beneath the feet of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
These rebellious men, along with their entire families, wives, and children,
their tents, and all that they owned, were swallowed alive into the pits of
hell, and the earth closed over them. It wasn’t just an ordinary earthquake,
but the earth moved more like a wild animal that opened its mouth wide to
swallow its prey. The hole opened; they fell in, and the hole closed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The screams of the dying and terror in their eyes as they
fell alarmed the rest of the people, and they began to turn and run away lest
they too would be swallowed up, but that didn’t save those who had rebelled
along with Korah. The fire of God’s wrath, like lightning that came from the
Shekinah, and fire from the altar killed all 250 of them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you had stood there, would that have been enough to
persuade you to repent your rebellion? It wasn’t enough for Israel! Oh, how far
had their lack of faith taken them! Even though God’s judgment had fallen, and
he had clearly shown who was called and anointed to lead Israel, the people
began the very next day to murmur against Moses, accusing them of murdering all
of those who had died the day before! This is a definite case of “Terminal
Stupidity!” When will they ever learn? You saw God’s wrath swallow up 250 and
more yesterday! Have you forgotten already? Are you stupid enough to continue
in rebellion and think you’ll get away with it?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But we can’t point fingers at Israel. How many times have we
seen the good things of God, and yet we still see Christians who rebel against
the authority of the preacher of the gospel or rebel against the leadership
that is placed over them, or how many times have we seen people who simply
refuse to come under authority but will bow up, get angry and even leave the
church because they can’t have their way?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All of us have seen how many people will backslide and fall
into such deep pits of sin and despair that some never come out of! It’s as
though their sin of rebellion opens its mouth and swallows them up, heart and
soul, and they never experience the anointing of God again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you think it can’t happen to you? How many times does the
judgment of God have to fall, and how much pain and death will men have to
face? Christian, how much trouble is going to have to come into your life
before you realize that it’s futile to fight against the power of God and the
authority that God has placed over you? How many people today will run from the
House of God every time the preaching gets hot and conviction falls on them for
their sin of rebellion? We must repent our bad attitudes quickly before the
judgment comes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As the people stood that day, accusing Moses and Aaron of
murder, suddenly, beginning at the front and moving to the back of the
congregation, people began to drop dead on their feet in an instant of time.
The wave of God’s judgment could be visibly seen as it moved back into the
crowd. People were dropping dead, row upon row!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Moses commanded Aaron to quickly grab a censer of burning
incense and run among the crowd, in effect, offering a prayer of atonement for
their rebellion! As Aaron ran quickly, the incense arose before God, crying out
for mercy and the plague of death to cease.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Numbers
16:48, "And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was
stayed."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fourteen thousand seven hundred of the Children of Israel
died in a few moments as God’s wrath went among them! That’s not counting those
who had died the day before! If Aaron had not stood there with his censer,
there’s no doubt that all of Israel would have died for that spirit of
rebellion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me tell you, friends, that this is no game we’re playing.
Whether our hearts and spirits are right is a matter of life and death! All of
mankind died in an instant of time when Adam took that bite in the Garden of
Eden. The price of sin is death, eternal death. We were born dead, spiritually
dead!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then Jesus ran among men, carrying that incense, that censer
filled with his prayers to the Father on behalf of all men. He came and stood
between the living God and the souls of dead men as our intercessor. The
judgment of God was set for every one of us to die in the pits of the flame,
just as Korah did. But Jesus came running from Glory, the Shekinah Glory of God
dwelt among men; and he stands today, having been nailed to an old rugged
cross, giving His blood as payment for our sin, and rising from the dead. Jesus
is standing there between the living and the dead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus is the way to life! Who will be on the Lord’s side? In
Numbers 16:50, we see that Aaron and Moses returned to the door of the
Tabernacle, and the plague stopped!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus went down and took the keys of death, hell, and the
grave. Today, the power of death is stopped! Jesus is the resurrection and the
life, and all who will have life must come by Him!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let us check our hearts and see if there is a spirit of
rebellion in us. Are we teachable, or does pride rule in us? Are we submissive
to the leadership that God has anointed over us, or do we live in rebellion
against that authority? If that authority is anointed and operates according to
God’s will, we must be willing to bow before it!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lord, help me never to usurp the position and the authority
of those who are placed over me! Lord, help your children never to do that
either! The One who is over us all is Jesus! Let us never think that we know
more than Christ himself. Let us never presume that we can live without the Law
of God! Let us always realize that except for the mercy and grace of God, we
would be counted among the dead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Is your heart right with God today? Have you repented of that
spirit of pride, of rebellion against the leadership and authority of God, of
that self-centered desire for what you want instead of what God wants? The Word
of God teaches us today that without Jesus, we have no chance. We either submit
to Him, or we die! God’s wrath is coming soon upon all who refuse to serve him
in spirit and truth. The plague of death will come upon everyone who has not
been fully persuaded to surrender all to Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Book of Revelation describes the judgment of God that
falls upon the Antichrist and the False Prophet and all his followers at the
end of the reign of the Antichrist upon the earth. It is very similar to what
happened to Korah and his followers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Revelation
19:20 - 21, "And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that
wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the
mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast
alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain
with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his
mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On that day, rebellion against God will meet God’s wrath.
With the word of His mouth, millions will fall dead in their tracks while the
Antichrist and his False Prophet fall into the pits of hell while they are
still living. All of those on the side of the dead will fall into that awful
place, never to get out again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Where do you stand? Are you on the side of the living or of
the dead? Jesus stands in the middle, beckoning us all to come to him and have
life eternal. It is His desire that none should perish, that none should suffer
judgment, that none should ever be lost, and that none should stand in a place
of rebellion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus is standing between the living and the dead, beckoning
us to come to Him and stand among the living who will be eternally blessed.
Come, stand with us. Every one of us must repent of that rebellious nature,
that heart that says, “It’s my life, my way, and I’ll do it the way I choose.”
We must follow Jesus and come under His authority as our Lord and King.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-47326047132061444162024-01-02T14:03:00.000-08:002024-01-02T14:03:57.406-08:00Take a Swim<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Ezekiel
47:3-5, "And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth
eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters;
the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me
through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand,
and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. Afterward he measured a
thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were
risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Are you living in the center of God’s perfect will in your
life right now? Have you reached a level of spiritual maturity and obedience to
God’s Word that you feel God wants you to have? The truth of the matter is we
all have plenty of room for improvement!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I want you to see what God is telling Ezekiel about wading
out into the deep spiritual waters of the Spirit-filled life. In the modern
church, many have become too afraid to give their all to Jesus. They are afraid
because they think God may require more of them than they are willing to give.
They reason within themselves that if they don’t commit to the work fully, then
they won’t be found guilty of failing in their commitment to Jesus. They are
just afraid of getting in over their heads.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Prophet Ezekiel is given a vision of a river that springs
forth from God’s Throne. This river of living water, coming from the Throne of
God, is representative of the working of the Holy Spirit in your life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ezekiel
47:6-10, "And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he
brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. Now when I had
returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side
and on the other. Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east
country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought
forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that
everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come,
shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish because these
waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed, and every thing shall live
whither the river cometh. And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall
stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread
forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the
great sea, exceeding many."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ezekiel saw the water as it flowed and became a mighty river
that brought life, healing, and deliverance to a dry and thirsty land. This
land was to be the home of God’s chosen people, Israel. God had such great
things in store for his people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are many who hear the Gospel, and they see what the
Spirit can and is doing in the lives of others, yet that is as far as they get!
They never really get in. They never respond and surrender their lives to
Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ezekiel first saw the waters. He could not and did not go
into the water alone. God carried Ezekiel out into the water.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We cannot enter God’s Kingdom or experience the Holy Ghost in
our lives unless we come God’s way. We don’t have the ability to step out
without the Lord leading the way. We can’t even come to Him in repentance
unless the Holy Spirit deals with us and brings conviction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When the Holy Spirit deals with the life of a sinner, that
sinner must respond, either in repentance or rebellion. If our response is one
of repentance, then God saves us, and we begin the journey through life with
Him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We step into the water and get our feet wet. At this point in
our walk with the Lord, we still behave the way we want to. We can behave
according to our own thinking. There is very little “resistance” to our steps
because we have not yet learned to recognize the Voice of God as He gently
leads us into a deeper relationship with Him. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As we grow in the Lord and learn to trust Him, He begins to
bring us into a little deeper walk with Him. The Holy Spirit begins to open
doors of ministry for us and leads us to step into a more productive life in
Christ. Now, we are getting knee-deep in obedience to the call of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe you feel led to teach a class, minister to the youth,
or do some of the work around the church to help the facilities be better.
Whatever you see needs to be done, you are anxious to complete it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“I’m not ready to get up in front of people; I don’t know if
I’m ready to teach others.” We can come up with a lot of excuses, but none of
them are as good as we try to make them appear.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Serving God in knee-deep water means that we must work a
little harder, study a little more, do a little more than other people, and
even draw attention to the fact that we are more committed to doing a job that
needs to be done.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just as knee-deep water is a little harder to walk in and
hides many things that may cause you to stumble, so does serving the Lord. God
will begin strengthening you and building your faith in Him. But this is just a
knee-deep commitment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God is saying, Step on out a little further. Let me draw you
closer to me. Ezekiel is carried out into the water until it becomes
waist-deep.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now the going gets tougher. The demands upon your time,
energy, and commitment now really cut into your already busy schedule. You are
not just teaching a class or working around the church now. God has now called
you into training for leadership within His church. Now, you must read more,
study more, pray harder, and be concerned for a part of God’s work that He has
entrusted you with.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Rest assured that as you try to wade out in water up to your
waist, you are going to face opposition. As the Holy Ghost leads you into a
deeper walk with the Lord, there will be obstacles in your path. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There will be those who will not commit themselves and will
tell you that you are foolish for being so radical for the things of God. There
will be those who won’t agree with your conviction or your methods. There will
probably be those who will even try to convince you that you can’t do what you
feel God is telling you to do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There will always be those who only wade out ankle-deep or
don’t even step into the water. These are usually the ones who try to
discourage those who will step out further for God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finally, Ezekiel was carried out into water too deep to touch
the bottom, and he had to swim. When you get committed to God enough that even
your plans are scary, that’s when you are getting into this deepest walk with
the Lord. That’s where you must learn to depend upon the leading of the Holy
Ghost more than ever because you know you can’t do what God has called you to
do on your own. When you are this deep, you have gone beyond your ability.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ezekiel had gone so far from the shore that he could no
longer walk back. Wherever the river flowed, that was where Ezekiel was going.
The current was so strong, and the volume of water was so great that Ezekiel
was in over his head. Still, God was carrying him, and there was no danger of
the Prophet drowning. God was still in control of the water and the prophet's
life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Most Christians will never experience the joy, fulfillment,
trust, and love for God that comes with this kind of commitment because they
love the safety of the shore too much. They refuse to leave their comfort zone.
They refuse to stretch and grow beyond what they can see. Their faith is never
exercised to the point that they have complete peace no matter what the world
throws at them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If someone is to reach the deep relationship and commitment
to the Lord that this represents, he has moved beyond himself and placed
himself under God's hand in complete obedience and trust. That is what true
spiritual maturity is all about! It is about coming to the end of ourselves and
realizing just how big God is and that there is no way that we could ever do it
on our own.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Ezekiel got in this deep, his will was surrendered to
the river's will. He was going to go where the river took him. God wants us to
lose sight of ourselves, our goals, our ambitions, and our dreams, and He wants
us to be one hundred percent surrendered to Him and His will for our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you know what the secret to genuine revival is? It‘s God’s
people getting to the place where they are as committed to Jesus and the call
of God upon their lives as they can get! Revival isn’t for the ankle-deep
people because they will never see what God wants to do. They will never have
complete trust and faith in God to accomplish those things that seem so
impossible. They will only sit by and grumble because the church isn’t growing
or because they don’t “feel anything” as though it was God’s or the Preacher’s
fault.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Revival isn’t even for
those who will get knee-deep in God’s work. They may sense that God wants to
accomplish something great in their lives. They may even catch a glimpse of
God's vision for their ministry if only they would be committed. But they will
never experience the real power of the dream that the Holy Ghost will bestow
upon the one who completely surrenders to the will of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The church will experience revival, and the individual
Christians will only become all that God has intended for them to become when
they surrender to God and commit their lives to Him without reservation. They
must put their faith in God’s ability to keep them, God’s provision for every
part of life, and God’s faithfulness to do what He has promised.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ezekiel says about God, "He brought me through the
waters."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe you find yourself holding back on total commitment to
the Lord because you are afraid that if you entirely sell out to Him, you will
drown. God will not fail you. He is faithful and able to take care of you. He
is Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord that provides. His provision is for your success in
ministry, your needs in every aspect of life, and for your protection and safe
journey during your life in Him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many Christians never realize that a deeper commitment,
wading deeper and deeper into a strong relationship with Jesus and allowing the
Holy Ghost to have complete control of their lives, helps them stay close to
God. They will be less likely to “fall off the wagon” in their spiritual walk
if they get in deep water.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Walking in water that is only ankle-deep requires little
effort. The force of the water against your steps is minimal, and you can
quickly get in or out at will. It’s also easy for some outside force, like wind
or the push of a friend, to knock you out of the water.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since many people never get more than ankle-deep in their
commitment to Jesus, you can see why so many live such shallow lives and are so
easily carried about by every little “wind of doctrine” that blows their way.
These dear people rarely hear the true voice of God. Instead, they listen to
every voice that says what they want to hear that makes them feel good and
justifies their shallow walk with the Lord. My concern is that many of these
“shallow Christians” aren’t Christians at all and will not go in the Rapture of
the church.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Walking in water up to your knees requires a little more
effort and a deeper commitment. Even so, it is still easy to be knocked out of
the water by the same circumstances as those up to their ankles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I believe Jesus refers to these first two categories as
“lukewarm.” These are the ones that He will “spew out of His mouth.”
(Revelation 3:16)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In my mind, these two categories of people, who are
non-committal and compromising with the world, are the type of people that
President Teddy Roosevelt was speaking of when he made this statement:
"Far better it is to fail in the attempt of great things than to take rank
with the weak, timid souls who know neither the glory of victory or the agony
of defeat."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Only those who will get at least waist deep and ultimately
“over their heads” in a deep commitment to Jesus will ever really experience
the glory of victory in Jesus. Any good work for the Lord will accomplish great
results after someone dives into a strong relationship with God and makes a
real commitment to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes under the
leadership of the Holy Ghost.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">D.L. Moody said, and I believe it, “It remains to be seen
what God will do and can do through someone that will commit totally unto the
Lord and have absolute trust in Him!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s the kind of commitment that Jesus is looking for.
Sadly, those who will make such a commitment are few by comparison with those
who won’t.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What about you right now? Are you still in the shallow water?
What are you going to do with your commitment to the Lord?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some reading this still haven’t stepped into the water at
all. Some are in every stage of this message. Jesus is looking for a total
commitment. Let the river carry you wherever the Holy Spirit leads. Allow Jesus
to have the complete Lordship of your life; there is no telling what great
victories lie ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-28960529897355307672024-01-02T14:02:00.000-08:002024-01-02T14:02:52.619-08:00As the Deer<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must
run faster than the fastest lion, or it will not live to see another day. Every
morning, the lion wakes up and knows it must run faster than the slowest
gazelle, or it may starve to death and never see the sunrise again.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The moral of this story is that whichever you are, whether
you are like the lion and feel as though you are the king of your world and all
is well, you better be ready to run with all your might, or if you are more
like the gazelle, timid and shy, and feeling nearly defenseless against the
predators in life that seem to be ever after you; when the day dawns and sun
rises, you better be ready to run for your life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t know about you, but there have been times when I have
felt like the lion. I was on top of the mountain, and all was well. Yet, there
was always this nagging feeling that I could not stop because the top of the
mountain doesn’t go on forever, and the time was quickly approaching when life
would see me going over the side and falling swiftly into the valley once more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve also come to understand that I spend more time going
down into, staying in the depths of, or struggling to climb out of the valley
than I have on the mountaintop. I’ve also understood that it is not on the
mountaintop as much as in the valley's struggles that faith in God is built and
made stronger.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Bible refers to different animals as representatives of
the people of God in varying circumstances.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms 44:22
says, "Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as
sheep for the slaughter."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Isaiah 40:31
compares us in some ways to an eagle. "But they that wait upon the LORD
shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms 42:1,
“As the hart (Deer) panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after
thee, O God.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">First, we must note that God has placed within each of us a
natural desire to seek the truth of his existence. Though many men will
suppress that desire and even deny its existence because they refuse to give
God a place in their lives, that emptiness, and thirst down deep inside cannot
be quenched by anything other than the presence of the Lord. There is a place
in the heart that nothing, nor anyone, can fill but Jesus. So many today search
for something to satisfy that longing, but nothing can ultimately make them
happy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You can give a man all the world's wealth, and it won’t
satisfy the emptiness of his heart and soul. King Solomon had so many wives and
lovers that his palace was becoming crowded, but no other person could fill
that void that only Jesus could fill. In the end, Solomon could only say that
all of life was filled with vanity, things that have no meaning without God.
The excitement of travel, vacations, sports, or accomplishments in the business
world cannot appease that thirst, and the temporary rush disappears in a
moment. Drugs and alcohol are nothing more than tools that men use to dull the
reality of the pain in their hearts because of the emptiness and sinking
feeling of the meaningless life that they live without Jesus, a life without
purpose or fulfillment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If only all of mankind would allow Jesus to fill that place
in their hearts that only he can fill, what a wonderful world this would be.
Sadly, though, that will never happen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Even as Christians who serve God faithfully, we often find
ourselves in the same position as David in this verse. We are dry, thirsty, and
in desperate need of that water of life that only Jesus can give.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is always a battle to fight if we are in this world.
Sometimes, the battles are with natural enemies, those who seem to be chasing
after us all the time to take what we have worked hard to earn or to steal that
which God has blessed us with. The Constitution may guarantee our right to
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Still, that guarantee is only as
good as the Constitution itself, and right now, that Constitution is being
trampled underfoot by the powers that be. When the Constitution is disregarded,
life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are also in jeopardy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sometimes, the battle we must fight is more in the
supernatural realm. We can never let down our guard against the enemy of our
souls because Satan and the powers of darkness never sleep, and he is a
relentless foe, ever seeking whom he may devour. Like that lion chasing the
gazelle on the Serengeti Plains, Satan is ever roaring, searching for
Christians who have strayed from the presence of God and gone searching for
greener pastures out in the world. Spiritual warfare never ceases, and the
closer we stay to the Lord, the safer we will be.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A lone gazelle grazing away from the herd is easy prey for
the lion. A Christian who strays from the Church tries to feed his heart and
soul on the TV or radio or by making up his own plan of salvation becomes easy
prey for the temptations of the devil. How can anyone expect to stay strong for
the Lord if they directly disobey the Word of the Lord? There is strength in
being together, strength in numbers, for we all hold one another accountable in
a fashion, and we all are encouraged by one another. You won’t get that by
doing it on your own. Many have tried, and just as many have fallen into
temptation and sin.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Staying close to God doesn’t make us immune to Satan’s
attacks, but when we are close to God, then we have only a short distance to
“Run” before we can feel his grace keeping us from falling prey to the devil.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We’ve often felt that hot breath of the powers of darkness as
they are at our heels. The problem with most of us is that we are often running
as fast as we can to get away from the attacks of the devil that we forget that
what we should do is stand fast in God and resist the devil. As long as we are
running, he won’t stop chasing. But the instant we stand upon the Word of God
in faith and resist him, Satan must turn and flee.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">David refers to the deer as a hart and gives us an example of
how the deer behaves. The deer is one of the most timid creatures in the
forest. Whether it is the hunter with his weapons, wolves, wild cats, or some
imaginary enemy, the deer is easily spooked and will run for a long time to get
away. After a time, running creates a terrible thirst, and the deer will seek
water.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Whatever the reason, that deer must find that water, and
whatever the reason that we as Christians find ourselves in a dry and thirsty
condition, we must do like that deer and search for that water of life that
only God and his Word can give.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms 42:2,
“My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear
before God?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How will you fill that emptiness and thirst within your heart
and soul? It can only be filled by coming before the Lord and appearing before
the courts of Heaven in prayer and supplication. When we seek Him, we will find
Him; when we ask of Him, we will receive; and when we knock on the doors of
Heaven, they will be opened to us. But notice this – we must make the first
move! We must ask, seek, and knock first! There are too many Christians who sit
around expecting God to answer their prayer that they never prayed to begin
with, to open doors of blessing without ever knocking on the door, and who also
expect God to reveal himself to them in a greater measure every day while they
never seek to know him more!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why do Christians have so much trouble? Why does God allow us
to become tempted and tried? Why are we always running from the devil and
walking in dry, thirsty places in the spiritual realms? The answer is that God
must allow something or someone to chase us, ultimately making us run to Him,
which is where we should have been in the first place!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">David said
in Psalms 42:3, “My tears have been my meat day and night, while they
continually say unto me, Where is thy God?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That sounds like so many people I know, and I’ve been there
occasionally. The only thing we feed on are the doubts and fears that come upon
us because we failed God. When we run far enough and long enough from the
presence of God, there’s nothing left but to cry out for mercy and run back to
God seeking forgiveness. How far and fast do we run only to finally realize how
far we are from where we should be in God?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There comes a time in our running that we finally ask, where
is God? Where is that relationship that I once had with the Lord? Where is my
love for the Word of God, for working for the Lord, for being in the House of
the Lord, for being around God’s people? Where is that Love that I once had and
that sensing of the anointing and power of God upon my heart? How far have I
run?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You can see that pattern every time it begins to happen.
People are excited about church and the things of God; then other things start
to draw them away. Then they say things like, “I just feel led to get away from
the ministry and rest.” Yes, there is a rest for the people of God, but that
rest is not found in abandoning your post in the Lord’s army. It’s seen by
staying faithful and leaning upon Jesus rather than running from Him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some say, “I just feel like I’m not getting fed what I need,
so I’m going to try something else, whether it’s a new church, a new preacher,
or a new position.” Understand this – you will only get out of it what you put
into it. No one gets fed when they are not committed to serving the Lord with
all their heart. If you want to get fed, learn how to give to others first and
give God what is expected of you. God’s working in your life still operates on
the laws of sowing and reaping. You will get back after you’ve put in. Give,
and it shall be given to you, pressed down, shaken together, and running over!
Don’t give first; you’ll get nothing in return because that’s what you have
sown.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sow prayer and reap the answer! Sow praise and reap the
presence of the Lord! Sow working in the Kingdom of God and reap satisfaction
and joy knowing you’ve obeyed the Lord! Sow teaching, and you’ll learn much
more in the process! Sow ministering into other people's lives, and you’ll reap
the blessings of receiving their thanks and kind words of appreciation. Sow
work in God’s house and reap the satisfaction of feeling like you belong and
are part of what God is doing! Sow the seed first; then, the reaping and
harvest will come!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Those who begin to draw back soon fall into temptation and
become caught up in sin, whether it’s the sin of doing things contrary to the
Word of God or the sin of not doing what God requires of his people. Either
way, it is a dangerous path that leads to destruction. We can’t rebel against
God’s plan for our lives and expect God to continue blessing us. God’s
blessings depend on our obedience to his call and the work he has set before
us!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The point is that the further we run, the drier we will get
in the spirit. The farther we get from where we should be in God, the thirstier
our souls will become, until one day we will see that there is no more water
and that we have a choice to make: either get back to the water of God’s Word
or die where we stand!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms 42:4,
“When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with
the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and
praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you see what David is saying here? He had come to this dry
and thirsty place in his life even though he had continually gone to the house
of God to worship, despite lifting his voice in praise and being around the
multitude of God’s people there with him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The problem is that we can all go through the motions,
seeming to do what we should, but if our heart and soul aren’t into it, then it
does little good. God won’t accept half-hearted efforts. He expects us to be on
fire for him, desiring him above all else. Anything less than fully committed
is entirely unacceptable. We can appear to be faithfully serving God and still
be on the run from him. We might fool everyone around us. We might even
convince ourselves that we are okay. But you can’t fool God. He knows your
heart and your motives!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms 42:5,
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope
thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why is David feeling so cast down? Why is he unsettled and
disturbed in his spirit? The reason is that he was in a dry and thirsty
condition spiritually. Yet he knew there was hope, which was found in God's
mercy, grace, and forgiveness. He knew that his answer was found only in
returning to praise and worship from a pure heart, and if he would do that,
then God would lift him again!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms 42:6,
“O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from
the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When David began to think of his dry and thirsty soul and of
his great desire for the water of life that God can give, he remembered how God
had blessed him and the nation of Israel in the past. He had been in this
condition before, and so had the entire country of the Jews. How often had they
fallen! How often had they failed God! How often had they been left dry and
thirsty, not having the blessings of God upon them because of their spiritual
condition?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God had brought them back so many times. He had dried up the
Jordan River that barred them from the Land of Promise. He had defeated their
enemies, caused water to come out of the rock in the wilderness, given them the
Law on Mt. Sinai, and led them all the way. God had brought David back from the
wilderness when Saul was after him to kill him. God had blessed David’s reign
as king and gave him a throne that would be forever remembered. God had blessed
him after he repented of the affair with Bathsheba. David recognized that no
matter how far Israel had run or how far he had fallen from God’s presence,
somehow, there was always hope because God is faithful!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms 42:7,
“Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy
billows are gone over me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Though we might be like David, so deep in despair, so deep in
the dry places, and so far from God that we can’t feel his presence anymore,
there is hope. The depth of God’s love and grace reaches into the depths of
David’s dry and thirsty soul. Though the storms of life, represented in the
waterspouts, and the depths of sin, described in the billows over him, were so
great, God was still calling him home.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t care what you’ve done or how far you have run from
God. It doesn’t matter how far down into the depths of sin you have plunged!
God will hear your voice if you call upon him for deliverance!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms 42:8,
“Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night
his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Like the light of the sun in the daytime, the love of God
will lead us home and show us the way. His Word will be the lamp to your feet
and the light to your path, all the way back to Jesus and the foot of the cross
of Christ, where we can find rest again. In the darkness of our sin and
despair, God will give us a song, a new hope, and a renewed spirit if we only
pray to him and seek his face!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms 42:9,
“I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? Why am I mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You can see hope arising in David’s heart once again! He now
sees that God is his Rock, his foundation, and his answer to his soul's dry and
thirsty condition. Why should he cry and be in such despair because of his
enemy? Why sit in self-pity and bewail his spiritual weakness when God is still
God and able to deliver him?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I say to you that whatever you face, and whatever your
spiritual condition, whether you’re on fire for God and on the mountaintop with
Jesus or down in the valley, depressed and downtrodden, God is still God, and
he is still your answer! Run to him!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms
42:10, “As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say
daily unto me, Where is thy God?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s the picture that I see in this verse! As soon as you
make up your mind to turn back to God in faith and begin sowing the right seed,
as soon as you decide that you’ve been dry and thirsty long enough and that you
have a new-found hunger and thirst for the things of God; you can get ready for
the spiritual battle to get a lot hotter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Satan doesn’t want you to get back to God, and he’ll throw
everything in your path to stop you. You’ll begin to wonder if God will even
accept you back. You’ll start to wonder what other people might think about
you. You’ll begin to doubt whether the feeling you have inside to get back to
God is even real. These are all tricks of the devil!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s his job to discourage you, but you must resist him and
come to Jesus anyway. The devil can’t stop you if you want God more in your
life, but you can let him control you if you yield to his discouragements.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Who cares what other people think; what God thinks only
matters! God is always willing for us to get closer to him. He never refuses a
repentant heart! He is willing that all should come to repentance and inherit
the blessings of God. And yes, it is God who is dealing with your heart if you
feel that desire to come back to him. Only Satan would ever tell you that the
tugging in your heart isn’t real! That’s the Holy Spirit drawing you, so yield
and come home to Jesus!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms
42:11, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within
me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my
countenance, and my God.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">David’s final words in this chapter are meant to encourage
anyone who truly thirsts after God or is hungry for something to fill that
emptiness inside to run to the Lord! There’s no reason to stay in that state of
want when God is willing and able to feed you and fill you with everything you
need.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Your hope is in Jesus! Your answer is found in Jesus! Your
joy can only be found in knowing God and serving him with all your heart! Your
victory over everything that keeps you depressed and discouraged is only found
in obeying the Word of the Lord and giving God that sacrifice of praise even
when you don’t feel like it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">David was determined to praise the Lord, place his faith in
God’s power to deliver him, and believe in God for a breakthrough in the spirit
that would satisfy his longing soul. Jesus is your answer, and He is still God!
Come to him today and watch those clouds of doubt and despair disappear. The
Son of God will rise in your heart, and there will be a brand-new day! God will
satisfy your thirsting soul and fill your hungry heart!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you’re on the run, searching for water, longing for an
answer, seeking something that will satisfy and bring peace into your life,
Jesus is your answer. Just come to him now!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-31540593072013194602024-01-02T14:01:00.000-08:002024-01-02T14:01:22.714-08:00Living Water<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">John
7:37-53, "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that
believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers
of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on
him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus
was not yet glorified)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many of the
people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the
Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out
of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of
David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a
division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken
him; but no man laid hands on him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then came
the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why
have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers
or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law
are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being
one of them) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he
doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and
look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own
house."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood
amid those who had come together for a solemn assembly. It was time for the
offering of the bullock upon the fire. This day he required less sacrifices
than the previous seven days. The Feast of Tabernacles began with offering
thirteen bullocks on the first day, and then one less bullock would be offered
each day. But, on this day, the last day, only one would be offered. In total,
seventy bullocks were offered in the first six days, one for each of the
seventy known nations of the world. But, on this great day, the greatest day of
all, the last day of the feast, only one would be offered, but it was the most
important one for the Jews, for this bullock would be sacrificed on behalf of
their nation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On this last day, things would differ greatly from the
previous six. On this day, a special prayer would be made, a feast greater than
those of the last six days, a different song of worship would be sung, a
special blessing invoked from God Jehovah, and a special offering would be
given.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There would also be a special ceremony according to Jewish
tradition and law on this day. An offering of water would be poured out unto
the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here is how the water offering ceremony would be done. The
priests would take a golden pot, draw water out of the Pool of Siloam, then
travel through the city to the Water Gate. There, they would blow their
trumpets and give a long, loud shout as the priest climbed to the altar at the
gate. Upon that altar were two silver basins. On the west, the basin was filled
with water, while the basin on the east was filled with wine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This ceremony, for the Jews, had a great significance. It was
brought down by tradition from the time of Moses upon Mt. Sinai, and it was
representative of the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon God’s people.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Even the Prophet Isaiah referred to this ceremony when he
said:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Isaiah
12:2-6, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for
the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in
that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings
among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD;
for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and
shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the
midst of thee."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The drawing of the water from the well and pouring it out
into the basins at the Water Gate was symbolic of drawing salvation from the
wells of God’s mercy and grace and then allowing God to pour out the “new wine”
of the Holy Ghost upon His people and filling the land with His blessings. In
addition, this was the day they prayed for the rains needed for the coming year
so that their crops would be productive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, look at the symbolic meaning of this day, with its water
being poured out to ask God’s blessings upon the rains that would be needed and
for the pouring out of the Holy Ghost upon the people of God. We can begin to
understand why Jesus chose this time and this day to stand and shout His
proclamation to the Jews.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus
shouted, “if any man thirst, let him come to me and drink.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If there was one thing that the Jews understood, it was being
thirsty. Their land was hot and dry. Much of the land in the Middle East is
arid, desert land. But Jesus wasn’t talking about a natural thirst when he shouted
those words. He was talking about a spiritual thirst.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We are living in a dry and thirsty land right now. Even
though we hear people claim to be Christian, and nearly every home in America
has not just one but several Bibles, there is still a lack of knowledge of the
Word of God. The Bible is nothing more than a dust collector on the shelf or
the coffee table, while most of the Church is starving to death and perishing
for lack of knowledge. The Church has no victory, power, or glory because the
Word of God goes unread.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We hear Christian programming on the radio; we can watch it
on the TV, but the vast majority of it is nothing more than fluff. Is there any
real gospel being preached anymore? Not much, I believe. Just watch or listen
to any program you want to and listen to what is being put forth on the
airwaves.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The messages and teachings are to “better the church” and to
teach Christians how to enjoy living for the Lord. Now, these aren’t bad, but
where is the real message of the gospel? How many lost souls are going to come
to Christ by listening to a preacher tell you about his new jet or how to have
a better relationship with your spouse? When was the last time you heard anyone
on the radio or TV give an altar call for lost sinners to come to Jesus at an
altar of repentance?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You will hear them preach about wealth, prosperity, love,
self-esteem, relationships, and many other things, but you don’t hear them
preach against sin anymore. How thirsty is our soul and our land when people
can go to a church for weeks on end and never hear a true message of repentance
for sin and surrendering your heart and life to Christ, being born again, and
then seeking after the baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus
shouts, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth
on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
water.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With those words, Jesus was proclaiming to the Jews that it
was not the ceremony, not the bullock upon the altar, and not the water poured
out that they should be looking to fill their thirst – THEY SHOULD BE LISTENING
TO AND LOOKING TO HIM TO FILL THEIR HEART AND LIFE!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus is the Giver of Life and the Source of Life. Just as no
life on earth can survive without water, neither can the soul survive without
Jesus. Jesus in you becomes a river of “living water.” The Holy Spirit fills
your thirsty soul and fills you with all the goodness and mercy of God. He
overflows your soul with blessings and springs up from within your soul as a
river that will wash you, cleanse you, and make you whole. Oh, what a river
that is! The River of Living Water that comes from deep inside.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You may have woken up today with a deep thirst for something.
You don’t even know what you need, but there is a longing for something better
that you haven’t been able to find, and it will satisfy your search for true
meaning in life and bring joy to your heart. The world doesn’t have anything
that can fill your thirst.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You can try to find it in relationships, but they will only
leave you thirsty for more. I run across people trying to fill their thirst by
seeking a new relationship. Promiscuity rules the land as men and women
everywhere search for something or someone who will be real. The reality is
that no person can fill that void in your soul. No person, no matter how much
love or infatuation there is, can fill the emptiness in your heart that longs
after God. You know something is missing. Every morning, when you wake up, you
wonder if there is more to life. Yes, there is! You need Jesus to fill that
void in your soul.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You can try to find it in alcohol. God knows I did for years,
but when the high wears off, it will leave you still thirsting for more. Night
after night, the local bars are filled with people trying to satisfy their
spiritual thirst with earthly drinks. They take that glass of some “adult
beverage” (just a term used to disguise the fact that this drink will destroy
you if you take enough of it, and you ought to have better sense than to drink
it). They will gulp it down, and for a few brief moments, they can forget their
troubles and forget that there is an emptiness on the inside that they can’t
seem to fill. But when the alcohol wears off, the emptiness inside only grows
larger and deeper. The very thing that they thought could satisfy their thirst
only drives them deeper into despair and destruction because the thing that
they are thirsty for is spiritual and not earthly. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Only Jesus can fill that emptiness on the inside. Only Jesus
can take away the guilt and shame. Only Jesus can start them back on the proper
path to recovery. While medical science can say that alcoholism is a sickness,
and that may well be true after a little while, I believe that it’s a sin,
brought into their life willingly by a sinner looking for something to fill his
thirsty soul.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some will attempt to find a way to quench this thirst in
their soul by using drugs and medication, but that won’t fill the void either.
The thrill, the high, and the euphoria will come quickly to an end, and then
the thirst for more is stronger than ever. The thirst is still there, and it
continues to grow. The flesh craves the feelings and the drugs, but the real
thirst is in the soul. That craving and that thirst must be filled with
something, so we are compelled to get another fix, and another, then another,
and it never ends as we search for an answer. The thirst is never satisfied,
the hunger for more increases, and the demon down in the soul will scream and
cry for more, ever more, driving the body ever closer to death. That’s his
business – to kill, steal, and destroy, and Satan will see to it that we are
never really satisfied, no matter how much we take.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There’s only one answer for the thirst down in your soul.
There is only one person who can fill that void in your heart. There is only
one way to live on a permanent “high.” The answer to your thirst is only found
in Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus stands in front of you right now. Through the Words of
this message, He is shouting to you, “If any man thirsts, let him come unto me
and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The water of the Holy Ghost is being offered to you right
now. Jesus wants you to repent and let Him pour out the Holy Ghost upon your
soul. If you give your heart and life to Jesus, He will fill that emptiness
with His power, His presence, His mercy, and His grace, and He will give you
eternal life and joy and peace that this world knows nothing about. He won’t
leave you searching for something to fill the void. He will fill your life and
your soul with His love. All these things will fill your emptiness so much that
your life will become a “river of living water.” Everywhere you go, people will
see Jesus in you. Everyone you meet will know there is something inside of you
that they don’t have. That River of Living Water will flow from your soul to
touch everyone you meet somehow.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As you read this message, don’t take the attitude that so
many did on the day that Jesus stood and shouted his proclamation to the Jews. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Many of the
people, therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth, this is the
Prophet. Others said, this is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out
of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said that Christ cometh of the seed of
David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a
division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken
him, but no man laid hands on him.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I know that not everyone will receive this message and
respond to it as I hoped you would. There was an associate of mine who used to
say it this way, “Some will, some won’t, so what!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some will – they will hear the words of Jesus, and they will
allow those words to sink into their heart and soul. The Word of God will not
return void but will enter in and take root, and they will begin to understand
and know the truth. They will recognize Jesus as their Lord and Savior and
start a new life as a new man or woman, born again by the power of God. Oh,
that everyone could receive this message with that kind of attitude!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some won’t – they won’t accept Jesus’ offer to come to Him.
The devil has so blinded their spiritual eyes that they can’t see Jesus for who
He is. He is God, the Savior of the World, but all they will see is a man. They
are so dry and thirsty that they are like a man wandering and dying in the
desert who sees a natural oasis but thinks it’s only a mirage. That man will
die of thirst because he fears reaching the water only to find it isn’t real. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let me tell you that Jesus is honest. His love is real. His
mercy is real. His joy is absolute. His blessing of eternal life is real. His
promises are true. He will give you that River of Living water if you want it.
Don’t listen to the devil; listen to Jesus and come to Him right now.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, what – so what if you don’t hear the words of this
message? So, what if you don’t come to Jesus? So, what if you close this book
and keep looking for ways to fill your thirst with the things of the world?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here’s what! If you continue down that same path, you will
fall into destruction and death. You see, there is not one sinner who rejects
Jesus who will not end up burning in hell itself. Not only that, but Satan will
blind you even more and drag you down into the pits of sin even more, and he
will take you farther than you want to go and keep you longer than you want to
stay. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How far will you go before you turn around? How deep will you
go into the pits of Hell before you turn around? God will let you go as far as
you want to. He won’t stop you. He will let you make your choice. But the whole
time you are running from Him, the Holy Ghost will be like a bloodhound on your
trail. You will never forget the words of the message. You will always have a
tugging at your heart to come back to Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus will still love you even in your rebellion. He loved
the whole world when not one man loved Him in return. Jesus went to the cross
and gave his life for you, just as you are. He still loves you, and He doesn’t
want your life or your soul to be destroyed, so come to Him while you can.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here’s What! If you accept Him, come to Him,
repent of your sin, confess that He is Lord, that He died for you and rose
again, asking Him to come into your life – then you will become a new person
this very day. That river of living water will begin to flow through you. The
world will be brighter. Your life will take on a real meaning. Jesus will break
the chains that bind you and set you free. You will be free to love, serve him,
enjoy the life He has given you, and be free from guilt and shame. And you will
be free to enter Heaven when Jesus calls you home.</span>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-74259047194761072222024-01-02T13:59:00.000-08:002024-01-02T13:59:36.724-08:00The River of God<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Revelation
22:1-2, "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street
of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare
twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of
the tree were for the healing of the nations."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One of the most beautiful scenes in the Bible is described in
these two verses of the Book of Revelation. John was given a vision of the
great River of Life that flows from the Throne of Jesus. This crystal-clear
river begins at the Throne and flows throughout the New Jerusalem to provide
healing and life for all who live on its shores. The green grass, beautiful
flowers, trees, and meadows along its banks can only be seen in the mind and
heart of man for the present, but one day soon, we shall all see it just as
John has described. What a glorious day it will be when we see Heaven for the
first time. All the trials of this life will pass away when we see Jesus face
to face.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We are given many word pictures of the water of life from
this river. I want to stir your soul and look at this River of Living Water.
One of the most beautiful pictures of the power of that river is given to us in
the book of Ezekial.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ezekiel
47:1-5, "Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and,
behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for
the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from
under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. Then
brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way
without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold,
there ran out waters on the right side. And when the man that had the line in
his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me
through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. Again he measured a
thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees.
Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the
loins. Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not
pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not
be passed over."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Ezekiel has been down to the valley of dry bones,
representing the dead spirituality of Israel as a nation. These dry bones also
stand for every man who ever lived who did not have the life-giving flow of God
in their life. When God asked Ezekiel, "Can these bones live?" He was
asking a question for which there was only one answer if we answered in the
power and ability of man. The answer would be NO! But, in the power of the
life-giving River of God, these bones could not only live but also become a
mighty nation and be able to do great things.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we look a little further, we can see Jesus as he is
waiting for the woman at the well who heard the words of Jesus as he said in
John 4:14, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him
shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well
of water springing up into everlasting life."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As the waters of that river flow, there is much it will do to
those who will step into its water and wade out just a little bit deeper each
day. Ezekiel saw the waters as they were only ankle deep as Jesus began to lead
him into the unseen depths of the river. Every Christian must step out into the
water and begin to explore the things of God. As Christians mature in Christ
and their relationship grows, they begin to wade out a little farther from the
shore and a little farther until finally, they are lost in the love of Jesus
and learn to live by faith. Too many people won't go out into the deep water of
their relationship with Jesus because it requires a commitment of faith to
believe that Jesus' power will keep them afloat.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In these verses in Ezekiel, we see how Jesus has taken
Ezekiel to the House of God, the Temple, and revealed to him the river's source
that will flow out upon a dry and thirsty land to provide life for all it
touches. The waters came out of the right side of the house and flowed from the
south side of the altar. What an excellent type of the Blood of Jesus Christ
that flowed from His side on Calvary. The Blood began as a trickle, then became
a stream that reached down and began to flow from beneath the "Altar of
Sacrifice," from the Cross down to the earth, flowing over the souls of a
sin-darkened and lost world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Praise the
Lord; there is the real source of the Water of Life and the River of God. The
precious Blood of the Lamb meets every provision for man's need. As the River
of Life begins its journey through the hearts of man, there is so much that it
does for us. Let's look at some of these benefits.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The River
Brings Life!</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Look again at John 4:14, "But whosoever drinketh of the
water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give
him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Those who choose to be washed in the Blood of the Lamb
through repentance, acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus, and surrender their
lives to Him will have this same well of living water within their heart. Why
is this so? Jesus is the source of that river, and He dwells in the heart of
every believer to provide the ability to reach out to other people and have
them washed in the Blood also. The Holy Spirit within each of us is the
manifestation of that river of living water as He speaks through us, leads us,
and teaches us every day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The River
Satisfies!</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Psalms
63:1-5, "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth
for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water
is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus
will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul
shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee
with joyful lips:"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">David knew what it was to need God's forgiveness and
blessing. He had failed God so many times. Yet, David's heart longed for the
peace and forgiveness that only the River of God would bring.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Indeed, we
live in a dry and thirsty land. Life in this lonely, sin-darkened world is
complex. We must forever be on guard against the power of sin as it tries to
invade our lives and bring the sentence of death upon us again and again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What chance would any of us have if it were not for that
constant flow and the power of the Blood of the Lamb as the river flows upon
us? But we have a promise of God's help, just as David did. David wrote another
song unto the Lord that we can read.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Psalms
46:4-5, "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of
God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of
her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God will not allow the power of sin to overcome us but will
come quickly to our aid to deliver us from temptation. God has promised us:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is
common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that
ye may be able to bear it."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The River of God, which begins at the Throne of Jesus that
comes from the foot of Calvary's Cross, gives us the power to overcome and be
satisfied by the Spirit of God in every circumstance, for we know that God has
it all under control.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The River
of God Cleanses Us!</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Every day, around the world, we see people using water to
wash everything around them. Water has a cleansing power that benefits all of
us. Still, the cleansing power of the River of God goes far deeper than that of
natural water.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The water from your tap can only cleanse the outside and make
us look good. Still, the Living Water from the River of God reaches down into
the very heart of man and washes away the stain and death of sin. There is an
old song that says, there is Power in the Blood, Power in the Blood. Sin's
stains are washed in its life-giving flow; there is Power in the Blood of the
Lamb.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A painting I saw at a restaurant in Eureka Springs, Arkansas,
showed just a portion of what that live-giving flow is all about. In that
painting, the Blood of Jesus Christ flows from His side as He is hanging upon
the Cross of Calvary. That Blood becomes a giant wave of His cleansing and
keeping power as it washes across the pages of history. This painting is
designed to picture America from its foundation to modern times. Still, the
Blood of Jesus Christ, as the river of God, has flowed throughout the entire
history of man.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Every event, every war, every birth, and every death have
been affected by His Blood. The river has washed up on the shore of every
nation and every life. The Blood of Jesus is given so all men can experience
its cleansing power.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">John 3:16,
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Whosoever means all people can come to Jesus because there is
no limit to the cleansing power of the Blood of the Lamb. Jesus willingly
poured out His Blood so that we could all experience the cleansing power of the
river of God. Just as we have seen in the vision of John of the river in Heaven
and that of Ezekiel, the river of God is an unending and ever-renewing source.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Isaiah 59:1,
"Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither
his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The great I AM of eternity is omnipotent in His power to
hear, to save, and cleanse man from sin. I AM has given Himself to purchase
forgiveness and victory over death for each of us. The River of God is Always
Increasing in the Affairs of Men! Jesus did not come and die for only a few. It
is God's will that all men should be saved and that none should perish.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The early Church began as a trickle of the outpouring of the
Holy Ghost upon men. Only 120 were gathered in the Upper Room on the Day of
Pentecost as the Holy Ghost came upon them like a mighty rushing wind. Those
120 began a revival that continues to grow throughout the Church Age.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Along came the age of the Reformation, and greater truth was
revealed through men like Martin Luther and others. The great revival that
began with only a few began to spread throughout the world, giving birth to
Protestantism and the revelation of the truth of living by faith and salvation
by faith in the mercy and grace of God. The River of God continued to flow and
would not allow the message of the gospel to die with a Pagan Church that
relied on works more than faith in God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Down through history, the river has continued its journey.
The Blood of the Lamb has never lost its power, and it never will.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At Azuza Street in California, another great revival broke
forth because men sought baptism in the Holy Ghost. That revival is still going
on today. The Pentecostal Church was born out of this incredible outpouring of
the Holy Ghost and on the river flows.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Bride of Christ, the Church, and people like you and I
will not be stopped because the River of God flows stronger than ever. Around
the world, people are being saved. The river flows onward!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Russian Bear of Communism has collapsed, and the gospel
is being preached in Russia and many others of the former Soviet Union. The
gospel is going forth behind the Bamboo Curtain of China; souls are being saved
by the thousands.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Church will not go out of this age as some emaciated,
weak, and dying ember! The Church is the Bride of Christ and will go out in a
blaze of glory.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Matthew
24:14, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world
for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That's not a picture of a church sitting around doing nothing
and waiting for it to be delivered. That's a picture of the Church as it stands
under the mighty anointing of the Holy Ghost, defies the god of this world, and
steps out into the devil's territory to bring the gospel message to anyone and
everyone who will hear. Satan cannot stop the River of God as it moves on.
Satan and the antichrist will be washed away by its cleansing power.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The River of God cannot be stopped. It is a flood of God's
power to cleanse the world. Has the River Washed You Clean? Have you made a
Step into the Water of His love? There is only one limiting factor in the power
of this River of God to cleanse. That limiting factor is your own will. God is
a perfect gentleman and never forces his will upon any man. It's up to us to
accept His gentle offer and wade out into the river just as Ezekiel had to do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God wants to let the river flow in your heart today. Why
don't you open the doors of your heart and let the cleansing power of the Blood
of the Lamb wash over you? Swim into the water of the River of God and
experience the great salvation and peace that Jesus offers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-54850600515989339862024-01-02T13:58:00.000-08:002024-01-02T13:58:02.150-08:00Have You Been With Jesus<p> <span style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">Acts 4:13, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and
John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled;
and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It had been almost two months since the crucifixion of Jesus,
but in the eyes of the world, Jesus’ birth, life, and death on the cross was no
more than a momentary blip on the screen of time. He was just another religious
fanatic who had come and gone. Pilate washed his hands of him. The Pharisees
were glad to get rid of him. The people no longer cared because he was not the
political Messiah they hoped for.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But when Peter and John came to town, it did not take long
for the people to see that there was something different about these two
disciples. They weren’t just religious fanatics or insurrectionists against the
Romans or rebellious Christians fighting against the religious establishment.
People sat up and took notice that there was something real about them. The
Bible says that even the doubters and sinners had to take note that Peter and
John “had been with Jesus."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When you got around these men, you could sense the love of
Jesus, who had given his life for the sin of the world; you could see the
radiance of Jesus as the glory of his power shone through, and you could feel
the very presence of Jesus, as the Holy Ghost moved upon the heart of men.
Let’s look at some of the characteristics of someone who has been with Jesus!
The first characteristic is that of <i>Compassion.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Acts 3:1-8; "Now Peter and John went up together into
the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame
from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the
temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the
temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave
heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver
and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and
lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And
he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple,
walking, and leaping, and praising God."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Peter and John had traveled this path many times before. I
wonder how often they had passed by this same lame man and never noticed him.
They were too consumed with their own plans and concerns to see their
fellowman's needs. But now, something has happened! Now they had been with the
Lord, and the power of the Holy Ghost had come over them and filled them with a
greater love for people. God had interrupted their plans and changed their
plans to fulfill the calling of God upon their lives, and now they had compassion
and took the time to show this man the love of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You cannot help but be compassionate with people when you
have been with Jesus because Jesus was a man of compassion. We aren’t Peter and
John; maybe we haven’t walked face-to-face with Jesus as they did. However, we
have been saved by the Blood of the Lamb, baptized in the name of Jesus, filled
with the power of the Holy Ghost, and the Love of God, which has constrained us
to do His work.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God’s love is a love that is ever reaching out to those in
need. He wants to supply their need and use you and me, as much as possible, to
be His hands and feet in this world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I read a story once about an orphanage with a superintendent
who would always pray with his children. When he asked for the blessing, he
would bow his head with all the little children in this orphanage, saying,
"Lord Jesus, we thank you for the food you have provided. We want you to
come and be our honored guest at this meal."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, one little fellow had heard that prayer many times and
finally said, "Why doesn’t Jesus ever come? You always invite Him to be
our guest. Will He ever come?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This superintendent said, "Well, He will come if we want
him to." This little fellow said, "Well, I’m going to put a chair out
for Him." He put a chair right next to his chair and said, "This
chair is for Jesus if He comes."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, that same day, there was a knock at the door, and they
went to the door. There was an older man in rags who was hungry, shivering, and
cold. The superintendent said, "Sir, come and share a meal with us. We’d
be glad to have you. Just come in here and sit down and warm yourself. We even
have a chair for you. Sit right here." He put the man in the chair set
aside for Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After this was over, the little fellow looked at the
superintendent and said, "I see it all so clearly now. Jesus couldn’t come
Himself, but he sent this man to take his place." Jesus said, "If you
have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto
Me."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we show compassion to others, it is as though we are
offering it directly to Jesus, and, as I stated, the most significant
indication of a disciple of Jesus is that we have a love for one another and
that love cannot stop in the church. It must reach out to a lost and dying
world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Second Characteristic is that of <i>Courage</i> –
in the 4th chapter of Acts, we see Peter and John at work again under the
direction of the Holy Ghost.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Acts 4:1-3, "And as they spake unto the people, the
priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the
resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold
unto the next day: for it was now eventide."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Peter and John were arrested for preaching that Jesus was
raised from the dead. They had been warned to stop preaching, but they had a
higher calling from God Almighty. As they preached to the Jews about the
crucifixion and resurrection, their message became a stumbling block that made
the Jews look like murderers. They knew that the Jews would be angered, but
that didn’t stop Peter and John from preaching. They dared to speak the truth
even though they were surrounded by opposition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The week before September 11, 2001, 32-year-old Todd Beamer
and his wife, Lisa, had spent a romantic getaway in Italy. The couple returned
home Monday rested and relieved to be reunited with their boys, David, 3, and
Andrew, 1.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But extended family time would have to wait. The following
day, Todd, an executive with Oracle, had to attend a sales reps meeting in
Northern California. He kissed Lisa, who was five months pregnant with their
third child, goodbye and headed to the Newark, New Jersey, airport, where he
boarded United Flight 93 for San Francisco.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">About 90 minutes into the westbound flight, the Boeing 757
was approaching Cleveland when three hijackers onboard identified themselves to
the 34 passengers and seven crewmembers and proceeded to take control of the
cockpit and cabin. The plane, now piloted by the would-be terrorists, made a
sharp turn to the south.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Todd reached for the GTE Airphone in the back of one of the
seats and was connected to a GTE supervisor on the ground. He explained to her
what was happening and indicated that he and the other passengers would not
likely survive. He presumed the pilot and co-pilot were already seriously
injured or dead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The GTE employee explained to Todd what had already happened
at the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Upon hearing this news, Todd must have
realized that the hijackers were intent on crashing the plane into another
prominent building near Washington, D.C. (the direction they were now headed).
Even though the hijacker nearest to Todd had a bomb belted around his waist, he
told the GTE representative that he and a few others were determined to do
whatever they could to disrupt the terrorist’s plan.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He then asked the person on the other end of the phone to
call his wife and report their entire conversation to her (including how much
he loved her). Before hanging up, this committed Christian and devoted family
man, who taught Sunday school each week, asked the GTE employee to pray the
Lord’s Prayer with him. With the sound of passengers screaming in the
background, she complied. When they concluded the prayer, Scott said,
"Help me, God. Help me, Jesus."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The GTE employee then heard Todd say, apparently to the other
three businessmen he’d alluded to earlier: "Are you ready, guys? Let’s
roll!" With that, the phone went dead. Within a few minutes, Flight 93
nose-dived into a rural field 80 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, leaving a
crater 40 feet deep as it disintegrated upon impact.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because Todd Beamer was committed to Jesus Christ and his
Kingdom, he was willing to do whatever was necessary to put the needs of others
above his own fear of danger and imminent death. Thanks to him and the three
other businessmen who joined him, the intended target in the nation’s capital
was not reached, and who knows how many lives were saved because of that? No
one on the ground was killed. According to Todd’s wife, Lisa, "His example
of courage has given me, my boys (and my unborn baby) a reason to live."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Satan has hijacked thousands of people, intending to crash
their lives. We need the courage that Todd Beamer and the others had. We need
to take back the plane. We need to rescue those folks before it is too late.
But where can we get the courage to lead people out of darkness and show them
the light? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Acts 4:13, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and
John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled;
and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Peter and John possessed the strength they needed to stand
courageously, and Todd Beamer possessed that same strength because they had
been with Jesus. One of the most noted preachers who ever lived, Charles
Spurgeon, said, "There is something in the very tone of the man who has
been with Jesus, which has more power to touch the heart than the most perfect
oratory.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you know what the source of that power to speak is? It’s
the power of the Holy Ghost within you, speaking through you and giving you the
power to overcome the enemy and speak with boldness as you share the message of
the cross with others.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The third characteristic is that of <i>Commitment</i>.
Peter and John were sold out lock, stock, and barrel to Jesus. They were
committed to Jesus. No one, not family nor friends, and nothing of this world
meant more to them than Jesus. They were committed to preaching the gospel of
Jesus Christ at all costs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If a law were passed today that would make it a crime to talk
about Jesus, it wouldn’t bother some people because some of us never speak
about Jesus anyway. It might even make a few nervous Christians feel better.
They could blame their lack of witnessing on the new law and remove the guilt
that they carry now because they don’t share Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Their lives would have been much easier if the disciples had
not preached the gospel. Nobody would have ever been upset with them. They
would never have been in danger of persecution or imprisonment. They could have
lived a nice, quiet life and died of old age instead of the torture and torment
that they had to endure for the gospel’s sake. All of them except John, who was
boiled in oil but lived, gave their lives for the gospel message.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I believe that the reason most Christians don’t talk about
Jesus to other people is that we are afraid of what people will say about us,
and we are so scared of what people will speak against us. But if you have ever
indeed met the risen Jesus or have ever really been with Jesus, you will have
to say what these disciples said: "We cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Peter and John were not only committed to preaching about
Jesus….they were also committed to pleasing Jesus. They didn’t care about
pleasing men. All they cared about was pleasing God. In Acts chapter 5, we have
a re-run of this same thing that occurred in chapter 4.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Acts 5:25-29, "Then came one and told them, saying,
Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching
the people. Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without
violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. And
when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high
priest asked them, Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not
teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine,
and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles
answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Here they
were, Peter and John, in prison again. How many of our church world today would
shun them for having been criminals in lock up? It seemed that in those early
days of the church, and even now in some of our mission fields, preachers spend
more time witnessing from the jail than from the pulpit in a church.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They had been commanded to remain quiet by the law of the
land. The religious leaders didn’t care whether they walked the streets or not,
as long as they didn’t preach about this Jesus!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But Peter and John couldn’t keep silent. They had a higher
calling and were committed to that calling in God. When a man has been with
Jesus, all that matters is obeying God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A restaurants, is a
successful businessman. Still, for many, he is even better known—and
respected—for letting his faith guide his business operation. Even though his
restaurants are found in malls and shopping centers where every other business
operates every day of the week, Mr. Cathy’s restaurants have been closed on
Sundays since 1948. He doesn’t care whether he loses millions of dollars of
business. His first commitment is to honor the Lord’s Day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many people have begged him to open Chick-fil-A on Sundays,
but he says No. Public opinion doesn’t drive his decisions…God does!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Looking around at churches all across America, we don’t see
that kind of commitment much anymore. In fact, we see Christians among those
who stay in the shopping centers, forcing businesses to remain open to get
their money.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Think about it. Our little towns once honored Sunday as the
Lord’s Day, but no more. Now, we have our sporting events, festivals, and
anything else we can come up with on Sunday because we know that’s when we will
draw the biggest crowds and the most money. The love of money and pleasing the
flesh is vastly more important than honoring the Lord’s Day for most
Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We should be so close to Jesus that we always strive to
please Him, not man.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a valuable lesson to learn here. These disciples
were uneducated. They were untrained. They didn’t have a lot of influence,
power, or intellectual brilliance, but they were mighty servants of God because
they had been with Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How can you tell if someone has been with Jesus? If you see
compassion, courage, and a commitment to Christ…then you can tell someone has
been with Jesus. Think about your own life. When people look at you, what do
they see? Do they see a lukewarm, half-hearted, professing Christian? Or do
they see something different? Do they see a Christian who is on fire for God?
Do they see someone who has been with Jesus?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-60107224339571694232023-12-29T04:25:00.000-08:002023-12-29T04:25:26.320-08:00A Strong Delusion<p> 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."</p><p><br /></p><p>There has never been a more confusing time than when we are living right now. Nations and governments are perplexed because they are unable to solve their problems. Crisis after crisis comes so quickly that there is no time to recover from one before the next strikes, and each brings the world closer to the brink of economic meltdown and military confrontation.</p><p><br /></p><p>The spirit of the Antichrist is working overtime to destroy and deceive the hearts of people at an unprecedented rate. Yet, this deception will worsen before Jesus returns to set up his kingdom of peace.</p><p><br /></p><p>Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians pointed to the spirit of the Antichrist that was already at work in the early church to deceive God’s people. Indeed, that same spirit of the Antichrist has been at work in the hearts of men since the fall of Adam in the garden and has continued to increase in power and influence as the population also increased.</p><p><br /></p><p>Oh, how easily the heart and mind of man is deceived. We are so quick to believe a lie and so quick to accept Satan’s lies. It is not only those who live in the world of sin who are quickly taken in by the god of this present world whose goal is their eternal destruction. Many people claim to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but are also caught up in this trap of deception.</p><p><br /></p><p>Do you believe that you can be deceived? Is it possible that the spirit of the Antichrist has been at work to cloud your judgment, to pollute your heart and soul, and to engulf you in the delusion that all is well with Jesus? Is your salvation assured this morning, or are you living in a world of illusion?</p><p><br /></p><p>The most significant power of deception that Satan has is to compromise the convictions of the heart of a Christian. I’m not sure if I know anyone whose convictions are not compromised from time to time. Some live under this deception and have been in that place for so long that they don’t even realize how far they have come.</p><p><br /></p><p>There was a time when righteousness and holiness were the rule in all churches, but now it is the exception. Many are like Lot, Abraham’s nephew, who chose to live in Sodom. He was a righteous man who lived in a degraded society.</p><p><br /></p><p>2 Peter 2:8, "(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds)"</p><p><br /></p><p>Lot lived in that sinful place and was bothered by the sin around him. His heart was affected every time he walked out the door. Living amid such a compromising situation clouded Lot’s judgment because we find that he even comes to the place where he offers his daughters to the mob, who stood at the door to protect his angelic guests.</p><p><br /></p><p>Let me ask you, was it necessary for Lot to protect the angels – of course not. But Lot had been compromised in his faith to the point that he no longer remembered God’s power over sin. He took matters into his own hands and did that which was evil to protect them.</p><p><br /></p><p>Lest we condemn Lot, let me also ask this question – how many Christians are willing to let Satan destroy their children because they lack the faith in God to deliver them from the clutches of sin? How many cast their children into the streets of this world, leaving them at the mercy of the spirit of the Antichrist, simply because they don’t want to be bothered by them or they are tired of fighting against the powers of hell to reclaim their children from the stronghold of sin?</p><p><br /></p><p>Satan’s power of deception, through daily compromise and living amid such horrible sin, had clouded Lot’s judgment. That same power of deception can cloud our judgment, too, unless we stay buried in God’s Word and daily fall before God in repentance, and we are very diligent in following the paths of righteousness and holiness.</p><p><br /></p><p>I know that we can be saved only by the grace of God and through the Blood of Jesus and his sacrifice upon the cross. It will not be because of our righteousness or our own holiness.</p><p><br /></p><p>Isaiah 64:6, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."</p><p><br /></p><p>But there is another side to salvation, too. It’s the side of remaining sanctified, living a daily, sanctified life of righteousness and holy conviction of sin, for we do not have the right to live after the manner of others who do not know Jesus.</p><p><br /></p><p>Romans 6:1-2, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"</p><p><br /></p><p>Paul says that we are justified by our faith in Jesus when we accept him as our Savior. Still, we are not given that justification by faith so that we can continue to live in sin. We are given a new life that is no longer under the power of sin. We are set free from the bonds of compromise to live a sanctified and holy life unto the Lord.</p><p><br /></p><p>I see too many people who claim to know Jesus, and yet they are convinced that they can continue to live like the world, to act like the world, and still be saved. Darkness and light cannot exist in the same place. We can’t be serving God and Satan at the same time.</p><p><br /></p><p>How can we say that we are born again, spirit-filled, saved, sanctified, and on fire for God when we partake of the sin of this world? Unsurprisingly, the Church is bound up when its members are living lives of deception and compromise!</p><p><br /></p><p>How can you come to church on Sunday and act as though you love the Lord and you are on your way to Heaven and ready for the rapture of the saints when you use profanity every time you get angry; you don’t care what you watch on TV or in the movies after all we are adults. The things that pour into our living rooms, murder, witchcraft, occultism, idolatry, and anything else you want to name, are considered as something that won’t affect us anymore. We will sit and watch it for 2 or 3 hours without feeling that conviction of the Holy Spirit anymore because our conscience has become seared through continued compromise.</p><p><br /></p><p>There was a time when we would hear profanity, which would bother us. Now, we laugh at it and even repeat it. There was a time when we would turn our heads when someone walked on the screen naked; now, we stare and admire the work of art that man parades before us and call it artistic freedom. God still calls it sin, even if we don’t!</p><p><br /></p><p>There are a lot of standards of holiness that were created from the laws of men. I am convinced that none of us can obey the holiness standards or do’s and don’ts of any preacher any more than we can abide by all of the Law of Moses. Those standards of men, just like the Law of Moses, are only useful in pointing out how much of a compromised and sinful life we lead. Obeying those standards can’t save you anymore than following the Law of Moses can save you. Does that make those standards ineffective? NO! We are still commanded to live a holy, sanctified life unto God! But we cannot depend upon our own holiness to save us, for that only comes through the grace of God and the power of the Blood of Christ.</p><p><br /></p><p>I know it is impossible to live in this world without being tempted. It is impossible to drive down the highway, read a book, go to work, or do anything else without being affected by the power of sin. The billboards on the highway are more pornographic today than the movies were ten years ago. The Disney shows that once were the cleanest, family-oriented films of all have become little more than faucets that pour out occultism, witchcraft, and homosexuality. Even children’s cartoons have become purveyors of Satanic doctrines, black magic, and the “alternative” lifestyles.</p><p><br /></p><p>We are living in a sinful world, and we will all be tempted. We will all be vexed, as was Lot, with these daily invasions of our hearts and minds.</p><p><br /></p><p>1 Corinthians 10:13, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."</p><p><br /></p><p>God knows that we are flesh and subject to temptation. He was also tempted in the wilderness by Satan. God knows that we have our weaknesses, so he also promised us that with every temptation, we would be given the power to overcome that temptation if we use it.</p><p><br /></p><p>Therein lies our problem. When we are living a life of compromise with sin, and when we have a conscience that has become seared through repeated surrender to temptation, then we can no longer see the way out that God will give to us.</p><p><br /></p><p>Let me ask you a question. If a prisoner is locked away in a maximum-security prison, under the sentence of death, for a crime that they committed, and somehow the door was left open with no one around to stop them, do you think that they would hang around and wait for someone to close the door? No, they would run as far and fast as possible from that prison.</p><p><br /></p><p>If we could only learn to run from temptation, which can destroy our soul if we yield to it, how much better off would we be if we fled as quickly as that condemned prisoner would run from his cell.</p><p><br /></p><p>The point is that if we are truly born again, indeed in love with Jesus, and truly desirous of pleasing the Lord and obeying His Word, our lives will bear the fruit of those convictions.</p><p><br /></p><p>We will not be comfortable with sin. We will not compromise the standards of righteousness. We will not compromise the convictions of the Holy Ghost in the area of dressing modestly. We will not compromise the convictions of being ethical on the job. We will not compromise by using the same language as the world in communicating with worldly people. We will not allow the deceptive power of the spirit of the Antichrist to compromise our convictions to the point that we no longer know what our convictions are.</p><p><br /></p><p>I’m not telling you to live according to my standards or the standards of any other preacher. I’m telling you to live by the standards of the Word of God! I’m telling you that you need to listen to the voice of the Holy Ghost as he brings conviction for the sin in your life and stop ignoring and hardening your heart.</p><p><br /></p><p>The longer this world exists in this sinful state, the more influential the spirit of the Antichrist will become. His power to deceive grows stronger every day, and more people fall under his delusion.</p><p><br /></p><p>John 3:19-21, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."</p><p><br /></p><p>Sadly, there are a lot of self-proclaimed Christians who live a life of compromise with sin who will not allow the Holy Spirit to shine his convicting power upon their hearts because they love the things of this world more than they love God.</p><p><br /></p><p>It is not my place to set standards for you to follow. It is not my place to bring you under condemnation and legislate you into living holy unto the Lord. It is my place to warn you of the powers of deception that Satan has and to warn you not to allow Satan to fool you into believing that your heart is right with God when it isn’t.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Holy Spirit knows how to get your attention if you only hear him speak to you. When you compromise the standards of holiness, he will speak to and warn you. Just listen and obey what the Holy Ghost speaks to you.</p><p><br /></p><p>John 16:7-8, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:"</p><p><br /></p><p>The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, that comes to live inside of you will convict you of sin and unrighteousness and give you the power to judge righteously. Don’t ignore him when he pricks your heart. Every time you do, your heart gets a little harder and your conscience a little more seared until finally, you can’t hear him anymore.</p><p><br /></p><p>That’s a dangerous place to be because that’s called backsliding. No backslider who continues to follow after sin and not after God will enter Heaven’s gates. You will be left behind when Jesus comes for his bride. Left behind to face the onslaught of all the powers of hell that will be released after the rapture of the church. Left behind to face not only the deception of the spirit of the Antichrist but the strong delusion that God will send upon this sinful world so that the devil’s lies will easily fool all who would not accept him.</p><p><br /></p><p>Don’t allow Satan to deceive you and drag you back into a life of sin. Don’t let him make a fool out of you! Listen to that still, quiet, small voice of the Holy Spirit as he gently and surely convicts you of the sin in your heart and life. Repent of it before it destroys you. Stay on your face before God. Don’t let one day go by without asking God to cleanse you from all sin.</p><p><br /></p><p>Has Satan gained a foothold in your life? Have you already compromised the standards of holiness in your own heart? Have you allowed sin to hang around? Have you allowed temptation to linger near? Listen to the voice of the Holy Ghost right now and make it right with God. He will be faithful and will forgive you.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO-Tf21nfcwcUKxz2JUsL_gczgjiwjpNtl7uo6IWyYVOkeSAPVLj_51g69SsVhpGXTacpEJoGn8pZNCWTWSPpmzV3B44MGQG-lgz-xpBXzsecA-XK0d8M_C4aDkP0b8y2jkSjz2wPAcO5ogAyt8r53Bkxl7ImT-_wJ0FYlfaV7u5Xjjoz7SGPcrwmKF2iG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="284" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjO-Tf21nfcwcUKxz2JUsL_gczgjiwjpNtl7uo6IWyYVOkeSAPVLj_51g69SsVhpGXTacpEJoGn8pZNCWTWSPpmzV3B44MGQG-lgz-xpBXzsecA-XK0d8M_C4aDkP0b8y2jkSjz2wPAcO5ogAyt8r53Bkxl7ImT-_wJ0FYlfaV7u5Xjjoz7SGPcrwmKF2iG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-16409098071723385022023-12-28T07:34:00.000-08:002024-01-02T13:54:50.513-08:00Such As We Have<p> Many times, we feel inadequate to the task that God has set before us. How often do we find ourselves at a loss for words in times of tragedy? How many times do we feel helpless in the face of overwhelming grief at the loss of a loved one? I am often at a loss for words. In such times, I don't have anything to give that seems relevant to the situation, not from within my own ability to deliver.</p><p><br /></p><p>However, as a Christian, you always have something relevant to give to hurting people. You may not have anything of value that you can provide based on your ability, education, or reasoning. Still, you have the greatest gift of all. You have the gift of the Love of God.</p><p><br /></p><p>Acts 3:1 - 9, "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God:"</p><p><br /></p><p>This was just an ordinary day in Peter and John's lives. They were living their lives with a new-found faith now. No longer were they hiding in shadows, fearful of the mob that had crucified Jesus. Oh, the dangers were real, the threats had not subsided, and every day, the persecution of those who called themselves Christians was just as widespread as it had been a short time before when Jesus had been crucified.</p><p><br /></p><p>But something was different now. Fear had been replaced by faith! Frustration had been replaced by faith! Doubt of the future was replaced by a commitment to follow Jesus and preach the gospel to the world around them. Peter and John, and the other disciples, had embarked upon a course of service that would ultimately end in great suffering for the cause of Christ and an eternal reward in glory once this life had passed.</p><p><br /></p><p>They had experienced the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost fell in the Upper Room, and now they had a fresh anointing. The power of the Holy Ghost was upon them everywhere they went. But that anointing power and indwelling Spirit of Almighty God wasn't there to occupy space or to have a place to live in the heart of men. No, the power of the Holy Ghost is there for a reason. It's there to be given out, extended in faith to anyone who needs the touch of God in their lives.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you have repented of your sin and been baptized in the name of Jesus, you should actively seek Baptism in the Holy Ghost.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have the same question for you this morning that Paul had for the new converts and disciples at Ephesus in Acts 19:2, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"</p><p><br /></p><p>If you have been baptized in the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, I hope that you pray every day for a fresh infilling and a fresh anointing. We need to pray for that newness of the power of the Holy Ghost in us to be renewed every day. We can't live on past experiences or the power we had last year or years ago; we need the fresh and abiding power of the Holy Ghost if we are going to be the disciples that God expects us to be.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jesus had given the disciples a command before He left to go back to Heaven in Mark 16:15-16, "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."</p><p><br /></p><p>Some of you may feel like it's not your forte to minister to those who are hurting or sick. Still, I want to tell you that, upon the Word of God, there is no reason why every man or woman of God shouldn't be going about ministering and witnessing to everyone we meet.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jesus didn't say for us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature only if our personality is outgoing and upbeat. He didn't say to go and preach or minister to other people only if you feel up to it, you have had some specialized training, you feel a definite call to the ministry, or if the time and circumstances are right and you feel good about it. Jesus said, "Go ye," and I believe that "Ye" means everybody, not just a few.</p><p><br /></p><p>So why don't most act like we are a part of that "Ye"? I can tell you why. It's the same reason that Peter and John were in hiding before the Day of Pentecost. It's the same reason that all the disciples and everyone who had believed in Jesus were hiding in fear, doubt, and frustration before that day came.</p><p><br /></p><p>The reason is that they aren't filled with the power of God through Baptism in the Holy Ghost. ! If you really get filled with God's power and anointing, you won't be able to go about your daily life without some great times of ministry happening to you any more than Peter and John could.</p><p><br /></p><p>On this ordinary day, Peter and John were doing what they did every day as men of God. They were entering the temple to attend their daily ritual of prayer. They were going to church out of habit and routine. Since the day they realized just who Jesus was and what He had done for them, their lives were changed.</p><p><br /></p><p>They had repented of their sins and had been forgiven. They were washed clean in the Blood of Jesus, accepting His sacrifice upon the cross to pay the debt of sin. They were saved at that moment and began to follow Jesus as closely as they knew how.</p><p><br /></p><p>Jesus had given them a second command that must be considered before we obey the commandment to go into the world and preach the gospel.</p><p><br /></p><p>Acts 1:4, "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me."</p><p><br /></p><p>Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."</p><p><br /></p><p>This commandment to wait for the Baptism in the Holy Ghost was given after the commandment to go into every part of the world. Those disciples weren't told not to witness at home in Jerusalem. Everyone at home witnessed their changed lives and their new attitudes. But before their ministry could impact those outside of their home that God wanted them to have, they had to be endued with power from on High. They had to have the anointing power of the Holy Ghost upon their lives.</p><p><br /></p><p>In that short time between the Ascension of Jesus back into Heaven and the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples continued their faith. They did their best to serve the Lord. They certainly continued in prayer. They gathered in the Upper Room in a constant prayer vigil for days. During that time, they continued to love Jesus and serve him to the best of their ability, they had been commanded to wait for the coming of the Comforter and that extraordinary anointing power that Jesus had promised.</p><p><br /></p><p>Then it came. Somewhere between 6 AM and 9 AM, everything changed for those disciples in the Upper Room!</p><p><br /></p><p>It was the third hour of the day when Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, began to preach the most powerful message he had ever preached. No doubt he had preached before, but this time, his words carried a power behind them greater than he had ever known. It was as though the power of God was in every word, and his words were piercing the minds and hearts of everyone who heard him. God's power was doing its work through the words of Peter. Have you ever felt that power?</p><p><br /></p><p>Have you ever been shocked by an electrical current? My friends, that power of electricity lets you know it's there! It has the power to kill! But the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost is greater than that of electricity. It may even give you the same sensation at times. But the power of the Holy Ghost doesn't kill; it gives ultimate life!</p><p><br /></p><p>The life it gives is beyond description! The power of the Holy Ghost in you will give life a more significant meaning than ever! It will provide you with a greater purpose than ever before! It will give life a more incredible passion for God than ever before! It will give you love for all people that you never knew possible! It will give you a life that is anointed, directed, and guided by God like you have never known before!</p><p><br /></p><p>That's what we need today in God's people. We need a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost! We need to experience that Day of Pentecost in our own hearts. We require the fresh, indwelling power and presence of the Holy Ghost. Folks, we are never going to experience a mighty move of God without a fresh infilling of that power of God through the Baptism of the Holy Ghost!</p><p><br /></p><p>Peter and John continued in their daily routine to attend the House of God and to pray. As they approached the temple, they weren't aware that this time, their entrance into the temple was going to be very different from all the times before. There sat a beggar asking for help. He represents the world out there to you and me.</p><p><br /></p><p>I believe that God is going to put people in your path, and in mine, who are searching for answers, begging for a crumb of bread from the Lord's table, and seeking help because they can't find the answers for themselves in the world. Your chance and my opportunity to minister to them will come. Still, that chance will only last for a moment, and then the opportunity will disappear.</p><p><br /></p><p>What will we do with those opportunities? How will we react to the "beggars" we meet? Will we pass by as Peter and John had done before? Will we look the other way? Or will we allow the indwelling power of the Holy Ghost to work through us to touch those in need?</p><p><br /></p><p>We are no different from Peter and John. We have to say with them, "Silver and gold have I none." I don't have the financial wealth to give away freely. I don't have the physical abilities or any power of the flesh to help them. But like Peter and John, I have something far more significant to give.</p><p><br /></p><p>"Such as I have" – What a "Such" that is! It's the anointing, healing, delivering, yoke-breaking, sin-killing, life-giving, and eternal power of almighty God! That's what I have, and its value is far above the riches of this world. The power we have to give and the message we share is what this world needs more than anything.</p><p><br /></p><p>That beggar received far more than he expected! He received a blessing that money couldn't buy! He jumped up, walked, and went praising God! He was having an old-fashioned "Holy Ghost Fit!" Something about the power of God moving in you makes you want to shout "Hallelujah" sometimes. It makes you feel like dancing a jig occasionally! It puts a spring in your step and a song in your heart, and you just must let it out, or you feel like you will explode!</p><p><br /></p><p>We need to see a few more "Holy Ghost Fits"! I want to see people who are so full of the Holy Ghost that they must Shout for Joy! I want to see someone dancing before the Lord in the power of the Holy Ghost – not some choreographed, show-off dance that offends the Body of Christ – but a genuine Holy Ghost dance when you can't control where you go or how your feet will move!</p><p><br /></p><p>We need a fresh outpouring of the Holy Ghost in the Church! And not just in my Church but every Christian Church worldwide, especially in America. I want to see Pentecostal churches being called "Holy Rollers" again. We've become too sophisticated for our own good! We have tried to calm people down to the point that we have grieved the Holy Spirit.</p><p><br /></p><p>We can't expect a mighty revival in our churches, communities, and families until we see a revival of the Holy Ghost in our lives! When that lame man went into the temple praising God, jumping, leaping, and shouting the victory, everybody took notice. When something happens by the power of the Holy Ghost, everyone will know it. You won't have to advertise it to draw a crowd. You won't have to beg people to come. You won't have to put notices in the newspaper or signs on the billboards. When the power of God is really moving, the whole world will sit up and take notice.</p><p><br /></p><p>Are you ready for revival? Are you prepared for a mighty move of God? Then get full of the Holy Ghost! Ask for it, seek after it, desire it with all your heart, surrender your will to God's will, and let the Holy Ghost fill you with power! It's a gift from God to his Church to give us the power to perform his will!</p><p><br /></p><p>It's important to say this, though. If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and surrendered your life totally and completely to Him, that's your first move. You must repent of your sin, confess Jesus as the Lord of your life, be washed in the Blood of the Lamb, and be born again into the family of God before you can be filled with the Holy Ghost! The promise of the Holy Ghost is given to all who believe, repent, and are baptized in Jesus' name.</p><p><br /></p><p>Many are afraid of that power. Many will even doubt its existence. Many more will say it was for another time and not for today. I'm here to say that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is for today! God has not changed! His indwelling power is the same today as it was on the Day of Pentecost, and it's a power that every Christian should earnestly desire and seek.</p><p><br /></p><p>Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? Do you want that power of God in your life that Peter and John had? You can have it right now if you seek it and ask for it. The Holy Ghost will come, and your life will be forever changed!</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia4yclFD1QMge2Xr5fNILxWV23LfpgflLSQY180GUaETjuhPiCA6jt1dYM8YPMRqTQnTeYkEN9ytfcsHxq4QU2TYw9khn2RrQ1KsuveqrKFH4bcURwCjAsLb5EKjIbO9vCwMCmCKHOYwklT7wQUqjMkH9kCBE8K9v62gEQA2S6w0mztkE_3x5BzqOCM7b6" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEia4yclFD1QMge2Xr5fNILxWV23LfpgflLSQY180GUaETjuhPiCA6jt1dYM8YPMRqTQnTeYkEN9ytfcsHxq4QU2TYw9khn2RrQ1KsuveqrKFH4bcURwCjAsLb5EKjIbO9vCwMCmCKHOYwklT7wQUqjMkH9kCBE8K9v62gEQA2S6w0mztkE_3x5BzqOCM7b6" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-88206457920359533212023-12-27T15:57:00.000-08:002023-12-28T07:35:38.447-08:00One More River<p> We used to sing an old song, “One More River to Cross.” -</p><p>One more river to cross, one more mountain to climb,</p><p>One more valley that I gotta go through</p><p>Leavin' my troubles behind.</p><p>One more battle with the devil, and I know he'll understand.</p><p>I'm going through with Jesus, Hallelujah</p><p>Holding his nail-scarred hand holding to his nail-scarred hand.</p><p><br /></p><p>After 400 years of captivity, the Children of Israel were finally free. Now began the long journey through the wilderness of the Sinai as they slowly made their way eastward. But it wasn’t long after they were free until they met the first major hurdle in their journey. Just a few day's journey from Goshen; the Jews came to the banks of the Red Sea. Pharaoh was hot on their trail. After having finally hardened his heart and gathered his chariots of war, he had come to put an end to these people and to this prophet named Moses, once and for all.</p><p><br /></p><p>Of course, we all know the story of how Israel went across the Red Sea on dry land and how Pharaoh’s entire army was drowned in the sea as the waters came crashing down upon them. I am sure there is hardly a Christian alive who couldn’t give you an outline of the story. But there is much more to this than meets the eye. Buried between the lines of what is printed in the Bible, there is an underlying meaning, an analogy, that carries such a powerful word for all of us. Israel’s journey from Egypt is symbolic for all of us as well.</p><p><br /></p><p>Let me begin by saying that all of us were slaves in “Egypt” at some time. Whether we are new babes in Christ or Elders in the church with many years of serving the Lord behind us, we all came from “Egypt.”</p><p><br /></p><p>“Egypt” is a type of the sinful life that men live in the world. It is a symbol of Satan’s power to enslave mankind in the pits of sin and impose upon him a life that is hard and full of trouble. That’s not how God intended it to be for mankind. God had created Adam, placed him in a Garden Paradise, created woman as a companion, and gave Adam the rule over all of God’s creation. It was, and still is, God’s intention that mankind should one day enjoy life and live in God’s protection forever.</p><p><br /></p><p>Out of “Egypt,” God called for us. He sent His messenger, in the form of a man, anointed with the Holy Ghost, to give us the message of deliverance. Moses, as a type of the Messiah, didn’t have an easy time convincing or leading Israel out of bondage, even though God was with him through it all. He knew that he could have faced certain death at the hands of Pharaoh for even entering the land of Egypt. Likewise, it was not a walk in the park for Jesus to come and lead you and me from the pits of sin either. He had to lay down his life and die for you and me.</p><p><br /></p><p>Satan didn’t want to let us go, but he couldn’t stop it either. Satan has no power to prevent any man or woman whose heart is under conviction from bowing their head and hearts before God and surrendering their lives to Jesus.</p><p><br /></p><p>Through Moses, God sent seven plagues upon the land of Egypt. Each one of them represented God’s judgment against Egypt, not just for the mistreatment of God’s people, but they also represented God’s wrath against the idol gods of Egypt. All these plagues and the judgment that God brought upon Egypt are symbolic for you and me.</p><p><br /></p><p>When we heard the gospel message and responded by giving our lives to Jesus, God judged the gods of this world, casting off their powers to bind us and destroying their power to possess us as slaves. In the process, God delivered us from the power of Satan, who had us under sentence of eternal death. He delivered us from every influence of the world and made us overcomers by His blood. He crushed the power of those demonic spirits who attempt to make us serve them and worship them as idols.</p><p><br /></p><p>When a Christian is born again, it’s a wonderful miracle of deliverance from sin and death. We are called forth and step out by faith, headed for the “Promised Land” that lies somewhere over the horizon, closer than we think but just a little farther than we can see clearly.</p><p><br /></p><p>God destroys the power of everything that could become a god to us in this world, lastly destroying the old man and making us a new creation in Christ. Just like God persuaded Pharaoh to let His people go, He still forces the devil to set his children free today.</p><p><br /></p><p>But like the Children of Israel, there comes a time when we must face the first major hurdle in living for Jesus. We must come to our “Red Sea”. Until then, the babe in Christ is elated with his deliverance. He is on “cloud nine” as he walks without the weight of sin that has held him captive for so long. But that soon fades when he faces the reality of the spiritual warfare that doesn’t stop trying to bring him back to “Egypt.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Satan doesn’t give up easily. The fleshly desires don’t stop instantly; they keep nagging us all along the way. The Children of Israel came out of Egypt, but Egypt was still in their hearts and minds. It took a long wilderness journey passing through the waters, and the loss of many of God’s chosen ones along the way before the victory could finally be realized. Israel’s freedom and passage through the Red Sea can be likened to us being saved and the burial of the old man in the baptismal waters. It can also be compared to being born again of the Spirit as we begin our walk with Jesus.</p><p><br /></p><p>Throughout that long wilderness Journey, Israel tried to learn to obey God, failing miserably at every turn. Doesn’t that sound like the Christian walk today? How many times do we fail God? How often do we find ourselves in doubts, fears, and frustrations, almost ready to throw in the towel and walk away, returning to “Egypt?”</p><p><br /></p><p>Eventually, after traveling through the wilderness for 40 years, the Children of Israel came to another river, Jordan. This river was more horrifying to them than the Red Sea because this one meant total commitment, and what was on the other side was vastly unknown. The pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day wouldn’t be there to guide them now. They had to learn to walk by faith and not by sight.</p><p><br /></p><p>God had given them hints and glimpses of what that Promised land would look like, but they could only “see” it in their minds as though they were looking at it through a darkened glass.</p><p><br /></p><p>As each of us walks with the Lord through this wilderness called life, we walk in the same manner that Israel did. Like Israel, we can go quickly to our high calling in Christ by faithfully, with a total commitment, obeying and following the leading of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Or, we can do like the Children of Israel and take many years to make the same journey. The point is that the destination is the same whether we take the short or the long road. We are all going to have to face the Jordan River. We will all have one more river to cross before the victory can come.</p><p><br /></p><p>When they reached the Jordan River and looked into the Promised Land, they still couldn’t see what was there. God had said it was a land flowing with milk and honey. He had promised them that it would be theirs forever. God had painted a wonderful picture of what Israel would be like if they trusted and obeyed Him and walked by faith.</p><p><br /></p><p>That same thing is true for you and I. God, through His Word, has given us glimpses into the Promised Land. You can call it Beulah Land, Heaven, New Jerusalem, the Eternal Kingdom, or whatever you want to. We can describe it. We can dream about it. Study about it. Read about it and believe that it’s a beautiful place, but the fact is that none of us know what it will be like.</p><p><br /></p><p>Each of the Children of Israel had to decide whether they would cross Jordan and take the Promised Land. Each of those spies had to make up their mind.</p><p><br /></p><p>When that day comes that we must face Jordan alone, how will it be for you and me? Will we face Jordan with confidence, knowing and believing that God’s Word is true, and will we be like Joshua and Caleb and tell the world that we are well able to take the land? Or will we be like all the others who doubted whether crossing Jordan was worth the trouble because all they could see were the obstacles?</p><p><br /></p><p>When Joshua and the Children of Israel finally crossed over Jordan, they found God’s Word was true. The land was more than they had imagined. The enemies were there, but God had already made the way for Israel to overcome them. They picked up 12 stones and built an altar in the middle of the river before the waters came back.</p><p><br /></p><p>In Revelation 21:14, John saw the New Jerusalem on the other side of Jordan. Listen to how he described it. "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."</p><p><br /></p><p>We all have one more river to cross. We’ve passed over the Red Sea in salvation and baptism, and now we must face that last great hurdle as we stand at the edge of our Promised Land. The river Jordan will stand before us, overflowing its banks in a menacing tide that seems impossible to cross.</p><p><br /></p><p>I’m convinced that our time will come to step into the waters of Jordan. Will we step out in faith and walk across as if on dry ground, or will it become a raging torrent with billows that will drown us in fear and doubt?</p><p><br /></p><p>I believe that if we stay close to God and keep our faith strong in Him when we must cross that final river, we will cross it in a moment as though it wasn’t there. If you keep your eyes on Jesus, on the other side, and trust Him to carry you through to victory, your “one more river to cross” will be the most extraordinary step you will ever take.</p><p><br /></p><p>For those who refuse to trust God in the wilderness, the river will be a horror to their hearts. Great waves of fear, doubt, unbelief, and mistrust will overwhelm them as they slip into the waters for the last time.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the story of “Pilgrim’s Progress” by John Bunyan, two pilgrims, “Hopeful” and “Christian,” come to that final river, and there, a discovery is made. The story says we will find that river as deep and wide as our faith in the King of Heaven.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you don’t know the Lord as your Savior and come to the edge of that last river that each of us must cross, it will be a sad day, for all hope will be gone. Make sure that you are ready to go. You have one more river to cross.</p><p><br /></p><p>Heed the words of the Lord that He spoke to Israel about that river.</p><p><br /></p><p>Deuteronomy 30:15-20, "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8KmScNFQddc" width="320" youtube-src-id="8KmScNFQddc"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-75674235876642010342023-12-27T06:59:00.000-08:002023-12-27T06:59:59.897-08:00Out With the Old<p> Have you made a New Year's Resolution to do anything you
haven't done before or to change some things that should be better in your
life? I made only one resolution – "Not to make any resolutions."</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I look at it like this: The Holy Spirit is constantly
dealing with us concerning the things we need to give some attention to in our
lives. Then God gave us enough ability to think and reason for ourselves, to
figure out that some things are good for us, and some are not. A resolution to
change whatever the Lord is dealing with us about should be made the moment He
speaks, not just at the beginning of a New Year.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If there is a resolution for one change in our lives, that
change could be summed up in one single thing: that we may know and draw closer
to the very heart of God.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">One thing is for sure! The coming year of 2024 will be an
exciting time to be alive. Not only do we get to see Bible prophecy playing out
before us, but we also get to see what God will do through his Church as we
draw ever closer to his second coming.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There be wars and rumors of wars? We can already see the
saber-rattling going on between Iran, Israel, and the rest of the Middle East.
They've threatened to close off the flow of oil to the West. If I know the
Americans, $6.00 for a gallon of gasoline will make them mad enough to want to
teach Iran a lesson they'll never forget. I hope it doesn't come to that. We
don't need another Middle Eastern war. Still, we may as well prepare ourselves
for such an event because that area of the world will be hotly contested until
the very end of time. We will always be right in the thick of the battle. My
main hope in it all is that our government continues to support Israel!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I'm ready for the start of this New Year. The old one is
absolutely worn out. I'm looking forward to what God is going to do. I pray
this is the year of revival in our country and worldwide. I hope that this is
the year we will see more of the miracle-working power of God in our churches
than ever before and that this is the year that God fills the Church with new
babes in Christ. I also pray that many in our families will be born again and
begin to serve the Lord.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaiah 66:8, "Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath
seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a
nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her
children."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fulfillment of our prayer is already promised, but there
must be some travailing going on first. No child is born into this world
without pain and suffering to some degree. If we really want to see a great
revival and see our loved ones, friends, and neighbors come to Jesus, it will
take more than wishing; it will take some travailing before God in intercessory
prayer on their behalf. When God's people get serious enough to cry out to God
consistently, we will see the mighty move of God that we all want.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">1 Peter 5:6-7, "Humble yourselves therefore under the
mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care
upon him; for he careth for you.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the beginning of the New Year, we often reflect on the
things that transpired during the past year. Usually, there were some good
times and some bad times. The cares of life that result from events of the past
year are weighing heavily upon some of us right now. But as the Word says, we
can either continue to bear that heavy load, or we cast it upon the shoulders
of Jesus and let him take it for us. The price of victory over those troubles
has already been paid. We cannot go back and change the past, but we have the
power through Christ to change the future by learning to entirely rely upon
God.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sometimes, the things that have happened to us are almost
too hard to bear, but thank God, Jesus is there to lift us up, carry us for as
long as it takes, and make us an overcomer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No man, except Jesus, in the Bible matches the grief and
pain that Job had to face in his life. Job had a happy family, a loving wife,
and a life filled with wealth and influence. But he lost it all in a moment.
His friend. Eliphaz had tried to encourage him with words that came from man's
wisdom but did not come from the heart. Eliphaz's words did little to console
the grief that seemed to swallow Job.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Job answered him in Job 16:5, "But I would strengthen
you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In other words, Job says, I wish that only words could help,
but words can't heal the pain in my heart. I get little strength from words
spoken that are not of the heart. There must be something deeper that reaches
right into my heart and removes the grief. That "something" can only
come from God, who can touch the heart and make it anew.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Words of consolation from the lips of other people are good.
Still, they cannot comfort us in times of great pain, anguish, and grief. Yet
that's all that man can do.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So today, I give you Jesus. He alone can reach into your
heart and soul and provide peace and consolation. I may be able to hold your
hand, but Jesus can keep your heart, and he will never let go but will continue
to bring the strength we need for as long as it takes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The beginning of a New Year is always a good time to let so
much of what has happened in the past stay in the past. If we allow the past to
control us, we will never see the fullness of the future that God has in store.
We must cast our care upon Jesus and let him bear it for us. Trying to carry
that load alone will crush us, derail our faith, and sap victory from our
lives. Doubts, fears, frustrations, and even anger will overwhelm us. All of
these things will cause bitterness to grow within the heart.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We must remember what has passed, and sometimes we do need
to remember. But let us not live there. Let us cast that upon the Lord and walk
on with Him into a brighter tomorrow! There is victory, power, healing, and
deliverance in Christ; just there for the asking and receiving. God will lift
us up and never let us fall.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Even as it was with Job, he never regained what was lost,
for it was gone forever. He could not go back and get his children that were
lost. That which was stolen from him through the attacks of the devil that were
meant to destroy his faith in God could never be regained. They were forever
gone!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But Job never lost faith in God! In time, the grief eased,
the pain subsided, and the healing power of God began to do work in Job. How
long he grieved, we do not know, but we do know it was not forever.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">God began to bless Job's life. The attacks of Satan that had
taken so much from him ceased as God said, "That's enough, Satan, you've
reached your limit. Now let Job alone that I may bless him." You see, God
had Job's back. The things that happened to Job were allowed only to prove his
faithfulness to God and were never meant to destroy him. As you reflect upon
what has come against you, remember that God has your back!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaiah 52:12, "For ye shall not go out with haste, nor
go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be
your reward."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">God will not allow you to be destroyed. Victory is on the
way, and God's blessings are just waiting to be poured out upon you; they have
probably already begun. Many of you can already sense the hand of God moving
Heaven and Earth to bring his blessings upon you. Hold on to your faith in God!
Your answer is on the way!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And so, in our heart, we should say before God, "Out
with the old, with all of its pain and grief; and bring on the new, with its
joy, peace, and victory in Jesus!"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just as God blessed Job, so are your blessings about to
overtake you. Only God alone knows what he has in store for you, but we can
only look to what God did for Job and know that what he will bring will be as
great, or perhaps even greater, than what we have lost!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I know that my God reigns not only in Heaven but upon the
earth and in the hearts of men. There is nothing impossible for God! Remember,
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." -
Philippians 4:13<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">May we cast our sorrows and cares upon Jesus and bring
renewed hope and joy in the Holy Ghost. May we cast out those heavy burdens
that we have taken upon ourselves and take up the cross of Christ, for it is an
easy burden to carry and light upon our shoulders, for it is all in Jesus! May
we throw out the faults and failures of the past and take hold of the hope of a
perfect life in Jesus. May we cast out the remembrances of what we have lost
and embrace that which will come from the Throne of God to provide all we need.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A New Year is about to begin, and with it will come a new
set of troubles, trials, tests, and blessings from the Lord. Let us look
forward to what God will do, remembering that He is the Lord of our lives. God
is with us, and we cannot fail!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It's time to cast out the old, the things of the past, and
take in the new things God has in store for us! Let this day be a day of new
beginnings for us all, a new beginning where we will walk in the presence of
God and be led by the Holy Ghost every step of the way.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Prepare for the blessings of God to overtake you! God has
great things in store for all his people. His promises cannot fail. Just as he
placed a rainbow in the sky to remind us of his unfailing promise, he wants us
to know that for all those who genuinely love him – there is always a brighter
tomorrow and more incredible blessings to come.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY6KUyIxxdcXXDyAmcee30PNS98PxUr8MbimK4kLvvRzRmEIEmI1z_szr-OgmBPIoGO1Mn2NRjVTLb3RHnR3A_xKXom3dIBHKxzNTc5564Hn7C9pKUZ25ZuY6YtoB51Vzz3xMFDUFlEE0c9oKJehMSm5fMjdFHjLS484foEDnB3l372TqWjMxA1prjm5xr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="205" data-original-width="245" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY6KUyIxxdcXXDyAmcee30PNS98PxUr8MbimK4kLvvRzRmEIEmI1z_szr-OgmBPIoGO1Mn2NRjVTLb3RHnR3A_xKXom3dIBHKxzNTc5564Hn7C9pKUZ25ZuY6YtoB51Vzz3xMFDUFlEE0c9oKJehMSm5fMjdFHjLS484foEDnB3l372TqWjMxA1prjm5xr" width="287" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-12577099370951805642023-12-24T03:36:00.000-08:002023-12-24T03:36:34.992-08:00Best Gift We Can Give<p> Matthew 2:7-11, "Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed, and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh."</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Tomorrow is Christmas, our thoughts are turned toward the birth of Jesus. This story has been told for 2000 years and more, yet every time we read or hear it, there is always a freshness, and we often find something new that ministers to our hearts with each passing year. Today, I want to draw your attention to the Three Wise Men.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The time frame of their visit has always been a point of contention or confusion among Bible scholars, but nearly all of them agree on one thing: The wise men's visit to Jesus didn't happen on the same night Jesus was born. The time estimates have been anywhere from 40 days to 2 years after Jesus was born. The beautiful Nativity sets seen everywhere are great, but no such scene ever existed (The manger existed, but the Wise Men never visited it).</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The birth of Jesus was a giant step forward in God's plan of salvation for lost humanity, and it marked the fulfillment of numerous prophetic scriptures throughout God's Word. But it wasn't the final step. It marked the beginning of the end for the powers of darkness and the end of the beginning for the lost souls of men who needed a Savior. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>On that very morning, while he lay in that manger as an innocent baby (The only innocent baby ever born), Jesus took his first step toward the cross. It would take him 33 ½ years to complete the journey, but he never wavered in his commitment.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I thank God for sending his only Son to that manger. I can only worship Jesus, who never turned back but kept his eyes set on that final, eternally important goal of being the perfect sacrifice that would take away the world's sins. I thank God for the Love that held Jesus to that cross for me when nails could not have done it. I thank God that Jesus laid down his life willingly, for no demons of hell nor soldiers of the mighty Roman Army could have held him if Jesus had not surrendered voluntarily.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The death of Jesus on that cross and his resurrection were planned from eternity past, fulfilled in time past, and will stand for all eternity in the future. From the moment of man's creation in the Garden to the instant in time when time shall be no more, the moment that defines our existence is all wrapped up in a beautiful gift package known as the Lord Jesus Christ.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Jesus instituted the idea of giving gifts, and the gifts that he gives are almost beyond comprehension. Ephesians 4:8 says, "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>God's gifts are eternal and supernatural, and each is more valuable than all the world's wealth. Yet they are gifts, given freely by the hand of the Lord to us all.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>But let's look at the gifts a few kings brought to Jesus. These are among the best gifts that mankind could offer to God's only Son. These wise men, astronomers and scientists, rulers with great wealth, and students of prophecy had studied the heavens and were led by the Holy Spirit to find that "star" in the sky that signaled the birth of a new king in Israel. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>But how did they even know that Jesus was born? Where would their knowledge have come from? It is quite possible that these wise men had copies of the Old Testament since Israel had been captive so many times in Babylon, Egypt, and other nations. These wise men could have been made much wiser through their knowledge of the Old Testament writings, and it is likely that they were looking for the coming of the Messiah and recognized the signs even though most of Israel did not.</p><p><br /></p><p>The time came that the wise men reached the end of their long journey eastward and came to the very house where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were living. The wise men came, found Jesus, and then worshipped him.</p><p><br /></p><p>We don't know how many wise men journeyed to worship Jesus. We base the idea on three of the three gifts offered, but there could have been two or twenty. We don't know for sure. When they came to the door of the house, they stopped, dismounted from their camel caravan, and bowed their faces before Jesus. In their minds, he was already the king, even though scripture says he was a small child.</p><p><br /></p><p>I often wonder just what capacity for understanding Jesus had at this point. I know that Jesus was endowed with far more understanding and knowledge than we are, but I still wonder what was going through his mind as those wise men knelt before him and gave him their gifts. What were those gifts, and what significance did they hold in the life of Jesus that was to come?</p><p><br /></p><p>The first gift was that of gold. Isn't it ironic that man's best and most expensive gift that he could find on earth to give to Jesus was gold, which is used to pave the streets where this Jesus had come from? There was a significance in this gold that I want you to see. Gold represented the great riches of the world, for nothing could surpass its value in the ancient world. It was used to depict the great Babylonian Empire in the time of Nebuchadnezzar as a "Head of Gold" because of his great power and wealth.</p><p><br /></p><p>Not only was gold given to represent the power and wealth of Jesus as the King of Glory, but I believe it also represented the fact that all of the wealth and power of this world, the dominion and dwelling place of the devil, had now been transferred to the authority of Jesus Christ and would soon be redeemed with a price that far exceeded gold, diamonds, and rubies. This gold represented Jesus' royalty as the King of Heaven and Earth, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. It also symbolized the riches of God's great gift to man as a sacrifice for our sins.</p><p><br /></p><p>The second gift was that of frankincense. This perfume resin was imported from Arabia and was one of the ingredients of the incense used at the Altar of Incense in the Old Testament Tabernacle. It was always used in the "Meat Offering" sacrifice, and its sweet odor was an emblem of God's divine name, Yahweh, and a symbol of the prayer that rose before the throne of God in Heaven.</p><p><br /></p><p>In giving this frankincense, the wise men were possibly aware that Jesus would be a man of prayer. They also could have recognized that this "King" was to be offered as a meat sacrifice for man's sins. They knew of his divine nature and worshipped Jesus as Lord, King, and God.</p><p><br /></p><p>The odor of the incense filled the room, and I know that Jesus recognized that odor as the same one that he had received from the Altar of Incense as the Children of Israel worshipped God in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. That incense would rise, causing God to know that his people were praying and worshipping him. Now, in human form, Jesus still sensed that same dedication of prayer and worship coming to him from the hearts of men who desired to know God and to worship the True God.</p><p><br /></p><p>The third gift of the wise men was myrrh. Myrrh is first mentioned in the Old Testament as a principal ingredient of the holy anointing oil used in the Temple. It was used to anoint priests for service and kings for their office. It was also used in embalming a body in preparation for burial.</p><p><br /></p><p>The implications of the myrrh as a gift then are clear. It was pointing to the day when Jesus would be crucified and then be prepared for burial. It also pointed to the day when he would be crowned as the eternal King of Glory and that the sting of death would be forever removed for those who accept him as Lord and Savior through his death, burial, and resurrection.</p><p><br /></p><p>One thing about the myrrh that also strikes me is that it was made from the gum of the Acacia tree found in Africa and Arabia. Do you remember where Acacia wood was used in vast quantities? It was in the construction of the Tabernacle of Moses. Acacia wood, covered in gold, was used to make the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies walls. It was used in the Table of Showbread and the Ark of the Covenant.</p><p><br /></p><p>In a fashion, the gift of myrrh represented the earthly side of Jesus' existence as a man, born of a woman, while the gold represented his heavenly origin.</p><p><br /></p><p>The gold, frankincense, and myrrh brought to Jesus by the wise men carried a lot of symbolism, but there were more important gifts they brought that day. The most important gift that they brought nearly goes unnoticed by most people. What was that gift? It was the gift of their submission to his rule over them and their worship of Him as King of Kings. The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were gifts of sacrifice; they cost the wise men something. But the gift of obedience and worship were much more valuable to God.</p><p><br /></p><p>In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel spoke to a backslidden King of Israel named Saul. Saul and the armies of Israel had disobeyed the Lord and taken the spoils of their enemies when God had said to destroy it all. Saul wanted to offer God his gifts, but God would not accept them. That's when Samuel said, "Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."</p><p><br /></p><p>What gifts will you offer the King this Christmas? Will you offer him only those gifts that are temporary? God loves a cheerful giver but not just a giver of our finances; he wants our gift of commitment and worship. Jesus already has all of the wealth of Heaven, yet he accepts our offerings and blesses us for giving him a portion of our wealth through tithes and offerings. But what Jesus wants is your heart, your worship, and your praise of him.</p><p><br /></p><p>Will you give God the gifts that count? Will you give him yourself in complete obedience? Will you give yourself willingly and wholeheartedly? That's the gift that Jesus wants more than anything this world offers.</p><p><br /></p><p>Join the ranks of those who are called wise. Come and worship the Lord, bearing your gifts, your praise, and your worship, and lay them at the feet of Jesus.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8gIst-0XgY26GKfbUFZb11u9TtdI4JUFYzHucv6arsanOPjVAaxoivybyQad6p6BmgsucOxoJQyEnswSlHY-8I4k28zpgCiqfxV5hs4gX5ovFqibL0cKxMNDaD5N3MWbvMk82VRkicMDLMbPRL9fTQc9ZpU1dyLzP-cvHbWtUL8_ffYrUlidH39QoFdGo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8gIst-0XgY26GKfbUFZb11u9TtdI4JUFYzHucv6arsanOPjVAaxoivybyQad6p6BmgsucOxoJQyEnswSlHY-8I4k28zpgCiqfxV5hs4gX5ovFqibL0cKxMNDaD5N3MWbvMk82VRkicMDLMbPRL9fTQc9ZpU1dyLzP-cvHbWtUL8_ffYrUlidH39QoFdGo" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-10059701328622606282023-12-23T02:45:00.000-08:002023-12-23T02:45:37.339-08:00The Midnight Hour<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">It has been cold this past week here in southern Mississippi. It feels like winter, like Christmas time. This morning, I was reading the passage in Luke about Jesus' birth. I was reminded that on a hillside outside the little town of Bethlehem, shepherds gathered around a campfire, yearning to drive away the cold. It was, as the song proclaims, "a midnight clear." Midnight was just a symbol of the condition, the darkness, that engulfed humanity that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">night.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A religious spirit and a supernatural darkness covered the land. It was a darkness that a campfire could not drive away. It was Israel's midnight hour – the darkest hour it had ever known, and the atmosphere was ripe for the coming of Messiah to bring light into the world once again. While the rest of the world slept in darkness that night, something incredible happened on that hillside where those shepherds lay.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Suddenly, the angels appeared with their voices ringing to announce that the light had come because a Savoir had been born in Bethlehem. The glorious light of Heaven broke the darkness of the midnight hour. Sin was about to be conquered forever because God had robed himself in flesh; a baby named Jesus was lying in a manger!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It wasn't the first time God brought deliverance in the midnight hour. God called Moses and anointed him as the Deliverer of Israel and sent him to speak to Pharaoh as God's voice saying, "Let My People Go"! Six times, Moses went before Pharaoh, but God hardened Pharoah's heart, and he wouldn't admit that Israel's God was the only true God. But God was not giving up – God had already won the battle of the wills. God brought one more plague upon Egypt to convince Pharaoh that He was greater than Pharaoh was.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Exodus 11:4-6</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"And Moses said, thus saith the LORD, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it anymore."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Here again, we see the Lord performing a miracle at the "midnight hour" to bring about deliverance. I don't know why God chooses the midnight hour, but He often does so. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps it's the midnight hour because God must allow man to sink to the very depths of despair before man will turn to Him. Maybe it has to do with the fact that God will not share His Glory with any man. When man is locked into the hopelessness of the midnight hour, that's when God knows that no man can say God didn't bring about a miracle. Whatever the reason, God chose to bring about the final plague upon Egypt at the midnight hour.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Another time we see something happening in the midnight hour is found in Psalms 119:62, "At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">King David knew what it was to be locked in the midnight hour of sin and despair. He knew what it was to feel the pain of sin and the agony of defeat at the hands of the devil. But he also learned how to pray in the midnight hour.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It's often those prayers when we cry out to God when we have come to the end of our rope that touch the heart of God. All of us have prayed, at times, when we were going through the motions, but when you get down to business – when your grandchild is sick, and medicine won't help when death is knocking at the door, the doctors have said there is nothing that they can do when all hope of deliverance is gone unless God performs a miracle – that's when we really pray, and that's when God really begins to move.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">James 5:16, "… The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Those midnight cries, those wee hours of the morning prayers, when the Holy Spirit brings you to your knees before God. You feel the heaviness of the burden are the prayers that get the quickest answers.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Paul and Silas had done nothing deserving of the place where they found themselves on this night. They were chained to the wall in the depths of a prison under Roman guard just because they had cast the devil out of a young girl.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">You won't always find yourself in the depths of darkness at midnight because of some dark sin in your life. Sometimes, it's just a trap that the devil lays for you and that God allows you to go through for His name's sake.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I am confident that Paul and Silas wondered why it was happening to them, but they didn't blame God, get mad, quit the ministry, or curse the guards. They didn't complain over their cold bread and water if they even had that. They didn't murmur because the air-conditioning was just right, the heater wasn't right, or the lights were too dim. They just started praising God in the darkness and waited for God's will.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Acts 16:25-26</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Psalms 22:3, "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">When the praises go up, the Holy Spirit comes down.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"> 2 Corinthians 3:17, "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Paul and Silas already had liberty in their hearts. Still, now, they would experience the freedom God gives in a very tangible way.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Another time we see God working in the midnight hour is found in the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew chapter 25.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Matthew 25:1-13</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Midnight is when we least expect anything to happen when most of the world is asleep or trying to rest to forget the things of the day that have passed and not to worry over the things of tomorrow. It's the midnight hour, not just midnight by the clock, but midnight because of the powers of darkness that seem to engulf the whole world. As our world grows darker and deeper into the darkness of sin, I can't help but believe that we are approaching the midnight hour for humanity. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Christians understand that Jesus, the Messiah and Deliverer, has already come. He was born in that manger over 2000 years ago; he died, rose again, and is alive forever. Though the world grows darker, we see the light. We can hear the angel choirs singing in the realm of the Spirit, and we understand what they mean when they sing, "Glory to God in the Highest and peace, goodwill to all men."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We hear the Lord saying, "Come unto me and I will give you rest." We see the "Star of Bethlehem" as a light in our hearts, for Jesus is that star, the Bright and the Morning Star, that has risen in us to give us the light of the gospel.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But I found myself weeping this morning, my heart breaking this Christmas for those who are still trapped in the darkness of sin and bound by chains that Jesus could so easily break. We are approaching the midnight hour. Soon, we will hear the trumpet sound and the midnight cry will go forth. Where will they be when it sounds?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It won't be only those who have never known Jesus who will remain in this world during its darkest hour. There will be 'church people' who will remain who had the religious Spirit of the Pharisees but who didn't know Jesus at all. </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I weep for those who once were on fire for God, but they have allowed the darkness to kill the fire and destroy the light in their souls, and if they do not repent, they will be trapped in that darkness forever.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There will be those who have ceased to pray, ceased to serve God, and ceased to read His Word who will suddenly, and without warning, find that they can no longer pray, serve, or read because Satan will complete the blinding process in their heart and mind. There will be those who were once delivered by the power of God as the light of the gospel shone in them, but now they are locked down again, forever chained to the blackness of sin and despair.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There is a midnight cry coming. We are approaching the midnight hour! </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Children across the land are being lied to about a fat, red-suited elf riding a sleigh pulled by eight miniature flying reindeer. They are being ordered to sleep before midnight so he can pass by their house. They are being told that he will give them what they desire.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But I wonder how many of those children are told that Jesus is coming soon, at midnight. I wonder if they are taught that Jesus is riding on the clouds of Glory, seated upon the Throne of God, or that The Seraphim of Glory carries him about?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">We are approaching the midnight hour! Who are you looking for – an elf in a sleigh – or Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? Don't let the devil lull you to sleep now. The hour is growing late; the midnight hour is approaching; don't let the fire die, don't let the anointing die, don't be caught unaware or unprepared. Friends, I hope you all will be found watching and waiting, when Jesus comes in the midnight hour!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnY-yiIu0ZWX9j7WhLsXTvfnKtMtlm_7AkCjrfmEYAneeW8kgqLMoTGR0hKYrbPiNrf_Qtd6foAtKBn4_y1FCL1HjKe-pqozZFOi0c53Mnk-lD2Z3aEiEl9XVCkH4RdyGRh1NNvwR43UTNNyUFI1LH5PZLAO4J-l9zkhsT0LJES2heAHI89PLWXH4yRtYP/s1900/It_Came_Upon_the_Midnight_Clear_02.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1900" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnY-yiIu0ZWX9j7WhLsXTvfnKtMtlm_7AkCjrfmEYAneeW8kgqLMoTGR0hKYrbPiNrf_Qtd6foAtKBn4_y1FCL1HjKe-pqozZFOi0c53Mnk-lD2Z3aEiEl9XVCkH4RdyGRh1NNvwR43UTNNyUFI1LH5PZLAO4J-l9zkhsT0LJES2heAHI89PLWXH4yRtYP/s320/It_Came_Upon_the_Midnight_Clear_02.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-41968400117363044492023-12-23T02:41:00.000-08:002023-12-23T02:41:07.644-08:00He Came, He's Coming Again<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">We have entered a time of the year when everyday life's usual hustle and bustle ramps up a notch on the "Rat Race Scale." People who were already stressed about time suddenly must find more time to do things they don't normally do.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It's the Christmas Season; for most of us, it is anything but a holiday. Lest I be accused of being a "Grinch," let me also say I still love Christmas. It is a time when people are more cordial and friendlier. I have noticed <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>that if you say hello, at least you will get a grunt in return rather than the usual deaf ear. And you will really get them to speak to you if you get in their way or pick up something they wanted first.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Everywhere you turn, people prepare for the time that is undoubtedly coming. There is an air of expectancy; for many, their life has taken on a new purpose, at least for a while. They will lay aside a lot of the things that seemed so important just a few weeks ago because now their whole focus is shifted to preparing for the coming of a little, short, red-faced demon that rides around in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer, or nine, depending on which version of the lie you want to propagate.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Christmas is upon us, and there are only six days left to get out there and fight the traffic, spend your money, and get those special gifts for the special people in our lives. So, hurry up so you can wait in lines for hours to get that new Barbie for the little girl in your life, that X Box Game for the boys, or whatever it is on your list this year.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">You will need to check your list and then check it twice – you have to make sure that no one is left out, whether they have been naughty or nice. After all, if you don't get something for everyone, their feelings might be hurt, and they won't give you anything next year.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But wait! That's not even the tip of the iceberg! Not only do you have to rearrange your schedule to spend endless hours at the mall or fight the traffic, but you also must find time to check out the lights that adorn so many homes in our area.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Then you must sit down long to plan your Christmas dinner and ensure there is enough food to feed the multitudes. God forbid anyone would want their 40th cookie or piece of fudge and find the tray empty. Oh, Horror of Horrors – Uncle Jimmy wanted a 6th piece of lemon pie, and it was all gone. I should have bought 13 instead of 12. I just knew that 12 pies were not going to be enough.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Next year, that won't happen. I'll buy enough for a hundred people and ensure no one goes hungry. We can lose that extra 20 pounds that we will gain just by making a New Year's Resolution to go on an extreme diet that will last about two days.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Then, there are the preparations for exchanging gifts with the family. Oh, what a time that will be. Let's buy a few extra gifts to ensure everyone gets something; we might have Jill's boyfriend or Jack's girlfriend, and we would want them to feel included. We might have to add a room onto the house to hold the toys our children get - toys that won't last through Christmas Day and, even if they do, the kids will lose interest in them and go back to playing with sticks and cardboard boxes in less than a week.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Preparations, preparations, preparations – we must make our preparations – nothing can be left to chance – nothing can be overlooked – no one can be left out – the rest of our year will be ruined if Christmas isn't perfect.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"My family won't love me if everything isn't perfect. My kids will hate me if they don't have that new Hummer under the tree. My wife or husband will doubt my love if there isn't a diamond ring or a new hunting rifle there."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">What are you waiting for? Why are you still sitting there? There are only six days left to get all this done and more. Don't you love your family enough? I am confident that not all of you are prepared!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Now I realize that most of you don't act like what I have just described; at least, I hope not. You don't go to these extremes in your preparations for Christmas. But I also know that everyone can relate to what I have said and that there is a measure of truth that we all identify with.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Preparations are necessary if we are to have a successful Holiday Season. We make those preparations because we love our families and want to do everything we can to make this a special time for them. We want to show them our love through our actions, and nothing is wrong with that.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But today, I want to remind you not to forget to make some preparations for an even greater time that is coming.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Isaiah 40:3-5, "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Hundreds of years before Jesus would be born in that manger in Bethlehem, God had prepared one of his prophets named Isaiah to bring forth this word, foretelling the coming of His Son. In fact, in eternity past, God had already made his plans and prepared a way that man could be redeemed from sin. In Genesis 1:2, God spoke light into a dark and void emptiness and began the creation we all enjoy today. In bringing forth light, we can already see a picture of the coming Light of the World, Jesus Christ.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Then, in Genesis 3:15, we read where God speaks directly to Satan and reveals his ultimate plan for the coming of Christ when he says, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Our God is a God of order and preparation. He leaves nothing to chance, so his plans always succeed.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">And so, we read in Matthew 3:1-3, "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">There were preparations that our Father in Heaven decreed should be completed before his Son, the Light of the World, would be presented unto a dark and dying world. So we find that John the Baptist, a man filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, was sent to make those preparations. What was John's message? What was necessary for men to do to be ready to receive Jesus? John's entire message can be found in one word – REPENT!</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The coming of the Son of God and the revelation of the Gospel to this world had to be preceded by a time of preparation. Israel had fallen from its place of prominence in the world through its idolatry. The prophets had been silent for about 400 years. There was no vision in the land. There was no hope, and the light of God in Israel had all but gone out.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">So, John came preaching repentance. He came to tell Israel where they were in their relationship with God. They were a lost and dying people. They were a people who were the "apple of God's eye," and yet they knew not God at all. They had a form of worship, a form of rituals, but all their laws and rituals only served to condemn them more. They were spiritually blind, morally corrupt, and physically impoverished. They were caught in Satan's trap of sin, and there was no way out.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Israel needed to turn away from their form of worship and their religious traditions and turn their hearts toward God. John came to lift their vision off of the shadows of the tabernacle or temple worship, to lift their hearts out of the miry clay that held them in such deep despair, and to lift their thoughts higher than they had been as they looked upon their nation as a slave to Rome. John preached so that Israel could see that there was hope – their Deliverer was coming! One who was much more significant than John, whose sandals John would not be worthy to unlatch.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But what did it take for Israel to be prepared for Jesus coming? It took true repentance. They needed to turn away from their sins of idolatry. They needed to turn away from their sins of doubt and fear. Not only did they need to turn away from their sin, but they also had to make a conscious choice to turn toward God, to lift their eyes to behold His Son, and then choose to accept Jesus. Their Messiah was coming, but they were so blind in their sin and self-righteousness that they could not see him.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">In like fashion, we see the Word of God going forth today in our own dark and dying world. Jesus is coming again, but before he comes, there is a time of preparation. Before he can come into this world, sin must be judged. Before he can enter your heart, your sin must be judged. The righteous, holy Son of God cannot enter the heart of a sinner until the Blood of the Lamb removes that sin.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">That heart must be prepared. We must break up that fallow ground of a life and a heart that is hardened by sin. We must allow the Word of God to plow deep into our hearts and lives and break those chains that bind us. We must prepare ourselves for His coming.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">It is a sad thing when we realize that most people will spend more time preparing for the coming of Satan Claus than for the coming of Jesus Christ. We will spend more time cooking pies than reading God's Word. We will spend hours in the stores, but we don't have time to be in God's House when it comes time for worship. We will spend hours hanging out lights, wrapping gifts, and doing a hundred other things, but how much time will we have for talking to God in prayer?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Friends, we need to realize that Jesus came the first time as the Savior of the World, but the next time he comes, it will be as the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the Righteous Judge of all the earth. We need to remember that it's vastly more important to prepare for the coming of the Lord than for the arrival of Christmas. Instead of being overly concerned with making this Holiday Season a joyous time of the year for our families, we should double our efforts to reach them with a message of repentance.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Jesus may come before we can celebrate Christmas this year, and where will that leave us then? Are we preparing for Christmas and forgetting to prepare for the coming of the Lord? Are we focused solely on enjoying the holidays and forgetting about the pain and suffering that is coming upon the earth? Are we more concerned about the comfort and fulfillment of the needs of the flesh and unconcerned about the condition of the hearts of our loved ones?</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Let us remember the real reason for Christmas. Amid all the hustle and bustle of the malls, the glitz and glamour of the decorations, and the excitement of parades and family gatherings, let us never forget that Jesus is standing there, with tears in his eyes, with his hands outstretched, begging and pleading for people to turn away from their sin in repentance and to turn to Him as their Savior.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The greatest gift we can give anyone is to tell them about Jesus' love. Tell them that he is no longer a baby in a manger but the risen Son of God and the Savior of the World. The greatest gift anyone can receive is the gift of Salvation and eternal life in Christ.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">But before they can receive it, we must prepare. We must tell them of God's love, mercy, and grace. We must preach repentance unto them. We must not fail in our duty as Christians to spread the message of the Gospel because the souls of our families and our friends are hanging in the balance.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Are you preparing for Christmas in your home? I'm sure most of us are, and there's nothing wrong with that. But while you are preparing for Christmas, remember to prepare for the Coming of the Lord. Those who aren't prepared won't be watching and waiting, won't be found faithful, and will be left behind. Get prepared and stay prepared. Jesus is coming soon!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhKtiMlZC_-iXsW_Wizy95kebZlxcvny8MmFXB6RFKHch98YbxmmjFP2iOLD_CcLcoRV2fxIeECqAfUsWixEdyhxABtRojVbLX2XhPNekjmTQ3zXNwTDTEBAp_EYdIEhI-4_yxQt2j9sm9PAut04vuxn19kFs-6PkNnx6NfOiJKBorNmpXAu_IZ2ExSLc/s328/Bright%20Star.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="328" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhKtiMlZC_-iXsW_Wizy95kebZlxcvny8MmFXB6RFKHch98YbxmmjFP2iOLD_CcLcoRV2fxIeECqAfUsWixEdyhxABtRojVbLX2XhPNekjmTQ3zXNwTDTEBAp_EYdIEhI-4_yxQt2j9sm9PAut04vuxn19kFs-6PkNnx6NfOiJKBorNmpXAu_IZ2ExSLc/s320/Bright%20Star.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-91909743504152596092023-12-23T02:28:00.000-08:002023-12-23T02:32:10.172-08:00Turn On the Light<p> Isaiah 9:2, "The people that walked in darkness have
seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon
them hath the light shined."</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I love the Christmas Season more than any other time of the
year. It's the only time of the year when some people try to act like they
should always act. Of course, not everyone gets the "holiday spirit".
Some people want to be hateful and obnoxious no matter the time of year. But
many people are transformed just a little at this time of the year. Most of
them get a little more courteous and patient and allow their "better
side," if there is such a thing, to shine forth.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At this time of year, the world, in our culture, comes alive
more. We see colorful light displays on many homes, the season's music fills
the air, and the hearts of men are lifted with anticipation of celebrating some
holidays with family and friends. Parties are everywhere. Special feasts are
planned.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In short, a whole different feeling comes over the land for
a while until the holidays are past, and we fall back into our daily routine
once more.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I considered all of this, I was reminded that we only
have this season because of Jesus. I know this is often said in a trite little
saying, "Jesus is the reason for the season," that's true, but let us
not just say it and forget it. We need to take this occasion to celebrate and
spread the news of the birth of Jesus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It's only because God robed himself in flesh, came down to
us, and gave himself for us that we have the desire and the will to give gifts
to other people. Only because of the Risen Savior who grants us eternal life
can we celebrate that eternal life in the symbol of an evergreen tree. Only
because of the Light of the gospel can we give true meaning to the lights
strung everywhere.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The lights, the cheerful hearts, and the season's joy are
beautiful. Still, I want us to remember that, amid all the colored lights,
parties, and celebrating, most of those caught up in the festivities do not
know the Lord as their Savior. They are still walking in the gross darkness of
sin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We can light up the exterior, but only Jesus can illuminate
the heart. The wonderful thing is that when Jesus lights up your heart and
soul, everything seems brighter outside. The world is brighter, the way is
clearer, and the understanding is enlightened, and you can walk in a whole new
awareness of what God is doing in the earth and in the hearts of men. That's
the result of that spiritual light that only Jesus can give.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">People can celebrate by eating a turkey feast and dressing
with all the trimmings. Still, unless they feast upon the Word of God and allow
the Holy Spirit to fill their souls, they will die in their sins.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">People can drink themselves into an alcoholic stupor so that
they can forget their troubles and feel the euphoria of a few moments of peace.
Still, they will never truly know peace unless they drink the water of life and
allow the Love of God to flood their souls.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">People can laugh at jokes, sing happy songs, and enjoy the
company of family and friends; they really can't know true Joy without the joy
of first knowing the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is simply no greater peace, joy, or happiness than
knowing that all is well with your soul. When your sins are forgiven, and you
have surrendered your life to Christ, you can experience that "great
light" that Isaiah spoke of.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Is the light switched on in your heart and soul today? Do
you know Jesus as the Light of your Soul and the Light of your life? Then,
thank God you know the true reason for all the celebrating and the joy of this
holiday season.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Isaiah 60:1-3, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come,
and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall
cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon
thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy
light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Arise and shine – that is what my grandma used to say to me
when it was time to get up. I didn't know that she was quoting scripture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As Christians, we should take the opportunity of the season
ahead to rise out of lethargy, spiritual slumber, and our daily routine and
take our witness of Christ to a new level. Jesus will give us untold numbers of
opportunities to pray, to witness, to show love, and to really tell the world
about Him. What a great time to allow our "light" to shine and to
show people the "True Light."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">While gross darkness of sin and evil reign over the whole of
humanity and the world, we are blessed people because we have the "Light
of the world" in us, and with the presence of the Holy Ghost in us, we
have become the "light of the world."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Matthew 5:13-16, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if
the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth
good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye
are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick,
and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine
before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is
in heaven."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If Jesus is in you, the whole world should be able to see
that light. Even though Jesus is the "Bright and morning star" and
"the great light," many Christians just don't reflect His light very
brightly. The amount of light that shines from us is directly relative to the
closeness of our relationship with Jesus on a personal level.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The good news is that it doesn't take much light to dispel
the darkness. If you are saved, and the light of God is shining in you, even if
you aren't where you should be with the Lord, there will be some light in your
life.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How do I know that's true? Have you ever seen a worldly
Christian whose light is dim because of his speech or how he behaves around
others? That man or woman has a dim light because their relationship with Jesus
is weak. Yet when they get around people who don't know Jesus at all and who
are still in the gross darkness of sin, those sinners will know that there's
something different about that weak Christian. Something about them will make
them uneasy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Quite often, this uneasiness results in either the sinners
shying away from the worldly Christian, or else they will develop an attitude
of contempt for him because he is not a part of their crowd and yet won't stand
up for his own beliefs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No matter how it goes, it's all a result of that dim light
of the Lord in his heart that causes it.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You may as well let your light shine brightly and live for
the Lord with all your heart; get completely sold out to Jesus because the
world doesn't accept you either way, and you can enjoy being a Christian
instead of walking the fence.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Salt has the power to flavor whatever it touches. It has the
power to preserve food. It has the power to make a difference in the world
where it is used. Even salt that is losing its flavor still has some effect.
That effect doesn't just stop at a moment's notice. It keeps going and going.
It may grow weaker over time and eventually become unusable as a seasoning.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That's the way your walk with the Lord is, too. Even when
you are on your way backward, allowing the devil to drag you back into that
life of sin, your life is still able to touch other people.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I've seen Christians who were getting close to a backslidden
condition influence a lost person to go to church with them. That lost person
then would get saved while their Christian witness friend finally backslid. The
dim light of that worldly Christian was still bright enough to lead someone to
Christ. The saved sinner came to the "great light," and God received
the glory for his salvation despite the weak Christian.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I think of some Christians as "Cell Phone
Christians." Most of you have a cell phone. Sometimes, you have a crystal
clear connection, and at other times, you can barely understand what's being
said; there are times when there's no connection because we are out of range of
the tower.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That's the way that we are, too. Sometimes, we are so close
to God that our light shines bright. Then there are times when we allow the
cares of life to separate us from our prayer life, from studying the Word, from
going to church, and from hearing the voice of the Lord, and light grows dim.
Then, sometimes, we lose contact with the Lord because we have strayed too far
into sin, and that's when the light can go out entirely.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All of us are in one of those three conditions. How bright
is your light right now? Are you shining forth in the brightness that Jesus
wants you to? Is there something there that is blocking that light from coming
forth? Have clouds of sin, disobedience, lethargy, and neglect come between you
and your source of light? Have those clouds become storm clouds that eclipse
the Light of God so that you no longer shine? We need to remove the clouds and
shine brightly once again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">First, we must remain plugged into the power source of our
light and life. The power is not in us without Jesus. He is the only source of
light and power in your life. You can't generate it yourself. It must come from
the Lord and the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Secondly, if you are connected to that power source in
Jesus, flip on the switch and let your light shine so the world knows you
belong to Him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Perhaps someone reading this does not know Jesus as your
Lord and Savior. Maybe you are still groping in the darkness of sin, trying to
find your way but stumbling over every obstacle in life and falling flat on
your face all the time. Have you wondered why you can't answer your questions
correctly? Have you wondered why life seems to knock you down at every turn?
Have you tried to find a meaning for your life, and there doesn't seem to be
any? Have you tripped over things in your life that you didn't see in your
path? Have you considered your life and wondered, "Is there a better
way?"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My friend, you need to get connected, turn on the switch,
and let the light of God shine in your heart. Jesus can give it all meaning. He
can show you the path. He can provide you peace, joy, and happiness like you've
never known. Most importantly, He will give you eternal life and lift you out
of the darkness of sin.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Those who refuse to accept the light Jesus offers will burn
for eternity in the gross darkness of the lake of fire.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Those who accept His light right now will walk in the
brightness of His Light for eternity.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVVUGFuUpspQvmFM2pgkadv0kYwyV-qpv30N1K_c0-s03BTb8wVSri9t7t9zvMmTObvGlDnC6mV4A_0tz1ouanxm-E2fqUGctukMP0gdCU1L7tj2LsvuPw0QxyaIMr7doOHK6yi3kKl9IoCl-2sW32N_jRw-wGmt6TSSrnk9tyDLMf1ByWA4-y4imRerb/s275/Light%20Switch.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVVUGFuUpspQvmFM2pgkadv0kYwyV-qpv30N1K_c0-s03BTb8wVSri9t7t9zvMmTObvGlDnC6mV4A_0tz1ouanxm-E2fqUGctukMP0gdCU1L7tj2LsvuPw0QxyaIMr7doOHK6yi3kKl9IoCl-2sW32N_jRw-wGmt6TSSrnk9tyDLMf1ByWA4-y4imRerb/s1600/Light%20Switch.jpeg" width="275" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-65096242246406111202023-12-23T02:26:00.000-08:002023-12-23T02:33:01.158-08:00The gift<p> What would that Gift be if you could have anything you want
this Christmas?</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is the time of year when our materialistic society
becomes more materialistic than ever. Across the nation, people have spent
money they don't have, using easy credit cards already overloaded with
high-interest rates attached, some as high as 36%. That means they will still
be paying for this year's gifts 5 or even 10 years from now if they make
minimum payments.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Gift-giving is a beautiful thing. And I don't think that
anyone would refuse a gift either. But let us remember the most important Gift
of all. With all the hype and glitz of the season, getting distracted from what
is happening behind the scenes is easy. The age-old struggle for men's souls
continues, and the greatest Gift is often forgotten or overlooked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 1809, Europe was locked in struggles for power and
territory. Napoleon was sweeping through Austria; blood was flowing freely as
soldiers and civilians alike were killed by the thousands. No one was concerned
about the birth of a few babies. Their focus on world politics and man's
inhumanity to man overshadowed everything else, and the birth of some
significant babies went unnoticed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Among those born that year were William Gladstone, destined
to become one of England's finest statesmen. Alfred Tennyson was born to a
little-known minister and his wife. The child would become a prolific writer
and affect the literary world as few had before. Oliver Wendell Holmes was born
in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the newly established American nation. Not far
away in Boston, a child was born whose name was Edgar Allan Poe, who would live
a tragic life but leave the world with poems and stories that are still popular
to this day. 1809 was also the year that a young physician and his wife named
their newborn son Charles Robert. The doctor's last name was Darwin, and that
child would bring the teachings of evolution that would rock the scientific world
and shake the very foundation of Christianity. Also, that same year, the cries
of a newborn infant were heard in a rugged, one-room log cabin in the backwoods
of Hardin County, Kentucky. The baby was named Abraham Lincoln.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If there had been news broadcasts then, I'm confident these
words would have been heard: "The destiny of the world is being shaped on
an Austrian battlefield today." But history was being shaped in the
cradles of England and America.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All around the cities and towns of Israel, in the time of
the Roman occupation, the concern on everyone's mind was taxation and the
Jewish revolution. The big news was focused on the political scene. Man's focus
has always been on the wrong thing because all we can see is the physical
realm. The Jews missed the most significant news of all time.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In a little hamlet called Bethlehem, in a dirty stable,
their Messiah was born, and Jesus was given. This was the greatest Gift of all,
the Gift of a savior.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The most detailed account of the birth of Jesus Christ is
given to us in the Book of Luke. Luke was a physician by trade before he became
a disciple. History tells us that Luke was a Christian already when he met Paul
the Apostle and became Paul's companion in his missionary journeys.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Luke didn't understand all of the events of the early years
of the church but was taught by Paul. It is said that Luke learned most of the
things that he wrote about in the first few chapters of the Book of Luke after
listening to Paul, talking with some of the original disciples, and sitting
down with Mary, the mother of Jesus, for lengthy interviews. It wasn't until 60
AD, nearly 30 years after the resurrection, that Luke, a gentile doctor, sat
down and wrote his book, giving us the story of the Gospel. Three years later,
he would begin to write another book. That would be called the Book of Acts of
the Apostles.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Luke wasn't there to see it all happen firsthand, but he
learned from those who had seen it with their own eyes and held the hand of
Jesus while he walked this earth. Some historians say that Luke was practicing
medicine in Tarsus, where he probably met Paul for the first time. However, it
came about; I am glad that the Holy Spirit put them together so that we could
have the account of the Gift of the Savior that Luke has given to us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Luke was more than a disciple; he was a great teacher. He
took a young man named Theophilus under his wing and began teaching him the
gospel's foundational truths. We don't know much about Theophilus, but from how
Luke addressed him, many people believe he was a person of rank, perhaps even a
converted Roman officer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Luke 1:1-4, "Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to
set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed
among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were
eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had
perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in
order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of
those things, wherein thou hast been instructed."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The greatest Gift mankind could ever receive was the Gift of
salvation through Jesus Christ. But what good does that Gift do if we don't
believe it or won't accept it?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If we reap the benefits of salvation, we must first be
convinced in our hearts that the gospel message is true. That's why God gives
us the 5-fold ministry of the church.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ephesians 4:11, "And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;"<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">All these gifts are in the church to teach us about Jesus.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Apostles are there to preach the gospel to the nations and
found churches worldwide so that the Gift may be received in the hearts of men.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Prophets are there to teach us and to give us visions of
futuristic events so that the hearts of men can be prepared for the day when
the Gift of eternal life and salvation will be realized to its fullest extent.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Evangelists are there to turn the hearts of men toward the
Gift and to remind the church that they have a Gift that is far too valuable to
set aside for anything in this world.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pastors are there to keep us close to that Gift and, in some
small way, to represent that Gift of a shepherd that would lead the flock of
God into that eternal place of safety and rest.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Teachers are there to expound the Word of God, going deeper
and higher into the Gift than ever before, revealing things about God's Gift of
a Savior that we have never seen before.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whether you realize it or not, the church is God's Gift to
you. We are to love and appreciate the church but not worship it. It's not
about the gifts of the ministry; it's all about the Gift. It's all about Jesus!
It's not about the apostle, pastor, prophet, evangelist, or teacher. If we
follow the preacher, then we lose sight of the Gift. Follow the Lord, not a
man. When you go to church, men of God want to give you the Gift. When you read
my words, I want to give you Jesus, not me. Don't follow me. I will inevitably
fail your expectations. Follow Jesus – HE IS THE GIFT!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Everyone who gives you the Word of the Lord, who looks over
you and prays for you, is doing that for one purpose: We want you to have a
perfect understanding of all things from the very first, not just when Christ
was born, but from the beginning of creation, that you may know and understand,
why we need the Gift of a Savior, and what the coming of Jesus in that manger
really means to your eternal soul. We want you to be certain that it is all the
truth and to be instructed so that you can receive that Gift of a Savior! We
want you to have an excellent spirit like Luke said that Theophilus had.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Luke 1:13-16, "But the angel said unto him, Fear not,
Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a
son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness,
and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the
Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled
with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of
Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Much like John was sent as the forerunner of Christ,
ministers are sent as forerunners to the second coming of Christ. My mission is
to give you the message of repentance from sin and to point you to the Gift,
that One who is greater than I, that One whose shoes I am unable to fill, that
One who is the Greatest Gift of all – the Messiah, the Savior, the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords, God in the flesh – the Lord Jesus who reigns eternal
and who gave himself for your sin upon the cross.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Luke 2:8-11, "And there were in the same country
shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And,
lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round
about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not:
for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all
people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is
Christ the Lord."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And like the angelic host that appeared above the hillsides
of Israel on that dark night, when at midnight, it seemed that Israel would
never see a Messiah, my purpose today is to shout the victory to you and let
you know that The Gift has come. Through the darkness of sin that has shrouded
this world, the shout goes forth – the Gift has come – the Messiah is born –
the Son is Given – and Jesus is His name! He is come that you might receive the
gifts of joy, gladness, and eternal life! Oh, what a wonderful Savior! What a
wonderful Lord! What a wonderful promise! What an incredible love! What an
excellent Gift Jesus is, my Lord!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In that little town of Bethlehem, in the middle of the hilly
country of Israel, on a dark night, in the stable of an inn where there was no
room for people, a young woman gave birth to her firstborn son. The world
didn't herald him as a newborn king. His birth went unnoticed by most of the
world. But all of Heaven rejoiced on that night. The Heavenly choirs of angels
burst forth in glorious praise.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In that straw, lying in a manger, wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lay THE GIFT, the greatest Gift this world will ever receive. On that
night, Jesus Christ was born.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But that Gift doesn't mean anything to you if you don't know
Him today. Have you received the Gift? Have you given your heart and life to
Jesus and allowed Him to come into your life? Why not receive the greatest Gift
you will ever receive? You don't have to wait until Christmas morning. Today,
right now, can be your Christmas. Accept the Gift right now!<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAlCPTwkltxg5mm8pBPnhFYGX3h4BrrwL7eOARH8Ax07qYVNfrkTCDi8PC-zXV_vZe90UKy8Wib2hT0t4KFgfxO5aBLUwQmaqJy5enhqDifiNWrGuoHpgnaUwwB3fqlwKDF9yzh3kFWH6FHCTNRxdOltAxMK8bgchRQQvXJ2XWONoIlsQlIhF9s7o9gLj/s225/The%20Gift.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAlCPTwkltxg5mm8pBPnhFYGX3h4BrrwL7eOARH8Ax07qYVNfrkTCDi8PC-zXV_vZe90UKy8Wib2hT0t4KFgfxO5aBLUwQmaqJy5enhqDifiNWrGuoHpgnaUwwB3fqlwKDF9yzh3kFWH6FHCTNRxdOltAxMK8bgchRQQvXJ2XWONoIlsQlIhF9s7o9gLj/s1600/The%20Gift.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-87832706894458324792023-12-22T01:19:00.000-08:002023-12-22T01:28:33.217-08:00A Baby and A Sword<p> Matthew 2:1-3, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of
Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east
to Jerusalem,</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we
have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was
troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We have all seen a newborn baby lying in its crib or
mother’s arms. I don’t ever remember looking into the face of one of those
babies and thinking, “What a great threat to the peace and prosperity of the
world this baby is!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">No, we all look into those faces of our newborn children and
grandchildren and think to ourselves, “What a beautiful child, and oh, how
proud we are that they are now and forever, a part of our family!”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Any normal human would gaze upon that baby and think, “Here
is a new and precious life. Here is a child with all of the potential in the
world to do great things and become someone who will make a difference in this
world.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We look at that baby, realizing that within each one that
comes into this world, there is a seed of greatness, for it is Almighty God in
Heaven who has given a new life, created another human being in His own image,
and blessed us all with the chance to expand the love in our hearts to include
someone new.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How anyone could ever cast aside a baby as though it means
nothing or how anyone could ever purposely harm a precious child is beyond me.
All of us know that this is not normal, but those who would do such things are
under the influence of Satan. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is the power of sinful nature and the overcoming powers
of darkness that would cause anyone to do such things. The murder of innocents,
whether in the womb of their mother or after it has been born into this world,
is the result of sin in the heart of man, sin and evil that the devil himself
inspires.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Over 2000 years ago, a baby boy was born in a stable and
laid down in a manger. His birth had been foretold for thousands of years, and
the circumstances had been prophesied to the smallest detail. This little baby,
lying in a manger of hay and wrapped in swaddling clothes, carried a greater
significance than any other baby that would ever come into this world.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus came as a perfect, holy, innocent child and would
never sin during his entire life. No other child has ever, or will ever, come
into this world with those qualifications. No other human being could ever be
offered the perfect sacrifice to take away every sin of everyone who would
believe in him. This single child, Jesus, that innocent baby lying in a manger,
brought with him the power to bring the greatest hope the world has ever had.
Along with that great hope, Jesus brought with him the greatest division that
would ever enter the hearts of men.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus confessed later, when he entered his earthly ministry,
what his coming would bring to this world in Matthew 10:34-36: "Think not
that I come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For
I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against
her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes
shall be they of his own household."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We, as Christians, love to look at the Christmas Story, with
all its wonder and beauty, seeing the events that unfold through the eyes of
faith and hope, knowing that the birth of Jesus meant the coming of our Savior.
The scene of the peaceful hillsides of Bethlehem with its shepherds watching
their flocks at night, and the appearance of the angels of Heaven singing,
“Glory to God and Peace on Earth,” and the Star that shone in the sky that
brought such “Exceeding Great Joy,” is a scene that we picture again and again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But the rest of the world did not, and still does not, see
that night's peace, joy, and wonder. To the world, this is a night of terror
and something to be hated and stopped at all costs. From the beginning, right
here in these first few verses of Matthew 2, we can already see the reaction of
sinful man against the coming of Jesus into the world. The great division that
the birth of this one single little baby, lying in that manger, would bring
begins with all the powers of hell aligned against him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Immediately, the power of mankind to be a god was
threatened. King Herod, appointed king by the power of Rome, felt threatened by
the presence of a baby who was born as the true king and one who would become
the King of Kings. Jesus' crown was given not by man but by Almighty God.
Jesus’ kingship superseded the titles given by man and gave him authority over
every king and ruler upon the earth.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From the beginning, the very presence of Jesus and His very
existence upon the earth became the single greatest threat against the power of
man and the power of Satan to rule in the affairs of men. He immediately became
the greatest enemy of sinful man, and plans sprang into action to eliminate him.
It started with the murder of every child in the little town of Bethlehem and
the areas around it. Every child, two years old and under, was murdered. The
great sword, the great division, and the absolute determination of both sinful
man and Satan to rid the world of any knowledge of Jesus had begun, and it
continues to this very day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With every passing generation, humanity has tried to
eliminate Jesus and remove the knowledge of Him from the consciousness of man.
Man refuses to acknowledge that there is a God and that man is not that God,
but that all men will be held accountable to the One True God.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We know that Jesus came to save the world and all who would
accept him as Savior, but I want to speak to those who have already chosen to
follow Jesus. This is a message to the Church, the saints of God, and those who
have already been adopted into the family of God. This is a message to each of
us.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In writing to the Church, the Apostle James says, "Ye
adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is
enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy
of God."<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">James isn’t speaking to the world but to those who know
Jesus. He says, in effect, you cannot have a love affair with the things of
this world, enjoy all that it offers, receive the accolades and praises of the
world, hold the friendship of the world in high regard, and still consider
yourself as a faithful child of God!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If a born-again child of God is going to have a love affair
with the world, then you will become an enemy of God. Sooner or later, the love
affair with the world will directly conflict with your love for Jesus; at that
point, a division will come. The affair may last for a while, but it must end
if you are to remain faithful to the call of God on your life.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The sword Jesus promised would come has swung again, and now
the division must come. You cannot be a friend of the world and a friend of
Jesus for very long. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The sword of division that Jesus brought to this world
swings today in our national conscience as Congress, the courts of our land,
and many of our godless leaders continue to attempt to eradicate the name of
Jesus from our public schools and buildings. The name of Jesus stirs the sinful
hearts of men who refuse to acknowledge the existence of an Almighty God more
than anything else.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our nation, born upon the Word of God and known as a
Christian nation, has decided that the things of the world are more important
than serving God. As a result, the Sword that Jesus brought is swinging
furiously throughout the land, dividing sharply that which is godly from that
which is not. The division becomes more significant with each passing day.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The love affair that the Church has had with the fame and
fortune of the world and the praises of men must end, or the Church will be no
more. We, the true Church of Jesus Christ, cannot be friends with the world,
and therefore, the world will continue to hate us as its enemy more and more.
The sword will not stop swinging, and the divisions will become greater.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We must be aware that the sword still swings, even in the
Church and among those who call on the name of Jesus and are a part of the
family of God. Even in our families and lives, the sword is swinging, bringing
division.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Where is your first love? Do you still have Jesus and his
kingdom as the first place in your life, or has this world's fame, fortune,
glitz, glamour, and popularity begun to draw you aside? Is a love affair with
this world a part of your life, or is there a part of you that wants the life
that the world offers more than the life of service to Jesus? Christians are
not immune to becoming involved in a love affair with the world. In fact, you
are the devil's primary target, and he will promise you almost anything you
want.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Christian young people are confronted with “peer pressure,”
the need to be accepted by friends, and to have those who are popular in school
allow them into their circle. How often do they choose friendships and
popularity over standing firm for their belief in Jesus? You see, even in
school, there is a sword swinging, separating the things of Christ from those
of the world.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There are things that the world offers in our public schools
that we cannot partake of and maintain the right relationship with Jesus! So,
you must decide, will you serve the Lord or have a love affair with the things
of the world!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Christians, in churches everywhere, have begun to be more
and more accepting of the things of this world, not only in the Church but also
in their homes. Often, it's caused by a desire to be at peace with the kids who
want to be accepted. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The standards that once held a great separation of Christian
kids and worldly kids have been relaxed to the point that we allow our kids to
take part in everything offered, even if partaking in those things violates the
law of God and grieves the Spirit. Parents would rather be friends with their
kids than train them in the way they should go. They fear the sword of division
more than the judgment of God against sin in the camp, not realizing that, in
the end, the souls of their kids are at stake, not just their popularity and
acceptance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Finally, what about your own life? What place does Jesus
have in your heart? Is the chance for promotion on the job more important than
being faithful in serving Jesus? Do you hide your faith because you don’t want
to make waves or take the chance of being passed over? When you’re around
friends and co-workers, are you keeping your faith to yourself to avoid
conflict? Those are the first signs of the beginning of a love affair with the
world!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What a difference the birth of one baby boy in a manger in
Bethlehem has made! The entire history of man centers on that one little baby!
The eternal destiny of every soul of man hinges upon what we will believe and
do about that one little baby! That little baby, Jesus, brought a sword that
swings to create a separation between those who will serve him and those who
won’t.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The sword is swinging! Jesus brought the opportunity to
decide in your own life. Which side are you on? Which side will you choose
today, tomorrow, and forever? Every day that you live, the sword will be
swinging! Which side will you be on when the sword is done?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As you observe the rituals and traditions of Christmas, and
you look upon Jesus in that manger scene, remember that He is no longer that
baby in the manger. Jesus is Lord! He is the King of Kings! He is the God and
Savior of the World to those who will choose to serve him. To everyone else, He
is the Great Divider, the One who separates light from darkness and sin from
righteousness! Are you on the Lord’s side?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Christmas brings joy, peace, and glory to those who serve
the Lord. But to everyone else, Christmas is a sword, a thorn in the side of
the ungodly, and an ever-present reminder that there is a God and that there
will be a day of accountability as we all stand before him.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I pray that Christmas is a joyful time for you. Enjoy your
time with family and friends. But most importantly, make Christmas a time of
renewing your relationship with Jesus and ensuring that you love Him more than
the things of the world. Make sure that Jesus is your life and that his
presence with and in you matters more than anything else.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRC70G5KAS0maZor8bpv-1N1hYxWNOSnjisLLHCFLoA69OeuFenf17JHVuI-bytCewnabR8PB_TC0sGHhmhOFqkhbOGkUBAJLoiehyphenhyphenwo2gc4ous9MJ67iv8B1-pgNn1wf_Z-dNksvcZKxUduBPkt-9_TbdtrQg5JGBdhLELXHKhPd99PpIjukec98FdmYP/s236/matt-10-34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="236" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRC70G5KAS0maZor8bpv-1N1hYxWNOSnjisLLHCFLoA69OeuFenf17JHVuI-bytCewnabR8PB_TC0sGHhmhOFqkhbOGkUBAJLoiehyphenhyphenwo2gc4ous9MJ67iv8B1-pgNn1wf_Z-dNksvcZKxUduBPkt-9_TbdtrQg5JGBdhLELXHKhPd99PpIjukec98FdmYP/s1600/matt-10-34.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-26365704892534961642023-12-20T05:01:00.000-08:002023-12-20T15:00:14.194-08:00The Way In a Manger<p> <span style="color: #0e101a;">Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Christmas and the Holiday Season carry with them a bittersweet experience for many people. Of course, the sweetness is the story of the coming of the Christ child into a world that is lost in the darkness of sin. The most beautiful event in the history of humanity was the day that God robed himself in flesh and became that baby in the manger.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Jesus, who said of himself in John 14:6, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”, came as a baby, grew up to become a man, stepped out into the world, and for 3 ½ years, testified that he was God, come down to this world for only one reason. He came to give his life upon the cross to make the way of salvation for all men who would accept his sacrifice for their sins.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">He, who is the Way, came by way of the manger, preached the Way of Salvation, and made that Way accessible to all men through his own death, burial, and resurrection. Now, the Way is made for each of us through Jesus Christ. That’s the real meaning of Christmas, and in fact, the way that Jesus made it is the way that all of life can have genuine meaning. It’s the only way we can have perfect peace and joy in our hearts that cannot be explained but must be experienced individually as we come to Jesus. It is the Way of a fulfilled life, a life of service to others, sacrificing self to Christ's cause. The only life worth living that won’t leave you empty and wondering if your life made a difference.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The other side of this story is that during the Christmas season, much bitterness arises as well. The coming of Jesus in that manger made a way for us to come to know and serve the Lord. Still, he never promised that the Way would be made perfect and that we would never experience sadness and loss in life.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">During this time of the year, more than any other, many go through a time of deepened sadness because of the loss of a loved one. That loneliness is magnified when they see the happiness and togetherness that others experience, and they feel so much more alone.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Some are saddened when they think of the fact that even though their loved ones are still on the earth, they can’t see them and be with them on this day. How many families this year will be saddened somewhat because a loved one is on some lonely military outpost, guarding the freedoms of America? And how many families are torn apart because one or both of the parents can’t be with their children because circumstances keep them apart?</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It has been proven that more people succumb to depression at this time of year than at any other time. Sadness and loneliness become more than they can bear, and the only answer to their heartache is to take themselves out of this world. The saddest part of that is that after they leave this world, the chances are they enter eternity without God. It’s too late to turn back after they realize their terrible mistake.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Even though we are not immune to experiencing that same sadness and sorrow, we who serve the Lord are truly blessed, for we have great hope even during grief. That hope is Jesus, that Way that came through the manger.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Most of you reading this know what I’m talking about. There’s an empty chair at your table and an empty place in your heart that you can’t seem to fill with anything that will make the pain disappear. You’ve spent many long hours crying out to God for relief from the grief, for a return of the joy of the Lord to your heart that you might enjoy life to its fullest once again. Your only thought is, Lord, If I could go back and do it again, I’d do things a lot differently. I would never take for granted what you have given me that I have lost. But then you realize there’s no going back, only forward, living one day at a time.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">You march on one day at a time but in faith, knowing that the Way has been made. You understand that no matter how sad it may get or how much your heart aches, there is a better day coming:</span></p><ul style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">A day of peace and rest.</span></li><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">A day of great joy and happiness.</span></li><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">A day of resurrection when you will be reunited with those who have gone before.</span></li><li style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; list-style-type: disc; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">A day when we will all be with Jesus forever more.</span></li></ul><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Way to being reunited and participating in that great day of joy goes through the manger. The Way goes through the blood of Jesus that was shed upon the cross, and finally, the Way leads us to the altar of God, where you will give your life as a living sacrifice to Jesus.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “… lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The manger has passed into history and become part of the most beautiful story in the Bible. Jesus came and died only once; his sacrifice is sufficient for all sins of all men, forever. The Way has been finished and is forever open to all who will walk in it! No matter what you face today, the Way is before you, allowing you to overcome whatever is ahead.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">No matter how much your heart aches today, the Way of healing is made, for Jesus knows your heartache and your fears, and he hears your cries in the midnight hour when no one else is there. No matter how much loneliness you face, the Way has the power to fill that emptiness in your heart, too. The Way is Jesus, and I am so glad I serve a God who cares and can heal any sickness, disease, loneliness, and hopelessness. Through the power of the blood, your healing is already done.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Matthew 8:17 says that Jesus “… took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Hebrews 4:14-16 – “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Jesus is waiting for you to find your way to him. No man on earth can heal your pain, but He who is the Way can! No man on earth can fill the loneliness and ease the sorrow in your heart, but He who is the Way has the power to answer your prayer, and he will hear your cry, so take it to the Lord in prayer.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The problem for most of us is that we don’t always find the instant relief we seek in prayer. Sometimes, God will answer our cries instantly, but sometimes, He waits, and for many of us, God’s timing is something we can’t understand.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">We know that God hears us. We understand that the Way to our answer is already made. We know that Jesus cares and that nothing is impossible with God. We know that our prayers will be answered. Our only question is, “When!” I need an answer, God, and I need it now; not tomorrow, not in the morning, not in January when the holidays have passed…I NEED IT NOW! And then the answer comes, and God says, “Wait, just a little while longer. Your answer is on the way!”</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I am reminded of a passage of scripture, 2 Corinthians 12:8, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.”</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Everyone carries an infirmity in one form or another; we are all part of the human condition, which means we are weak and frail in many ways. Physically – we are easily susceptible to sickness, disease, pain, and even death. Emotionally – we can become a basket case over even trivial things if we let it get the best of us, much less those things that are really hard to bear. Mentally – all I can say about that is that the older we get, the more that goes too. But for some of us, it starts going very quickly. Spiritually – we were dead in sin, and we’ve been born again; even so, we must ever guard our salvation lest we fall back into the trap of sin once again.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">How many times have we prayed for weak things to be made strong? How often have you cried to the Lord to deliver you from despair, loneliness, fear, and heartache? Like Paul, I am sure that you’ve called more than once.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">But never let us forget God’s answer to Paul. 2 Corinthians 12:9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Now, I can accept the idea that God’s grace is sufficient. I can even understand and live with the idea that God makes me stronger through my suffering and weaknesses. But I don’t know about this “glorying in my infirmities” stuff. God, are you sure that part is supposed to be there? Did Paul do a little ad-libbing on his own? Did the Holy Ghost really inspire that part? Yes, that part is still part of the inspired Word of God, so we should give God glory amid our suffering and walk on in faith, believing that Christ in us will help us to overcome it all.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">We must remember that God is with us during the battle. We must not forget that He has already made the Way of escape and that nothing we face will have the power to destroy us if we walk in faith before Him.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you. Although the path of life may seem impossible, Jesus is there, walking with you, and he has already made a way for you to make it all the way to the end of your journey in his presence.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">God has not left you as an orphaned child. That’s how he found you, but he has adopted you into the Family of God, and God intends that all his children will be cared for. The Lord watches over you like a mother hen. You are the Apple of His Eye; he loves you so much. If you know the Lord as your Savior, you have found the Way through the manger.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">If you don’t know Him, the Way is open for you to step in and become a part of God’s family.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In 1994, two Americans responded to an invitation from the Russian Minister of Education to teach morals and ethics in some public schools. They were also given opportunities to teach at prisons, businesses, the fire and police departments, and a large orphanage. The amazing thing was that the Russian Minister gave them permission to teach morals and ethics based upon principles of the Bible, something that America itself was trying to stop.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It was nearly Christmas time when the Americans reached the orphanage. So, they decided to tell the story of Jesus’ birth to the orphans. This would likely be the first time these children had heard the traditional Christmas story. They told them about Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem, finding no room in the inn, and how the couple went to a stable where Jesus was born and placed in the manger.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Throughout the story, the children sat in amazement as they listened. Some sat on the edges of their stools, trying to grasp every word. For the first time, they heard the message of a Savior who had been born in a manger but died on a cross and rose again to make a way of salvation for all men.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">As a follow-up activity to the story, each child was given three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manager. Each child was also given a small paper square cut from yellow napkins, which the children tore into strips. These paper strips became the straw in the manger. Small flannel squares had been cut from old garments and used for the baby’s blanket. From pieces of felt, a doll-like baby was made.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">As the Americans walked around the room to observe the children, all went well until they got to one table where little Misha sat. He looked to be about 6 years old and had finished his project. As they looked at the little boy’s manger, they were surprised to see two babies in the manger. Quickly, they called for the translator to ask the lad why there were two babies in the cradle.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The translator said that Misha had very accurately remembered the story that had been told until he came to the part where Mary put Jesus in the manger. Then Misha started to ad-lib and made up his own ending to the story.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">This is what the little boy said, “And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no momma and papa, so I don’t have any place to stay. So, Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn’t because I didn’t have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. Perhaps if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">So, I asked Jesus, ‘If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?’ And Jesus told me, ‘If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.’ So, I got into the manger. Then Jesus looked at me and told me I could stay with him – for always.”</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">As little Misha finished his story, his eyes filled with tears that ran down his cheeks. Then, putting his hand over his face, his head dropped to the table, and his shoulders shook, and he began to cry. The little orphan had found someone who would never abandon or abuse him, someone who would stay with him – “FOR ALWAYS!”</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Do you sometimes feel like this little orphan boy, that somehow Jesus has left you, and that no one cares; there’s no one to call out to, and no one to hear your weeping in the night?</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">You have not been abandoned. You are a Child of God. He hears your cry and will never leave you or forsake you. He is always there, listening, hearing, and comforting you. He has brought you this far and will never let you fall.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">No man has your answer, but Jesus does. He will strengthen you day by day. Each morning, when you arise, he will give you the strength to make it another day. Though the infirmity may still be there, His grace is sufficient. He will provide you with the grace for one more day of victory. He will give you the strength to walk one more mile. And every day, that strength will be there, the grace will be there, and Jesus will make a Way for you. You must live for God one day at a time.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Just keep walking by faith with your eyes on Jesus.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Let the Christmas story and the picture of the baby in the manger remind you constantly that Jesus came to become your Way through the manger. Your Way is finished through the blood shed upon the cross, and your Way is clear all the way to Heaven. Just keep walking by faith, one day at a time.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">God bless you, and Merry Christmas!</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizY43XoMYm6YtUOFal4pUIOpr4GOo8Wv_RSp2aOtNi81ORirt_3dHBLQwzuXVbjOKuJ5JhmrQ4hOnNXvYTArhXip7QjRBfjTCJtQSyk8C5eBt11bp5FKF7ZiOC4_A0Gi9F4zKV91SaPFiSe8Yf-n6dh1ymLmiG3jLL2Zo8h21Ly4CZ4ucNGcKzFSB3HWCj/s228/Cradle%20and%20Cross.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="221" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizY43XoMYm6YtUOFal4pUIOpr4GOo8Wv_RSp2aOtNi81ORirt_3dHBLQwzuXVbjOKuJ5JhmrQ4hOnNXvYTArhXip7QjRBfjTCJtQSyk8C5eBt11bp5FKF7ZiOC4_A0Gi9F4zKV91SaPFiSe8Yf-n6dh1ymLmiG3jLL2Zo8h21Ly4CZ4ucNGcKzFSB3HWCj/s1600/Cradle%20and%20Cross.jpeg" width="221" /></a></div><br /><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></span><p></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-23925586763504495492023-12-18T11:51:00.000-08:002023-12-19T05:56:01.787-08:00I Am Pentecostal<p><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is
Peter preaching on the first day of church history. He says, "This Jesus
hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right
hand of God exalted and having received of the father the promise of the Holy
Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and hear." - Acts 2:32, 33</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">When you're
a Pentecostal, if anybody knows about it, if anyone's in your presence, there
should be something they see and hear. Pentecost changes lives forever.
Pentecost is not a denomination. It defies being a denomination. Pentecost
defies you to confine it to one church building, one day of the week, or one
service. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Pentecost is
not a heritage that can be passed down automatically; everybody has to get it
for themselves. It is for whosoever will. It is for everybody. And I'm grateful
and forever changed by the fact that I get to be a Pentecostal. Thank God for
the honor; thank God for the great blessing that it is to be filled with the
baptism of the Holy Ghost as they were at the beginning as they were in the
original Church. The same Jesus that came in power in the 1st century is here
by his power in the 21st century. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">We live in a
very confusing world. In fact, if you've been reading or watching the news, we
live in a very violent world. Constant terror attacks around the world. It
makes me angry, but it also makes me want to pray that God sends revival to the
Church in this world because when the Church gets revived, the world has hope.
When the Church gets revived, sinners have hope. And when the Church gets
revived, Jesus can do anything through them by the power of his Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I write
these things today as a Pentecostal minister. I am a Pentecostal not by birth,
by upbringing, by heritage, by culture, by rules, by regulations, or by
tradition. I am Pentecostal by experience. I am Pentecostal because Jesus has
filled my life with the power of his Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I don't like
to argue with people. I'm not trying to argue with anybody. Still, I've got to
tell you nothing can dissuade me, confuse me, or convince me otherwise. I am
not a proponent of a strange doctrine. I am not paddling my theological canoe
upstream against the prevailing current of modern Christianity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I don't make
any claim of being 2000 years old. I wasn't there for Acts 2, and neither were
you. But, in fact, that is the point. None of us were there. That means if the
only time in history that the power of God was supposed to fall was the day of
Pentecost, we're all in trouble, and we might as well shut down and shut up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">But here's
the good news: the upper room was not a one-time experience. It was not a once
and never again event. It was not a historical fluke. Pentecostal theology, if
that was true, would belong to a museum. But we are not just a historical
fluke. We are Pentecostal. We are not different than the 1st-century Church.
We're not a branch of the 1st-century Church. We're not kind of like the
1st-century Church; the same power, the same experience, the same doctrine, and
the same incredible presence of God is still available to everybody.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Many would
try to reduce Pentecost to the status of a treasured relic. They honor it but
don't experience it. But those people deny its greatest reality, and the truth
is that the same Jesus who came in power in the upper room hasn't left us to
our own devices to try to scheme and strategize to build a church. He is still
in his Church through the power of the Holy Ghost. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">If God has
ever done it, he can still do it. If He ever possessed it, he still possesses
it. If he ever distributed it, He still distributes it. The Apostolic doctrine
of the 1st century was that every believer should be filled personally. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I love going
to a church that knows how to worship God. I love going to a church where the
services don't put you to sleep. I love going to a church where the worship is
exciting, and the singing is powerful. I love it, but here's the point: no
believer is filled with the Holy Ghost just because they attend a spirit-filled
church. No, you must have this experience personally, or you don't have it at
all. You must experience it individually or forfeit the blessing and
birthright. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">That was the
doctrine of the 1st century; every believer can be filled with the baptism of
the Holy Ghost. That conviction, that holy priority, was at the epicenter of
the Pentecostal earthquake that shook the Church 2000 years ago and then shook
the Church again more than 115 years ago at Azusa Street and in Topeka, KS. And
they began to preach this message that changed lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I thank God
for all the old tent meetings, camp meetings, and the first primitive church
buildings with one little tin can microphone. The Pentecostal power that's 2000
years old remains unbroken and undiluted by time. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">People say
well, that was just for that day. That was just in the Bible. That was just for
the apostles. It just gave them power to start the Church, but now we're on our
own. What a foolish notion. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Do you think
it ever occurred to the apostle Peter, even decades after the upper room, that
the Pentecostal experience is now somehow optional? Do you ever think Peter
ever sat down and thought that someday Christianity would try to divide itself
into Pentecostals and non-Pentecostals? That never crossed his mind! Do you
think Peter ever imagined a non-Pentecostal church in doctrine, power, or
experience? Not on your life! That would have been no more imaginable to Peter
and Paul and James and John than us imagining a nonelectrified city today with
no electricity anywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Pentecost is
the Church's power. Pentecost is the Church's light. And we are Pentecostal by
spiritual birthright. It started gnawing at the edges of people's experiences
in the 1600s. Martin Luther came to the forefront. Martin Luther wasn't trying
to create the Protestant denomination; Martin Luther was trying to start a
biblical movement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">And then
came John Wesley. He had no idea of starting the Methodist Church in England.
Wesley wanted to pray and preach until he began a spiritual renewal in England.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">The Bible
college students in Topeka, KS, and those humble little churchgoers at 312
Azusa Street at the little mission in Los Angeles, CA, weren't envisioning A
Pentecostal denomination. They were trying to discover if they could have the
same power as the 1st century Church in our century. Can we have the same
experience as the book of Acts Church in our everyday lives? Thank God the
answer to them and us is still a resounding yes! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Every person
can receive the Holy Ghost. Every person can be baptized in the Spirit. Every
person can have the supernatural ability to speak in another tongue as the
Spirit gives you the utterance. We must realize we do not have a new
revelation. We have an ancient revelation. That we exist at all reminds us that
the same Pentecostal fire that burned in Act 2 is still burning today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It is
unextinguished by denominational formalism. It is unextinguished by doctrinal
corruption. That flame is still burning no matter what church history tried to
do to it. Without Pentecost, the Church in every era becomes hardly more than a
glorified Country Club where we all come. We pay our dues, and we hang out
together. That is not what the Church is about.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Pentecost
exists so that the world can hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. It exists so that
families can be mended, addiction can be broken, and lives can be put back
together. Pentecost exists so our kids can grow up and not become a terrorist,
an addict, or an alcoholic. It exists so they can grow up, serve God, and go to
heaven. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Years ago, a
scholar named Dr. CI Scofield wrote a reference Bible, some of which is fine.
Some of it is even good, but some of it is very misguided and doctrinally
incorrect. In Doctor Scofield's dangerously misguided footnotes on Acts chapter
2, he says after Pentecost, "No Christian needs to seek the Holy Spirit
because now the whole church is automatically filled with the Holy Spirit the
second you acknowledge Jesus as Lord." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">That is
doctrinal and biblical nonsense. The book of Acts makes it clear that it's not
enough to believe in Jesus; it was an Apostolic priority that all believers
should be filled with the Spirit of Jesus. That they should have a personal
Pentecostal experience.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Look at Acts
Chapter 8: Peter and John are brought out of hiding because of persecution and
make the dangerous journey to Samaria. When they arrive in Samaria, they pray
for a city full of new converts to receive the Holy Ghost. That would be a
wasted prayer if all new believers were automatically filled with the Holy
Spirit by virtue of what happened in the upper room several months prior. That
would be a wasted prayer. But it wasn't a wasted prayer because they knew that
every convert, whether Jew or Gentile, needed the baptism of the Holy Ghost. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">In Acts
chapter 10, you'll see how important this experience was to the 1st-century
Church. Peter took an entourage of Jewish men to Cornelius' household. They
weren't interested in the Gentiles joining the Church. The Gentiles were
unclean to the Jews. What proved to them that God wanted to save the Gentiles
at Cornelius' house? It was the moment when the Holy Ghost fell on all of them
who heard the word. And when Peter and those men that were with him heard the
Gentiles speaking in other tongues, that's when they knew that was the evidence
that God didn't just want a Jewish Christian Church. He wanted every nation,
every tribe, every tongue, every background, every ethnicity; that's the kind
of Church he wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> It's ironic to me today that there are
actually church denominations that argue against speaking in tongues. When
there wouldn't be any non-Jewish Christians. That's the reason they allowed us
to come into the Church. Peter immediately looked at those people freshly
filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and he commanded them to be baptized
in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">The
Pentecostal Church still celebrates that you can be baptized in the name of
Jesus and have your sins remitted. We still experience and celebrate that you
can be filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking
in other tongues. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Peter
expected that experience for everyone. If Paul, James, and John expected that
experience to show up in the lives of all their new converts, we must preach no
less. Look at Acts 19 years later. In Ephesus, Paul still asks a question
arising from this holy Apostolic priority: "Have you received the Holy
Ghost since you believed." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">That's still
the question today. I thank God if you believe in Jesus. I thank God if you've
accepted him as Lord. But we still ask the Biblical question from two thousand
years ago, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It's for
every believer to receive. First, you believe in Jesus but don't stop there.
Then you accept Jesus as Lord, but don't stop there. Third, you acknowledge him
as your savior, but don't stop there. Finally, you accept and ask him to
forgive your sins, but don't stop there. Because there's a power from on high. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It's one
thing to ask God to forgive you, but if that's all you do, you know what? I
know you're gonna fall back into the same sin. You're gonna stumble, and you're
gonna go back to old habits. You're gonna make a mistake, and you're gonna
slide back into that addiction. But if you ever get the Spirit of Jesus in you,
he'll help you live above all that mess. He'll help you conquer hidden sin.
He'll help you live above addiction. The Holy Ghost will break the shackles off
your life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It is still
the question that must be asked, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since
you believed?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">The Church
and its doctrines didn't produce Pentecost; Pentecost built the Church and its
doctrines. It wasn't the apostles' preaching that brought down power from on
high. They hadn't preached yet! Men who were filled with the Holy Ghost on the
day of Pentecost spent the rest of their lives trying to figure out and explain
and write down all the great stuff that God had done for them when they
received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">We're still
trying two thousand years later to figure out how great the Holy Ghost is. Just
how much he can do. It's like they say about your brain. They tell us that
studies show that you only use a minimal number of cells in your brain. You've
got lots of spares up there. Some people have an incredible amount of spare
brain cells. The Holy Ghost is like that. We have yet to tap into one little
fingernail of what the Holy Ghost can do.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I thank God
for everybody who preached to me when I was a kid growing up in Pentecost; I
thank God for every sermon preached to others. I thank God for all that, but
you listen to me; we haven't begun to scratch the surface of what Jesus can do
through vessels surrendered to him. Who are filled up, tanked up, and topped up
with the power of the Holy Ghost. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Those
people, those apostles, those preachers, and leaders were not apologists
defending their creed out of a sense of duty to the poor old prophet Joel. They
were souls who had been set on fire. And when they wrote down doctrine for us,
it didn't come out of their brain. It came fresh from the heart of God through
their spirit. And holy men of old wrote the Bible as they were moved by the
Holy Ghost. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">The doctrine
is good. We're admonished to preach sound doctrine, but the tragedy is there
are a lot of Pentecostal churches today sinking like dinosaurs into the tar
pits. Their doctrines are correct, but they're destined to become nothing more
than a museum of a former revival. God help us! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I thank God
for our history and our heritage. I thank God for the buildings we've occupied
and the pastors that have led us. I thank God for the precious Saints who have
prayed for us and given and sacrificed. Many of them are gone on the Glory. But
please hear me today; we are not here to build a memorial, put up a few glass
cases and some old pictures, and say it used to be like that. God help us! It
better still be like that! If we preach the right message, it should get more
incredible with every generation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Many
churches are destined to become nothing but fossils of former revivals. They
may have the correct doctrines, but without the right experience, without the
real power of God, the doctrine becomes dusty. So, I thank God for every word
of scripture, and you better believe I'm gonna preach the scripture and rightly
divide the word of truth! But this book can only help you if you obey it. It
can only take you to heaven if you have the experience this book points you to.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I thank God
not just for the letter but also for the Spirit. It's experiential Pentecost,
not just doctrinal Pentecost, that is the Apostolic model. The correct doctrine
will always follow the right experience. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I worry
about people who get doctrine before they get experience. They can argue with
you, but they've never experienced what they're arguing about. They can paint
you to the wall arguing about the oneness of God or baptism in Jesus' name.
Still, they've never experienced it for themselves. They're arguing from a
theological perspective. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It's easy to
prove from the Book of Acts and the New Testament that it's a requirement to be
baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. That's a pretty easy
task. It's a pretty easy task to prove that every believer in your Bible was
baptized in Jesus' name and every Christian in your Bible was filled with the
Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">When I
received the gift of the Holy Ghost, it wasn't that somebody said oh brother,
you've received the Spirit. I don't need you to tell me I've received the
Spirit! I want God to tell me! God told me I've got the Holy Ghost when I begin
speaking in a language I've never learned. That's God showing up and saying hey
Clayton, you just received my Spirit into your life. You couldn't do that
naturally, but I can let you do it by supernatural means. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Pentecostal
preaching of doctrine may ensure that we believe in the Holy Ghost. Still, only
spiritual hunger will ensure that we receive the Holy Ghost! A "Believed
Pentecost" is good, but a "Received Pentecost" turned the world
upside down! And it still works that way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">You do not
receive the Holy Ghost through your head. You do not receive the Holy Ghost
through your intellect. You do not receive the Holy Ghost because you decide,
well, I'll try this, learn the technique, and then do it. No, you can't do
that. You only received the Holy Ghost by getting hungry for it. When you get
so hungry for Jesus to come into your life, you give everything to him. You
abandon yourself in worship, and it is in an atmosphere of prayer and praise
that the Holy Ghost descends. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">They pray
for ten days in an upper room. Nobody left. They stayed there and prayed for
ten days, asking God to fill them with the Holy Ghost. Then it happened,
"And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto
them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as
the Spirit gave them utterance."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It wasn't
the Church collectively that received the Holy Ghost. Individual believers
received the Holy Ghost. In John Chapter 7, Jesus said, "If any man
thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the
scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But
this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive…" <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">If you
believe in Jesus as 'the scripture said,' not like a denomination told you to,
not like a preacher told you, but if you believe in me 'as the scripture has
said,' out of your belly shall flow rivers of living water. If you believe you
should receive. If you believe it's God's will for you to receive. For the Holy
Ghost was not yet given. Jesus was speaking prophetically because Jesus was not
yet glorified. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Are you
thankful that Jesus is now glorified? He's now gone back to heaven, and because
he went back to heaven, he said if I go away, I'll send you the comforter. And
so now we can have that river of living water. The power poured out in the
upper room is not optional equipment. It is indispensable equipment.
Pentecostals, it's not what we believe about ourselves that sets us apart. In
the 1st century, it was what they saw and heard. Peter said, "Being by the
right hand of God exalted having received of the Father this promise of the
Holy Ghost Jesus has shed forth this which you now see and hear."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">So, friends,
don't tell me what you believe; tell me what you've received! The question in
Acts 19 is still the question for today, "have you received the Holy Ghost
since you believed." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Pentecost is
for everybody. I don't care where you come from or how messed up you've gotten.
I don't care what wrong turn you took. I don't care if you're suffering from
several addictions at the same time. When the Holy Ghost intersects your life
and fills you up, all of that is broken. All of that is history. It's over!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">The same
Jesus that came in power to his Church two thousand years ago is available to
you now. God wants to fill you with the Holy Ghost. Do you believe in Jesus as
the scripture says? If you answer yes, reach out to him today, and he will fill
your hungry heart.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJP32ySOUEtgC8MzpImoxEV4UTRQGU3F1JvWFH7gzvs5xcXMBZ85azsXAzQ7j5mBF40y5NpPCYJN1E_XIkDdVBi36YmtzInGISg1G2tU500ceZVlMOMgjRZGwN1Sd45cU_bQ4UdcIbsahdXn9c904LM2PKU3CvTH3vtszs-gD66X4cHy_BrmC5FDbZp2M/s237/I%20Am%20Pentecostal.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="213" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSJP32ySOUEtgC8MzpImoxEV4UTRQGU3F1JvWFH7gzvs5xcXMBZ85azsXAzQ7j5mBF40y5NpPCYJN1E_XIkDdVBi36YmtzInGISg1G2tU500ceZVlMOMgjRZGwN1Sd45cU_bQ4UdcIbsahdXn9c904LM2PKU3CvTH3vtszs-gD66X4cHy_BrmC5FDbZp2M/w267-h348/I%20Am%20Pentecostal.jpeg" width="267" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"><br /></span><p></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-50824570306078390572023-12-14T07:38:00.000-08:002023-12-14T08:47:17.592-08:00The Wind of Change<p> </p><h1><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Nothing that
God does is ever by chance. He is meticulous in his plans, paying absolute
attention to even the most minor details to ensure that everything happens in
proper order, at the appropriate time, and in a way that fully complies with
God's Word and Law. God has complete control of all things in his infinite
wisdom and great foreknowledge, so his perfect will and plan will be carried
out.</span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">When I think
of all the things that God has done in my life, in the lives of others, and in
the Church, there can be no doubt that his hand has guided us every step.
Considering where he has brought me from in the past, the many paths of life
that I have walked, and then to see where I am today, it is nothing short of a
miracle that I have been led to this hour and this place to perform work for
the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It may seem
like life has been just a series of coincidences; things just happened, many of
which we had so little control over. You may have felt like a ship driven in
the wind, going wherever life took you, out of control, and headed for the
rocks. Some of you have even crashed upon those rocks; I know I have, and you
saw those days of sorrow and heartache when life became almost unbearable
because of the burdens you carried.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">But somehow,
God brought you through it all, and the time came when you heard him call your
name for the very first time. It may have been a still, whispering voice in
your heart that told you it's time to make a change. On that day, the winds of
change blew upon your heart as the Spirit of God began the first steps of
turning your life around.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">When
Nicodemus came to Jesus in the darkness of the night in John chapter three,
there was great symbolism there. Nicodemus was a picture of humanity being held
in the tight grip of darkness through the power of sin. Men dwell in spiritual
darkness, and there is no power within them to break free, but then comes the
light of the gospel with the power to dispel the darkness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Nicodemus
moved among the shadows to avoid being seen by other Pharisees who would
certainly condemn him for going to Jesus. Still, something inside of him was
pushing him toward Jesus. It was the wind of change, the wind of the Holy
Spirit blowing across his path in life, moving him closer to the Lord so that
he might find the answer to being set free.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">When Jesus
told Nicodemus that he must be born again, Nicodemus's mind was not ready to
receive spiritual truth, and he couldn't understand what Jesus meant or how
such a thing could be possible. How can a grown man be born again as an infant?
In the natural sense, it was an impossibility, and when we look at the
condition of the heart of a man or woman lost in the darkness of sin, it's
impossible to break free. Since we are spiritually dead, how can we have any
effect at all upon the supernatural? Flesh cannot break spiritual chains.
Before spiritual chains can be broken and we can be free, there must be a
change in us. We must become more than just a creature of flesh and blood, lost
in a world of darkness. Knowing that we can do nothing within ourselves, the
Love of God begins to reach out to us as the wind of the Spirit blows and calls
us to go to Jesus in repentance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">At the foot
of the cross, as we behold the Savior and surrender our lives to him, a change
happens as the Spirit of God blows across our dead soul and breathes new life
into it. We are Born Again of the Spirit, and we become a new creation, a new
creature with a new life. This new birth brought about by the wind of the Holy
Spirit gives us the power of the supernatural so that now we can break free
from the unnatural chains of darkness because the blood of Jesus crushes the
force that held us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I'm glad the
Winds of Change are still blowing today. The wind of the Spirit is moving
across the face of the hearts of men as the Love of God reaches out to those
who need a Savior!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">My prayer is
that the Wind of the Spirit will blast through the Church, bringing a mighty
outpouring of the Holy Ghost and Fire! I pray that a mighty wind of revival
will sweep across this nation, renewing righteousness and faith in Almighty
God! My prayer is that the Winds of the Holy Spirit will tear down walls of
doubt and fear, that the Spirit of God will break through the hard hearts of
those in our families who don't know Jesus or refuse to serve him, and bring
them to the place where they too will be Born Again!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">We genuinely
need a Hurricane force wind of the Spirit, bringing the right kind of change!
While a gentle move of the Holy Ghost wind goes a long way, we need a shaking
of the very foundations of our society, an awakening to bring us out of our
sleep and help us see how far we have fallen. We need a mighty rushing wind
again, and it must begin in the House of God! It's time that the Church
experiences the power of Pentecost again!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">We live in a
time when it's not popular to be Pentecostal. As you travel the highways,
you'll rarely see that word posted on a church sign anymore.
"Pentecostal" has become synonymous with strict legalism, and people
shun Pentecostal churches because they don't want to be accountable for living
ungodly lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">But
regardless of whether we have the name "Pentecostal" on the church
sign, we need a fresh outpouring of the Holy Ghost and Fire! We need that
mighty rushing wind of the Spirit of God to invade our sleeping churches again!
We are powerless and weak without the Wind and the Fire of the Holy Ghost!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It's not a
question of whether God wants that wind to blow. It's a question of whether we,
as the people of God, are willing to put ourselves in a position where there is
freedom for the Holy Ghost Fire to fall! We have to get ourselves ready and
prepare for His arrival. We have to get back to the same conditions that
brought the mighty rushing wind in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">What are
those conditions? Let's examine the description of the first outpouring of the
Holy Ghost and see.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Acts 2:1
- "And when the day of Pentecost
was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">What does it
mean when the scripture says the day of Pentecost was fully come? We all should
know that the Feast of Pentecost was celebrated 50 days after the Passover. At
the Passover, the paschal lamb was sacrificed and eaten, symbolizing the coming
Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who would also be sacrificed at the Passover. He is
our Bread of Life, and we are to live by the power of his sacrifice.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Fifty days
after Jesus was crucified, in fulfillment of the commandment of God given to
Israel at Mt. Sinai, the Day of Pentecost was celebrated on the day after the
7th Sabbath after the lamb was sacrificed. The Day of Pentecost was observed on
the first day of the week, exactly 50 days after Passover.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">On the
morning of that 50th day, 120 people had gathered together to pray in obedience
to the command from Jesus just before he ascended into Heaven. The Church was
told to tarry in Jerusalem until the Comforter would come, and if there was one
thing they needed, it was a Comforter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">The Church
is powerless without the presence of the Holy Ghost. Without the Fire of God,
we cannot conquer sin and death! Without the Fire of the Holy Ghost, the words
we speak fall upon the ground and accomplish nothing! The Fire of the Holy
Ghost gives sermons the power to touch the hearts of men! That Fire is what
makes these pitiful words that I write burn into your spirit and change your
life! Without the Fire of the Spirit, there's no power to change anything!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It's not by
might, not by power, but by the Holy Mighty Rushing Wind and Fire of the Holy
Ghost. A heart can be changed, a life rescued from sin, and a soul Born Again
into the family of God! We've got to have that Fire!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">On that
Sunday morning, the first day of the week, 50 days after Passover, 120 Jews who
had come to believe in Jesus gathered to celebrate the Feast of Passover. They
gathered together with their minds set on just one thing! They wanted to see
the coming of the Comforter that Jesus had promised.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I think
that's a priority of the Church that we've lost! Our priority should be that we
won't make a move without the power of the Holy Ghost leading us and giving us
the Fire of God to do a work for the Lord! We should want that Fire! We should
be willing to wait for it, pray for it, and desire it with all our hearts. And
when we come together, it should be for one purpose – to see the Mighty Rushing
Wind of the Holy Ghost blow in our midst once again!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">One hundred
twenty disciples of Christ were there. One of the reasons there were so many is
that they had come together in Acts 1:15 to elect one among them to take the
place of Judas. That's where Matthias was selected to be numbered among the 12
disciples.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">With the
election over, the Passover finished, the Day of Pentecost coming on, and
knowing that something wonderful, powerful, and great was coming from Heaven.
As Jesus had promised, these 120 came together to wait, pray, and prepare
themselves as best they could for whatever was coming.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">There's a
clue to seeing the Winds of Change blow in our midst. We have to prepare
ourselves, believe that the promise of the Holy Ghost is real, and then pray
and wait for him until he comes!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">So many in
the Church come together these days just to be entertained or to ease the
conscience of lukewarm and half-hearted Christians! There's no feeling of
expectancy that something powerful might happen in the meeting! The program is
set! The worship is designed and planned. The recording equipment is in place,
and the entire service is so controlled that there is no place for the Wind of
the Spirit to blow.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">We need to
throw out the programs! Forget what we have planned, and we must allow the Holy
Ghost to move and blow wherever and however He wants!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Flashing
lights, loud music, jumping up and down, making a lot of noise, and putting on
a good show is not the same as a genuine moving of the Holy Ghost! When the
real Fire of God falls, all that can't compare! We've got to have the real
thing, not a manufactured form, but a Holy Ghost-inspired Worship! I love the
excitement, and if the Spirit says flash the lights, jump to the music, then go
for it, but the worship needs to come from the heart, stirred by the Holy Ghost
and filled with the Fire of God, not some man-inspired pep rally.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">What does it
mean to be in "one accord"? That's our next clue to having a mighty
move of God! It means that the desires of their hearts, the thing they prayed
for above all else, the thing that their thoughts were concentrated upon, and
the whole purpose of their coming together on this day, at this hour, at this
moment in time, and the only thing they had to talk about, was the hope and
belief that the Comforter would come!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">No one in
the crowd stood there uninterested, not focused on why they were coming
together. No one was over in the corner sleeping. No one was in a corner,
reading a scroll, discussing sports events, or discussing current issues. There
was not one among those 120 whose heart wasn't burning for the promise of God
that was to come. No one was lukewarm! They all had that burning desire to see
something from God! There was absolute sincerity in every heart!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">It's no
wonder we don't often see the mighty rushing wind of the Holy Ghost in our
churches much anymore when there are so many distractions in the midst. There's
a ringing cell phone here, a computer game noise coming from over there, a
crying child here, and someone snoring over there; someone is staring off into
space, daydreaming on the left side, and someone else talking on the right side
about things that have no connection with the service. I know that some things
can't be helped, but how can we expect God to move when all this is happening?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Holy Ghost
wind will never blow if there is so much division. When there are so many in
the Church with a don't care attitude. They only want to see the service end so
they can rush out the door and beat the Baptists to the restaurant or get home
before the football game starts on TV.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">They were
all in one place. We don't know where that room was, but most scholars believe
it was in the temple complex. Acts 2:46 tells us that they were in the temple
daily with one accord, and on this 50th day after Passover, they were probably
in the temple at the time of the morning prayer meeting. They did not forsake
the assembling of themselves together. Being in one accord, they were too
excited, lived in anticipation of something great coming, to miss being there.
They understood the importance of coming together for mutual support,
edification, corporate worship, and prayer, and they were faithful to meet
together as the Body of Christ to be ready for the coming of the Wind of
Change!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Acts 2:2 -
"And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,
and it filled all the house where they were sitting."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Suddenly –
how can it be suddenly when they've been praying, waiting, and anticipating
something for ten days? It was because when the wind of the Spirit began to
blow, it happened quickly and in a powerful way. It swept across the room like
a storm, bringing a fire, and the voices of praise and worship filled the room!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">The quiet
prayer meeting became a Holy Ghost revival, and those who suddenly became
Pentecostal began to shout and praise God as never before! That's why
Pentecostal worship is loud and exciting! When the Fire moves, something has to
shout! How can we quietly sit there unless there's no actual fire of the Spirit
in us?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">How can we
be so quiet if there is a Wind and a Fire down in our soul? Somebody ought to
be shouting! Somebody ought to be praising! Somebody ought to be alive and
demonstrating the might move of God down in their soul!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Lord, give
us some life! We need Fire, a mighty Wind, and a powerful move of the Holy
Ghost to change us. We need to be a people who are genuinely Pentecostal and
full of the Holy Ghost!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Acts 2:3, 4
- "And there appeared unto them
cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all
filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">How do you
know the Holy Ghost is moving – when the people begin to speak in other tongues
because of the Fire of God that's inside? When the Holy Fire of God lights on
your heart, soul, spirit, and mind, how can you sit still and not let it be
known? Let me light a match and stick to your foot, and I think you'll jump and
dance a little! Light that match and stick to your hand, and you'll be raising
your hand and moving around to get away from it! Lord, light a fire in our
seats so we will learn to stand, shout, and worship with real Spirit and in a
true heart! Lord, send the Fire of the Spirit upon us and light us on Fire for
you!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">The Holy
Fire of God was for each of them, not just a few, but all of them! Nobody was
left out! All those who were in one accord, hungry for the coming of the
Comforter and looking for the promise, felt the fire fall! If you don't feel
the Fire, you must get in the right frame of mind and spirit. You'll never feel
the Fire until you want it, are looking for it, believing in it, and crying out
to God for it! The Holy Ghost will never come to someone who doesn't want him!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Acts 2:4 -
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">They were
all filled – every last one of the 120 became Pentecostals that day! Do you
realize that all 120 members of the early Church in that room became
Pentecostals? No, they weren't members of a legalistic, condemning, judgmental
attitude religion like so many try to make it out to be. Being Pentecostal
means that I believe in the baptism in the Holy Ghost and Fire with the sign of
speaking in other tongues, regardless of what they sound like, and that I
either have experienced the infilling of the Holy Ghost or I'm doing my best to
receive Him!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I'm praying
and waiting with great anticipation that we will experience the Winds of Change
in the Church, not just my home church, but the entire Church! We need the
revival of the Holy Ghost and Fire! The Church needs to get in one place, in
one accord, and get serious about seeing the Holy Ghost in our midst! Unless
the Fire falls, we'll dry up on the vine and cease to have any impact upon our
world!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Jesus told
the early Church to wait for the Holy Ghost before they went forth to fulfill
the Great Commission! That didn't mean they didn't try to win converts for
fifty days, but they didn't venture out into the world to preach the gospel to
every nation until they were filled. They needed the power, the Fire, and the
Spirit's wind before they could make a difference!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">Just as
Peter went from a fearful disciple, hiding in the shadows, running in shame
from his denial of Jesus, and finding himself living in defeat and trying to
find a place of repentance to being a man on Fire for God and winning over 3000
souls in a single day – so will the Holy Ghost empower us to do a greater work
for the Lord!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">If you think
you've seen God move, then get ready for the greatest move of God you could
imagine as the Holy Ghost and Fire begins to move in your heart and soul!
There's no denying his presence when the Fire is there! There's no doubting his
power when the Winds begin to blow.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">I'm ready
for the Winds of Change! Are you ready? Do you want to be Pentecostal, or are
you satisfied just being mediocre in your experience with God?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;">The Holy
Ghost wants to blow across the Church like a mighty rushing wind,
but it's up to us to be in the right place, at the right time, in the right
frame of mind! He will come suddenly; when he does, there will be no denying
his presence as the tongues of fire light on each of us! Wind of change blow!
Fire fall on us today!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmRTOS7Huzz1J_NJqGwVZBC-PutZ9Fu4p5VG0lB9Ke6tHbahmC_kTQSHi-_TGYkCEM61cJCr3SLzJN29wzMMyrzsPkPLp3uperR4YCdpdfl6JkT4bGVoAo0hmbqFDlwAa5l_Zo3bVYnlCcMUZxkPaDPEFfBxq2tEkEYTiXwjk2YYUGEm1d_5rXT_I3YmD/s576/Wind%20of%20change%20book%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="384" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmRTOS7Huzz1J_NJqGwVZBC-PutZ9Fu4p5VG0lB9Ke6tHbahmC_kTQSHi-_TGYkCEM61cJCr3SLzJN29wzMMyrzsPkPLp3uperR4YCdpdfl6JkT4bGVoAo0hmbqFDlwAa5l_Zo3bVYnlCcMUZxkPaDPEFfBxq2tEkEYTiXwjk2YYUGEm1d_5rXT_I3YmD/s320/Wind%20of%20change%20book%20cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 120%;"><br /></span><p></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-64745338255696824542023-11-22T05:39:00.000-08:002023-12-20T07:25:16.423-08:00Speaking in Tongues<p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Speaking in tongues is one of the most debated phenomena in Christianity. Pentecostals have brought speaking in tongues to the forefront. Pentecostals are undoubtedly the fastest-growing movement among "Christian" churches. The Pentecostal movement is impacting the world more than any other group. Yet, with all the talk about speaking in tongues, only some understand it.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Most people will be surprised that the Bible mentions speaking in tongues thirty-five times. That is a lot, so this subject should not be brushed lightly aside as insignificant to the Church. God did not fill His Word with things that don't matter.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">One of the things about the debate over tongues that disturbs me is how many people who have never spoken in tongues speak as though they're experts on the subject. When in reality, they teach only from the standpoint of ignorance of Tongues</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Who should know more about tongues: those who speak in tongues or those who don't? Well, shouldn't we learn from those who do speak in tongues!? Since I speak in tongues, I can bring some scriptural wisdom, with experience, to the subject.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In this article, I will clarify common misunderstandings concerning tongues and show the importance and benefits of speaking in tongues.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">First, What is the Benefit of Speaking in Tongues?</strong></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The Apostle Paul writes, "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues..." (</span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">1 Corinthians 14:4</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">,5). With these positive statements about tongues, why do so few Christians speak in tongues? The answer is that there is minimal sound, logical, and scriptural teaching as to the scope and value of speaking in tongues.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Once, at a gathering of a group of students at a famous university, a young man shared his testimony on how God saved and filled him with the Holy Spirit with the "sign" of speaking in tongues. After the talk, the students asked the number one question about speaking in tongues. They asked, "What does speaking in tongues do for you?"</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">He replied, "It does exactly what the Bible says it does: He who speaks in tongues edifies himself." The word "edify" means to "build up" or "charge up" - much like charging up a battery. We all need a spiritual charge. All of us, at times, feel spiritually drained. One of God's ways to charge your spirit is through speaking in tongues.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Second, Tongues are a heavenly language.</strong></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Many people inaccurately define speaking in tongues as "gibberish" or "talking nonsense." The truth is that speaking in tongues is the most intelligent, perfect language in the universe. It is God's language. You say that there is no such thing as a heavenly language? Then what language do you suppose people speak in Heaven? What language do you think that God speaks? English? How arrogant! </span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Languages are given their name based on the countries they come from. For example, English comes from England. Spanish comes from Spain. Italian comes from Italy. Well, where do tongues come from? It comes from Heaven! Tongues are the heavenly language. It is what they speak in Heaven. Just like on the day of Pentecost, "the multitude came together and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language" (Acts 2:6). When God speaks, He is understood by all men.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Here on earth, Paul says, "For anyone who speaks in tongues does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understandeth him; he utters mysteries with his spirit" ( I Corinthians 14:2 ).</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Jesus says that those who believe in Him will "speak in new tongues" (</span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Mark 16:17</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">). The word "new" means appearing for the first time. No one had spoken these languages before. Contrary to lousy theology, tongues are not an ability given to preach the gospel in the language of foreigners. That would make tongues "old" languages. It is only appropriate that "new tongues" should be spoken by those of the "new birth." It is natural and normal to talk in the language of your birth. We are born again from above. Therefore, we should speak the language from above. And that language is called "tongues."</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Third, Shouldn't Togues be Understood?</strong></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The first to speak in tongues were the disciples. That occurred on the day of Pentecost. People often think that on this day, the disciples were speaking human languages because the people could understand what they were saying. I don't believe this is true because a two-fold miracle occurred on this day: the miracle of speaking and hearing. The first miracle was speaking in tongues. The second miracle was the enabling of some to understand the tongues. Not everyone understood the tongues because some onlookers made fun of the disciples and accused them of being drunk (</span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Acts 2:13</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">); this clearly shows that they did not understand the tongues.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The ones who did understand the tongues were perplexed because each one heard only their native language, not the languages of the other people (Acts 2:6). The Bible tells us that there were foreigners representing many nations, speaking different languages. Yet, each person heard the disciples praising God in their language. They exclaimed, "How is it that each of us hears them in his native language?" (v. 8) They could not figure out how this was possible.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">It is clear that the disciples were not "preaching" the gospel in tongues; they were instead "declaring the wonders of God" (v. 11). They were not speaking "to men but to God" (1 Cor 14:2). The people were listening in on their praises to God. It wasn't until Peter stood up to speak to the crowd in one common language that the gospel was preached. So tongues are not supernatural human languages given to the apostles so they could preach in languages they did not naturally learn.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The disciples were not speaking human languages but in unknown tongues. But God enabled those whose hearts were opened to understand what the disciples were saying. Sometimes this happens today. You see, the miracle was in the hearing of the people.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Fourth, Tongues and the Baptism in the Holy Ghost.</strong></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Let us look carefully at the first scriptural account of speaking in tongues: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from Heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be cloven tongues of fire that came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (</span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Acts 2:1-4</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">).</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">This experience is what John the Baptist and Jesus called the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Fulfilling Jesus' promise, "In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (</span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Acts 1:5</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">). Every Christian believes in baptizing in water. But few accept the better Baptism - the Baptism in the Holy Ghost. Since you were willing to be baptized in water, shouldn't you also be ready to be baptized in the Holy Ghost?</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Theologians often confuse the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with salvation. They often regard these two experiences as being the same. That confuses believers. They incorrectly assume that salvation is the same as Baptism in the Holy Ghost. The Bible does not teach this. The Bible teaches that Baptism in the Holy Ghost is a separate experience from salvation and comes after a person is saved. However, it can occur during redemption; it doesn't always.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">The story of the Samaritan converts is proof of this (see </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Acts 8:5-25</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">). Philip preached to them about Christ. The people joyfully accepted the gospel and were born again. They confirmed their faith by being baptized as well. Yet, even though they were saved, Philip called for the apostles to come and pray for them that they would receive the Holy Ghost. It is clear from this story that salvation is separate from receiving the Holy Spirit. (Although the Holy Spirit is involved in salvation.)</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Another biblical story illustrates this fact (see </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Acts 19:1-7</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">). Paul met some disciples of John the Baptist. He knew they believed in the Lord Jesus because they talked so much about repentance. Paul, unaware that they were only disciples of John, yet knowing something was missing in these men, asked them an obvious question, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">That question alone proves that Paul and the early Church believed it was POSSIBLE TO BE A BELIEVER IN JESUS WITHOUT HAVING RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT. If receiving the Holy Spirit was automatic at conversion, why did Paul ask, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Fifth, Speaking in tongues is the physical sign of the Baptism of The Holy Ghost.</strong></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">I was baptized in the Holy Spirit at the Assembly of God church in Portland, Oregon, in 1984. I was not saved; in fact, I was living in deep, deep sin. When the altar call was given that Sunday Morning in August, and even though I was not thinking about giving my life to Jesus, my youth pastor's wife, who was next to me, turned to me and said, "Clayton, you can't fight God forever, would you like to go forward and give your life to Jesus? I immediately went to the altar and prayed for the forgiveness of my sins. I received Christ into my life, and while I prayed, my lips began to speak a strange language that I did not know or had learned. I knew, sort of, what was happening because I had grown up in that Church. As I continued praying in my new language, the Spirit of the Lord seemed to envelop me. It was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. That was 39-plus years ago. Not everyone receives the Baptism in the Holy Spirit at salvation, but some did and did just as I did.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">You see, the physical proof of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the same sign that the disciples had: speaking in tongues. You may also have other signs, but the initial sign is that you will speak in tongues.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">There are five examples in the Bible of people receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit (see </span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Acts 2:4</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">; 8:17; 9:17; 10:44; 19:6). In three of the five examples, we are told that specific signs took place. In the other two examples, the manifestation of physical signs is implied but not mentioned. Based on these two cases, we can build solid evidence of what should happen when someone is baptized in the Holy Spirit. But in both instances, it was obvious that they received the Holy Ghost, so there had to be a visible sign.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">BASED ON THE OTHER THREE PASSAGES, WE CAN BUILD A GOOD, SOLID CASE AS TO WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN WHEN SOMEONE IS BAPTIZED IN THE SPIRIT!</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">We are told in these three other passages that specific physical manifestations took place. In each case, more than one physical sign took place, which teaches us that there is usually more than one sign when people are baptized in the Holy Spirit. Yet, there is one sign and only one sign that is common to all three examples. The identical sign was speaking in tongues! In the passage from Acts 19, we are told that the Jewish believers knew Cornelius and his household had received the Holy Ghost because "we hear them speaking in tongues."</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Based on this observation, the standard sign of Baptism in the Holy Ghost is speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is the physical, biblical evidence that one is baptized in the Holy Spirit. We should not settle for anything less than the scriptural evidence. If you haven't been baptized in the Holy Spirit, seek God and pray for it. God never lets a thirsty soul go dry.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Sixth, Do all Christians speak in Tongues?</strong></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Someone may say, "How can you say that all Christians should speak in tongues considering the apostle Paul's words, 'Do all speak in tongues? (</span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">1 Corinthians 12:30</strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">). In this passage, Paul talks about public ministry gifts manifested in the Church. He is not talking about tongues as the initial sign of the Baptism in the Spirit, nor is he talking about tongues as a private, devotional prayer language.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">You can recognize this by looking at Paul's language concerning speaking in tongues. In this chapter, he calls speaking in tongues "different kinds of tongues" (see 12:10,28). "Different kinds" means "not the usual." The usual kind of speaking in tongues is a language no man understands or interprets. However, speaking in "different kinds" of tongues enables the speaker or someone else to recognize and interpret the tongue's meaning.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"> So when Paul asks, "Do all speak in tongues?" he refers to the public manifestation of tongues, which enables a person gifted in interpretation to speak out the meaning of the tongue. Not all have been given this gift of "different kinds" of tongues.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">In the fourteenth chapter of I Corinthians, Paul corrects the misuse of tongues in the Church. He told them to stop the practice, gathering "the whole church [so] everyone [can] speak in tongues" (v. 23). Notice carefully that the "whole church" was gathered and that "everyone" was speaking in tongues. That clearly shows us everyone in the Corinthian Church spoke in tongues. Most of them should have allowed those gifted in the "different kinds" of tongues to exercise their gift, and the rest should "keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God" (v. 28).</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">Friend, I encourage you to seek the scriptural sign of the Baptism in the Holy Ghost and to settle for nothing but the best.</span></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #0e101a; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span data-preserver-spaces="true" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">If you would like to know about Jesus, Contact Dr. Clayton R. Hall Jr. at pastorfalf@hotmail.com</span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #0a0a0a; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 14.4px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhFOYA6Rv6Pfa4jogbmeWz_AWcOiAoS9RkXTMD4ib-SATXx30AeZfd6k4V_vU9r4gPqDdnnhLdcLqN5YcLSuPjffS2FluUqCmaXmQ8H1-WpWbaUE26kg7W_k8UwK_4UkV5j8u2g9wmojCUKCwXmKbo-iu8vF8B4nBZ1v3ziAKIyx_smHFGeaO2nnEy4Np/s300/tongues.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhFOYA6Rv6Pfa4jogbmeWz_AWcOiAoS9RkXTMD4ib-SATXx30AeZfd6k4V_vU9r4gPqDdnnhLdcLqN5YcLSuPjffS2FluUqCmaXmQ8H1-WpWbaUE26kg7W_k8UwK_4UkV5j8u2g9wmojCUKCwXmKbo-iu8vF8B4nBZ1v3ziAKIyx_smHFGeaO2nnEy4Np/s1600/tongues.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5773436596416263851.post-19010132622154979232023-02-20T15:08:00.005-08:002023-02-27T07:47:02.322-08:00Revival or Burial<p><span style="font-size: 16pt;">There is absolutely nothing mysterious about revival. It is God's response to hungry hearts and prevailing prayer. I
say this with absolute confidence; this is where we
are in America at this hour. Revival for the church is not a choice, it is not an option, it is essential.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Ezekiel
42:20 – “He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about, five
hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation between the
sanctuary and the profane place.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The
sanctuary in this passage represents that which is holy. It represents those that are sanctified. The people of God who are dedicated
to God and to his service. The profane is that which is irreverent, ungodly,
vile, and blasphemous. The profane stands in opposition and contradiction to everything that is pure and holy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Brothers and sisters, there is a clear message from Heaven. It may not be what many want to hear, but I believe that God is issuing an ultimatum to the
church.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Please, friends, hear my heart in this. I have determined only to say what the
Holy Ghost has revealed to me through prayers. It is a message in my spirit, so I'm going to share what I'm hearing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">I'm going to
tell you what I hear the Holy Ghost saying, and I'm not going to water it down or candy-coat it for you. I'm going to say it like I'm hearing it. The
Holy Ghost is saying to me, to tell his church, it's either Revival or it's Burial.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The Holy
Spirit is making it very clear that there is no more room for a lukewarm, or half-in, half-baked walk with God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">God is
drawing a line through the Church, and it is a dividing line that will
separate the holy from the profane.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a
separation coming to the church, and the division will be clear. Between
professors and possessors. Between the crucified, and the satisfied. Between
the undecided, and the completely sold out. Between sanctified and pacified.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Amos 7:7-8
-- “Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the
Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. [8]
And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then
said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel:
I will not again pass by them any more.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">What kind of
church is it that the Lord has decided, I won't pass by them anymore? It's a
dead church. It's a church that God has written over the door, Ichabod, the
glory of the Lord has departed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Friends, it
is happening all over this country right now, mega-churches and mini-churches.
Big and small churches and in between, size doesn't matter. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The Lord is
marking churches that no longer hold the sacred truth of God's Word in their
hearts. Where the gospel is no longer proclaimed over their pulpits, and they
no longer host the presence of God.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">God is
shown me regarding those congregations, they will never know my presence in their
midst again because they have bowed their knees to another god. God is saying I'm
through with hypocrisy and mediocrity, play time is over for my church. The
Church that doesn't catch fire in this hour, and doesn't represent me
faithfully and honestly, is going to be buried by the world they are conforming to.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The church
in this hour that does not love the truth, that does not burn with the fire of
God and is not passionately pursuing God, and hates sin, is going to be
buried. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The Holy Ghost said, the church that doesn't catch fire in this hour, is going to be a
powerless church, and it will have absolutely no influence on society. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The fireless
Church is a powerless Church. And the powerless church in this hour is going to
be buried by wokeness, liberalism, humanism, and by satanism. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">In this hour it's all in or all out. If we're not carrying the
fire of heaven, we are going to get swallowed up, and buried by hell's fire.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Parents and grandparents,
if you don't put something in your kids that is more powerful than the devil,
then the devil will swallow them up. I hate it, but many of our schools have
become a recruiting ground for transgenderism, woke ideology, and outright
satanism.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Friends
don't think this woke ideology, these drag queens in the
schools, and gender-bending garbage, sexual exploration, and exploitation
is an end in itself. It's not, it's an invitation for demons to possess our
children and our grandchildren.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The demons
of hell have targeted this generation's children and grandchildren.
They have decided, that if they couldn't kill them through abortion, then their
plan is to possess them and confuse them, pervert them, and destroy
their lives as well as countless others.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">I'm going to
say this with no fear of contradiction. The only thing that can turn back hell, is a Church that is on fire. These weak, anemic, jellyfish churches, that no longer preach the cross, and won't preach against sin,
and won't preach that only Jesus’ blood can save you are going to be buried.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The church
that is on fire, does not fear a radical woke Satanic-inspired, and possessed
culture. Woke satanic culture, actually fears the church that burns with holy
fire.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">I'm going to
say this with as much love as I can muster. I understand the pressures
are real, and there may be a fiery furnace in your
future if you stand up and you declare you will not bow to the gods of this
world. But I'm telling you that if you don't stand up for God, and you bow down
and worship these other gods, you are going to separate yourself from God's
presence, and you are going to be buried, by the culture.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We are
living in a time of separation and distinction. God is marking those that
belong to him. And the devil is marking those that belong to him. There is no
more gray area. Jesus said you are either for me or against me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Friend,
please believe me when I say that I believe it is more critical than I can even
express. I can't even begin to articulate to you the seriousness of the hour
that we're in.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">I believe
it's as urgent as the earthquake in Turkey that destroyed thousands of homes,
and over 30,000 dead and so many missing.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If they
could have known the intensity of what was coming, when, and where, they
could have made decisions that would have saved thousands of lives.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">I can only
pray that the Holy Spirit can impress upon our hearts the urgency of this
message. We are either going to burn with a fresh Revival fire, or we are going
to be buried.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">There is a
choice before us today, and the choice is very simple, but living it out is
much harder.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">It's Revival
or Burial?</span></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p>Chaplain Clayton Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997161273559720852noreply@blogger.com0