Truth in HD

April 2012 Volume 2, Issue 4

Inside this issue:

Revival Under the Surface
I am continually intrigued by the first chapter of Johns gospel. Every time I think I have a handle on it God reveals new meaning in the statement, In the beginning was the Word Johns account went much further than simply telling us about Jesus. From the opening statement of the book John carries us into eternity past to show us the active role of Jesus Christ in the world around us. God, the Son, who was active in creation and in His redemptive work continues to act among us today. Notice verse 5 of the account. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. This is not something that teaches only about the direct ministry of Christ during His 33 years on earth. It says that the light SHINES in the darkness. Thats present tense. Jesus Christ is active in the world today. Through the work of the Holy Spirit Jesus continue to live in relationship with His people. As the song says, He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us it was not simply an isolated occurrence. Jesus Christ came into the world to work in us and through us. He continues that work today. Sometimes its easy to look at the Bible as a collection of stories of things that have happened in the past. We think of all the miracles that God did on behalf of His people in an age that is forever past. That, however, is not the case. John confidently states in the first few verses of his gospel that the light SHINES in the darkness. Can we be confident of that face? It is important that we spend some time once in awhile looking around us to see the light of Christ shine out in the darkened world around us. It is also important that we allow His light to shine THROUGH our lives. Jesus is not present on earth today in bodily, human form. But His body is here. Paul teaches us that the church is the body of Christ. The Bible says that His light shines. If it is to shine around us, it will have to first shine through us. Jesus is active in the world today. Is He active through you?

2 4 6 8 10

Holiness and Redemption Time is of the Essence Overtaken With Blessing

Upcoming Solemn Assemblies May 20 July 15 September 16 November 18

Gatherings are scheduled to be held at the Brookville Church of God and will begin at 6:30. All are welcome to attend.

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The seasons amaze me as each one unfolds before our eyes. Even though cold weather seems unbearable, occasionally the Winter is beautiful. Winter always builds my expectations for Spring and the beginning of growth in Nature. Summer sunshine and outdoor activities are always great and Fall with its brilliant colors is a wonder to behold. The seasons and the earth are often used to illustrate the spiritual life, and seasons we encounter. Jesus taught us that our hearts are like soil and the condition determines our receptivity to the seed of the gospel. Wesley called the beginning of salvation preventing grace, the grace that comes before preparing the soil of the heart. Wesley described the work this way, "The first wish to please God, the first dawn of light concerning his will, and the first slight transient conviction of having sinned against Him. All of these imply some tendency toward life; some degree of salvation; the beginning of a deliverance from a blind, unfeeling heart, quite insensible of God and the things of God." (Pg 509, v 6, Works) Winter freezes the earth solid and in that condition the earth cannot receive a seed. It would only lay on the surface and be blown around in the wind. The hard surface of the heart

separated from God is like the frozen earth. When God's grace touches the frozen heart, it is being prepared for the seed. Without God's grace bringing to us a Springtime opportunity, we would remain in that frozen condition and never come to a moment of decision. The spirit once redeemed cries out for more, wanting a life experience that touches deeper than we first imagined even possible. Ephesians 3:19, "And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Adam Clarke comments on this verse, "And as what God fills, neither sin nor Satan can fill; consequently, it implies that the soul shall be emptied of sin, that sin shall neither have dominion over it, nor a being in it. It is impossible for us to understand these words in a lower sense than this." (Clarke's Commentary, Vol. VI, Pg. 449) The heart unfrozen and saved is prepared for more in the experience of God than we first imagined possible. To be forgiven and know the record with God is cleaned is in itself amazing and then to hear there is more, but that's exactly what God wants us to realize. Here Dr. Dennis Kinlaw states, "We come face-to-face with our (and his Christ's) greatest enemy,

the carnal self-will." (Pg. 105, Preaching In the Spirit) It's not popular to talk about something like our selfishness but it is needful if we really want to experience the power of God released in our lives and our Churches. What then should we be looking for as we walk with God? John Wesley said this, "Strongly and explicitly exhort all believers to 'go on to perfection.'" (Pg. 328, Vol. VIII, Works) Some argue that there is nothing beyond saving grace, that all is experienced in this one encounter. Mr. Wesley mentioned that the Papists say, "This cannot be attained till we have been refined by the fire of purgatory. The Calvinists say, Nay, it will be attained as soon as the soul and body part." The old Methodists say, "It may be attained before we die: A moment after is too late." Destroy this hope and that salvation stands still, or, rather, decreases daily. Therefore whoever could advance the gradual change in believers should strongly insist on the instantaneous." (Pgs. 328-329, Vol. VIII, Works)

The Heard surface of the heart separated from God is like the frozen earth.

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Strongly and explicitly exhort all believers to go on to perfection. - John Wesley

We are really talking then about God doing a deep second work of grace in us, one that deals with our own self will and brings our spirit under the very Spirit of God! George Matheson wrote in his hymn; "Make me a captive Lord And I shall be free." Matheson, like Wesley, saw that salvation from self-centeredness is as much of God's grace as is the forgiveness of sins. He saw that the greater bondage is not to sin but to an uncleansed self, turned upon itself, His heart cries for true and full freedom, the freedom of the sins of God. (Pg. 107 Kinlaw, Preaching In the Spirit) H. M Riggle wrote in a pamphlet in 1900, the Two Works of Grace, "Perfection, as applied to redeemed souls, denotes the complete moral restoration of man from the effects of the fall. It is the state of being free from sin." (Pg. 8) Kenneth Jones said it this way, "Yet there is a new and deeper relationship with God is established in entire sanctification. God is able to do more in and through the person as that person is fully yielded to God and submits to the work of the Spirit." (Pg. 235, Theology of Holiness and Love) Sometimes we only see the work of God as a joyful thing but the reality of selfishness is that when we know we must relinquish control of our lives to God in fullness, self will resist and rationalizes why everything is just fine and we are OK just as we are. Kinlaw put it this way, "A person does not easily die to selfcontrol and sinful self-interest. One cannot crucify himself; Christ must crucify him. But if Christ is to put the spikes in the self, we must be ready to consent--no matter how awkwardly." (Pg. 109, Preaching In the Spirit) While we have moved from prevenient grace calling us to salvation, through salvation to grace calling us to sanctification. There is the call of grace to a renewal when our spiritual live become dry. alive to the work of the Spirit of God, then the community around the Church is affected also. The work of God as understood in the Church of God is a work of power, God's power through His Spirit alive in His Church. The world is constantly changing. This isn't the world my dad was born into and it's not the world my grandchildren will ultimately have to deal with, but the human heart is still the same, still prone to inward, selfish behavior and still attempting to live as its own god. The work of God, a great revival, more of God, is needed today more than ever.

In his book titled Revival, Martyn Lloyd-Jones states the following, "In a sense, of course, all preaching should promote revival, and it is Martyn While we have moved from only as we, as ChrisLloyd-Jones tian people, undercommented on prevenient grace calling us to stand the doctrines of the passage in the Christian faith salvation, through salvation to grace Mark 9:28-29 that we can even hope and the discicalling us to sanctification. truly to see the need ples problem, of revival, and therethey could not fore to pray for cast the demon it." (Pg. 7) out and Jesus directed them to prayer. Jones stated, "We have got to realize that however great 'this kind' is, the power of God is infinitely greater, that what we need is not more knowledge, more understanding, more apologetics, more reconciliation of philosophy and science and religion, and all modern techniques-no, we need a power that can enter into the souls of men and break them and smash them and humble them Understanding that God's and then make them anew." (Pg. 19) grace leads us to salvation and brings us into the deepest relationEphesians 3:20-21 calls us to ship, sanctification, it is then we can trust the Lord to do more than we easily look around and see the need can think, ask or imagine. Today is for revival. By revival, we are talking the time to cry out for revival beabout a move of God among His cause today we need it more than people awakening them to the condiever! Caption describing picture or graphic. tion of the Church as a whole body and that it needs an outpouring of His Spirit. When the Church comes

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Have you ever tried to make tidal wave in a foot of water? Doesnt work, does it? Logically, if you are going to make large wave you need deep water. One of the most powerful sources of destruction, a tsunami, cannot be simply created in a shallow kiddy pool! These enormous waves are created by disturbances below the surface of the ocean. Mainly, they are due to plate shifts and earthquakes located deep down on the oceans floor. Before you start thinking I am writing a paper for some geography class, I want to explain the significant this has to our lives as Christians. Are you as tired as I am of the lack of impact the church has on the world around us? What if we could make as big of an impact as the recent tsunami in Japan did, large enough to make it into newspaper around the globe? What will it take? It simple; we must start with a mighty plate shift or earthquake deep within our foundation. Consider what lies underneath the surface of your life as a Christian. Anyone can sing a song,

but how deep is their worship in the midst of the noise? Anyone can hear a powerful sermon, but to what extend will they go to live it out? But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourself (James 1:22). The point of this is for you to consider how deep your water goes and to determine if it has enough depth to create waves to impact the world. Are you content splashing around in a kiddy pool, or are you prepared to go deeper than the seas with God?

stand why the Israelites would need to leave their hard work behind to make sacrifices to God. In our own personal lives, if we are to be a powIf we are to be a powerful tidal wave in the world, we may need to make sacrifices that will not make sense to people around us.

Over the past few weeks, God has been teaching me three standards by which to measure my own life; to insure that I am growing deeper with Sometimes in order to make him, avoiding shallow Christilarge or difficult sacrifices, we need anity in my life. The first to be equipped with a courageous standard I came across as I spirit. Gods people those who read Exodus. Moses had just made a great impact - were never finished getting instruction without a courageous spirit to push from God to go get the Israelites out them beyond shoreline movements, of Pharaohs hands. Moses was to and dive into vast ocean waters. Paul make a request to Pharaoh allowing is always a wonall the people to go Gods people those who made a great derful example to out into the desert look at when it to make sacrifice to impact were never without a courageous comes to courage. spirit to push them beyond shoreline God. Pharaohs If you have the response was, movements, and dive into vast ocean time, read Acts 13 Moses and Aaron, and 14. They waters . why do you take the returned to Lyspeople away from tra strengthening their work? Get back to your burdens the souls of the disciples, encouraging (Ex 5:4). Pharaoh could not underthem to continue in the faith, and saying

erful tidal wave in the world, we may need to make sacrifices that will not make any sense to people around us. God may call us to give up things or change the directions we take so that He can use us and bless us.

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Sometimes we need to resist cultural norms in that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. (Act 14:2122) Courage was one of the characteristics that truly defined the early church, in the days of Paul. The first Christians became an unstoppable tsunami. Why? The world just didnt know what to do with them. These godly people feared no jail cell and no persecution. They fearlessly looked death in the eye. At this point, people began to realize no worldly weapon would be effective against this tidal wave. In the verses above, it states that these missionaries returned to Lystra. This was not Pauls first visit to this place. In fact, his first visit, you would say, was pretty eventful. During His first missionary journey to Lystra the people stoned him. He was so badly beaten that those Christians who came with him thought he had died. Yet, Paul survived, and he then went on preaching in towns beyond Lystra. Rather than seeking a safe place to go, he went back to Lystra to check on the Christians there. Can you imagine? He was excited to go back to that town to encourage the Christians there, and he couldnt wait to tell them how great it is to be a Christian. Do we have that kind of courage? The fact is, the same Spirit that was in Paul, can, if we allow, also be in us to drive us to be bold. stood out as being a loyal servant of God. we need the faith to continue worshipping Sometimes we need when the world around forbids it. to resist cultural The last norms in order to standard God stand up for God, has been laying and other times we on my heart is having the faith to need the faith to continue worshipstand out from the rest. This brings ping when the world around forbids me to events you can read in Daniel it. Both cases take a great deal of (chapter 1 and chapter 6). After the trust in God, but they will not go unnoticed by Him. You will have put yourself in the most humble position to where God can create an earthquake within you. order to stand up for God, and other times The amazing thing about tsunamis, as scary and powerful as they are, is that they never come as just one wave during one moment in time. The movement in the deep creates a series of waves that can come very frequently for a lasting period of time. The moment you decide to let God shake you up is the moment where you can influence others to do the same. One after another, we can wash over the lands in rhythm with Gods movement. The moment you decide to let God shake you up is the moment where you can influence others to do the same. One after another,
Caption describing picture we can wash over the lands in rhythm or graphic. with Gods movement .

people of God had been taken captive by the Babylonians, Daniels faith was tested. He wanted to remember God in all his actions and manner of life. This is why he requested to refrain from indulging in the kings rich food. The willingness to live outside the norm of life in this pagan country is exactly what God desired for Daniel. And he was blessed. And again, when laws were established restricting worshipping anyone besides the king, Daniel

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"Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal." (Exodus 13:2 NIV) In the Passover event here in Exodus, we have the first manifestation of what redemption is, and from here on, in the Scriptures, the word holy is used more frequently. God was preparing the Hebrews to be delivered from the grips of the bondage of slavery that they had suffered under the Egyptians for the past 400 years and to be redeemed back to Himself. God's very first word to them wasCONSECRATE (sanctify, set apart). In other words, God said, "Make holy or set apart to me all the firstborn males......They are mine!"

and how it applies to us as a spiritual lesson. The bondage the Israelites suffered in Egypt is a type of the bondage that men and women experience in a life of sin. The deliverance of the Israelites into the Promised Land is a type of our deliverance from the bondage of sin into freedom from sin. In other words, we are redeemed from spiritual death and bondage from sin unto spiritual life and we are freed from the bondage of sin. The bondage the Israelites suffered in Egypt is a type of the bondage that men and women experience in a life of sin.

ness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own; eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:14 NIV) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Pet 2:9 NIV). After centuries of slow and needful preparation, God now reveals Himself as Redeemer. In a series of mighty wonders, God proves Himself as a conqueror of the Israelites' enemies, and then, with the blood of the Passover Lamb over their doors, God teaches what redemption is, not only from an unjust oppressor here

The Wesleyan Bible Commentary says: The consecration of the firstborn is based on the slaying of the firstborn of Egypt and the simultaneous sparing of the firstborn of Israel. All the firstborn had been consecrated to God, the Egyptians by death, and the Israelites to life.

The Word of God reveals how God, through redemption, is the proprietor or the legal owner of His chosen ones. It is one of the central thoughts both in redemption and in sanctification. In other words, God is revealing through the redemption of the Israelites that they are his body, His chosen people. He is the proprietor over them and thus the Israelites of the O.T. were, as God called them, His treasured possession For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. (Deu 7:6 NIV) God is revealing through the redemption of the Israelites that they are his body, His chosen people.

on earth, (Pharaoh) but also from the bondage they were living in with respect to slavery.

This is a great example of the types and shadows of the Old Testament

The Israelites of the Old Testament are a type and shadow of the New Testament Church, God's corporate body here on earth. (Jesus) gave himself for us to redeem us from all wicked-

This Passover was seen by the Israelites as the transition from what was seen and temporal to the unseen and spiritual, revealing God not only as the Mighty One but as the Holy One, freeing them from not only the house of bondage but also from the death angel that was passing through Egypt. Having redeemed them, He tells them they are His own.

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The purpose of redemption is possession (God possessing us), and the purpose of possession is likeness to Him (who is redeemer and owner), and that likeness to Him is holiness, to which we are called after redemption. In regard to this holiness, and the way it is to be attained, as the result of redemption, there are some lessons to teach us the significance of the sanctifying or setting apart of the firstborn. First, redemption and holiness are inseparable! Only redemption leads to holiness. In other words, holiness, sanctification, or being set apart is reserved for the redeemed, those who have given their hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ and have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:9, 17 NIV)

the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Th 5:23 NIV) If one is seeking holiness, one must abide in the clear and full experience of being born-again and be owned and/or possessed by God. Redemption is often looked at from a negative perspective (i.e. delivered from). Redemptions real glory is the positive element, however, of being redeemed unto. To be redeemed is to be rescued from DEATH and saved unto LIFE! The word rescue is defined as being extricated from an undesirable state.

my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling," (Phil 2:12 NIV) "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1 John 5:11-12 NIV) Who gives eternal life? God! Where is eternal life found? In Jesus Christ! Who has eternal life? Whoever has Christ! Who does not have eternal life? Whoever does not have Christ!

To be redeemed is to be rescued from DEATH and saved unto LIFE!

We are made alive unto Christ and are inheriting the riches of God's glory. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Rom 8:17 NIV) I am reminded of one of the Heritage hymns of the Church of God and the words say this: I will sing hallelujah for theres joy in the Lord and He fills my heart with rapture as I rest on His Word; I will trust in His promise I will shout I am free, in my blessed loving Savior I have sweet victory. There is joy in the Lord; there is joy in the Lord. Hallelujah, glory, glory there is joy in the Lord. There is joy or Caption describing picture graphic. in the Lord there is joy in the Lord. Hallelujah, glory, glorythere is joy in the Lord.

Secondly, only holiness brings the Paul addressed his letter to the assurance and enjoyment of redempchurch at Thessalonica To the tion. Without holiness, there is no church of the Thessalonians in God the real assurance of our salvation. Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace "Make every effort to live in peace with and peace to you. (1 Th 1:1 NIV) That all men and to be holy; without holiness would be those that were saved, and no one will see the He called for Lord." (Heb 12:14 their sanctifica- May God himself, the God of peace, NIV) tion. May God sanctify you through and though. May your himself, the God of peace, sanctify whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless "Therefore, my dear you through and friends, as you have at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. through. May always obeyed--not your whole spirit, - 1 Thessalonians 5:23 only in my presence, soul and body be but now much more in kept blameless at

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A few weeks ago I viewed a movie death. Not because I didnt know entitled In Time, it was very interGod or didnt have a relationship esting and brought numerous with him but it was a fear of not unthoughts to mind, not new thoughts, derstanding it completely. So because but reinforced old ones. In this movof this fear I would pray that God ie they live in a world where the would let me live amount of time they have left to live long enough to get is on their arm, the years, days, married and have hours, minutes and seconds. Instead children. Well, I am of having money they got paid, and 23 and God has paid for goods with time. For infulfilled both of stance a cup of copy cost 4 minutes those, when youre and their work days paid them a day in high school you or two, a bus ride to or from work dont realize how cost an hour and a half. All of the fast time goes by banks were filled with time instead until youre out and then you look of money, the elite had their own back and a good many years are special city to live in and had years gone. But most people that young are upon years. People fought for other not thinking of dying to the point peoples time and would steal it where they are praying not to die, from each other they are thinking If time was written on our arm or we could causing everyone that they are invinsee just how much time we had left, would cible. I believe that it to keep their arms covered so we be doing things the no one but themselves could see how much time they had. All of this made me wondered just how different our lives would be if our time was written on our arm or we could see just how much time we had left. Would we be doing things the same? same? is costing our children and teens in todays society. They think Ill just have a few drinks and drive home, nothing will happen to me. Ill smoke pot or crack just a few times, nothing will happen to me. Ill put my relationship with God on hold for a while so I can party, drink, use foul language, hang out with the cool crowd and do the things God wouldnt really approve of, Im not dying anytime soon. They let Satan question the reality of God and buy into his sick lie that maybe there really isnt a God, its all just coincidence. Let me share a few stories with you of young people

whose lives were cut short and they never even knew it was going to happen.

Ada Pentz, 17 years old. Ada lived in upstate New York with her sister, she decided to go on a bike ride with her two friends one day to Niagara Falls. They made it up there but on the way back Ada and another girl were hit by a drunk driver. That was the end. From what I understand Ada had strayed away from God, probably with the thinking Im young, I wont die anytime soon. Little did she know death was just around the corner and she left no time to get her life right with the Lord.

bly

6-10th

When I was younger, probagrade, I had a huge fear of

Ashley Bryan, 8th grade student. Ashley had a cold for a while and missed a few days of school but really wanted to go back after a few days and was starting to feel better. Shortly after school had started she was in the library and collapsed. Life was over for her. Thankfully Ashley grew up in a Christian home and loved the Lord with all of her heart. Ashleys dad is a Pastor (but make no mistake, having a father as a Pastor puts you no further ahead than anyone else) and she made sure to have a relationship with God.

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Rachel Beckwith, 9 years old. Rachel was a normal little girl full of joy and love. It was time for her birthday and the only thing she asked for was that people donate money to a website she started to help kids in other countries receive drinkable water. She had her birthday and raised about 300 dollars. Two weeks after her birthday her family was going somewhere and ended up in a 16 car pileup, Rachel did not survive. When word spread of her website for getting children water people all over the world began to donate and now has raised three quarters of a million dollars. But is that what gave Rachel a way into heaven, the fact that she saved of 35,000 people from dying of dehydration? No, what put her into heaven and eternity with Jesus Christ was her relationship with Him, She had a heart like his.

I could tell many more stories of people who have died in our eyes, way too young but wed be here all day. Being in the ministry you tend to see and hear about these tragic stories a lot more, but I personally have known many people whose lives were shorter than what anyone expected. From my 10th grade year of high school until now there have been 6 or 7 deaths of people that I went to that school with. So I guess what I want to get across to not only our young people, but everyone is that TIME STOPS FOR NO ONE! James 4:13-17 says:

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he fear of the unknown and when I ought to do and doesn't do it, sins. say that I mean your mind cant fully grasp what death and thereafter will be like. Even as adults we cant unPsalm 90:10 says: derstand it completely but we The length of our days is seventy yearsor TRUST God and his word and beeighty, if we have the strength; yet their lieve it with all of our being. We are span is but trouble and sorrow, for they to live every moment, not in fear, but quickly pass, and we fly away believing in God, trusting God, loving God and witnessing about God and His love. We are to live every minute in step with John 14:1-4 Let not your Jesus Christ, loving him with all of our being hearts be troubled. Believe in and doing His will. God; believe also in me. In my Fathers house are many rooms. If it were not so, We dont know what our life would I have told you that I go to preholds and how much time we have. pare a place for you? And if I go and Should we live in fear, walking around prepare a place for you, I will come again afraid that the next minute or hour we and will take you to myself, that where I will be gone? Absolutely not! We are to am you may be also. And you know the live every minute in step with Jesus way to where I am going. Christ, loving him with all of our being and doing His will. If we really have a Romans 14:8 For if we live, we live to personal, deep relathe Lord, and if we die, we die to the tionship with Jesus Lord. So then, whether we live or whethChrist we have no reason to fear because er we die, we are the Lords. we will see Him when our time is over. When you are young you have a Charles Spurgeon said: When the Caption describing need time comes for you to die, you picture or graphic. not be afraid, because death cannot separate you from Gods love.

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And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord you God. Deut. 28:1, 2 The Bible talks a lot about the blessings of God. We read about the ways that He wants to care for His people and the things that He wants to do in their lives. Our imaginations are captured by countless stories of the miraculous, as God works for the good of His people in every conceivable situation and through every imaginable tribulation. But too often those stories seem like just that stories. We read about them and think about what it must have been like to live in those days when God was working. We are left to wonder if God really works like that today. Is it still possible for His people to experience the miraculous? Can that still happen in our lives? Since most of us have never seen the works that were done during the time of Moses or Elijah, or seen the visions of Ezekiel and Zechariah we just assume that Gods blessings are not what they used to be. There was a time when He showed Himself in power, but that

time has come and gone. We are content to experience the limited blessings we have seen and never really look for more. Our attitude is to take what we can get and be happy with it in spite of the fact that Gods Word clearly promises so much more for us. We are happy with the occasional blessing rather than living like the people of Israel who entered the Promised Land and being OVERTAKEN by the blessings of God. Consider that overtaken. We are not just offered a few helps along the way to make this life a little more comfortable. God wants to consume every part of our lives, to overtake our entire being and all that we are with His power and His provision. This is what God told His people as they prepared to enter the land of Canaan and the desire of God remains today. I am the Lord I do not God wants to consume every part of our lives, to overtake out entire being and all that we are with His power and His provision. change (Mal. 3:6). The word blessing comes from a root that literally means to show adoration. Just imagine that. God will set you high above all the nations of the earth (verse 1). God wants to lift us up to the point that He will be seen through us. Thats how Gods power is seen in the world today. When His people rely on His power and God provides for all their needs the world will see without a doubt that even in a day when He is ignored, God is

on His throne. Science tries to ignore Him, philosophy explains Him away, and even Christians ignore His commands but God is still God and He still sits on His throne. God is still seen through those lives that put their faith in Him. But that is not enough, He wants to be seen in EVERY LIFE that claims His name. God will overwhelm every doubt and fear with His presence in the hearts and lives of His people. We have allowed ourselves to settle when it comes to the blessings of God. His call comes to us in some way and we are content to just stumble through life hoping that what we are doing for Him might be good enough. The call of God, whether it is a specific call on our lives or simply the call to walk with Him, is NEVER a call to mediocrity. God does not want us to walk half-heartedly with Him and spend our lifetime struggling to keep up. He promises to provide for us, and if we will trust Him we will find ourselves living in the ABUNDANCE of His promises. This doesnt mean we will always be wealthy from a worldly perspective, but it does mean that we will never be outside of His presence. We will never have to go through a trial alone, and our finite power will never be insufficient when His power and glory drive our lives. Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind (Psalm 31:19)! Look at the expectation of Gods answers to prayer: Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy to me (Psalm

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69:16). And consider the promise of Jesus Christ: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came The call of God, whether it is a specific call on our lives or simply the call to walk with Him, is NEVER a call to be mediocrity.

that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Scripture, in its entirety, teaches that Gods call is never to mediocrity. His call is always to abundance - abundance of power, and of mercy, love and grace. There is a fullness to life that we will never experience when we just hope for the occasional blessing just to get by. We will never experience the life that God wants to give us unless we allow ourselves to be OVERTAKEN by Gods blessing. Christians spend too much of the time worrying about looking like fanatics to the world around us to really see all that God has for us. We dont want people to accuse us of being nave, or taking our faith too far so we dont really want too many blessings. We dont want to look like we are that much different from the world, or that God is such a prominent force in our lives, so we settle for a life much like that of the world. We just want a little bit of God and because of this desire the judgment rings out from Scripture, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth (Rev. 3:16). This life to which God has called us may sound like excessive Christianity. Like it will encompass every part of our life and not just

what we are comfortable with. It scares some because it sounds like we would have to give up the control that we have over our lives (which is much more limited than we realize) to really experiGod told His people to ence the blessings of God. We get FAITHFULLY obey His commands. these feelings because they are He had given them the law and outtrue! It is when we turn everylined the details of the covenant He thing over to the control of God made with them. They had all the that we experience the fullness of information they needed to live a life life. That is when we see Him in harmony with God, but they needmove in power and experience ed the faith to believe that Gods His glory as it settles in our commands were actually what was hearts. Its easy to convince ourbest for them. Without this faith selves that this kind of life is just they would live in doubt about the for preachers or missionaries, but words God had spoken as well as the every time we see God move God who had spoken to them. This through a mighty preacher or a is an example of what it means to great missionary or teacher we enter the kingdom of God with must remember that they were child-like faith. We must believe once lay people too. D.L. Moody in the power and the goodness and was never ordained in Christian faithfulness of the one who spoke ministry but was one of the greatand revealed Himself to us; the one est preachers this country has evwith whom we live in covenant. er known. Charles Finney was a lawyer, Billy Sunday was a baseThe Bible reveals Gods ball player word to us. It claims auand thority as His inspired We must believe in the power and the Martyn Word, and what we begoodness and faithfulness of the one who Lloydlieve ABOUT the Bible is Jones stud- spoke and revealed Himself to us; the one important. We claim that ied to be a the Bible is inerrant, or with whom we live in covenant. doctor. infallible, we say that it is These men important to us and a necwere just like most other men essary part of our lives. But how UNTIL they were overtaken by many of us live a life that shows God. When their lives were overthose statements to be true? Do we taken they became mighty workreally believe the Bible is that imers in Gods kingdom and soldiers in His army. But it was only because they were willing to be overtaken. God will not do it by force. It requires a consecration, or surrender, on our part. ConCaption describing picture or sider what it took for the people graphic. of Israel in the Old Testament to be overtaken by Gods blessing:

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portant? We claim its authority, PLIES TO YOU! Sometimes peobut we seldom refer to it outside of ple ask me after a sermon, Do I a Bible study or worship service. I really have to do that? I had just can count on one hand (and might spent the last half hour or so readonly need three fingers) the number ing Scripture that says they do of times I have been in meetings and they still ask. Is it any wonwhere decisions were made based der we dont see the blessings of on something that was clearly seen God? We spend the majority of in Scripture. How many people do our time trying to come up with you know that even carry a Bible to reasons we dont have to do what meetings (or even to church anythe Word of more for that matter)? I God teaches He has given us His Word to keep us from a dont just do it because us. WouldIm the pastor. My Bi- lifestyle that robs us of His blessings! nt our time ble goes to every meetbe better ing I have ever attendspend trying ed. Its our rule and to discern our guide. Its the inspired word of how we can be completely obediGod and I trust what it teaches. I ent to the Word rather than how dont know how we continue to get we can get around it? Read on in by without it. If we are to be overthe 28th chapter of Deuteronomy taken with blessing we must beand look at what God had to say lieve once again that: no prophecy of about those who didnt obey the Scripture comes from someones own Word. When we spend our lives interpretation. For no prophecy was trying to ignore and explain away ever produced by the will of man, but the Word of God we can expect men spoke from God as they were carNOTHING MORE OR LESS ried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter THAN THE JUDGMENT OF 1:20, 21). GOD! But even believing in the God is not trying to keep authority of Gods Word is not something from us by requiring enough in itself to obtain the blessobedience. He does not want us ing and abundant life God has to miss out on something good, promised us. but He has given us His Word to keep us from a lifestyle that ROBS US OF HIS BLESSINGS. Scripture reveals to us the way to walk with God in holiness. It teaches us what it means to live in His presence and what His Holy character requires of us if we are to experience a relationship with Him. The only way to be overtaken with the blessings of His presence is to live in accordance with what is taught in the Word; to make every effort to conform our lives to what the Bible teaches; to conform the

church and our congregation, and to make Scripture our foundation and our rule of faith. In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death (Prov. 12:28). Living in opposition to the Word separates us from God. God was represented by the people of Israel and is represented by His church today. Moses was repeatedly commanded to do all that God commanded. When they worship, traveled, and even when they gathered food. God wasnt trying to oppress them, but to free them from the things that stood in opposition to His presence. Thats what He is doing today in the church through His Word. God wants us to experience His presence and to be encompassed by His glory and blessing. We cannot experience this without obedience to the Word.

Our text did not just call the people of Israel to have faith in the Word, but to FAITHFULLY OBEY the Word of God. That means that the Word of God AP-

There is one more element of this command to be faithfully obedient that we must consider. God told the people to be CAREFUL to be obedient to the command. This might be the most difficult part of this command to follow, but it is completely necessary if we are to be overtaken by the blessings of God. This implies that we must PUT SOME THOUGHT into the way we live if we ever expect Gods blessings on our lives. We so often go about our business with little or no thought as

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to whether or not the things we do are worthy of Gods adoration (or blessing). We celebrate the holidays of the world, and celebrate our Christian holidays on the terms of the world. We just do what the world does and live like the world lives and it never occurs to us that we

the same frequency they change their socks. Its not even enough to view wicked and perverse relationships among humans anymore, now we want to fantasize about relationships with vampires and other-worldly creatures conceived in the minds of man. And we seldom stop to think about what this is doing to our relationship with others, and more importantly, our relationship with God. We stumble around in the dark enjoying the sin that is so belligerently and openly placed before us. God has more for us than to stumble through a thoughtless existence hoping in vain that we might wander into His presence. God told Moses, I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God (Exodus 29:45). He told the prophet Jeremiah, I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart (Jer. 24:7). He told Ezekiel, I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people and I will be their God (Ezek. 11:20, 21). If God is willing to live among us, give us His Word, empower us to follow His Word, and transform our lives in accordance with the blessing of His Word would it really hurt us to put some thought into the things we do? Would it be so bad to consider our activities and hobbies and the example we set in light of what God has done and what he

wants to do in us? The work of the church in the world today is not contingent on another program or great idea. It is not subject to our human development of another great mind from our seminaries. The work of God is subject to submission and surrender. It will be done as his people are overtaken by His blessings. When God permeates their heart and soul to the point that nothing can be seen but Jesus Christ alone through our congregations. This is not some idealistic dream that we will never attain, it is the desire of God! God will stop at nothing to bless His people. He was willing to continually forgive throughout the Old Testament, even when His people turned their backs on Him. He sacrificed His own Son just to show us His love. Through the blood of Christ, and the truth that was revealed we are cleansed and transformed into a suitable dwelling place for Gods Spirit. And this Holy Spirit living inside of us revealing Gods power and His glory through our lives is what it means to be OVERTAKEN by Gods blessings. Gods consuming blessings are available for us today. To each one who is faithful, obedient, and careful to live according to the Word the revelation of Himself God has given us.

We must put some thought into the way we live if we ever expect Gods blessings on our lives.

might be setting an example or sending a message to those around us that diminishes our witness of a life walking with God. Consider the ways we entertain ourselves. Far too few of us really do. Look at the television shows we watch the open portrayal of sin that we support and use to entertain ourselves. Just watch the shows that target the teenage audience and you will see people jumping from one bed to another with

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Our purpose is to lift up the truth that God has revealed to us through His Word. In a world where truth seems to become more relative and subjective with each passing day, we lift up the objective rule of faith that God has given us. If we are to approach the Holy God of Heaven, Jehovah, we must do so from the platform of the truth that He has given us in His Word. Without apology we seek,

preach and teach this truth with the hope that God will bring revival to the church and to our nation as His truth is boldly proclaimed and embraced by His people. We hope that you will join us in as we seek to walk with God in all the light He has given us. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me (Hosea 4:6)