Roadblocks to Revival, Pt 4 (Pastor’s Remix)

It is on very rare occasions that anything is accomplished without some type of preparation being completed first and concerning revival, this is most definately true!  God told King Solomon that for Him to pour out the best He had on His people, His people were going to have to give the best of themselves to Him!  It’s the common law of cause and effect!  God said, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

God says to all of us that before He’ll bless us with the extraordinary effects of revival we must take some action and change and implement somethings in our lives first!  The first thing we need to do is “humble ourselves”. Coming to God is important but coming in the right way is ALL IMPORTANT! We must take personal inventory of our hearts when we come before God.  What’s our reason for coming?  What are our motives and attitude standing before Him?  How we come to God will have a great impact on how we are before God and how we leave from Him. (Luke 18:9-14).

But humbling ourselves isn’t all that God demands of us as we read further along in God’s conditions for King Solomon and the people of Israel.  He commands us to “pray and seek my face”.  Why is prayer so important when God already knows what we’re thinking, knows what we want and most importantly need?  Well as humility as a lot to do with brokenness, so prayer has everything to do with dependence.  We must come to a point where in our lives we say, “All I need is God!  If God is all I have then I have everything!” Have you come to that point?  If not, then we are not living our lives totally in dependence upon God.

Prayer gives us the opportunity to display our total need of God in all parts of our lives!  But for us to pray in this way we must experience a hunger for God and His presence like we’ve never had before.  Coming to this point is crucial if revival is to come!  Just how much of God do you feel like you need?  Is a little seem sufficient or do you crave to experience Him in His fullness?  Once you have  God in this way, it becomes hard to ever settle for anything less!

Be Blessed, Pastor Seth <><

 

“Roadblocks to Revival, Pt 4″ coming soon to our “LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE” section.

Roadblocks to Revival, Pt 3 (Pastor’s Remix)

How often we discard those items that are broken, a broken glass, plate, a broken clock.  Things that are broken are of no use to us and so we often throw them out with the weekly trash.  Nobody wants something that’s broken.  Well that’s not entirely true.  God does!  I don’t mean He wants your broken glasses, plates or clocks.  God wants us, broken. ”What?” you might ask.  You see for God to really use us we have to prepare ourselves first to be used which means we have to be broken of anything that’ll hinder Him from fully using us, or really even being a part of us.

BROKENNESS IS PREPARATION TO REVIVAL!

There’s really no way around it.  For revival to come to us  individually and corporately we have to be broken, humbled before God.  “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves…” 2 Chronicles 7:14. An attitude of humilty is essential for us to experience the power of God working in our lives.  This process of brokenness is painful and many choose not to allow it but those same people will always, always, always miss out on God’s greatest blessings!

Scripture urges us to remove pride from our hearts and replace it with humility!  Why?  Thomas A. Kempis says, “the more humble a man is and the more obedient he is towards God, the wiser will he bein all things and the more shall his soul be at peace.” Jesus was the perfect example of humility (Philippians 2:5-11) and challenges us to be as well.  We are to make Christ number one in our lives and then seek to serve Him by serving and loving others (Matthew 22:37-39). Biblical humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less!

The Christian who approaches life in a humble manner will always be more apt to recognize and receive God’s greatest work and promises.  Everyday we should seek to “humble ourselves” knowing that God will not force humility upon us but we must choose it for ourselves!

“For this is what the high and lofty One says- he who lives forever,whose name is holy; ’I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:14

 

Listen to the sermon “Roadblocks to Revival,Pt 3″

 

Roadblocks to Revival, Pt 2 (Pastor’s Remix)

It seems the biggest obstacle to revival coming might simply be us!  God told King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14 that the first thing the people had to do was “humble themselves”.  God was right about the Israelites then and the same command is right for us now!  Christians, those who call Jesus “Lord” must make the necessary preparations if the life changing effects of revival are going to come.

Unfortunately we cannot experience biblical humility until we first deal with our worldly pride.  Oswald Chambers in his devotional “My Utmost For His Highest” says that “pride is the sin of making self our God”. Pride is the unrestricted focus on SELF.  Pride causes us to fail to see anything but who’s in the mirror.  We become so much when pride is allowed to run rampant in our lives and never is the outcome favorable!  Pride is damaging in so many ways!

Pride ruins our relationship with God!  Pride causes to doubt God (Gen. 3:1). When doubt is not confronted our faith is weakened and we then begin to live independently of God.  Pride causes us to withdraw from God (Gen. 3:8-10). We disobey God’s commands for us which then brings conviction, embarrassment and shame.  We’re afraid to stand before God because of what we’ve done so we run from God and the further away we get the harder it becomes to find our way back and in the worst cases we don’t want to come back.  Pride in us will surely bring punishment from God (Gen. 3:16-19,23-24). Scripture tells us plainly how God feels about the sin of pride, “I hate pride and arrogance” (Proverbs 8:13) and “The Lord detests all the proud of heart, be sure of this, they will not go unpunished.” (Proverbs 16:5)

Pride not only ruins our relationship with God but also with others as well.  Pride causes us to undermine the value of those around us. (Gen. 4:2-5) Instead of seeing people the way God sees them pride causes us to see some as more while we see others as less.  Pride says, “I’m superior to you!”.  This causes others to feel inferior and doubt their value to God.  Pride causes us to elevate ourselves above all others and in the worst cases above God as well.  As a result pride breeds in us and others animosity. (Gen 4:8) Harmony and unity are replaced with quarreling and strife.  Relationships are severed and the damage seems almost beyond repair.

Prideful people will almost always result in a prideful church as well.  A prideful church is a church that sees itself heads above all the rest.  They claim that God is specifically pleased with what they’re doing for Him as if everyone else is just wasting their time and efforts.  The church of God is to be a “whole unit”!  We are to recognize each other as important instruments that God is using to bring about one goal, the reconciliation of the lost to Himself through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

Is pride standing between you and God? Is pride a  roadblock to revival for you?  Dealing with pride is extremely painful but necessary in order for the power and presence of God to be manifested (revealed) in your life, the life of your family and your church.  Ask God to empty you out and fill you with His Holy Spirit.  Only then will you experience Him unlike ever before!  Be Blessed!

Pastor Seth <><

Look for the sermon “Roadblocks to Revival” (Pt2) coming soon to our “LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE” section.

Roadblocks to Revival, Part 1 (Pastor’s Remix)

Week after week many Christians trudge along the same path of Christianity that they did the week prior and most likely will trudge in the coming weeks to follow.  Is this the spiritual state that God desired for His people to live in week in and week out?  Jesus said to His disciples in John 16:33 “In the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world!” Jesus overcame the world to pave the way for us, His followers to as well but are we?  Are you?  What about your Church, is it “pressing on’ or barely “keeping up”?

Revival is for God’s people!  Revival is God’s work in us but for revival to come we first must make the preparations for it.  The prophet Isaiah said, “…prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.  And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind will see it.” Is. 40:3-5

Isaiah tells us that as God’s people we must prepare the way but King Solomon heard God Himself give His conditions for revival.  In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God says to Solomon, “if my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Why is revival so important to Christians, to the Church?  God meant for the church to make an impact in this dark world. (Phil 2:12-16) and for that to happen, the Church is going to have to become a force!  God has given us the fuel already.  We have the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us (Eph. 2:22) and all we need now is a spark, a little fire to create that explosion of FORCE that will propel the Church of God forward in a way that will see the enemy in retreat!  The fire that’s needed comes from us.  That fire is our desire to see the power and presence of Almighty God manifested in our lives, the lives of our family, in our Church,  in our day, at this time!  The best time for revival to come is NOW!

Dr. J. Edwin Orr, thought to be the world’s foremost authority on the subject of revival was presenting a series of lectures on revival at Columbia Bible College in the early 1970′s when a student approached him and asked him, “Dr. Orr, besides praying for revival to occur, what can I do to help bring it around?” Without a moments pause, Dr Orr glanced at the student and replied, “You can let it begin with you.”

Be Blessed , Pastor Seth <><

Website delays

If you’re one who enjoys following our website you’ve probably noticed that we haven’t posted a new sermon for quite some time.  We apologize for the trouble.  We have experienced some technical problems concerning sermon recording and are hoping to have those problems resolved in the next week or two.  Until then we want to take the opportunity to personally invite you to join us on Sunday mornnings.  Listening to the website provides some comfort but joining us in person is sure to be a blessing for you as well as us. You can find all our scheduled events on our home page as well as our “Events” page.  Check us out!

Tackling Temptation (Pastor’s Remix)

I don’t believe that anyone of us is exempt from temptation attacks!  As a matter of fact the Apostle Paul even says in 1 Cor. 10:13 that temptations will come, to each of us, at one time or another.  We can learn 3 truths about temptations from this scripture.

1.  The temptations that you are experiencing are not unique.  “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.”  There are many who have had to deal with the exact temptation/trial that you are facing now.  It isn’t correct to make the statement that “no one else has had to go through what I’m facing!”  Truth is, many have and many have experienced victory over it.  How?  Well the answer lies in truth #2.

2.  You’re not alone!  Paul says “and God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.”  Paul says, “Hey, God’s got you covered.  He knows what you’re going through and he’s right beside you, making sure that you don’t go through more than you can handle!”  God knows better than anyone else just what we can handle and because he loves us so much, he’s there making sure that we’ll be alright.

3.  We’re equipped for the victory!  “But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.”  God has given you everything for conquering temptation and living a victorious life!  The tools we need to win the battle with temptation can be found in God’s Word, every page laced with the weapons that we need to defeat temtation!

Fighting temptation is an everyday battle for each of us.  We have to know and believe that God is in control and that he has our best interest in mind. Trust in God!  Stand strong with God! Defeat temptation in your life with God at your side and his word in your heart.  That’s a game plan that guarantees success!

Watch for the full sermon “Tackling Temptation” coming to our “Listen To A Sunday Message” section.

From Mess to Masterpiece (Pt2) (Pastor’s Remix)

In our journey of becoming like Jesus, we must first know what Jesus was like.  How did he act?  How did he speak? What did Jesus do? You see a genuine disciple of Jesus Christ not only listens to what Jesus taught but puts that teaching to work in their daily lives.  A genuine disciple of Jesus Christ not only knows what he did but attempts to model those actions in their own life.

In Ephesian 2:8-9, the Apostle Paul intructs us that salvation is a gift from God.  Our faith in that as well as in what Jesus did on the cross for us secures our place in his family.  But we also learn that our faith should spur us on into faithfullness which is seen in the deeds that we do as servants of God and Christ Jesus.

It’s true that good works don’t save you, but Paul says that a saved person works! (Eph. 2:10)  In James 2:14-17, James says that “faith without action is dead”.  What both Paul and James says do not oppose one another but builds on one another.  Genuine faith is faith at work!  What work are we to be doing?  Well that’s easy, Jesus says in Matthew 7:21 ” the will of the Father”.  We are to be busy, involved daily in working for the Kingdom!  Jesus goes on to offer a pointed warning to the one “not about the Father’s business”.  Jesus says Matthew 7:19 “every tree that doesn’t bare good fruit is cut off and thrown into the fire.”

The faith of a Christian should not be passive but constantly at work, bring glory to God the Father and Christ Jesus the Son.  Look around!  There’s plenty to do for the Kingdom!

Listen to the sermon, “From Mess to Masterpiece” (Pt2) coming  to our Listen to a Sunday Message section

From Mess to Masterpiece (Pastor’s Remix)

“Me a masterpiece?” The statement seems to leave me laughing but none the less God’s Word tells us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship (masterpiece NLT)..”

What does this mean for us?  Well it means that no matter what flaws the world sees in us or that we see in ourselves, God has created us and He says Himself, ” and God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” (Gen. 1:31)  Now of course our lives as Christians are “works in progress” and we must make sure that we are cooperating in that process. You see  a tranformation begins to take place when we say “Yes” to Jesus.  When we invited Jesus to be Lord of our life, we know that the Holy Spirit came and took up residence in our hearts.  Why?  Was it just because He had nothing better to do?  Not at all.  Right away the Holy Spirit goes to work, removing everything that doesn’t leave us resembling Jesus Christ and replacing it with the characteristics and attributes of Jesus.  Paul describes this in Ephesians 4:22-24 as “putting off the old self and replacing with the new self”.  But here’s the problem.  Many Christians stop at the “Yes” part, the initial invitation to make Jesus Lord of our lives.  This is only the beginning!  If we stop there and never partner with the Holy Spirit  as He molds us into the likeness of Christ we are only Christians by proclamation.  Faith in Jesus is what saves us (Eph. 2:8-9) but that faith has to also move us to be transformed into Christ’s likeness (2 Cor. 3:18).

Here’s a question! When you stand in front of the mirror, who do you see?  If your answer is anything but Jesus Christ then know that there is still work to do in you.  Question is, will you allow it?

Listen to the sermon “From Mess to Masterpiece” coming to our “LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE” section

Prayer….. (Pt2) (Pastor’s Remix)

God knew that we’d struggle with prayer.  This problem doesn’t surprise Him and for this reason Jesus attempted to teach us just how to pray but not just pray….pray effictively and powerfully!

The truth is that prayer is an awesome priviledge that believers share in.  Prayer is a direct line right to Almighty God, Creator of the Universe and everything in it.  The fact that we can come to Him at all just proves how much He loves and values us!

Time spent with God in prayer is a special time a personal time in which we come to know and understand God and His ways more clearly.  It’s a time in which we not only speak to Him but He speaks to us.  Having a personal relationship with God, “Our Father in Heaven” (Matt. 6:9) is seen in the ways He cares for us, provides for us, protects us and ultimately the way He Loves us!  Those who have made Jesus Christ their personal Lord and Savior can confidently call God their Father!

We must also recognize that while we have a Loving and Gracious Heavenly Father we also must approach Him with respect and reverance.  We are told to “Hallow” His name.  This means we are to put Him above all other things and relationships in our lives.  God is Holy and approaching Him means coming in humility, with the utmost respect for His divine nature.

Lastly in prayer be second!  Make sure we remember that prayer is about God first and foremost!  Praise God, Exalt Him, Adore Him, and then “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” (v10).  We live here on this planet in this time but the day will come when Jesus Christ comes back for those who are His and we’ll begin our eternal residenc in the glorious kingdom of Heaven (Rev 11:15).  As we will exist there in perfect obedience and committment so we should strive here and now to as well.  We are to anxiously pray for that day to come but until that day does, we are to live in a manner worthy of His eternal kingdom.

Oh that we would pray the way Jesus intructed! Oh that we would pray with the perseverance and focus that Jesus did!  Oh that we would pray often so as to almost never leave the eternal throne room of Almighty God!   Sounds like a challenge!  Be Blessed. <><

Watch for the entire sermon, “Prayer, First Things First” Pt2 in our “LISTEN TO A SUNDAY MESSAGE” section

Prayer, First Things First (Pastor’s Remix)

We need God!  We need Jesus Christ!  The sooner we realize this fundamental and crucial truth the better off we’ll all be!  We need God to help guide us through this life that He has ultimately created to exist in and if we’re to get through this life in a way that pleases Him and brings real lasting joy to our lives we’re going to need to go to Him for help.

This is why prayer exists.  Prayer is the pathway that leads us into the presence of God Himself!  Prayer is the way that we speak to God and that He speaks to us.  The trouble is, we often approach prayer in the wrong way and some neglect prayer altogether!

Jesus wanted to teach His followers in Matthew 6 just what prayer was and what prayer was not.  Understanding these truths as Jesus taught them would help enable our prayers to move from “wimpy” to EMPOWERED! 

1.  Effective Prayer starts with the right attitude!  Jesus pointed out the “hypocrits” in Matt. 6:5,7 stating that they prayed not to God or for God but for the approval and praise of men (v5) while using meaningless and repetative words that carried no authenticity (v7).  Jesus says that prayer has little if nothing to do with what’s going on outside a person and everything to do with what’s going on inside a person.  Prayer is about God and that’s Who the main focus should be in  our prayers!

2.  Effective Prayer also starts with a right heart!  Jesus wasn’t condemning public or corporate prayer in Matt. 6:6 but “those” who’s heart was misguided in their reasoning for public/corporate prayer.  We often might fool one another with our outward appearances but we will never fool God who sees the very heart and soul of a person.  God doesn’t want fake!  God wants real, authentic worship and prayer is one means of worshipping God the Father and Jesus Christ our Savior. True spontaneous prayer flows not from the mouth but from the heart.

What a privledge we have that we can approach our Heavenly Father, the Creator of the Universe and everything in it in prayer! 

Have you taken time to talk to God today?  Make no mistake.  He’s waiting for you!

Listen for the entire sermon “Prayer, First Things First” coming soon to our “Listen to a Sunday message” section.

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