Sermon Notes & Videos
2022-11-04 | Joshua 5-6 | Spiritual Violence
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I have no doubt that the words themselves will invoke strong emotions, and you may not like them. They often settle in your soul in a certain place, very likely in the location reserved for where negative feelings go to dwell. The words are ‘violence’ and ‘violent.’ ‘Violence’ describes a type of behavior, often involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or even kill. It is an unpleasant or destructive force used for intimidation, oftentimes unlawful. Synonyms that describe ‘violent’ include brutal, savage, cruel, sadistic, barbarous, murderous, bloodthirsty, ruthless, inhumane, heartless, and merciless. These certainly reside in the home reserved for negative emotions. Even its antonyms prove where violence undoubtedly lives in your soul: gentleness, kindness, and mildness.
Today, I will also include a few other thoughts to help add to your frame of reference. I wish to reframe violence in your mind, not to eliminate the above, just add to it. And, I’ll use this bible passage to show both sides of the violence coin, how it’s actually a double-edged sword. “THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE, AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE.” How I defined it above certainly conveys the proper understanding of “violence” in this verse; the kingdom of heaven is being violated by destructive forces. But “the violent”, who take it by force, is something different. It best describes the necessary actions of spiritually violent men who MUST use violence to fiercely defend the kingdom against destructive forces, those who also wrestle ferociously to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth. Yes, proper descriptors for these men live in positive emotions territory. Think ferocious, intense, vehement, fervent, ardent, zealous, and fierce. Spiritually fierce men defend the kingdom; ferocious men take the kingdom by force. These warriors protect the kingdom and then overtake it!
How? The Scripture says… by force! What kind of force? It’s not what you think. It’s not brute force. It’s not physical force. It is spiritual force! Sure, at times it appears like fire from heaven; but other times it overcomes the unlawful violence against the kingdom by turning the other cheek. And then there is the intense violence of meekness, the most ferocious spiritual force of all. This is the power to do nothing when you have the power to do everything.
2022-10-28 | Joshua 1-4 | Baptism on Dry Ground
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A herald is going out to the Church calling all Christians to radical, grace-empowered, faith-based obedience—obedience to God that will overtake every aspect of your life. The time has come to answer this mysterious prophetic question. What will it take to become perfect, to reach the stature and fullness of Christ? Asked another way: how will Christ become fully formed in you?
Unraveling this mystery has been a problem avoided for centuries—and when any attempt is made to solve it, the most common solution is death. We must literally die to become like Christ! We have become convinced that the only way to reach Paul’s lofty goal, “Imitate me as I Imitate Christ,” to emulate the perfect life of Christ, is to die. That strange doctrine alone is responsible for more Christians living excuse-filled lives than any other. In other words, being alive is the perfect excuse to sin. This has become ingrained into Christian thinking; “Why even consider Christlike perfection when I have the perfect excuse to remain imperfect? Since sin is a forgone conclusion, while I live and breathe, I can’t be expected or responsible to truly become like Christ. There is no practical plan for humanity to exercise complete power over sin on this side of eternity. There’s no way for me to stop sinning until I’m dead. Therefore, to become like Jesus is reserved for the afterlife, or more precisely, it is an after-death experience.”
King David did something 3000 years ago that few other men in history would dare to do. His approach should shed some light on God’s heart to change those erroneous assumptions about sin! Maybe there is an actual plan for humans to achieve what Christ commanded. “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” What did David do? He anticipated what God desired and was bold enough to declare it out loud, before we see any evidence that God told him to do so! Might we do the same?
Let’s get personal! What could you accomplish for God if you could foresee His divine plan—in advance, and if you were willing to act on that plan, regardless of how crazy it might seem or how risky it might be? You see, something else happened once David proved he was willing. It was astonishing, and it would not have happened otherwise. God downloaded the blueprints of His plan to the king! Might He do the same for you?
This year we will answer many questions, as we examine the magnificent prophetic framework of the Bible. As we download God’s blueprints and decode His plan, we will learn to decipher the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven—Christlikeness heading the top of our list. On our voyage to the edge of the promised land, we have thus far journeyed from captivity, through the wilderness, and now we find ourselves standing on the bank of the Jordan. It is time to cross over into your inheritance.
What is Christianity’s ultimate inheritance, its promised land? And, what will it take for you to cross your Jordan? It’s going to take unshakable faith, the faith of a giant slayer with the heart of David, infused with grace and moved by the Holy Spirit. Are you willing to proclaim the unthinkable with the faith of a man after God’s own heart? What you will uncover is the secret that holds back the waters. Then, you can step into the river and cross over on dry ground!
You must, at this moment in history, consider your duty and calling. What is your job description in the prophetic journey of mankind? What is your role in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth? For 2000 years we’ve prayed, “On earth as it is in heaven.” But now, the time is urgent… “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” You are about to be revealed!
What is Christianity’s promised land? It’s Christlikeness; it’s that on this side of the grave you no longer live in your body, but Christ lives in you, the hope of glory. And that at some prophetic moment in time, it will be the fullness of Christ in you—perfection. That is the promised land and that is where we are going.
Come–let’s go on a journey together to unlock extraordinary mysteries. Discover that the impossible is possible. Step into the dry riverbed and walk over to your ultimate destiny. Then, take part in the most exciting events the world has ever known. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.“
2022-2023 | Reading Schedule | The Year of Holiness
“‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as uncircumcised. Three years it shall be as uncircumcised to you. It shall not be eaten. But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, a praise to the Lord. And in the fifth year you may eat its fruit, that it may yield to you its increase: I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:23-25 NKJV
It’s been three years… We are not going back to Genesis. We have three years behind us “in the land.” This year’s fruit (year four) will be our holiness for Yahweh (Be holy! Lev. 19-20 & I Peter 1:16)! Next year we will eat the increase of that fruit of holiness (Eph. 3:20). Strap in!
2022-10-21 | Genesis 1-6 | Suitable Helper
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Most Christians are familiar with the creation account in Genesis. And one of the most notable recitals in that account is God’s view on companionship. The idea is so critical that it inspires this revelatory imperative; “It is not good for man to be alone.” As such, God causes a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and then extracts from within him, a helper comparable to him. Then God commands they reunite in marriage and to be fruitful and multiply. To the unbeliever this likely sounds very absurd, a bit like bad science fiction, and even a little insane, breaking from all reality.
To God’s Children, this should represent the pinnacle of His intent for humanity. And God did not suggest, but commanded them to become one flesh in marriage and to multiply with children. Ah, there it is: the institution of marriage and the traditional family. In today’s culture, even the word “marriage” can trigger feelings once relegated to those intended by four letter words. The myriad of couples, who have endured the horrendous experience of divorce, might be the most trigger-worthy.
A Barna study suggests that for all adults surveyed, the overall percentage of people who had been divorced was 33%. For “born again Christians” it was 32%, and for the atheist/agnostic group it was only 30%. I don’t know about you, but I find these comparisons appalling! Evangelicals fair a bit better at 26%. But, if you want the best chance of staying married, it’s not Christ who makes the biggest difference, but money and ethnicity! Simply being rich lowers your risk of divorce to 22%. Yet, you are best off just being Asian, as they come in at only 20%.
For the unbeliever, it is almost a given that marriage should have a disastrous end. Two humans bound together and living under the same roof with no guiding parameters other than a humanistic perspective, self-help books, and advice from peers living in the same black hole—everything but God. On the other hand, the child of God should be poised for success. We have access to the Holy Spirit along with our Manufacturer’s User’s Manual for life, at our fingertips! So, why are we not experiencing greater results? What seems to be the problem? In today’s study of God’s inspired Word, we will hone in on both the problem and the solution, and on how to become a Suitable Helper!
2022-10-14 | Connecting Y’shua to The Seven Biblical Feasts
“Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years.” It’s easy to miss. The cycles of the sun and the moon are given for seasons, and for days and years. But, what are the signs? Y’shua rebuked religious leaders for not knowing. “Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.” Can you discern the signs of the times? Paul assumed you could; “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night… We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.” For what signs should you be watching?
The yearly cycle of Biblical Feasts is precisely to which Yahweh, Y’shua, and Paul are referring. The Feasts are God’s prophetic calendar for mankind’s history and future. However, if you don’t prioritize their prophetic significance, tragically, you won’t be able to tell what time it is; you won’t be capable of recognizing the signs of the times. Worse yet, you won’t even know what signs to watch for. Let’s take a sobering journey through the yearly Biblical Feast cycle, so you can synchronize your calendar. Then, you will know perfectly what day it is!
2022-10-07 | Deuteronomy 33-34 | The End of the Beginning
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“It’s time to go over the wall.” Those were his words after I explained what had transpired over the past six weeks. The whole thing seemed to climax on the previous Friday night after I presented “Scorched Earth.” And when I woke on Saturday morning it felt like the first day of Summer vacation. The pressure was off and I was relaxed for the first time in more than a month. I instantly had a vision of a sprinter running through the finish line, breaking the tape. “You run through the tape, not to the tape,” I heard. And then the thought settled in, “Now I can slowly glide to a stop over the next few weeks as we complete this year’s cycle, like a sprinter who slows down gently, so he does not hit the wall.” Run through the tape, not to the tape, and then ease up slowly. This is what I thought would happen, until I woke up on Sunday morning. Summer vacation was over.
“It’s time to go over the wall.” My dear brother’s words at dinner that night, just days after my vision of the sprinter, had vibrated my eardrums, but not instantly reached my brain. I shook loose from my momentary vacant stare. “Maybe you have to climb the wall, not stop at the wall.” His clarifying words testified to what I already knew to be true. Between those two moments, the vision Saturday morning and dinner the following Thursday night, I had already composed the first of the final two messages, and there was no indication that anything was slowing down. Naturally, the only possibilities would be to climb over or break through, but stopping at the wall was clearly not an option. Something new was coming!
Friday evening I delivered “Post Mortem Imperative.” Then, Saturday morning God gave me yet another vision, this for the young adult study that morning—W. A. R. (Warring Against Repentance). It’s about the internal war against our own repentance, the craving we have to erase our repentant hearts, just so we can cycle back to our lustful sins—cycle back. I woke again Sunday morning to begin preparation, this time for the final chapter in the saga, this very message. As usual, I had great anticipation that the Lord would speak. Although, I have to admit, what He was about to reveal far exceeded anything I could ever imagine.
This short introduction will not suffice; you will need to listen to the message in its entirety. However, I will say this; the plan of cycling through the Torah portions, year-after-year, ending with Deuteronomy 34 and beginning immediately again with Genesis 1, is a double-edged sword. On one edge, by repeating the cycle we learn to recognize and rehearse the amazing patterns from the Torah that inspire New Testament teachings again and again. And, on the other edge, it seems to have engrained something ominous into mankind’s psyche. Why? Because just when it’s time to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land, we learn to STOP! Go back to the beginning and start all over again.
And isn’t that precisely what all of mankind has done, repeatedly? It’s the story of man: command, fail, repent, forgiven… repeat. What are the possibilities if we just keep going? Instead of Deuteronomy and back to Genesis, let’s march straight ahead into Joshua. Let’s go over the wall! Let’s break free of this earth’s gravitational pull. Gravity is a natural phenomenon by which all things with mass are brought toward one another, the force of attraction between any two masses. One mass is mankind, the other is sin! In other words, we are strongly attracted to the gravitational pull of being a sinful human; but what if we just went forward?
What if we accepted that we are no longer just human? What if we brought an end to the beginning? Let’s dare to cross the finish line, accelerate a little, and scale that wall. What’s on the other side? I think it’s what we’ve all been looking for. Dare we believe? Might we look in the mirror one day and see the glory of the Lord staring back at us? Dare we believe?