Sermon Notes & Videos
2022-11-11 | Joshua 7-8 | Et tu, Joshua?
Weekly Scriptures | Sermon Notes | Sermon Video
Friends don’t do that. It’s one of those labels that has been used and abused, like love. I love my car; I love my job; I love my house; I love my dog; I love football, etc. And, I have a friend; I know a friend; I can introduce you to a friend; my friend online, etc. Every acquaintance in your social circle is your friend? And every contact in your device is a friend? And every social media follower or followed… are friends? Guess what? They are NOT your friends.
Friendship is so deep, so intimate, so binding, that it alone sits next to love on our journey to divine-likeness. God is love; Y’shua said that. And here we have the path to that love. To your faith add virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and brotherly kindness. Only then do we arrive at love, His divine nature. Did you catch it? Brotherly kindness is friendship; and you must add friendship to godliness before you can love! Friends know one another, understand one another, trust one another, believe in one another, and are faithful to one another. Friendship describes a closeness so close that it would surrender itself for another. As such, you might now agree that you don’t have any friends on your social media platforms; you aren’t following actual friends in your “friend list.” Neither are you being followed by friends! Maybe you have a friend or two in your thousands of device contacts, maybe, but that’s about it.
All this, and yet Y’shua calls us friends. Abraham was called God’s friend; Moses too was a friend of God. That is some pretty exclusive company. Y’shua kept Peter, James and John in His inner circle. That is why they alone were on the mountain with Him when He revealed what the future held for mankind; very exclusive company! All such deep intimacy, and still Y’shua includes us in His inner circle; He calls us friends.
And if friendship is such an exclusive binding relationship, how much does it hurt when a friend betrays you? How painful is it when the one who should know you best forgets who you are, has a lapse in memory about your history together, loses trust in you, or purposely separates from you? It’s an awful thing to slip into the endless list of those “friended” online, those who don’t really know you—those who NEVER knew you.
Joshua had an extensive history with Yahweh. He was there for it all. He stood by Moses’ side. He spied out the land and returned with the good report. He witnessed every indescribable miracle during Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, and every supernatural provision in the wilderness. He was the single man anointed to carry the torch into the promised land, and through him God orchestrated holding back the flood waters of the Jordan, so His people could pass over on dry ground. Joshua certainly had a victorious entry! The walls of Jericho had fallen and he was on the way to Israel’s next conquest.
Then, there was one small setback and Joshua goes completely sideways! He sinks right to the bottom and joins the faceless list of those who have no history with God; he goes utterly blank. It feels like an absolute betrayal and Yahweh will have NO part of it. “Get up Joshua, and stop your sniveling! Of all people, you should know better. We have an extensive history together! How can you forget My personal guarantee? ‘Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.’ Plus, you know very well how much I hate whining.
Grumbling and complaining will get you nothing but a giant slap down. Get up, pull up your pants and be a big boy. Figure out what went wrong and fix it, or I will. Oh, and if I have to do it, it will be much, much worse for everyone!”
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!