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Because you… I Will… I Am Coming Soon

May 24th, 2022

Revelation 7:10-11 BECAUSE YOU have kept my command to endure, I Will also keep you from the hour of testing… I AM COMING SOON. Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown

In the letters to the churches in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, he always begins with a name that states his right to speak, then an assessment, a conclusion of challenge, and an expectation, “let anyone who has ears listen”. To the church of brotherly love, Philadelphia, beginning in v7 he identifies himself as The Holy One, the True one, the One who has the Key of David (Authority) to open and close doors definitively, decisively, then, I place before you an open door that no one can close…

He says in v8, you have little power… YET… Oh I love the conjunctions of God. Yet. Listen, don’t pray for tasks that equal your power, but for power equal to the tasks, because, you have little power. YET, remember Paul said that God chooses the weak to confound the strong… So, when he says you have little power, it isn’t a “diss” but it’s not a call to get stronger, but it’s just a statement of reality, that God has opened a door of opportunity that we cannot open.

Why? v8, You have kept my word, you have not denied my name… We often close our doors of opportunity because we won’t stay the course, and stay with The True One. When we do not stay with him, we become liars and make him appear to be a liar. He is calling, Keep my word… keep to my name… Our Relationship is important. V9 those who claim a relationship, but don’t have it are in fact satan worshippers.

Yet, in the midst of a lying generation – lying about the authority of God, lying about the nature of God, lying about the coming of God… We have held to his word. That is, our actions as obedient followers are true to his name and his word. In our expectation, believing that he is coming, in our surrender, knowing he is God, Good, and Gracious, we have NOT denied him, but instead freely confessed him. So…

Because… there ARE Conditional Promises – Except a man be born again… no one comes to the Father BUT BY ME… So because, in spite of little strength, we have kept to his word, name, commands, it is not saying we are perfect, or even “good”. But notice the command was to endure – hypomone = a remaining behind, a patient enduring, steadfast, perseverance. Oh, I like that picture, remaining behind, enduring. He doesn’t say “keep up with me”, he says “keep coming AFTER / BEHIND me.” Keep coming child of God. I can’t always “keep up”, but I can get up and Keep Coming.

Because you have kept (guarded, watched – tereo) …I will ALSO KEEP… Oh we could talk about what we THINK this means, and there is a time and a place for that eschatological discussion, but for NOW… know this, God always KEEPS MORE for us, gives more TO us, than he asks from us. And so here he says I will ALSO KEEP you from the hour of testing. Oh, I certainly have what I believe this means in the short term of a 7-year period… but ultimately those who endure, who keep going, will find that what we have endured is nothing in comparison to what he has kept us FROM because we obeyed him. What we have endured is nothing compared to the joy set before us, what he has prepared for us… and then just know this…

I Am Coming Soon

The world is hard, just like he said it would be in John 16:33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world, but Be Courageous! I have conquered the world. Jesus is not GOING TO Win, he has ALREADY WON, he just hasn’t come to complete the transaction yet.

So, Hold On to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. Oh they can’t steal your salvation, they can’t steal what’s in my heart, but they may try to steal my hat. They might take my opportunity to be a pillar in the Temple of God, my place of honor and recognition. What do you have? Faith, Courage, Strength in Suffering, and a stephanos – Crown of victory, medal of valor if you will. But I am mindful of Hebrews 10:37-39 – we are not of those who shrink back…

Jesus is Coming Soon – “coming “- erchomai = to arrive, to be center stage, – “Soon” = quick, swift, faster. Certainly, he is coming sooner than yesterday, but when he comes, it will be swift, quick, fast so

Be Ready

Be Faithful

Be Obedient

Be Persistent

Be Expectant

Be Encouraged

He is Coming, and he has more for you, than you have given him, so much more than we could ever imagine.
Do you NOW believe?

May 24th, 2022

John 16:31 – Do you NOW believe?

An hour is coming, and has come when each of you will be scattered. I have told you these things so that IN ME you will have peace. You WILL have suffering in this world. BE COURAGEOUS. I have conquered the world

Jesus said, “Oh NOW you believe.” How often we make little steps out of “belief” and into faith. God shows us the same thing he’s BEEN showing us for months, or years, and we finally GET IT, or at least part of it; our eyes are opened and God says, “now you see.”

“Now You Believe” – so just go on with your revelation? No… this revelation is for the hard stuff still to come. “an hour is coming, and HAS come” You GOT THIS. It is IN the struggle that we are forced into the Master’s presence. At the Master’s feet, or on our backs, knocked down by life, we focus on his voice and his message and v30 says “by THIS we believe”. How many hard things have happened that were the vehicle that moved you OUT of “self-competency” and INTO faith in God? And this new knowledge / revelation, is FOR THIS HOUR

An hour is coming and has come

There is something coming and we are now at the threshold and the increased knowledge and faith you have received is what will get you through the next chapter to come.

You will be scattered i.e. “you ain’t seen nothing yet”.

The enemy is riled up too… you will FEEL alone. But if we are on the obedient, God-honoring, Spirit empowered mission, you are NOT ALONE, never alone, “because the Father is with me”. Jesus understood what we must, that we will never be alone in the plan and purposes of God. So he says, “now that you believe… let me tell you why I revealed this… What’s God saying today? Believe and Go

So that – those are some of my favorite words in scripture – God is always a SO THAT God, not a SO WHAT, God.

So that you may have PEACE – Eirene = welfare, peace, be undisturbed

God’s revelation comes not for your permission, not even for your embrace… but that you might not be disturbed by the struggle, but have PEACE, not in the information, because peace comes not from the information but is a gift of the Holy Spirit
“Let’s Go to Judea Again”- John 11:7

March 30th, 2022

John 11 is famous for the death and resurrection of one of Jesus’ close friends, Lazarus. Jesus gets word that Lazarus is sick and dying. But Jesus, in his Omniscience, knows that Lazarus is already dead. He says “this sickness will not end in death, but is for the glory of God”.

The last time they had been in Judea, they had attempted to stone him to death in John 10. So, when Jesus says, “Let’s go to Judea again”, the disciples aren’t keen on the idea. “uh, Teacher, they tried to stone you, and you’re going there again?” I like that “you’re”, meaning, “we’re”.

Has God ever called you to go back to a place where things were hard the last time? Have you been asked to revisit a place where you were attacked before?

I once got invited to come back to a church shortly after being at a camp with them where a person got angry with me over a minor sporting event and things got out of control. “Well Lord, ok”. Then when I got there, the issue hadn’t blown over. While I was speaking the Lord told me to do something. He told me to give my check to that person. You should know at this moment, coming out of a natural break in my schedule as an evangelist, I hadn’t worked in 6 weeks. This was my first check in 6 weeks. Ultimately, I did what God told me to do. The person didn’t want it, but I gave it anyway, publicly, and told them God told me to, and just to pray and ask God what to do with it. Then I had to go home and explain to my wife what I had just done, which of course she said, “maybe he needed it.”

Well the disciples said, “Jesus is this a good idea?” And Jesus response is a bit cryptic at first, v9 “aren’t there twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the LIGHT OF THE WORLD” (emphasis mine). Later he explains, “Lazarus is dead… let’s go to him” and Thomas replies, “let’s go too so that we may DIE WITH HIM”. Not sure if he was expecting to die with Lazarus or with JESUS. But “let’s go”.

What does it mean to “walk in the day”. I don’t think it means from 06:00 to 18:00. It means to walk in the “light of the world” the “light of God”.

1 John 1:7 says, “if we walk in the light we have fellowship… the blood of Jesus cleanses”

Isaiah 2:5 says “come let us walk in the Lord’s light”

Psalm 56:13 “you rescued me to walk before God in the Light”

Psalm 89:15 “happy are the people who know the joyful shout; Lord they walk in the light of your face” – what is the joyful shout? “Jesus Saves”

Isaiah 9:2 “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light“

John 8:12 “I Am the light of the World”

are you with me? Jesus IS the Light. He doesn’t just contain light, give light, he IS Light. If we walk in HIS revelation, we can trust where we are going. But often he doesn’t “shine” light on everything, just the area he wants obedience, “Let’s go to Judea”. That was the only light he was giving them at first. He didn’t tell them the whole situation, or what he was going to do. Yes, an Amazing thing was going to happen. Perhaps the greatest act, before the Cross and Resurrection, was Jesus raising Lazarus. They were going to see the high point. And yet that High Point was also going to bring about renewed effort to KILL him, which was a LOW point for Him and a HIGH Point for all of us who would receive.

They had no idea what he was going to do, what would happen, maybe they will kill us… but if “failure” is the result of OBEDIENCE, then it is never failure, it is following in faithful obedience, and he will say “well done.”

That Wednesday night, I gave some money to a student, and went home with the satisfaction of obedience, and didn’t give it a second thought. Flash Forward 4 years. I was speaking at a Youth Camp. One Evening outside, I heard a voice say, “Pastor Jim can I talk to you.” The person was shadowed in the night. I came over, and stepped into the light and saw the face of that young man from 4 years before. He looked at me and said “I don’t know if you know who I am…” I said, “Yes I know who you are.” And then he said, “The last 4 years have been for this moment… You were right, I was wrong, I’m sorry, but you should know that God has called me into the ministry and I’m in school studying to be a youth minister.”

Yes Lord, where you go, I’ll go

“Let’s go too, so that we may die with him.”
For This Purpose

January 24th, 2022

Acts 26:16 – I have appeared to you For This Purpose

Staff meeting devotion for today

God always has a purpose. When he called Paul, he gave him a vision statement from the start. Oh he’d been calling Paul for awhile, “why are you kicking against the goads” that tells us that he had been trying to get Paul’s attention and prod him in the right direction, but when Paul finally listened on the road to Damascus, God cast a vision as he called him into salvation.

God always has a purpose. God doesn’t cause all things; in the way we understand causation, but he is on the throne, Lord of all things. So, as he allows things, or causes things, he has a purpose.

Joseph understood that from Egypt, when he told his brothers, “What you intended for evil, God intended for good.”

Mordecai told Esther, “Who knows, perhaps you have come to royal position, for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)

God uses our life experiences for his purposes. Rocks make rapid, moving water faster. Falls increase power. God always has a purpose, as rapids and water falls shape terrain and drive seeds downstream, and power the electric grid. When we believe that God has a purpose, we can trust him with the outcome.

Esther 4:16, after committing to fast for 3 days before she acted, Esther said “If I perish, I perish.” She understood that the Lord is still Sovereign over all we just obey and move.

Back to Acts 26:15-16 – I Am Jesus… in other words, my very name is, Jehovah Saves.

So, Get Up and Stand on your feet … we get knocked down, but we get up, God is in the Knocking down and in the Rising.

“Get Up” – the word means to rise for the purpose of action. Think about that tomorrow morning, Rise for the purpose of Action. Plant your feet and STAND.

I think of Joshua telling the Israelites, consecrate yourselves today for tomorrow the Lord is going to do something amazing. Often God doesn’t work because he spoke but we haven’t moved, we haven’t risen, gotten up, made ready, stood, ready to be used.

Get Up… Stand, “FOR” – that little preposition means into, in, for the purpose of …

God says to appoint you… Oh My, we need to do LESS Giving of Appointments to God, and Let HIM GIVE US Appointments. He is the vine, WE are the Branches.

to appoint you as a Servant and a Witness – that’s a beautiful two-fold ministry, serve and witness. That word for servant is NOT doulos that bondservant. It is hyperetes = officer, assistant. We are an officer under the authority, and mission of King Jesus. to Witness, martys = see and report. We are to serve and witness to what we HAVE SEEN and WILL SEE – Oh there is a past and a future in the work of witnessing the move of God. What have you seen, what will you see God do.

And he tells Paul that he will use him to open the eyes… so that they may turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan, and receive forgiveness and a share

Oh, praise God our ministry is to tell people the wonder of forgiveness but also that there is a portion for us in the wonderful inheritance of Christ Jesus our Lord

What a message, what a vision God is calling us into.
Convention Message 2021 – Commission to Culmination

June 22nd, 2021
Every year after I attend the SBC Annual Meeting I bring a message reporting what we are doing in the Southern Baptist Convention, based on the inspiration of the messages I heard, and the reports about our primary ministries.

Here is my message, it’s sort of long, but maybe NOT as controversial as you might think.

Convention Inspiration 2021

Matthew 28:18-20; Revelation 7:9

From Commission to Culmination

IN December of 1975, two weeks before my 11^th, birthday God called me to preach. I heard it in my heart as clear as can be. But I waited. I didn’t tell anyone, not because I didn’t want to respond, not because I wasn’t sure, but because my dad was called to preach when he was 11 and I had heard that all my life, and when I heard that voice, I waited because I wanted to be 11. So, I waited two weeks and I felt guilty for two weeks because I wanted to be 11.,,

That call has shaped my life. It has taken me to 4 continents, it has taken me to concerts, and preaching engagements, revivals, church staff positions. But it has also had me share my faith one on one with people on planes, and over lunch, and on street corners, in coffee shops. That call was to preach the Gospel. But that is NOT the first call for the Christian. The first call of a Christian is to share their faith, meet Jesus, share Jesus. It will be different for different people, but it is still an expectation.

What then is the Commission of the Church and When is the Culmination of that Mission

Mission should be measurable and attainable, so what is our mission and how do we know how we are doing and when we are finished?

The Southern Baptist Convention is 175 Years old. We didn’t start for ALL the right reasons. We split from Northern Baptists primarily over slavery. We have confessed that sin as a convention. But our focus has always been on people meeting Jesus.
1. What was Our Commission? – Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
Read Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8

Why Does Jesus have the Right to Commission Us? 28:18

Because he has the Authority. All the Authority has been given to him.

Why? Because Philippians 2 tells us he emptied himself of glory, took up the nature of a servant, was obedient to death on the cross. So that passage says

Philippians 2:9–10 (CSB)

⁹ For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth—

Ephesians 1:20–22 (CSB)

²⁰ He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—²¹ far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²² And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church,

The Father has given EVERYTHING to the Son. The Spirit is pointing everyone TO the Son. It is ALL his … and he says;

“THEREFORE”

– We are commissioned because he is the Boss. Because it is HIS Kingdom, not OUR Kingdom. It is his plan not our plan.

Because HE HAS ALL AUTHORITY. And Dr. Tony Evans preached from this passage and several speakers referred to it. Why because it is where we start. It is why we are here. It is why he left us on earth. He hasn’t left us here because he needs 2000 years to get Heaven Ready. He can SPEAK IT READY. But he left us here because he has a commission for us. Tony Evans reminded us that he has Authority ekousia = power in legitimate hands – authorized authority.

So, the authority IS his, legitimized by Father’s Will, and Spirit’s Power, but by HIS Obedience and Faithfulness to the Cross.

Therefore –

Make Disciples

Evans called that process a transformation of worldviews

Certainly, before we can disciple people from being lovers of self into being lovers of God, we have to lead them to Christ through Evangelism. But discipling is copying the Master. But not just discipling THE ONES WE LIKE or the ones like us…
- OF the Nations – ethnos
That’s the Kingdom work that Evans has been focusing on all of his books recently, Kingdom People, transformation of the people, the structures, the systems. Yes, we want to see worlds change, but that happens as we change people, and people engage with structures and systems and we change systems – discipling the nations

And right here we need to be careful. Because the question I asked myself in my notes was, “how can we do this without being trapped by Politics?” and I believe the answer is in WHOM we seek to glorify and WHY. It’s not about the Church being Political. It’s about the People of God sharing Jesus, Engaging in Society, Transforming Systems, with the Good News that though we are sinners, there is transformation and LIFE in Jesus Christ.

Our hope is NOT in ANY Political System – One speaker this week reminded us that Christ is “not riding any donkeys or elephants.”

And our Outgoing President J.D. Greer, Pastor of The Summit Church Durham, happens to be sending Pastor to our Children now on the Mission Field, he said, when the Church gets into bed with Politics it always gets pregnant and the offspring never looks like our Heavenly Father”

But we are to Go and Disciple the Nations

How? By going to where they are!

Dr. Evans had been using a football game as a metaphor and said there three teams in every conflict, home, away, and the kingdom representative, the referees. But he said, that the offense gets into the Huddle … but no one came to watch the Huddle. You don’t MIND the Huddle, but you came to watch them break the Huddle and play the game. The question is DID THEY SCORE? Or Did they Stop them? So, we have to GO. And honestly if you go to the book of Acts, they had been commissioned, and they had been given clear instructions. And the instructions weren’t to build a Huge Jerusalem Church. It was to GO, empowered, to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the Church.

And so, what happened?

Before Saul became Paul. Before he became the great Preacher of the Gospel, I think you could say he became the greatest SENDER of the Gospel. Because there he is at the stoning of the deacon Stephen. And in the CHAOS of Persecution, the Church is forced to DO what they were called to.
- Go – Baptist, Teach to Observe
Baptizing them, who, the Nations

Baptism is how we identify with Christ and with the Church

And Tony Evans said that our Identity as a Christian is MORE than any other identifier we have. He said God went to SAVE the NATIONS and commissioned us to do that. He says God is NOT Colorblind. Still in Heaven they were every race, tribe, color, and tongue – God is NOT Color Blind, but he is also not Blinded by Color.

Baptizing the Nations in the name of Father, Son, and Spirit

Teaching Them (the nations) to OBSERVE

It is NOT in the Knowing but in the Doing that we truly identify AS Christians. Doing doesn’t MAKE us Christians, but it DOES Identify us as Christians.

It’s about Transformation. Our job is to evangelize but to share the accountability to BE Like Christ. And if WE will Observe all that he is Commanded … THEN as Kingdom People, we can see Kingdom Impact in the World.

Tony Evans said, we can’t expect God to “Skip the church house, to fix the White House”

And then as Evans closed, he reminded us that the I am with you always – literally I even I am with you always to the end of the age … he was NOT talking about salvation, he was talking about how he is WITH us, accompanies us. And that God only Accompanies us, is with us as we are with HIM. As we are doing what we’ve been told to do, THEN he is WITH Us.

As we are Kingdom people, living with Kingdom Authority, For Kingdom Glory … THEN he is with us. In John 2:21-25 Jesus preached and many believe in his name … Jesus, however would not entrust himself to them,

There is and can be a time, when we believe, have faith, but we are on our own Agenda and he is not WITH us.

2. Why Is Our Commission? – Acts 1:3-8

If Jesus only has 40 days on earth what is going to focus on? What is most important. He taught them about the Kingdom of God

The kingdom of God NOW is in our hearts surrendered to God. The Kingdom of God to COME is the Eternal Rule of God over all things – Heart, Soul, Mind, Strength, in a Unified Universe of Surrendered Creation and Creature. And he had spent 40 days teaching them about the Kingdom of God.

And the commands them NOT TO LEAVE Jerusalem but to WAIT for the Father’s promise … What was the promise? John 14 don’t let your hearts be troubled… believe in me… I am going to prepare a place for you… I will come again and take you to myself… but then he says in v16, I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor… I will not leave you as orphans… the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send me my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you. Peace I leave with you… don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful and in John 15:25 he continues, he will testify about me. You also will testify… chapter 16 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father… I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.

So, he has told them he is leaving. Now the time is here. He is leaving. He has also promised them that he will return. But In the Meantime, we have a Person, we have Power, and we have a Purpose. Oh wow that sounds like a sermon doesn’t it.

The Person we have is the representative of Jesus Christ, the Person, 3^rd Person of the Trinity, The Holy Spirit. He is NOT the Father, He is NOT the Son, He is the Spirit, and He is GOD! His purpose is to teach us, to convict us, he will encourage us, and he will empower us.

The Power – Jesus says he is leaving. We are going to be wondering what to do. But peace comes in realizing that when Jesus left, he was sending all the power we need. There is power in knowledge. There is power in a message, there is power in purpose.

I have been running 3-4 times a week since I started focusing on running, back in August. It’s been a different thing for me. It has stretched my endurance, my perseverance. There is a trainer that I have been using via video, Tommy Rivers Puzey. And he will be ramping things up and he often says, “come on, you can do anything for a minute”. And so, we would press on and push forward at this new rate, for a minute. We can make it for a minute. And by breaking it down, my endurance increases. What the training is doing is increasing my power, but also increasing my mental, and even spiritual power to continue.

So, Peter said, to the Lord, a day is “like 1000 years.” So, a day is 24 hours right. So, if 1000 years is a day, then 41 years is an hour. So, I’m going to live to 100 at least. That would simply be living 2 ½ HOURS. And if 41 years is an hour then 8 months is a minute, and 4 days is a second. Tommy Rivs says, “you can do anything for a minute”

And Jesus said, “for a little while you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world.” If your whole life is TROUBLE – it’s just a couple of hours. But in those HOURS – we can make it because we have the Power of the Holy Spirit.

But IN THOSE HOURS … let’s focus on the RIGHT THINGS

The Purpose – I’m giving you the Holy Spirit to work on the KINGDOM. Now there in Acts 1 the disciples are trying to get the verbiage right. And He has just again promised them that they would be BAPTIZED with the Holy Spirit with Power for the Purpose, IN A FEW DAYS … and the disciples ask, Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?

Oh my they got the word right, but not the concept. We ARE Kingdom People in Christ Jesus, but it’s NOT that kind of Kingdom. Some of us step into the voting booth trying to bring the Kingdom and that’s NOT the place. OH YES. THAT Kingdom is Coming. And that Promise will be fulfilled, but Jesus isn’t asking for our help with THAT Kingdom, but he DOES want to USE us in the Advancement of the Kingdom of God here on earth IN the Heart of All who Would Believe.

And Jesus gently answers their question by saying, it’s not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority …

… BUT you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

So, if that’s our Commission, WHEN will we know we are finished?

3. When Is the Culmination? – Revelation 7:9

Until we get to Heaven and see Revelation 5:9 and 7:9 become a reality, we have work to do.

What does that look like?

Revelation 7:9 (CSB)

⁹ After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.

This is the vision that Great Commission Baptists are Committed to. Yes, we are still the Southern Baptist Convention. We are not all “southern”, but we are all Great Commission Baptists. We adopted this moniker 10 years ago as a way to refer to us. That is our Mission, that is our Focus, to fulfill the great commission. And we put our money where our mission is.

SBC Budget 2021/22 – $190,000,000.

We can do that because we are 48,000 churches cooperating together for the Great Commission. Some might expect that to be a bloating of facilitation and administration, but that’s the beautify of the SBC.

Of the $190Million only 2.99% is spent on Facilitating Ministries, that is the Executive Committee which operates for the SBC between Annual Meetings, and the overall Operations of the SBC.

1.65% is spent on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission which works with Culture and Engagement of Issues. It assists churches in moral and ethical issues, engagement and education. They work with faith-based adoption issues, human rights issues, and religious liberty engagement.

22% is spent on our 6 Seminaries, training the next generation of Pastors and Staff.

Then 73% of our Budget is Spent on World Missions Ministries!

That includes $43,000,000 on the North American Mission Board. The North American Mission Board is focused in the USA and Canada in Compassion Ministry, Evangelism, Church Planting, and Chaplains (Hospitals and Military)

The IMB and NAMB work together on www.sendrelief.org When there is a tragedy worldwide, if you want to give to a specific need, go to send relief. You can give directly to them and know that in addition to meeting needs they will share the gospel. You can also know that they will work WITH Salvation Army and many others on the field to make the most of the opportunity, not compete.

The NAMB is focused heavily on Church Planting and Replanting of existing churches struggling and ready to reengage. Church planting is the strategy to spread the gospel, respond to brokenness, and bring spiritual, emotional, economic and social healing.

Look at this.

Notice the church plants in 2010.

Now SINCE 2011, look at this.

In 2020 we have truly LIT up the Continent with the gospel. 7,300 churches planted in 10 years. 80% are still thriving after 4 years. 18% of the baptisms in our 48,000 churches come from church plants. And notice a little but exciting thing. Down there on the bottom right in Puerto Rico. 16 New Church Plants. No new churches had been planted there in 25 years previously. That’s Great Commission Baptists at Work. http://www.namb.net

Then our Biggest Focus on Revelation 7:9 is the International Mission Board. And we allocate $95.6 Million or 50% of our budget to the IMB, and that does NOT include the $159Million given to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, in spite of COVID, that was the 2^nd largest Offering every. And with that investment, there are more than 3,500 missionaries and their 2500 children on the field right now. The world becomes more hostile to the Gospel daily and so they have to be creative and create jobs that allow them to work and connect overseas. Companies like www.kingdomgrowers.com in Forney Texas. I’m not a coffee drinker, but you can order online. Check it out. And you can buy plants that go overseas to farmers in need. The IMB is a Partner for the Gospel with Kingdom Growers so you get great Coffee and people learn about Jesus. I could go on and on. But what happens with that money and those missionaries. And with the thousands of short-term missionaries that partner?

http://www.imb.org

Well, last year in spite of covid 422 new missionaries went to their fields. 18,000 local pastors received training. 127,000 received leadership and theological training. In Healthy Church Formation 35,000 groups are meeting intending to BECOME a church. 15,000 groups were just started with the intention of becoming a church. 18,380 New Churches were formed 57,888 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, Generation churches are meeting with only 670 churches that have stopped meeting. Then the Big Winning Numbers. 769,494 people heard a Gospel Witness by our 3552 missionaries and partners. OF those 576,395 had an opportunity to respond to Christ. 144,322 became New Believers. One of those new believers was a young man who met our son and the went through the Gospel of John and He said, “I can’t believe what they did to Jesus”. He is a brother now. Then of those new believers 86,587 baptisms. You realize that is equal to nearly Two Mission Baptism for EACH of our Churches.

That brings us to ONE other Focus. $200,000 has been allocated for a new effort from our Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd.

We are Great Commission Baptist. The Great Commission Compels us to Go. Why? Because Matthew 25:46 says that without Christ, they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. What’s common, ETERNAL. What’s different is the address. If we want to take the Gospel to the Nations, leading to faith, baptizing for declaration, teaching to live according to the truth of the Kingdom, We have work to do.

So, we have been presented with Vision 2025 with 5 Initiatives. It was amended to include a 6th initiative.
- Increase the total number of Missionaries by 500. That will account for 100 lost annually.
- Add 5,000 new Church Plants taking us over 50,000 churches.
- Calling Out the Call – each church taking their role in calling on students, adults even retirees or career change new Pastors and Staff Ministers.
- Turn Around Current Reduction in Baptisms by focusing on children and students between the ages of 5 and 17. The numbers have dropped dramatically in the last 10 years
- Increase % giving, and Numbers given to the CP to 500,000,000
Then from the Floor came a recommendation for an addition to this task, of these important things:
- Prayerfully Endeavor to eliminate all incidents of sexual abuse, and racial discrimination, in our churches – those two atrocities’ damage people and damage the work of the church. We will seek to END their incidence, and end churches being silent when it happens. We must protect the next church after you put that pastor out. We have a responsibility to protect one another. And there is no place for hatred of any kind in the Church of Jesus Christ.
I read Francis Bacon – he said that what gives rise to Atheism is primarily 3 things, 1) divisions in religions. When we fight, the world doesn’t believe. 2) Scandal among the preachers of the gospel. 3) Profane Scoffing in Holy matters, which he says defaces the reverence for God. He then added a 4) learned times especially in peace and prosperity. When times are GOOD, and we are “smart”, we forget God.

We can combat Atheism, not by ARGUING truth, but by Living the Gospel we Speak of

David Jeremiah says “Preach the Gospel with Word, Picture the Gospel with Life, Practice the Gospel with Love.”

The Prayer is to engage the 331million Americans, and 7.9 Billion worldwide, with the Gospel.

But until we stand around the throne, we have work to do.

What does that mean for us? There is a Message for Everyone. Oh, you might say, “well, there are mostly white people around us.” If that’s TRUE. I would still say the word “mostly”. Reach the rest. But Revelation says, “every tribe and people”. Are there people you don’t reach out to because they are of a different “tribe” or a different “people”? “Oh they aren’t LIKE US”. Praise God … go get them! Different Tribe. Is there a place for Republicans here? How about Democrats? How about Independents? What about other Tribes? You name the divider do they need Jesus? Will we allow Jesus to be the only definer? Will we allow his WORD to be our only Teacher? We still have work to do.

And so, the Call for you and for me is to Go

Go To friends

…To family

…To hard places

…To near places

…To far places

Give to facilitate the work of others

Pray for the advancement of the gospel

Cooperate with others on the same mission

You may not be called to be a preacher, or a missionary

But you have a Commission to Share your faith, from home, across the street, into the hard places to the ends of the Earth.

Are you A Great Commission Baptist? I am, We are, There’s room for you.
Surrender To The Glory

June 1st, 2021

Stunning zoom into N103B

(Credit: ESA/Hubble, Nick Risinger (https://t.co/vulSu9y7rs), R. Gendler & ESO / Johan Monell) pic.twitter.com/7VWsuucw34
— Universal-Sci (@universal_sci) May 31, 2021

I saw this beautiful image today taken from Hubble Telescope and immediately my mind went to Psalm 19.

Can you imagine the songs David writes today? The Technology he has access to I’m sure is wonderful and supercedes the use of a shepherds flute and lyre. But more than that, ages in the presence of God. But here he writes:

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Day after day they pour out speech, night after night they communicate knowledge. There is no speech; there are no words; their voice is not heard. Their message has gone out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world …

The Glory of God. Oh it is one of my favorite thoughts and concepts in scripture. In John 1:14, the aged apostle writing at the close of the first century, I see him in my mind’s eye, thinking back on his walk with the Lord. And in perhaps some of the most beautiful text ever written, he talks about the coming of Jesus. And he says the word became flesh and dwelt among us … and then can see him pause, and perhaps take a long breath of remembrance and he says and we beheld his glory, the glory of the one and only of the Father, full of grace and truth. OH My My My – the glory. The word in the NT Greek is doxa. That’s the word also used when the Old Testament was translated into Greek from Hebrew and the word here the heavens declare the glory of God. That word at its root means “heaviness” or “weighty” and describes the worth. The concept is the Weight of the Reputation of God. There are times, when I come home at night to our house away from city lights. And the clouds have been swept away, and I look into the beauty of the sky and see all those Lights Proclaiming God’s Glory, the moon and the stars, and I often just stop and stand there staring into the sky.

Paul wrote in the first chapter of Romans that God has been revealed through creation so we are without excuse if we do not embrace the revelation of the glory of God in creation.

David sings here that the Sun going from East to West is like a fully adorned Bridegroom traveling from his home. It’s like a well conditioned athlete running perfectly their course.

And then David makes a shift in his song. He transitions from praise to revelation – the instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one’s life; the testimony of the Lord is trustworthy… the precepts are right, making the heart glad… the fear of the Lord is pure… the ordinances of the Lord are reliable… desirable… sweeter than honey… Just as sure as the stars shine, so the words of God, tell the glory of God, the weight of God’s reputation, the truth of his being. Just as true as the sun rises and sets, so God’s teaching follow his path and accomplish his purposes.

And then in the final transition from revelation to application – oh when the sun rises we can see the world as it is. Sometimes the night hides things in the darkness, but the sun rising gives us light to see reality. And so the glory of God reveals to us not only the right path but the reality that we stray from the path. And faced with the grace and truth glory of God, David sings, cleanse me… keep your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule me… then I will be blameless and cleansed…

And from the Glory of God revealed, David, in the light of truth, surrenders to the Glory and closes: may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

When all around me and even with in me, seems to be falling apart and unstable, God is my Rock

When the cost of sin is greater than I can bear, HE is My Redeemer, purchasing my soul from sin’s ransom.

The Heavens declare the glory of God

The Scripture reveal the glory of God

God’s Spirit with me reminds of the glory of God

And Jesus Christ, my rock and my Redeemer, brings ME, a sinner, INTO the Glory of God as I Surrender All
Later – John 13:36

January 5th, 2021

There’s a word I don’t like, “Later” – Read John 13:36 –

I/We usually want what we want, NOW. That’s why we have microwaves. We’d rather have it NOW, even if it is rubbery, and less flavorful, we want it NOW, not later. But that brings up some questions

1.Who is Saying – Later?

If a parent or authority says, “Later” – If the Lord God says, “Later” – that’s the ANSWER. Or at least it SHOULD be. Jesus says to Peter, v36 “where I am going you cannot follow me NOW but LATER you will. (Emphasis mine) Remember these are the words of our Omniscient, Omnisapient, Omnibenevolent Lord. And He is saying, “Following me in THIS THING”, his death – burial – resurrection – ascension, “is NOT for NOW, but for LATER”, KJV says afterward. If the Lord says it, receive it.

If a parent, if our boss, if the Lord, says, “Later”, it is a command, it is loving, it is right.

On the contrary, if a child, a subordinate, a servant of the Lord, responds to the voice of instruction with, “no I want it NOW”, or “I’ll do that later”, that is disrespectful, distrustful, disobedience.

Then the next question

2. What Does it Mean – “Later”?

It means, you have OTHER things to do NOW. You will NOT do that now, you will do that later, because NOW you have something else to do, THIS.

What is it, NOW, we are to be doing? Well put this verse in its context. Go back to v31. Jesus says to the disciples,

NOW the Son is glorified and God is glorified

We don’t understand it all because we are little children v33. So, right NOW, we need to make the most of the opportunity we have NOW, v34 a new command I give you, LOVE ONE ANOTHER v35 by this (LOVE) everyone will know … if you love.

That is the command of the Lord, but Peter is distracted by Jesus saying in v33 that he is going somewhere, and so he’s not listening.

Oh we ARE such little children. And Peter says, “I want to go with you”, but Jesus says, “Not now, later”. And of course, little Peter says, “why can’t I follow you now, I’m committed” v37. But for Peter to follow in Death at THAT time, a) wasn’t his job and b) wouldn’t accomplish HIS task OR the Kingdom task.

So, not NOW but Later, there is something else for NOW

Brings up another question then,

3. When Is It?

When Jesus says it is best, when he deems appropriate, when everything is prepared.

Jesus is saying, “Peter, you aren’t as committed as you think” v38 “you are going to deny 3 times TONIGHT, so stick with the plan I am giving you. Let’s focus on the Loving and the Living, the glorifying me with your life, and death will come soon enough”

4. So –

v14.1 Let not your heart be troubled –

Oh isn’t that instruction beautiful in context?

“Peter, you want to do MY job, you want to go where I must go, you are Troubled about the wrong things.” And I hearken to Matthew 6:33 seek first the Kingdom of Heaven … everything else will fall into place.

Don’t be troubled – not by your coming failure – you will deny me 3 times tonight

Don’t be troubled – not by your coming struggles in service

Don’t be troubled – not in the frustrations of waiting for later

Believe in God, Believe in Me – Trust me little children

NOW – v14:2-3 – I’m preparing a place for you in Heaven, with me, by the cross, by my resurrection, after my ascension, I will return and take you there, LATER.

So, NOW – Love one another. NOW – Display my glory. NOW – Tell my story. NOW – LIVE for me. Oh child, you WILL follow me, later, after you do this, NOW.
Caught Up

June 26th, 2019

He is NOT a Thief, who steals away what he already owns;

He is but an owner, a warrior to rescue, taking his goods back home;

And So comes Christ , one day like a thief, when we do not know;

To restore his blood-bought saints who are not forgotten or alone;

He will take us to a place meticulously prepared,

So that forever and a day we may dwell with him there;

So be ready this day, this moment, to hear the blest Trumpet sound;

Then as we look Up, then look Down,

Caught Up in Him,

We are Found.
A Picture of Christ in the Old Testament – Chapter Four – In the History Books – Judges to the Kings – part 2

April 28th, 2016
This is a New Study I developed at Faith Baptist Church on Wednesday Nights. I’d love to hear what you think.

A Picture of Christ in the Old Testament

Session Four: In the History Books

Judges, The Kings

So we talked about Joshua, Rahab, and the Commander of the Army of God.

Then we talked about Gideon and God’s patience with him as he was trying to place his faith but struggling with confidence.

in the Judges period

Chapter 13 introduces us to Samson. A man named Manoah, from Dan, was husband to a woman without children.

13:3 The Angel of the Lord appeared to her and said ‘you are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son … see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink that you do not eat anything unclean … you will conceive and give birth to a son. No razor may be used on his head, because the boy is to be a Nazirite, set apart to God from birth, and he will begin the deliverance of Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”

V6 a man of God came to me. He looked like an angel of God, very awesome (yare’ inspiring fear)

And she tells him everything he said …

I LOVE this … then Manoah prayed

Lord I beg you, let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy

V9 the angel of God came again to the woman … but her husband … was not with her

She ran and got her husband …

They asked God in v12 how to order their son’s life.

V13 the Angel of the Lord confirmed what he had told the woman. A Nazirite

V15 stay and eat with us …

V16 I will not eat any of your food, but if you prepare a burnt offering, offer it to The Lord

(did not realize it was the Angel of the Lord)

V17 What is your name, so that we may honor you when your word comes true?

V18 why do you ask my name … it is WONDERFUL – piliy/paliy = secret, wonderful – Oh my goodness … it is the same word as to us a child is born a son is given and his name shall be called WONDERFUL Counselor, Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6)

Matthew Henry says Angels often gave their names in scripture like Michael, Gabriel, but this Angel has a name “too Wonderful” … it was a SECRET … that would be Revealed in Jesus Christ

And The Lord did an Amazing thing – Yahweh Yehovah … did an amazing thing

Samson was to be a man with singular devotion to the Lord, and to God’s strength, so no wine, no vanity, no rich foods … his strength his focus was to be on God …

V20 and the Angel of the Lord went UP in the flame … and they fell on their faces on the ground …

They knew that he was the Angel of the Lord

What do we do with the Revelation of Jesus? In John 9 what did the Blind man do, proscyneo, fall on our faces and worship him, listen to his voice, be convinced of his direction, and follow …

God doesn’t reveal himself to kill us, as Manoah thought, but to include us in his plan.

Samson was born and grew and the Lord blessed … And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him …

Samson was called and empowered by God. it was affirmed by Jesus and he was empowered by the Holy Spirit. Over and Over it says “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him …”

Of course, Samson is most famous for being strong and for having long hair that was cut by Delilah. After Delilah cut his hair, we know that he lost his strength. But his strength was not in his hair. His strength was in the Spirit of the Lord; and the Spirit of the Lord was with him in his obedience to the commands of God.

He was commanded before birth, to never cut his hair, never eat anything unclean, never take fermented drink. And one of the saddest verses in scripture is Judges 16:20 … He awoke from his sleep and thought, ‘I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the Lord had left him.”

But praise the Lord he doesn’t leave us as we are, if our heart is toward him.

So even then in his captivity, bound in bronze shackles, his eyes gouged out, there is a beautiful simple verse, 16:22 but the hair on his had began to grow again after it had been shaved. The moment the hair started to grow he had a chance to obey God by not cutting it.

Oh we may go into the far country of rebellion, but we can come to ourselves in the pig pen. We can return. It wasn’t the hair that strengthened him, but it was obedience to the commands of God.

And so Samson prayed v28 O Sovereign Lord, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes

What is RIGHT about his prayer?

It is focused on God. “Sovereign Lord” – God is on the throne and in charge, including of my life … God I know you are the boss not me.

“Remember Me” – Lord turn your face toward me. Lord don’t forget me in my justified judgment.

“Please” – there is no demand, but a petition, a request to a ruling God, if it please him. “Strengthen me” – my strength is in you not in me, not in my hair, not in my muscles, my strength is in you

Psalm 84:5 (NIV84)

⁵ Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.

So, the Final Judge then was Samuel. His mother Hannah was barren and married to Elkanah, who was married to two women but deeply loved Hannah. Hannah prayed to the Lord for a son and promised to give him to the Lord if the Lord would give to her. God answered her prayer and gave her a son. She weaned him and brought him to the priest Eli and left him there. She looked after him, probably visited him often, but gave him to the Lord. In response, the Lord gave her 3 more sons and 3 more daughters.

So 1 Samuel 3 … v1 says in those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions

Why? Because the people, the priests, were not obeying God so God wasn’t speaking to them.

The Lamp of God had not yet gone out – like Eli’s eyes were growing dim, so the ability to see God was growing dim … but that was about to change

Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle “where the ark was” … Like Joshua who stayed in the Tent of Meeting while he was servant to Moses, so Samuel stayed close to the Lord. Whether this means he was in the Holy of Holies or just in the Tabernacle which was where God’s Ark was … most likely the latter. He was close to the Lord

Then the Lord Called Samuel – no one comes to God unless God calls him. Yes I believe we have the ability to hear God and respond to him, but it is HIS Gracious choice to call us into relationship with him and to reveal his work as he invites us to join him.

He ran to Eli – thinking it was Eli who called “Here I am; you called me” v5 – “I did not call … lie down”

V6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel” – Oh don’t forget he knows your name. Remember when God spoke to Hagar she was shocked that God knew her … “He knows my name, he knows my ev’ry thought …” and he went to Eli again, “Here I am …” “I did not call you”

V7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord: the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him”

V8 the Lord called a third time … “Here I am; you called me” THEN Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy.”

How do we respond to the voice of God? v9 “if he calls you, say, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening’”

V10 … The Lord came and stood there, calling “Samuel, Samuel” – The Lord doesn’t call to us from an unreachable place. Yes the Father lives in unapproachable light, but Jesus is God WITH US and he can be experienced by us. His kindness doesn’t CALL us to Repentance, Romans 2:4 says it LEADS us to Repentance … The Lord is a Shepherd, not an owner … he is there … and so he CAME and STOOD – yatsab = to present oneself – Calling – qara’= to shout, to call, to name, appoint, summon, proclaim, announce

Unique thing here that doesn’t always happen is that Samuel’s call to KNOW God came WITH his Call to Ministry … and it is NOT a Good word that God gives the Boy … how old, not sure but young, he slept on the floor, he served in little outfits made by his mother.

V11 – Behold – See – Samuel had never seen, understood the Lord … but that was about to change … The word of the Lord is often like this … it is like the word in Revelation that is sweet to the mouth but sour to the stomach. It is a wonderful thing to hear the Lord’s word, but proclaiming it, receiving it, can be so hard. This judgment against Eli is spelled out in chapter two by an unnamed prophet.

V15 says that this guilt cannot be atoned for … I do not think that this means that an individual cannot be saved after sin. I believe it means that some actions could cause us to lose a place or a blessing. Just like the generation of Israel that came out of Egypt lost out on the Promised Land, it didn’t mean that they LOST God … he stayed with them, even in the wandering, wilderness, judgment, but they lost the promised earthly gift.

Then Eli calls v16 and asked v17 what God said … hearing the word of the Lord is easier than delivering it … take my word for it.

But Samuel told him and v18 “he is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes”

V19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground

Isaiah 55:11 (NIV84)

¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

V20 Israel recognized that Samuel as a prophet of the Lord … and v21 he revealed himself to Samuel through his word

Samuel led the people through God’s word as the last Judge.

But the people wanted a King.

We often would rather be led by people than led by God. We can fight against people, but don’t want to fight with God.

We can complain to people, but not to God … people are easier rather than strive against God and his word.

Saul was the man chosen then by God. He was good, handsome, humble, but he took his eyes off God. Just as Israel was and did.

Saul, against the Amalakites looked at the treasures and he wanted them. He wanted to show himself strong. God wanted quiet obedience and to destroy those things, but Saul wanted a lavish elaborate display … even calling it worship … but God said To Obey is Better than Sacrifice. You can’t disobey and call it worship.

So David was anointed to be King.

David, as much as any in Scripture, is a type of Christ … Just in the Story of Goliath we see it.
1. He fought a battle with Goliath on Behalf of the whole Nation (1 Sam 17)
– Jesus fought our battle with Sin (Rom 5:19)
1. He was Israel’s Representative (1 Sam 17)
– Jesus is ours (Rom 5:18-19)
1. Sent By His Father (1 Sam 17)
– So Christ (1 Jn 4:14)
1. Rejected by his Brothers (1 Sam 17)
– So was Christ (John 7:5)
1. His Victory was Israel’s Victory (1 Sam 17)
– Christ’s Victory is Our Victory (Rom 5:19)
1. David Then was in Exile before he became King (1 Sam 22:1-2)
– Christ has ascended to the Father but will Reign in person after the Tribulation (Col 2:15; Rev 11:15)
1. Gathered the Troubled (distress, discontented, indebted, disoriented) (1 Sam 22:1-2)
– Jesus says come to me all who are weary and heavy laden – they were harassed and helpless (Mt 11:28 – Mt 9:36)
1. He Rewarded those who worked in building his Kingdom (1 Chron 11&12)
– There will be crowns for us at the Marriage of the Lamb (Rev 22:12)

Oh Our enemy is Too Big for us to fight alone

He is Loud and Powerful

He has Large forces behind him … Goliath even had four brothers at home (2 Sam 21:16-22; 1 Chronicles 20:5-8)

Comes a Simple Shepherd to Defeat Him

With a Small Stone he defeats him and cuts off his head … Jesus will crush the head of the serpent …

So, a great man, a King Forever … promised seed will come through him.

But I want us to see The Angel of the Lord in a terrible episode in his life.

2 Samuel 23 talks about David’s Mighty Men, his Thirty Special Fighting Men.

But in 2 Samuel 24 David orders a census of his Army. It results in the judgment of God. What’s the big deal? Is this a sin? Obviously it is a sin … let’s read it

2 Samuel 24:1-4

1 Chronicles 21

So … why was this a big deal? Matthew Henry lists many possible reasons
- He didn’t count those under 20 (1 Chr 27:23-24 so it wasn’t legal)
- He did not require them to pay the temple tax Exo 30:12 as a ransom for their souls
- Or perhaps he DID but kept the money for himself instead of giving to God
- God had not ordered it
- This was counting God’s people who were to be innumerable
- But the WORST was Pride
He was not numbering his sheep so he could care for them. He was numbering them to brag about what he had. God used satan to cause David to do this, which says that the issue in his heart was already there.

The glory of Israel was not in her numbers, not even recounting how they had been blessed, but their glory was in the Lord Alone

So, David sought to offend God by drawing attention to their number. We don’t have to prove the blessing of God, but LIVE IN it.

Joab even purposely left out Benjamin and Levi because it was offensive to him.

V7 this was evil in the sight of God; so he punished Israel

M.Henry “If God’s dearest children do amiss, they must expect to smart for it.”

– David was a man after God’s own heart, so it is not that he didn’t sin, but his heart was soft and he responded to correction

V8 David said to God “I have sinned greatly … done a foolish thing”

God then proclaims 3 options for discipline
- 3 years of famine
- 3 months swept away by the sword of enemies
- 3 days of the Sword of the Lord – a plaque – the angel of the Lord ravaging every part of Israel
Decide …

What do you think? What would be The Results of Each?

Discuss

V13 – I am in deep distress. Let me fall into the hands of the Lord. For his mercy is very great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men

We are safer in the hands of an angry God than ungodly men

V14 – The Lord sent a plaque – 70,000 died

Angel sent to destroy Jerusalem

V15 The Lord was grieved … Don’t ever think for a minute that God delights in Judgment or discipline. No! He Delights in Showing Mercy and Compassion

Micah 7:18–19 (NIV84)

¹⁸ Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. ¹⁹ You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

And God says Enough! Withdraw your hand

The Angel of the Lord was standing at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite

Oh my, the Sword of God drawn by Jesus … If he is WITH you it is a beautiful thing … if he is against you, what a dreadful thing it is.

Remember Joshua asked Jesus, while overlooking Jericho, when he saw this man with sword drawn “are you for us or against us” and the reply “neither … I am Commander of the Army of God”

Remember Abraham Lincoln said he wasn’t near as concerned whether God was with them but whether they were with God.

Revelation 19:11–21 (NIV84)

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords. ¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.” ¹⁹ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. ²¹ The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

How dreadful for those on Earth, but how glorious for those of us riding with him. His robe dipped in blood will have washed our sins away, but his robe will be dipped in the blood of those who stood against him.

Then David, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.

Repentance and sorrow is where healing begins.

V17 “was it not I … I am the one who sinned … they are but sheep … let your hand fall on me, but not remain on your people”

David understood that he deserved it, but also that he could TRUST GOD

Job said “even if he slay me, yet will I trust him” (Job 13:15)

V18 The Angel of the Lord said “go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah

This is on Mt Moriah … what happened there? Abraham tied down Isaac, offering him to God. There a Ram was in the thicket and there the blood of the substituting ram was received in place of Isaac.

So here,

V20 Araunah and his 4 sons saw The Angel of the Lord and HID

V22 Let me have your site, threshing floor, to build an altar … sell it to me for full price

Remember God appeared to Gideon on the threshing floor too. What is it about the Threshing Floor? The Threshing floor was a place of “winnowing”, the place where true and false are separated, where fruitful and fruitless are separated, so it is where we meet God and Truth reveals itself.

V23 – Take it Lord King …” Think he was scared?

God’s glory on display, sword drawn … “O King, if you can make it stop … do it … I will give you the oxen, wood, wheat … make it stop.”

But David replies … NO

V24 – “No … full price … I will not take for the Lord what is yours, or sacrifice a burnt offering that which costs me nothing”

V25 – Built an altar, sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Oh Listen our sin has to be addressed but so does our fellowship with God which is broken. And then he CALLED on the Lord. And the Lord answered him with Fire from Heaven on the altar.

V27 – The Angel put his sword back into its sheath

Then David makes a decision …

22:1 – The house of the Lord God is to be here, and also the altar of burnt offering for Israel

So, Abraham’s altar, David’s altar, and then the Altar of Solomon’s Temple were on this place. Perhaps too this was the same place on which Christ was crucified, as the Temple of Solomon was torn down and then a temple was built later on a different site. But it was the same mountain range

And so Christ, because God’s Sword was against us, did not come to Condemn us (John 3:17) but to save us because (Jn3:18) we were condemned already. So, Jesus emptied himself of glory, like the King took off his Regal Robes, and took up the nature of a servant as David donned Sackcloth.

Though he had not sinned … He who knew no sin (2 Cor 5:21) became sin for us. So like David, he said “Let your hand fall on me” and like Paul told Philemon “If Onesimus owes you anything, charge it to me.” So Christ took up our iniquities, that God’s wrath might not remain on us.

And so on that hill, they didn’t know it, but at the sight of Abraham’s Altar, and David’s Altar and the Altar of Solomon’s temple, they erected an altar where Jesus would not offer anything that cost him nothing. And God did not offer something that cost him nothing, but he gave his one and only son, Jesus, that whoever believes in him will have everlasting life. Jesus was beaten, bruised, stripped bare, nailed to a cross and raised up. And again the blood flowed on Mt Moriah and where the blood flows, forgiveness flows. And again God was pleased for a propitiation, an atoning sacrifice to be offered. Then the Lord Jesus said “It is Finished”, it is “enough” and God put away his wrath and he answered with an earthquake and the veil was torn and the separation between God and man was removed, so that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Oh the blood of Jesus

Oh the blood of Jesus

Oh the blood of Jesus

It washes white as snow
A Picture of Christ in the Old Testament – Chapter Three – In the History – Judges to the Kings – part one

April 28th, 2016
This is Chapter three of a New Study I developed at Faith Baptist Church on Wednesday Nights. I’d love to hear what you think.

A Picture of Christ in the Old Testament

Session Three: In The History Books part two

Joshua, Judges, The Kings

So, this is not and could not be exhaustive, but let’s see a few instances and make broad strokes to see Christ in the Old Testament

What is a Theophany? A Manifestation of God that can be experienced by the humans senses

What is a Christophany? A Theophany that is personified in the 2^nd Person of the Trinity. Scripture seems to say, though that ALL Theophanies are Christophanies as Jesus is the revelation of God. And scripture says that no man HAS or CAN ever see God … So ..

What is a Type of Christ in the Old Testament? A method of biblical interpretation where an element found in the Old Testament prefigures or displays Christ in character, action, pointing to his coming, character, and completion of the picture shown. They can be Historical, Legal, or Prophetic.

So we dealt with the Law last time

But in the Exodus … I see a type in The Red Sea

The Red Sea – was opened and man crossed. Both God’s People and those pursuing

But God’s people crossed on dry ground and were saved

Those pursuing, were swallowed up and died

The ground was dry for God’s people but the depths said to bog down the wheels of the Pharaoh’s army.

So too Jesus

1 Corinthians 1:23–25 (NIV84)

²³ but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Matthew 21:44 (NIV84)

⁴⁴ He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

So they were Led by Christ, The Angel of the Lord who inhabited the pillar of cloud and the pillar of Fire … they were led even when they wandered in the wilderness because they were unwilling to believe …

So … a new generation rises, all over the age of 20 besides Caleb and Joshua die off, and they are ready to enter The Promised Land.

They send out Spies to see Jericho, the first city they have been told to take.

The spies meet a woman of questionable occupation a woman named Rahab. I would venture that she would have known most everyone. And she would have been a woman of discretion. She also is said to have had her house IN the Wall, so it was easy to get in and out.

Whenever God brings someone into your realm of influence, you can be sure that he has been working already.

Notice her knowledge and faith Joshua 2:9 “I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og … 11 when we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below

Did she already have faith? Yes … She just didn’t know what to do and was waiting to be shown.

V12 … swear to me … that you will show kindness to my family … give me a sure sign …

So what was the sign?

Joshua 2:17–21 (NIV84)

¹⁷ The men said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us ¹⁸ unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. ¹⁹ If anyone goes outside your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for anyone who is in the house with you, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. ²⁰ But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.” ²¹ “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.” So she sent them away and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

So … they left … we will come back to her in just a minute …

So Chapter 3 they get ready to go across the Jordan into The Promised Land

V5 consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you

V8 Tell the priests … ‘when you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

V13 as soon as the priests … set foot in the Jordan, it’s waters … will be cut off and stand up

V15 Jordan was at flood stage … could have been a mile across …

… Yet as soon the priests … reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing, it piled up in a heap

So … it is with our faith … Faith in action is the key. I may KNOW that he says he will forgive … I may know that he says he will save … but it is not until I STEP IN … confess him as Lord, believe in my heart and THEN … the flow of God’s wrath is stacked up …

They stacked up 12 stones in the middle where they crossed to remember what God had done.

As you read through there notice how many times it says “The Lord said to Joshua” “The Lord Said” … etc

So … We are Looking for Christ in the Old Testament … and we see him …

Read with me …

Joshua 5:13–15 (NIV84)

¹³ Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” ¹⁴ “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” ¹⁵ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua saw a MAN standing in Front of him … Drawn Sword …

“Are you for us or against us?”

Answer: None of the Above … What was Joshua doing? Was he Marching with his people when this manifestation took place or was he alone? I have always just pictured him with his people. But perhaps more likely is that He had gone to scout out, to look over the city. And while he was looking this way, then he looks that way and now there is a man there who wasn’t there before.

“Are you For us?”

Wrong Question. Abraham Lincoln was asked if God was for the Union or for The Confederacy. Lincoln is reported as saying “I’m not near as concerned whether or not God is with us as whether we are WITH GOD.”

Joshua fell face down to the ground and worshiped him … what message does my Lord have?

Remember that a simple angel/messenger wouldn’t receive worship. This Angel received Worship because this is God … this is The Angel of the Lord … the 2^nd person of the Trinity

The Commander of the Lord’s army replied ‘take off your sandals for the place where you are standing is holy.’

The Word Holy means “apartness, set apart for a sacred purpose” … God says “I’m about to do something altogether set apart … you have never seen this before” That’s what Joshua told the people the Lord will do amazing things

What else transpired we don’t know, don’t need to know … God revealed that HE was in charge, that HE was the commander … that he was leading if Joshua would follow, he had everything he needed …

So with God’s instructions they go to Jericho and march in silence around the city one time each day for six days. On the seventh day they march around seven times with the priests blowing their horns. On the seventh time they blow a long blast, and all the people SHOUT, and the wall of the city will collapse.

6:20 So on the seventh day on the seventh time … the people shouted a war cry and the wall collapsed and they took the city.

Can you see with your mind the demolition? Like a building coming down from an implosion. Dust is everywhere … but as the dust clears … There stands ONE SECTION of the Wall. That one piece of wall stood pointing to Rahab’s hope, Israel’s hope, GOD ALONE … The Word of God

She didn’t have much too stand on, she didn’t have a Bible, a Manger, a Cross. But she had the story of the crossing of the Red Sea and the defeat of the Amalakites. She had the word of God’s spies and it was enough. She obeyed their word. She hung a SCARLET CORD … Oh aren’t you glad it wasn’t just any color cord. It was a scarlet cord. Since Genesis 3 it is the Scarlet Cord. It is pointing us to the Blood of Jesus.

Oh some of us need to take the message of the Scarlet Cord into some dark houses … Oh don’t you know … Joshua had told them that Rahab was going to be the only one saved.

Not only that but her whole family … but Only those who were IN THE HOUSE. It isn’t enough to HEAR ABOUT the Scarlet Cord, we have to believe IN the Cord and come into the house.

And so Rahab came out with God’s people and numbered herself among God’s people.

And Matthew 1:5-6 tells us that she married Salmon, a Jew, and they had a son named Boaz, who married Ruth, a Moabite converted to Judaism, and their son was Obed. Obed had a son named Jesse, and Jesse had a son named … DAVID who became KING …

Oh the power of the Scarlet Cord. Oh the Power of Faith in Action

Faith in a Scarlet Cord

The Angel of the Lord at Bokim

Judges 2:1–3 (NIV84)

¹ The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I swore to give to your forefathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, ² and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? ³ Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.”

Notice the instruction not to intermarry, not to make treaties was about THIS LAND at THIS TIME … and it was about creating partnerships with people who didn’t worship God. That was point. God wanted in Israel, a unique people protected from false gods.

Judges 2:4–5 (NIV84)

⁴ When the angel of the Lord had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, ⁵ and they called that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to the Lord.

The problem here and going forward is that they failed to follow God’s word completely. And so v7 says they served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders

But then v10 says

Judges 2:10 (NIV84)

¹⁰ After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.

We must pass along to the next generation The Reality, Presence, Word, of the Lord if we want them to follow it.

The Angel of the Lord to Gideon

Before God showed up in Power for Deliverance, there had to be a Preacher to proclaim their sin and call to repentance.
These words are the same as to Joshua in Chapter 2.

A prophet, who, we don’t know.

Judges 6:8–10 (NIV84)

⁸ he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ⁹ I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove them from before you and gave you their land. ¹⁰ I said to you, ‘I am the Lord your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

So … then The Angel of the Lord appears again …

Gideon is threshing Wheat in a winepress. Why in a winepress? For fear … Marauders were coming in and stealing/ruining their crops every time they harvested. They were killing their livestock. It was like they were stripped by Locusts …

So v7 the Israelites cried to the Lord for help

And God, Jesus, came and sat down beside Gideon who was just trying to beat out some wheat for his family

Judges 6:11–14 (NIV84)

¹¹ The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. ¹² When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” ¹³ “But sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.” ¹⁴ The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

His message
- The Lord is With You – You are Not alone
- Mighty Warrior – You are more than you think you are
V13 but sir – IF … then why has this all happened? Where are all his wonders … the Lord has abandoned us …

He calls him SIR … so he didn’t realize yet this was The LORD … so he calls him adoni, sir …Go … in the strength you have … and save … I am sending you

If I am saying that you can … then you can …

V15 But Lord … how can I save Israel? … my clan is the weakest … I am the least in my family

Sound familiar? God doesn’t often call the confident and the composed, the powerful and poised … I can just see him looking around in the winepress and saying “do you see what I’m doing”?

Answer … v16 – I will be with you … and you will strike down …

V17 IF now I have found favor … give me a sign … don’t go away until I come back

The Lord said “I will wait …”

Oh the wonderful patience of the Lord with our unbelief … Difference is He knew just like with Moses … he WANTED to believe … Rahab WANTED to believe … God will give a sign to the one who wants to believe …

He placed an offering before the Lord … notice he brought bread WITHOUT Yeast … Yeast in offerings would have been considered sin … so he came prepared to faithfully worship … he brought unleavened bread.

V21 – interesting that the Lord had a staff? The Lord is my Shepherd

He touched the offering with his staff and fire came from the rock and consumed the meat and bread. And then he disappeared …

And THEN He realized who this was …

V22 then Gideon realized that it was the Angel of the Lord and exclaimed … now remember earlier he had called him Adoni (Lord) but it was in a casual sense. Now he says “Ah Sovereign Lord” which is Adoni Yahovih (yeh-ho-vee) This was a variation on Yehovah … that they would say so as not to take the actual pronunciation in vain.

This is GOD … I have seen him FACE TO FACE

But God came back …

V23 the Lord Said to him, ‘peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.’

Doesn’t that sound just like Jesus “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Do you hear the voice of Jesus every time The Angel of the Lord Speaks?

V24 So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace.’’

Oh but Gideon had a family worship problem … His father had an altar to Baal and an Asherah pole

We can’t build an altar to God on the old altars we have had to Idols …

TEAR IT DOWN … CUT DOWN the Pole …

Build a PROPER Altar on top of it …

Matthew Henry suggests that he probably had to put an inscription on this one so everyone would know who this altar was for and there would be no mistake.

When you tear down the old objects of worship in your life, make sure that the new one to God is clear to all clear to you as well.

This word for proper or “in due order” – ma’arakah = battleline, army, fight – Oh we wrestle not against flesh and blood but rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms … so put on the full armor of God … so that you may be able to stand your ground

V27 Gideon obeyed him … he did it at night rather than in the daytime

Ok so he’s not there yet … better obedience I guess at night than no obedience at all … So practice it at night if you aren’t ready but do it …

Men in town want to kill him and I love his father, Joash, his response

V31 If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.

Tells me perhaps he wasn’t really sold on being a worshiper of Baal but he did what everyone did.

So then Gideon was given the nickname of “Baal-fighter” “Jerub-Baal”

V34 we are introduced to the 3^rd Person of the Trinity … Then The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet,

Notice, the Holy Spirit was GIVEN for instances of work, for empowerment, but wasn’t Forever in the lives of God’s people before Pentecost. David is the only one who it says “the spirit of the Lord never left him.”

Notice also that I don’t think Gideon made a willful decision to sound the Alarm, but God’s Spirit did it through him. I think he blew it and went … wait what? What did I do.

But the men went out to meet him

And well … Gideon is ever in need of encouragement

V36 if you will save Israel by MY hand, as you have promised …

V37 – place a wool fleece … dew only on the fleece … ground is dry, then I will know you will save Israel by my hand, as you said

He keeps saying he knows God said it … but he needs to be sure

So it HAPPENED … a bowlful of dew

V39 – do not be angry with me … just one more … fleece dry and the ground covered with dew. 40 That night God did so …

Then we get the whole whittling down of numbers so that God can be glorified from 32,000 to 10,000 to 300

V7 The Lord said to Gideon ‘with the three hundred men … I will save you … who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others

I never noticed that before … they were left with 9700 or was it 32,000 left over trumpets, swords, food.

Finally God knows Gideon’s heart and he gives him one more encouragement and lets him in on a conversation …

Judges 7:13–15 (NIV84)

¹³ Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” ¹⁴ His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” ¹⁵ When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.”

Now we are READY …

They shined the Light, Blew Trumpets, Shouted … and the army woke up and killed each other …

The end of the story is actually sad They tried to make him King in v23

He said no … but asked for a donation from the spoils, earrings, and garments and he created an Ephod … a Sacred Garment, meant as a memorial but eventually it became and object of worship.

He didn’t train up the next generation and as soon as he died … they worshipped the false gods again, 40 years later.

We will wrap up there tonight and pick up next week …