Thanks for allowing me to be a part of raising up a generation of champions! (Picture)
Most of these kids go to our church!
This week, our kids witnessed something that was heartbreaking to me, but confused the kids
This is a generational problem. What I mean is that the lack of family transmission of the gospel has resulted in generational bondage being passed down!
We see this scripture: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Eunice, Lois, and Timothy
Sins of the fathers
I recognized even more the need for the church to be involved in our culture, and the need for our church to continue to equip this next generation to be ministers of the gospel!
Suppose I was walking down the railroad track, knowing far behind there was a train coming loaded with a bunch of happy people rushing unaware of what lies before them. As I look ahead, I notice that the bridge crossing the river is out. What should be my reaction?
Would it be cruel to run back and interrupt their party?
Would I be invading their space?
What would be cruel is watching the train barrel off right into the river!
Jude 3-4 3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God's marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. NLT
What happens to society when the church becomes silent or loses its influence?
It will trigger a shift in the social, cultural, and moral fabric of a community
A silent church stops challenging cultural trends, choosing instead to blend into the background to avoid conflict.
The world's systems want to force the church out of the public square; if that happens, the “state” will break the generational transmission of faith. (it’s happening here also)
People are departing from the truth, and I believe we are witnessing the Great Apostasy spoken of in the Book of Timothy!
The Acceptable Year of the Lord and the Day of Vengeance
Isa 61:1-3 61 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. KJV
Luke 4:14-21 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. KJV
If you notice, Jesus stopped short of reading the entire passage from Isaiah. Why did He close it there?
Because the rest of the sentence will be carried out on the day of the Lord after this present age has come to an end.
I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but there will be a final judgment!
When He comes again, He will open that book once more, and the rest of this passage will be fulfilled to the letter.
In light of this, what should we do to our hearts?
He put this whole dispensation in which you and I live into that comma. It is the acceptable year of the Lord still.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because... (the reason)
Anointed: To authorize, or set apart, a person for a particular work or service
Anointed Him for what?
To Preach gospel: To evangelize, proclaim the good news Acceptable year of the Lord: God is willing to accept you as you are
The Church’s Greatest Mistake: Turning inward.
We took our gifts, calling, and anointing that were given to reach the world and used them for internal comfort.
Treating spiritual gifts as the goal itself, rather than the vehicle to reach a hurting world.
1 John 2:27 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. KJV
1 John 2:27 But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. NLT
2 Cor 1:21-22 21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. KJV
The True Purpose of the Anointing
Anointed: To authorize, or set apart, a person for a particular work or service
Mark 16:15-20 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. KJV
The “Comma,” the acceptable year of the Lord, has lasted for 2000 years
One day soon, the counterpart of this passage will come to pass!
Isa 61: 2b and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
What does “The Day of Vengeance” mean or look like?
2 Peter 3:9-14 9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness. 14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. NLT
There is a coming day, when the “acceptable year of the Lord”, and the comma will direct us to the Vengeance of God!
You might say, “Why is God so mean?”
Why would a good God force someone to love Him?
Rev 9:17-10:1 17 And in my vision, I saw the horses and the riders sitting on them. The riders wore armor that was fiery red and dark blue and yellow. The horses had heads like lions, and fire and smoke and burning sulfur billowed from their mouths. 18 One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues—by the fire and smoke and burning sulfur that came from the mouths of the horses. 19 Their power was in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails had heads like snakes, with the power to injure people. 20 But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts. NLT
Rev 16:7-9 7 And I heard a voice from the altar, saying, "Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just." 8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, causing it to scorch everyone with its fire. 9 Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory. NLT
If a person dies today without trusting God for his salvation, Hell is his holding place until their final judgment!
Rev 20:11-15 11 And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God's throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. NLT The Danger of “Keeping Silent”
Matt 25:14-15, 23-30 14 "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. 23 "The master said, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!' 24 "Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, 'Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn't plant and gathering crops you didn't cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.' 26 "But the master replied, 'You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn't plant and gathered crops I didn't cultivate, 27 why didn't you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.' 28 "Then he ordered, 'Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' NLT
