Don't Hate, Appreciate

If there was something Jesus detested it was religion. There was one group in particular who was really into it though. The Pharisees brought down God’s perfect law to the level where they thought they could keep it. And Jesus always put them in their place. In fact Jesus called them “whitewashed tombs” and a “brood of vipers”. Why was Jesus so angry at them? Because they were self righteous? Yes. But more than that, because they “put loads on people’s backs but do not lift a finger to help them”.(Matt 23:4 and Luke11:46) They disqualified people from God with their added rules that only they could keep. The same people Jesus wanted to reach out to and just love on- were afraid to go near Jesus because of the religious hypocrisy and the fear propagated by these Pharisees. That culture is still alive today. And it STILL stops people from drawing close to God.

Even in “the Kingdom”,  there are many “christians” who have a jealous spirit. The spirit of the Prodigal Son’s older brother- jealous that the Father was gracious and merciful. Would he prefer that the Father was mean? Who then would bother returning home? The spirit of the ones who worked early in the vineyard, jealous that the ones who came late got the same. They are the 99 who were left behind because the shepherd was looking for the 1. They don’t identify with the “1″ that was lost. They don’t think they were ever lost, and they forget that they only stand by grace too. They think they are “the first”. They are Martha, angry at Mary for resting at Jesus’ feet. They lose out on the “better part” because they forget that only “one thing” is required. Faith!

If you would just believe.. Thats it. Don’t miss out on what he died to give you. Don’t listen to people who add things to something that is yours for free. Don’t think that God wants to save your soul from hell, but also wants to give you a life that’s full of “trials and tribulations” to some way “prepare you for heaven”.  The Kingdom is Here. If you are in Christ… you have everything that he gave on the cross- his life, his righteousness, his health, his wealth, his standing with the Father, his beauty, his mind and his heart. It’s already there, and the beauty of life this side of heaven is learning about what he have in Him, and not what we need to earn without him… Who we are in him, not who we have to become in order to receive his approval. We are new creations- HIS new creations. He did this to us. 

Don't Use Grace As An Excuse

I have said it and now i say it again, I’m the result of Gods grace. I preach and teach Gods grace. What people do with it is between them and God. As for me His grace has empowered me to be more purposeful in what I do.. In fact since the the revelation of grace has come in to my life, I’ve accomplished more because its not just me trying in my own effort now its His grace through me.. I’m no longer worried about results and the opinions of people, I just live for Him.. This grace that I have received scares the religious because to them I have become “liberal” in their eyes. When in reality I’ve never felt more liberty and freedom than what I’m experiencing in my life.. Free from guilt and condemnation, free from sin.. So people ask me; does that mean you can do whatever you want including sin and it’s all good? Please read carefully what I’m about to write. The grace of God is not a license to sin in fact its the antidote against sin.. If people go around saying they’re under grace yet fornicate, lie, cheat, commit adultery, steal, gossip and have un-forgiveness in your heart, than they are deceived. 
How can people practice sin and say they're under the grace of God.. That is so contrary to what the Apostle Paul wrote in the book of Romans. He was under heavy pressure to explain this grace he was now teaching. Let me show you what Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” It can’t be more clear than that. “Certainly not”, Paul writes. He even goes on to further explain in verse 14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace”. You can not be under grace and sin has dominion in your life. The word dominion is defined as "Lordship", in other words, sin can't be your Lord and say Jesus is your Lord at the same time. You can not serve two masters.

  Here’s what people say to justify their sin, “I’m under the grace of God and everybody else is religious”. When sin has dominion over someone it will lead them to withdraw from the body.. I heard some one say, "sin will make cowards out men". All of a sudden they don’t need to go to church because church people are a bunch of hypocrites. They become arrogant, un-teachable, and their hearts fill with pride.. They become exactly what the book of 2 Timothy 3:5 says; having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! Believe me when I say i’m not a sin preacher, I consider myself a grace preacher. However i say these things to bring clarity to the body.

This liberty we have received in Christ has a purpose. Look what Gal 5:13 says; “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another”. The grace of God is a teacher we just have to willing to be taught. Titus 2:11 says; “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” Grace is for the righteous and the unrighteous, Don’t make any mistake about it. Grace keeps the righteous from falling but if he falls, His grace will lift him up. Grace will also draw the unrighteous and save him by that same grace. No matter what we all need His grace in our lives...  Pastor Albert

The Results of a Spiritual Awakening

The Results of a Spiritual Awakening

Jonah 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?

• I begin with a question this morning, “What happens when an awakening comes?” 

Last Sunday I talked about "Transforming Apathy into an Awakening". in fact many today have never born witness to a moving of the manifest presence of God. 

Thus, these have little idea about what to expect. 

I want to take a look at Jonah as to understand an awakening.

Jonah had a divine call, a determined run, a disaster at sea, a destitute man, a distressed prayer, a directed preacher, and a decisive action. 

Now Think about it, God awakens us with a purpose in mind. 

We become conscious of the fact that something has to be accomplished.

That is what happens when the alarm goes off.

Now, the common people of Nineveh have repented, turned to God, and a spiritual awakening is breaking out all through the city.

Do you notice that Nineveh is not awakened until first the prophet is awakened.

* Let me offer 3 results of God awakening a city.

1. Lives are changed. 

Think about this, God has sent Jonah to Nineveh to preach His word. 

If God sent Jonah, God is giving power to the words and the message of Jonah. 

It seems that everywhere the message went out, God honored His message and people’s lives were affected. 

God is clear in Isaiah when He says, “My word will not return void.” 

Think about this, the man of God and the word of God empowered by the Spirit of God will lead to lives changed by the power of God. 

Here is what many miss today; this change affects all of life. 

It affects desires, schedules, attitudes and actions. 

It doesn’t simply affect “a part of life” or a “compartment in life”, it affects ALL of a person’s life.

You begin to hear what you couldn’t hear when you were asleep.

Why? Because in the midst of an awakening things are never the same.

1. The word begins to spread                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              When spiritual awakening happens there's no need for a public relations person to promote it.

Flyers, handbills, signs, nor mail outs are required to let people know. Candidly, if you ever find yourself in the middle of a spiritual awakening, just “TRY” to keep it from being known and you may wind up one of the most frustrated people around. 

Truth is, word will get out. 

Why? Because just as surely as you can’t stop bad news and lies from traveling, good news which is consistent, will make the gossips columns in the same. 

The scripture said, “When the word “reached” the King. 

When God gets loose, both lives and lips are loosed and the word gets out. Lives are loosed to live in a way they have never known or even imagined. 

Today, we think freedom is doing what “I” want to do, but real freedom comes in completely doing what you are designed to do. 

When we do this, another thing happens to us.

• Our lips are loosed. Let’s consider this thought just for a second. 

Why is it seemingly so difficult to speak a word in behalf of what we say we believe so dearly? 

When our lives are loosed the obvious outcome is that our LIPS are also loosed. It is a natural outgrowth.

1. No one is exempt. 

When God begins to move, He knows no boundaries. 

In Nineveh, His powerful word reached all the way to the throng room. 

There are two words in this sentence to which I will draw your attention; the first is ‘word’ and the second is ‘reached or came.’ 

The text says, “When the “word came ” the King.” “Word” is also translated as tidings, message, and news. 

The Hebrew words would convey something like a matter, an issue, or a cause. 

Certainly the changing lives within the city of Nineveh rose to every level. 

It was being talked about in the stores, on the streets, in the houses, and had now made it to the White House. Do you understand that the new of an awakening affected everyone in that city.

It had “reached”, “had touched”, or “arrived” in the throne room. 

Scripture makes no indication that Jonah was in the throne room, so it must have been the power of the message, the power to change lives, and the power of God giving supernatural support to the message of “AWAKENING”.

In my message last Sunday I offered the observation that we are in desperate need of Spiritual Awakening.

Guess what the alarm is sounding to awaken from our sleep. Don't push the snooze button on the alarm, it is time to stop procrastinating an begin to accomplish God's purpose in your life.

WRITE IT

WRITE IT

Recently the Lord really spoke to me clearly about the year to come. I asked the Lord what will happen 2012? He said write it. What? Write it, what does that mean. Than it hit me, I will have what I write.. By no means am I a gifted writer but i desire to write. I felt a little intimidated thinking of who might read my STUFF. Truth be told it's not about what everyone thinks. In fact, its about sharing your heart, vision, victories, failures, hopes, and faith. Not everyone may read it but if one reads it and it inspires that person, thats awesome. Look what the Prophet Habakuk, (boy that was hard to say and write) said: Then the LORD answered me and said:  “ Write the vision  And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time;  But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.  Though it tarries, wait for it;  Because it will surely come,  It will not tarry. 

    I believe that if it was important for the prophet to write, why would  it not be important for us to write also. We are the prophets of our own destiny. Don't leave your life to chance, its to precious. Be intentional, and purposeful about your life. The psalmist David said; "My tongue is the pen of a ready writer". Believe it or not every time you speak your writing on the canvas of your heart. Writing is for people who are serious about being intentional with their God given grace in life.

 Look what was written about Abraham, the father of the faith: (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”). Did you read this? He would be a father of many nations because it was written. As if thats not good enough look what it continues to say: "Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead". I believe what you write can affect you but also your children and your children's children. However my favorite example is Jesus: And He was handed the book of theprophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found theplace where it was written:

18      “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

      Because He has anointed Me

      To preach the gospel to the poor;

      He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

      To proclaim liberty to the captives

      And recovery of sight to the blind,

      To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19      To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 

20Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant andsat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today thisScripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” So all bore witness to Him,and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of Hismouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

I believe this is powerful because it tells us that God the Father had a plan for His son's life. To the point that He was willing to have His prophets write about it. What's funny is that people thought he was just Joseph's son. People might think your just another John Doe, but when they see you walking in your purpose they will be astonished. You can tell them, didn't you know, it has been written about me. Recently I told our church to start witting, even blogging and believe your life has meaning enough to write about. Who ever reads this I want to challenge you through this blog to write. However don't write to impress but to inspire.  Pastor