Cause and Effect

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire

Theme: The effects of the church on the world must be stronger than the effects of the world on the church.

What starts there - affects you

Good and bad- God is not mocked

man Reaps what he sows

Spiritual law cannot be violated

Asbury – good fires of revival spread to bless people everywhere

Canada - bad fires spread for many miles, harming people

What CAUSED the fire?

Most caused by humans, but most destruction caused by lightning

Lightning - Massachusetts church

Many claim the “Climate has changed”- too dry?

Lack of rain = curse- I’m not blaming Canada directly, but she needs to repent as well.

What normally would not cause harm DOES cause harm because the conditions were bad!

Lightning normally would not cause much destruction but because of the dryness, the environment could not handle the power.

like the Canadian wildfires, there are Many fires are now Out of control

- in spiritual terms, small sin becomes big sin.

what used to be hidden is now blatant and brazen

America has been fanning the flames of division and politics for years.

God allows natural events to teach spiritual lessons

The heavens reflect the earth

Just like clear blue skies reflect the clear blue oceans, darkness in the sky reflect the darkness of the people on l the earth

Gross darkness the people

Isaiah 60:2

Isaiah 60:2 ESV

2 For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.

Spiritual cause and effect = Commit sin - brings curse

Didn’t learn lesson - back to masks, travel cancelled. Shelter in place

Hearts had become hard and calloused from the pandemic - we did not learn our lesson and repent as a nation.

Obvious - even unbelievers see- eerie. Apocalyptic, dark, movie like

Acts 2 - after fire of Pentecost come the fire of judgement

Acts 2:19–21 NLT

19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. 20 The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. 21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

The fire FROM heaven is followed by the fire IN the heavens. Blood smoke fire,

Last days sin darkened

This is what it will look like during the tribulation - forever.

This is what it looks like in hell.

Just Like the national crisis of the pandemic of health before it, fires are once again causing people to LOOK UP at the heavens.

God’s mercy does not send his Glory or some could be destroyed like Ananias in Acts 5. The lightning of God’s glory could burn up God’s people that side with evil.

God’s wrath is poured out on sons of disobedience- regardless of relationship. – Romans 1

The enemy’s wrath is poured out on those who open the door to habitual and deliberate sin.

It is time to Wake up!

Another’s Cause Affects You

The environment in Washington affects you

Laws that are passed there affect you here

The environment in the federal reserve affects your money

The environment in The local school board affects your children

The environment in the church affects you - whether good or bad

likewise, Trials can affect you directly or influence you indirectly

Spiritual Causes Bring Natural Effects

No natural explanation - the coastal air in New York should be clear.

Smoke Settles there while other areas are not as affected.

Even those off the grid cannot live without air!

Air quality index shows RED - unhealthy, hazardous conditions

Explanation- Darkness attracts darkness

NY - worst air in the world -

Worst place to live

Why? NY commits some of the greatest sin in the world- infanticide, filth,

Our nation is covered in darkness because we flaunt things on the earth things that are reprehensible to heaven!

Timing - pride month

The cause of pride brings the effect of the fall.

Likewise, the spirit realm has a similar Air quality index that shows the unhealthy spiritual living conditions in our cities.

Lot’s days precede the Lord’s Day

Jesus says the world will be like the days of Lot before his return.

Lot chose to live in a city called Sodom

Gen 13:13- “But the people of Sodom were evil—very great sinners against Adonai.”

Lot KNEW he was “living in sin” – even if he did not know when he first arrived, he quickly found out.

Sodom’s main sin was – PRIDE

Ezekiel 16:49–50 NLT

49 Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. 50 She was proud and committed detestable sins, so I wiped her out, as you have seen.

It is possible to deduce that Sodom’s sin EFFECTIVELY came from a ROOT CAUSE of pride

Pride CAUSED Sodom to EFFECTIVELY commit all her other sins

What CAUSED Sodom’s downfall?

INEFFECTIVENESS of the church CAUSED Sodom’s downfall

Lot SAT at the city gate - vexed in his spirit,

The city gates were the place of leadership, decision making and justice

Lot was in a POSITION to CAUSE change, but did not

Lot moved to Sodom for the financial gain the well-watered plains offered him. But his desire for prosperity CAUSED him to COMPROMISE, therefore rendering him IN-EFFECTIVE.

If he “rocked the Boat”, he would jeopardize his livelihood.

As a result, Lot was SAD but yet SAT – he SAW what was happening and did nothing

during the days of Noah and Lot – people were MARRYING - until it was too late.

Result? They KNEW NOT until they were destroyed by fire and brimstone from the sky.

WHY did the entire cities of Sodom and Gomorrah not know judgement was minutes away?

Because LOT was IN-EFFECTIVE

Theory: bad cities come under judgement when godly people become ineffective

Lot lost his saltiness - became ineffective (or never was). Even though he had blessings and protection indirectly through his uncle Abraham’s covenant with God.

Like Noah’s day and Lot’s day, Why will those living in the last days also “know not” and face sudden destruction?

They “knew not” either because of willful ignorance or because an ineffective church generation did not CAUSE them to know.

God holds responsible the church of each generation for their leaders, cities and nation.

Many CAUSES- but one CHURCH - David and Goliath

· There are many causes denomination, such as social causes political causes and environmental causes. All causes have the same goal, that is to affect change under their domain.

· While many calls can be noble, the greatest cause and spiritual.

· David recognized us when you face Goliath, who was the biggest threat to God’s people in his day, said, “is there not a cause” - to defend God’s relationship in the world?

· David’s victory over Goliath, caused courage to swell up in the hearts of God’s people, and they in turn affected change in their land by defeating the enemy.

Today he would ask the same thing. Is there not a cause -

· to affect the freedom of preaching of the truth?

· To affect returning to Godly values?

· To affect the sanctity of marriage?

· To affect the addict with freedom?

· To affect our national hearts to repent?

· To affect our churches to bring in revival?

A Major CAUSE for Concern - Ineffective Church – Ezekiel’s Bones

· The church cannot be “dry” like Ezekiel’s bones- weak and ineffective

· An ineffective church allows the forces of evil to prevail

· Even an unjust cause can be effective- if allowed. Mario Murillo - “It is not because Woke is dangerous that we are silent. It is because we are silent that Woke is dangerous.”

· The enemy is not strong, the church is just lazy!

· Evil flourishes when good people do nothing

· The church is enabling evil through forfeiture

· Just like a ball team will automatically lose if it fails to appear for the game

What causes corruption on our government?

What causes violence in our neighborhoods?

What caused the planes to fly into the twin towers?

What caused city streets to be empty?

A nation that has turned from the God of the Bible

How do we turn things around?

Prayer CAUSES Healing

IF My people pray, I will heal their land –

2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

The CAUSE of prayer in the church will AFFECT the land with healing

Our land is suffering, which means we are not praying as a nation.

Since There is no effect of healing, it points to no cause of praying

There are Holes in the hedges!

God is looking for watchmen and intercessors to stand in the gap and pray!

Is there not a CAUSE?

How bad do things have to get before people run back to God and fall on their knees?

James 5 - the prayers of the righteous are EFFECTIVE

James 5:16 NLT

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

The signs around us should CAUSE us to PRAY so we can AFFECT our world.

No prayer- no POSITIVE effect

Prayer clears the air

· Turn ON the light and effect the darkness

· Prayer can cause things to turn around!

· For example, The same New York city streets that were empty because of the pandemic can be full once again like they were years ago BECAUSE of city wide repentance and prayer meetings and in the days of Billy Graham’s crusades!

Authority AFFECTS Society

· Use the keys of the Kingdom that Jesus died to give you!

· Spread the WORD of God to cause people to be saved

· Spread the FIRE of God to cause people to be filled

· Spread the LOVE of God to cause people to be healed

Imagine how a believer or a church on fire can affect those around us. Our neighborhood, our jobs, and our nation.

If pulpits would cause a fire, then our churches would be affected with passion and zeal

If parents would have cause for concern, our schools would be affected for righteousness instead of wokeness.

If voters would cause a mass showing, Washington would be affected for helping people

The knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.

Closing –

Let’s CAUSE revival to AFFECT our land!

When it “blows over”

did the warning signs have an EFFECT on us

(Both the world and the church)

Or, like the pandemic, will we go back to the same old patterns that CAUSED our national spiritual condition in the first place?

Or does something worse have to happen?

Instead of the world EFFECTING the church with evil,