TIME TO RE-FOCUS Part 2
Notes
Transcript
As I said last week , to sum up 2023 in one word I would have to say it would be
“DISBELIEF”
Disbelief for
1. An invasion of Israel / Ukraine and I imagine Taiwan son.
2. Millions of illegal immigrants still crossing our southern boarders – the president just sits back and watches, knowing that our national security is now completely destroyed.
3. Store shoplifting to a point that most retailers have given up. They will just charge higher prices
4. The divide in the country is growing. It is like children are running the country. I’m being rude to the children.
What do you do? Refocus
You go through shock, then anger, depression – then you refocus. You search for the truth.
When you read the Psalms you see David had to refocus a number of times.
We are in a time of great deception
It is a sign of the times.
Last week I read Matthew 24:3-14 and 1 Thess 5:3-6 1 Thess 5:11 and 14-18, 19-22
Wars and rumors of wars, Nation against Nation, false peace ( we will be lied to )
It really sets the stage for the anti-christ. A leader who is going to come and act as God. He will seam to appear on the scene quickly and will be a master deceiver.
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
What else does the scripture say?
A. It says you will have False Prophets
The challenge with Prophets is they have to be right or they are false prophets,
It does not necessarily mean people it could mean Media, social media, News, books, articles, shows all written by people. With the advancement of AI you will be specifically targeted.
Every key stroke is recorded, every site monitored, your own personal profile is created. They know you better than you know you
B. It says you will have Disasters
Be ready for a major increase in Both Human and Natural Disasters.
C. A Great Falling Away and Persecution
Be Ready for Persecution; Some Professing Christians Will Fall Away (Matt 24:9-13)
They wont be able to take the pressure of serving God over serving self. Pressure coming from the world, your flesh and of course demonic.
So heart wrenching is this reality that the New Testament writers had to warn Christians about falling away and persecution repeatedly (2 Thess 2:3; 1 Tim 4:1-3; 2 Tim 3:1-9; 2 Pet 3:3; 1 Jn 2:18-19; Rev 13:12-17).
Christians will become, wimpy, weak and woke to quote John Cooper.
So how do we look to a future that we are unsure of.
I believe it is better to be prepared than not.
You need to be able to
1. Endure
Remember you are called to an endurance race not a sprint.
2. See past the wickedness
a. Even though it is all around you
3. Be Watchful
a. Be always on guard
Do your homework- Be a critical thinker. Research. Don’t be caught in the wrong camp because of ignorance.
4. Give Support to those that are weak
You of faith help those who have a weak faith
There are some who for many reasons have given up or are close to giving up. Help them out. I have found over many years that being of service to people brings a grat blessing to you. It renews your outlook on life. It gives you hope.
5. Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always);
You know how the story ends. You faith puts you in a secure position. You have a great advantage.
Today we add a few more elements to help you in 2024
6. Be unceasing in prayer
Prayer changes things.
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
Pray about everything. Get on the prayer chain, be a prayer warrior when called upon. If you don't pray don't expect anything, when you do pray expect God to hear you and he will move on it.
Because of the amount of deception pray for wisdom and discernment.
Deception is hard to uncover at times. That is why it is called deception.
7. Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Reveal-er and Mediator of that will].
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
8. Do not quench the Holy Spirit;
Scripture say the HS guides you in all truth.
19 Do not quench the Spirit;
20 do not despise prophetic utterances.
21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
22 abstain from every form of evil.
Some people today believe there is no room for prophets, “Today, we have a completed revelation in the Word of God and there is no need for prophets” a quote from Wiersbe a very thoughtful theologian
Is what he says true, the answer is no. The OT had the Law and the prophets.
We still have people moved by the Holy Spirit today. They will not bring new revelation as the scripture is already the full revelation. But they bring illumination and clarity to what God is saying. They line up with Gods word and are not afraid to speak out,
In the church you have tongues and interpretation of tongues but you also have prophetic words and direction.
The problem is we have so many false prophets, that claim they heard from God but they didn’t. God doesn’t go around contradicting himself.
The spirit leads you in all truth, you bear witness to the spirit, so if you are not listening to Him who are you listening to.
The word quench is literately like snuffing out a flame with your fingers. What happens when you shut down a flame
You loose light - darkness comes in
You loose heat - you become cold and indifferent
It is not about Goose Bumps. It is far deeper than that. Some people find an emotional attachment to a song or a word and but it doesn’t necessarily mean it is from God.
9. Do not despise instruction
Be teachable- so many today are not. When you stop being teachable you begin a slide into ignorance and stupidity.
I call it pride - God rejects the proud. but gives grace to the humble.
Just realize you do not know everything.
32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
10. Abstain from former evil
Don’t get trapped in the former you - You are a new creation in Christ -walk in it. Your sin will trip you up.
its to refrain from - Or in modern terms , Say no !
Be aware your old you can kill you, your ministry, your marriage, your job, your kids etc.
If you don’t believe me ask Wayne. A member of our church died from a fentanyl overdose this year. That is tragic.
11. Be apart of spreading of the Gospel globally
You have two options Give, Go or both.
Close (28:19-20; compare Acts 1:6-11; Rom 11:25-26; 2 Pet 3:9-15).
12. Kick the devil out and invite Christ in?
Quit putting up with everything. This is your land. As for you and your house -you will serve him. AMEN
Live on Offense not Defense
Conclusion
Its time to turn our disbelief into belief -AMEN
Mark 9:17–25 (NASB95)
17 And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute;
18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.”
19 And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”
20 They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.
21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.
22 “It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”
23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.”
If YOU Can- seriously - If- - The greatest days of your faith are ahead of you!
Communion