The Christian Corner Ministries

Have you left your first love?

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Rev 2:4)

In our past studies, we took a hard look at the church of Ephesus. This was a church that was founded by the Apostle Paul. It was a church that had tremendous growth. They won so many souls that they, practically, emptied the temple of Diana. The idol Diana brought great gain to the silversmiths, and this massive conversion to Christ affected their business. They, in return, stirred the mob against Paul and the church.

In spite of all this opposition, God protected Paul. The church overcame this obstacle and increased in size. God gave them uncommon favor with those in high places and they influenced that city for the Lord. We could conclude a happy ending to this story, right? Not quite, the Lord had a final say—They left their first love! How did they get so distracted and how does this apply to us?

Defining first love

First, let us address the topic of first love. There have been many interpretations about defining first love, but let’s look at Matt 22:37-38 —
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

So, based on this verse above, we find that loving God is the first thing we should do. We could conclude by this that the Lord Jesus is our first love. He is before your wife/husband, family, job, etc. When you love someone, you do the things that please them. They have top priority,

Perhaps, the church was doing things in a routine way. When you get to see many miracles, signs, and wonders, it can get to be a routine. Another thought to this is their work in the ministry. Working for the Lord in ministry is good, but it can have its drawbacks.

Church Pastors can get caught up in helping the poor and other community ministry outreaches that it robs their time with God. After a while, they spend less time in prayer and Bible study. The results? Their sermons are improvised and not anointed. Finally, maybe many rich and influential members were pressuring its leaders to adopt worldly ways of doing things that were not right with God. A spirit of compromise could have been a major factor causing them to lose their first love.

It is an unknown issue what happened in that church. The main issue is that there was a falling away from God. They had grown cold towards God and lost their first love, but not all is lost. God had some answers to this problem.

Consequences and benefits

To further enhance this study, we will use the Amplified version. The Amplified version of the Bible gives us clarity on God’s ultimatum (Consequences and benefits). Let’s look at the following verses below–

So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent. Yet you have this [to your credit], that you hate the works and corrupt teachings of the [a]Nicolaitans [that mislead and delude the people], which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who [b]overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege] to eat [the fruit] from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’(Rev 2:5-7)

God is threatening to remove their candle. What does this mean? This means that they will lose their influence with those in high places. They will not longer be making an impact on society. On the bright side, God has an answer to their problem. The answer is that if they get this matter corrected, they will eat the fruit of the tree of life. God is opening up heaven on earth again if they repent.
Proverbs 15:4 says that a wholesome tongue is a tree of life. This talks of dominion and authority. Your tongue can bring life and death. God has given us authority to tread on serpents, scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. (Luke 10:19)

As we study this subject further, God is addressing their authority. Their authority was at stake in this matter. They were at risk of forfeiting their authority because of their sin. The good news was that God was willing to take them to even deeper dimensions and blessings. The only thing that was required was repentance and correcting the problem of falling away.

They had a choice to make. The first one was to continue in their sin and forfeit their authority. The other alternative was to repent and correct the problem. God, always, gives us a choice. There is a saying that with great power comes great responsibility.

Personal application

As we ponder on this example, we need to ask ourselves–Have I lost my first love with Jesus? Here are some points to consider..

Have I had so many answers to prayers that I become complacent and robotic in my service to the Lord?
Have I allowed distractions to take away my time from the Lord?
Have I been so involved in ministries and good works that I placed the Lord in second place?

Let us not cut the flow of blessings from God in our lives. God is a jealous God and he demands our time with him. Doing so will allow us to continue to eat from the tree of life and be an overcomer.

Our latest guest blogger.

It is my pleasure to have as our guest blogger Brother Carlos Garcia. I have known Carlos for more than 10 years. He has the heart of a poet and writer. Here are some thoughts he wants to share about the Corona virus pandemic. Whether or not you agree with his thoughts, it will make make you think about the people who have lost their loved ones to this terrible disease.

Healing the Pandemic’s effect.

Have you ever survived a crash or a traumatic event in your life? Yet, when the event is over, the experience you went through continues to linger. At times, the trauma visits you in the form of a dream, or better said, a nightmare. The pain keeps coming back and making your breathing heavy and labored. You keep trying to find relief, but you can’t seem to find freedom from it.

The pandemic turned many worlds upside down. Let’s look at some key points…

Many lost loved ones.
Others lost businesses.
Finally, many lost themselves in the mist of the chaos.

Identifying with pain

We all need healing, a voice and hope. This year is halfway over. Though many have moved on, It’s hard to look forward because your heart is with those who have passed away. You wish you could move on. You can’t let go and you’re in a stasis as life moves on past you.

Many are trapped and stuck. They are surrounded by what some never acknowledged to be true, but you know the other side of the story. You wish you could move on. No one has seen the pain and the loss like those on the front lines. This select group has seen death up close in a way that has not been reported in the news.

Death and the pain of loss is real. Few will ever see what nurses and doctors have endured during this past year of loss. Walk with me and let’s find healing together. Here is a small excerpt from my book-—-

12, 16, 24-hour shifts,

Fighting for the lives of others. Exhausted, you still stand. To labor another day. Another day to save the ones dying. Fighting against the madness. Bold, strong, feeling so weak. Vulnerable, shaken and feeble, Yet, I declare you are strong. Bold, joyful and courageous.

Finding comfort in the book of Psalms.

The book of Psalms is a timeless book in the Bible where many go to find solace and comfort. To identify with the feelings of pain, guilt, anger, and regret. This book runs the gamut of emotions that humans need to express to God while revealing what is taking place in their hearts. We need the book of Psalms.

The book of Psalms is essential for our sanity, humanity and soul. Poetry portrays the raw inner strength and inner struggles. I pray that the reliability of these poems reaches deep into your heart and helps you find healing. God bless you.

Editor’s notes

I hope you have been motivated by the heart of Brother Carlos thoughts. He will be our guest on our Sunday online church service sometime in July. He has written various books and his latest is titled Healing in the time of Corona virus which is available through Amazon.

….

Our Guest blogger.

Greetings. I am honored to have my good friend Pastor Doc Pardon grace us with his post on our blog. Pastor Doc is an anointed teacher and speaker. He has authored a few books that brings encouragement and challenges our walk with the Lord. So, make yourself comfortable and prepare to be blessed as you read his post.

The Fulness in Christ

and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all. (Eph 1:22-23)

We are seated in Christ in heavenly places (Eph.2:6). He is in us and we are in Him. He is the head of the church, and we are His body. All the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Him. Colossians 2:9-10 says ‘For in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power.’

The complete capacity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwells in Him in bodily form, and we are in Him. Glory to God! So, since Christ is in us, and we are in Him, all the fulness of the Godhead dwells in us by the Holy Spirit! Romans 8:11 says ‘But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make alive) your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you.’

Victory in Christ

The resurrection power, the life-giving power, the fulness of Almighty God dwells in us! We are complete in Christ. There should be no sickness, it’s been defeated. There should be no sin, for the sin problem has been dealt with; it’s been washed away.

We must open our eyes to who we are in Christ! In Christ! The first part of 2 Corinthians 2:14 says ‘Now thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ!’ TPT says ‘God always makes His grace visible in Christ, who includes us as partners of His endless triumph.’

Jesus Christ always wins! We are victorious through Christ. The only way you can be defeated is if you allow it. Jesus said in John 8:31-32 ‘If you continue (abide, stay) in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ The truth is what sets us free.

In Christ

Knowing the truth make us free. The truth is God’s word. Jesus said in John 15:4-8 that we have got to abide in Him. We bear the fruit of the Spirit when we abide in Christ. If we don’t bear fruit, then we are cut off from the vine. The branch doesn’t bear fruit of itself, but of the vine.

The branches are an extension of the vine, and bears the fruit of the vine. The branches that are diseased and are not producing fruit, are cutoff so that the branches that are producing fruit can continue receiving the proper nutrients of the vine. The branches that are producing fruit, get pruned so they can produce more fruit.

You cut off the diseased branches to keep the disease from spreading to the other branches. In summary, we are in Christ, and Christ is in us, and we should be operating from a stance of victory, not for victory. The victory is already ours, and this empowers us by the Holy Spirit to go into all the world and teach others about the salvation that has been made available to all.

Learn who you are in Christ. Learn that all the fulness of the Godhead bodily is in Christ. All authority has been given unto Him (Matt. 28:18), so go in this authority and make disciples of all nations! Praise the Lord!

Editor’s note–We hope that you have been blessed by Pastor Doc Pardon. His teachings and studies can be found at https://www.biblelifeglobal.com/

For a copy of his latest book, click on this link…https://www.biblelifeglobal.com/mybook

A look at the Church of Ephesus–Part 2

In our last Bible study, we had seen how God used the Apostle Paul to raise up a church in Ephesus. Ephesus was a city where the false God Diana was worshiped. That cult had a large following and it’s temple seated anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 people. It took Paul three years to establish the church and as a result of his efforts, there was revival.

How revival started in Ephesus.

Before we address how revival started in the city of Ephesus, we will see a series of events that occurred prior to that event. Let’s look at some points—

Paul spent some time ministering to twelve men. He made sure they were equipped and ready for the challenge. ( Acts 19:1-7)
Paul preached the gospel in the synagogues. He was not afraid to stand up to his beliefs. Unfortunately, many rejected his witness. (Acts 19:8-9)
Another door of opportunity opened up for Paul. Tyrannus had a place for Paul to teach the gospel unto others. This, in turn, allowed his students to preach the word and reach many in his surroundings.
God confirmed his miracles with signs and wonders (Acts 19:12)
An unsaved group of men tried to take upon themselves the casting of demons. The results were disastrous. (Acts 19:14-16)
This incident caused the church to examine themselves by the Holy Spirit. The church had allowed mixture to creep in. They repented and burned all the books that had to do with curious arts such as Magic, Sorcery and the Occult. (Acts 19:19)
The result was the growth of the word of God and souls coming to the kingdom

The backlash

As a result of these events, souls started to get saved and the temple was getting empty. Idolatry was big business and the silversmith industry was getting clobbered. No longer were the idols of Diana being sold. Demetrius led a mob with false accusations to kill Paul and stop this revival, but it backfired. (Acts 19:24-41)

Entering into God’s rest

The church of Ephesus, eventually, prevailed. They went on to exercise great influence on their city. They passed the test and God gave them rest to do his work in that area. Many believers have the mistaken idea that they need to suffer constant attacks from the enemy. It gives them a sense of comfort and assurance of their salvation. Yes, Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy but he can depart from you for a season.

Let’s look at the following points. First, the devil departed from Jesus for a season. (Luke 4:13). Would we conclude that there was something wrong with Jesus because the devil departed from him? No, Jesus passed his testings in the wilderness! Second point to consider is Acts 9:31. The churches had rest for a season. Passing your testings in life will cause Satan to depart from you for a season.

That is why it is so important to pray for those over us. God wants us to lead a quiet and peaceable life. (I Tim 2:1-3). Friends, there are times of rest that God gives us for our benefit. When we pray for those above us, it can influence our leader’s heart and give the church favor.

The third point is pleasing God. You can have a church in the midst of people who hate you. When you start looking to please God and be obedient to his calling, your enemies will be at peace with you. The fear of God will be prevalent and uncommon favor will follow.(Prov 16:7)

One final point is understanding the word from a military point of view. The word of God calls us soldiers. (2 Tim 2:3) I was in the military myself and understood the importance of rest. Soldiers need time to rest. A much-needed rest will help them to enjoy the fruits of their labors. It will refresh them for the next battle to com.

End result

The end result of God’s rest is victory. The church of Ephesus was so influential that many ministries wanted to get it’s stamp of approval. A stamp of approval would mean that they would expand to other areas, but it was not that easy. The leadership at Ephesus had the gift of discernment. They knew whether the Apostles were sent or not. (Rev 2:1-3)

Another notable achievement with this church was following correct doctrine. Correct doctrine was very important. Discerning the false doctrines of it’s day–the Nicolaitanes caused the Lord to be pleased with their work. (Rev 2:6) All these achievements would make for a happy ending, but the Lord is not through. He noticed that they had fallen from their first love. In our next study, we will see how the Lord deals with this short-coming.

A look at the church of Ephesus.

Photo by Vidal Balielo Jr. on Pexels.com

In our last study, we saw the introduction of the seven candlesticks and stars. The Lord Jesus had appeared unto John in the midst of the candlesticks. He noticed that the Lord had the seven stars in his right hand. This imagery is interesting and symbolic as we will see below–

The Holy Spirit defined the stars as angels. The Greek word for Angels is Aggelos, which means human messengers. These were the Pastors of the churches located in Turkey.
The candlesticks were defined as the churches. There were seven churches mentioned —-

Ephesus–The Loveless church
Smyrna–The Suffering church
Pergamos–The Worldly church
Thyatira–The adulterous church
Sardis–The dead church.
Philadelphia–The faithful church
Laodicea–The Lukewarm church.

The church of Ephesus

For the sake of our studies, we will take a look at the church of Ephesus. It is interesting what we will find described below–

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; (Rev 2:1)

Let’s begin by taking a look at our Lord Jesus. Jesus came to earth to die for our sins. He rose up on the third day and is sitting on the right hand of the Father. Sitting is symbolic of rest. He completed his work on earth There are times in which he has stood up for important events.

One good example was with Stephen. As he was getting ready to be martyred by the mob, he had a vision. Jesus stood up to honor Stephen. (Acts 7:55) In Rev 1:13, we see Jesus standing again in the midst of the candlesticks.

As we turn our attention to Rev 2:1, we see him walking. Jesus wanted to see the whole picture concerning what was happening in the churches. Walking among the churches gave him a better view of existing issues within that area. Let’s look at the following verses below —

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. (Rev 2:2-3)

Notice how the Lord begins his conversation. I know thy works! The Holy Spirit is a gentleman. He starts off commending them for their good works. They labored (Worked hard in the ministry), exercised patience, and hated evil.

A blow against idolatry

It would do the body good to hate evil and love righteousness. It will bring a spirit of joy which, in turn, will give us strength. It gave the church of Ephesus the strength to do God’s work. (Heb 1:9) Joy is a powerful force.

One point to consider is the name of Ephesus. The word Ephesus means desirable. God desired to reach the city of Ephesus. It was a stronghold for the godess Diana. Its temple housed a great multitude of people. It is believed that it seated about 20,000 to 30,000 people.

Idolatry was big business in that area. It brought great gain in the financial realm. Silversmiths were making good money craving the idol of Diana for the people. The Apostle Paul was sent by God to do his work in that area for about three years. God used him to bring about a mighty revival in that area.

The turning of the people from Diana to God affected the idol trade. Greedy and evil people stirred the mob against Paul, putting his life in peril. (Acts 19) God’s word prevailed, and the church developed tremendous revelation knowledge to win that whole city for the Lord. In our next study, we will see how important it is for believers to enter into God’s rest. We will, also, see some wonderful revelation knowledge that was brought to that church.

Prayer–Dear Lord, help me to apply this lesson to my life. Help me to love righteousness and hate iniquity. Restore the joy of my salvation. Use me to impact my family, community and society–In Jesus name. Amen.

Our special Guest blogger

stop condemning yourself

Greetings. I want to introduce a new feature to our blog. We are having a guest blogger today. Our guest blogger is my good friend Tracey Moore. Her teachings will inspire and motivate you. So, sit back and enjoy today’s Bible teaching entitled– What’s wrong with me?

What’s wrong with me?

Have you ever asked yourself the question, “What’s wrong with me?” I know that I have many times, and God is now challenging me to not do that anymore. God has shown me that this is the wrong question to ask on so many levels. There needs to be a change. We need to stop asking –What’s wrong with me?

There are several reasons why we need to stop asking “What is wrong with me?”

1-The question “What’s wrong with me?” reeks of judgment and condemnation. Romans 8:1 (KJV) says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”

2-God wants us to focus on the good in us. Didn’t He say in Philippians 4:8 (KJV), “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things?”

3-God says in Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV), “I the Lord search the heart, I examine the mind.” God is the examiner. Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to examine ourselves for the purpose of diagnosing ourselves so we can make changes because the scriptures tell us clearly that’s God’s job. The Holy Spirit is the Agent of Change.

4-Psalm 19:12 (NIV) says, “Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.” David knew it was pointless to ask himself “What’s wrong with me?” because we as human beings don’t have the capability to find errors in ourselves. That information has to be revealed by the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

5-We are probably asking the question and looking for the answer so that we can fix ourselves and appropriate our own righteousness.

Asking what’s wrong with me is counterproductive.

Honestly, that question is injected into our minds by the devil and is fueled by the lie he tells us, “If I don’t focus on what’s wrong with me, I’ll never change.” The truth is, the more I focus on what is wrong with me, the less progress I will make. That seems counterintuitive, but it’s true. Why? I Peter 5:5 says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” So asking “What’s wrong with me?” and trying to change ourselves creates conditions that will impede the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

A better option is prayer

Let’s get real. When we stop asking “What’s wrong with me?” is a clear indication to God that we have stopped trying to do His job. The better option is to pray and tell God the following:

“Lord, I give up. I don’t know what is wrong with me but you do.

I give up trying to diagnose and change myself.

I am asking you to give me revelation and change me by the power of your Holy Spirit.

Please tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).

I trust you to make the necessary changes in me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

If you have been blessed and would like to know more about Tracey Moore’s ministry, please on the following link….http://traceylmoore.wordpress.com

Highlights of Revelation 1–God’s message to his body.

Note-Welcome to our study of highlights of Revelation 1. We, highly, suggest that you pay attention to these highlighted words. As you click on these words, it will give you more material to help you in this study.

Chapter one of Revelation is filled with many wonderful insights. We can spend a month on just chapter 1 and not finish it. In this study, we are going to see the use of symbolism and its analogies. This is a timeless message for the church and its leaders. Let’s begin by looking at Rev 1:12-20—
¹²And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
¹³And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
¹⁴His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
¹⁵And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.
¹⁶And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
¹⁷And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
¹⁸I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
¹⁹Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;
²⁰The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Six major points

As we study the verses above, we see six major points that stand out in these verses—

John heard the voice of the Lord and saw seven golden candlesticks. (Rev 1:12) This symbolic meaning is defined as the seven churches. (Rev 1:20) Notice the word candlesticks. The Greek word for candlestick is Luchnia, which means a lamp.
A lamp had Olive oil running through it with a wick for light. The light is the witness of the Holy Spirit. A true church of the Lord should be a light to the community, family, and nation.
The Lord Jesus was dwelling in the middle of the Church. (Rev 1:13-15) He was and is observing everything the church does.
The lamps were made of gold. Gold was a precious commodity even in those times. The church is precious to the Lord Jesus.
The number seven. Seven is the number of completion. He sees the church complete in him. (In spite of having to bring about correction) The word says that we are complete in him. (Col 2:10)
His feet of brass. (Rev 1:15) Brass speaks of Judgement. Many have misunderstood the meaning of grace. God’s grace will allow us a season to repent. Failure to do so will result in judgment.
He had seven stars in his right hand (Rev 1:16) and out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword. The stars represent the angels of the church. Angels in the Greek text are defined as messengers. They are not literal angelic beings because they were being corrected. We, all, know that heavenly angelic beings are perfect and sinless. This is speaking of the Pastors of the churches.

Thoughts to ponder.

Where were these churches located? They were located in modern-day Turkey. Turkey had experienced a revival on a great scale that impacted its society, along with persecutions. The Lord Jesus had a prophetic word for them thru the Apostle John. John was in charge of the 7 churches located in Turkey.

Today, ruins remain as a testament to those churches. Turkey went through a series of changes. It is believed that radical Islamic invaders took over the churches, converted them into mosques, and forced Christians to convert to Islam. There are some pockets of churches and believers that still remain to this day. More to come.

Want to further your studies? Click on this link…https://bit.ly/3yMXSBp

Cave survival 101

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4)

Life inside the cave

Are you in a cave? Believe it or not, you can benefit from your cave experience. Let’s look at the Apostle John’s life. Living in a society that was hostile to the Lord, he went through great persecutions. Emperor Domitian demanded the people to worship him. Many Christians refused, preferring to worship the Lord instead. Since John had a leadership position in the church, the Emperor wanted to make an example of him.

Tradition says that they took him to the Roman Coliseum, where they poured hot boiling oil on the Apostle John. Domitian, himself, was there wanting to make an example of him. Upon seeing that God preserved John, it caused many in the multitude to turn to Christ.

This event was too much for the Emperor to bear. He sent John to the isle of Patmos, where he would face an uncertain fate, but God had other plans. His protection was upon John and he found refuge in a cave.

It was in that cave that God met with him. He entered into a new dimension with revelation insights. A new level in which his message would resonate for generations to come. God gave him a series of messages for the 7 churches as well as insights for future events. For the sake of our study, we are going to define John’s cave as the cave of Banishment.

The Apostle John passed the test of his cave. Eventually, he was set free to preach the word again. (Rev 10:11) John was restored and got back everything that Satan had stolen from him. He lived a long life and died a natural death.

The Prophet Elijah

Elijah was a man with human frailties, just like all of us, but he prayed and received supernatural answers. He actually shut the heavens over the land so there would be no rain for three and a half years! (James 5:17–TPT)

When we think of the prophet Elijah, we think of power. Let’s look at some of his miracles…

Prophesied a drought over Israel (I Kings 17:1,7)
Elijah revives the widow’s son ( I Kings 17:17-24)
Elijah confronts the false prophets, puts them to shame, and prays fire from heaven. (I Kings 18:20-40)

These and more miracles were accomplished by the hand of the Prophet Elijah. The miracle of Mount Carmel was unique. It was there that God manifested himself by fire. The false prophets were put to shame and killed by Elijah. Like Emperor Domitian, Jezebel hardened her heart. She put a death sentence on Elijah!

Elijah, upon hearing about this, ran away. This mighty man of God was afraid and hid in a cave. His human nature took over causing him to be depressed. We will call this the cave of depression. It was at this time that God spoke to Elijah. He confronted him and gave some instructions to follow.

Among those instructions, there would be a change of command in his life. Elisha was going to over Elijah’s ministry. God had other plans for Elijah. He was going to take him up to heaven with a chariot of fire. Glory! What a beautiful illustration of the rapture of the church. He went from the cave of depression into glory!

The cave of victory

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. (Matt 27:57-60)

Finally, we see another cave. This cave was Jesus’ burial site. It was sealed with a stone. Soldiers were guarding the body of Jesus. (Matt 27:63-65) It was a crucial and challenging time for his disciples. The work of the Lord seemed to suffer a setback, but God had other plans. Resurrection day came and Jesus rose from the dead. Glory!

In life, we will face testings and challenges. There will be caves in which we may have to dwell in. (Spiritually or naturally) The good news is that God wants you to pass the test. He wants you to rise above the circumstances and walk in victory. If you are in a cave, it is time to learn from your experience and come out. You are more than a conqueror!

Prayer-Dear Lord, Forgive me for complaining about my situation. Help me to learn and understand concerning my cave experiences in life. You have a plan for me. Use me for your glory. Help me to impact others in the years to come. In Jesus’ name–Amen!

The Presence of God!

A quick review

Greetings. In continuing with our studies of revelation, let’s do a quick review of what we have studied—

We saw a background on the life of the Apostle John. His life was an example of Love. In our past studies, we defined how the fruit of love helped to preserve his life and how God spoke to him at Patmos.
We, also, saw the power of faith that was at work in his life. His faith helped John in his problems and tribulations.
We saw the prophetic significance of the words Alpha and Omega. God started to reveal himself to John in a prophetic dimension.
Finally, the importance of listening to God. Not assuming nor jumping to conclusions but learning to hear God in a clear and concise manner.

Understanding the presence of God.

In this study, we are going to look into the Presence of God. How the fear of God is essential especially in the times in which we are living. Folks, God is real and he wants to dwell among us. We need to learn the proper way to reverence God and prepare our hearts to welcome his presence. Let’s look at the verse below–

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (Rev 1:17)

Some theologians say that the Apostle actually died. I, respectfully, have to differ with this opinion. I, personally, believe that he was slain in the spirit. Slain in the spirit is Biblical. It is defined as a person being overwhelmed by the power of God. This effect causes the individual to fall down as if they were dead.

We saw this as an example when the angel of God came down to remove the rock of the burial cave of Jesus. The word of God says that the guards became as dead men. (Matt 28:1-4) They did not die but fell down as if they were dead. We see another example of being slain in the spirit. This happened during the realm of King Solomon. The spirit of God came to the temple and it affected the priests (I Kings 8:10-1) They could not stand in his presence.

The visitation of God

There are many who want to have God’s presence during church services. God’s presence is good, but there are pros and cons. In his presence, there are manifestations of healing and miracles. For the believer, God is inside of us by faith (We walk by faith and not by sight) We do not see nor feel him. When it comes to God’s presence, He will start to manifest himself in a real way.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.(Jer 23:2)

God’s presence can be compared to electricity. Electricity can be used for good. It brings the heat in the winter among other things. The bad news is that if you tamper with it in the wrong way, it will hurt or even kill you. God is not a sugar daddy. He is God. We need to learn how to reverence him.

The fear of God is much needed within the churches. Let’s reverence God and enjoy his presence in a good way. Who knows? He might show you things to come into your life and family.

For our online Sunday morning service, click on this link and check out the Presence of God….https://www.facebook.com/PastorSantos56

What are you hearing?

Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. (John 12:28-29)

In our last study, we saw the mystery of the Alpha and Omega and how it was prophetic in nature. Today, we are continuing our study on the book of Revelation on another topic. We are going to address the subject–What are you hearing? I am sure we have heard many in the body saying–I need a word. People want to hear from God and walk in his ways.

The first thing I want to do is ask the following question. Are you listening? You can be hearing people talking to you but are you listening? Let take Jesus as our example. Jesus was having a conversation from heaven with the Father. (John 12:28-29) At first, people just dismissed it as Jesus spending time in prayer with God. All of a sudden, a voice answered him. It was the voice of the Father.

This took the people around him by surprise. The voice was so loud that there was no doubt that God was speaking. The problem was that some people were not listening. Some said that it thundered, not hearing the contents of what was said. The others claimed that they heard an angel, not recognizing the voice of the Father.

This voice was a loud and booming voice. The few that heard it was the Apostle John. He was being trained to hear the father’s voice. A skill that he would use at a later time in his life. Learning to listen to the Father’s voice takes practice and time.

The voice of a trumpet

The voice of the Lord came upon the Apostle John, again, at another time in his life. While spending time in the isle of Patmos, he decided to seek the face of the Lord. Hidden in a cave and isolated from all civilization, he did not get discouraged. Let look at the verse below–

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet (Rev 1:10)

Notice he was in the Spirit. There is a good possibility that he might have been praying in tongues. Praying in tongues has been so misunderstood in the body, that it has caused many to miss their blessings. I believe that the Apostle had spent some time praying in tongues. This, in turn, allowed God to unravel a mystery. A word that he would carry to the seven churches.

A still small voice.

Another way of hearing God is in the still small voice. Let’s look at the verse below–
And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (I Kings 19:11-12)

We associate hearing God’s voice with the spectacular. In the verse above, it was not in the great and strong wind nor in the earthquake. Like John, the prophet Elijah was taking refuge in a cave. It was during that time, that he heard a still small voice.

Sometimes, we let outside circumstances take the place of the voice of God. This kind of mentality could mislead us and cause us to miss God altogether. God spoke to his prophet in a still small voice. There are times when God will speak to you when everything around you is calm and quiet.

There are other ways in which God speaks to his people, but I will leave you with this thought— Study and meditate on his word. (Joshua 1:8) The Bible has the words of life and is a sure prophecy to you. Practicing and doing that will sharpen your spiritual hearing.

Consistency in that area will prepare you for the service of God. It’s time to develop your spiritual hearing so you can discern the times in which we live in. So, having that in mind, let’s apply that principle so that we can be useful vessels in the kingdom of God. Who knows what impact you might have on future generations to come!