Christian Leadership - Part Two

Part one of Christian Leadership covers the responsibility of Church leadership (pastors, elders, apostles, prophets, teachers, etc.).  It does not mean that we, as individual believers in the church body, do not have a responsibility within the church.

While individual relationships with Jesus will always be vital, we must also see ourselves as living members of Christ’s body, the church.  We must move from individualism and begin a process of being a part of the gathering and function of the local congregation within the Church as a whole.  We have one head, who is Jesus Christ, and one body, the church.  Renew your commitment to the local body of believers.  Seek to build up the church through your works, actions, participation, and leadership.

Keys to Renewing Church Life

1.  Intentionally pursue unity within the body Christ.  Do not give place to division or competition.  Honor others, seek to be likeminded, and recognize Jesus as the common ground for unity. I Corinthians 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
2. Recognize that division in the church is sin.  Turn from jealousy and arguing, which cause division.  Seek unity in Jesus Christ.  1 Corinthians 3:1-4  And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;  for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?  For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?
3. Understand that the church is the New Testament temple of God.  His Spirit dwells in the corporate body, which is composed of many members in whom the Spirit also dwells.  Do nothing that will tear down the body, but build on the foundation of Christ Jesus.  1 Corinthians 3:11-17 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,  each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.  If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.  Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
4. Do not neglect church discipline. 1 Corinthians 5:1-8 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!  And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.  For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,  deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.   Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
5. Honor all members of the body, rejoice with them in their successes in the Lord, and care for one another.  Utilize your gifts for the good of the whole body.  I Corinthians 12:12-27 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.  For in fact the body is not one member but many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?  But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.  And if they were all one member, where would the body be?  But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.  And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”  No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.  And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,  but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.   And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
6. Seek to use your spiritual gifts to build up the church and glorify Jesus.  Let a word in tongues be interpreted, and let mature leaders judge a prophetic word.  DO NOT forbid speaking in tongues; do desire order in their exercise and do earnestly desire to prophesy.  I Corinthians 14:26-33, 36-40  How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.  If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.  But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.  Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.  But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent.  For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.  For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached?  If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.  But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.  Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.  Let all things be done decently and in order.

Many in the church are not mindful of our responsibility within the church body.  We can’t afford to be just followers and let church leadership do all the work.  Just opening the doors of the sanctuary is not going to build and grow the church.  It’s not just showing up on Sunday and going home.  We must be leaders at our level and carry out the responsibilities laid out by God and His word. We need assistance from the Helper to show us and guide us in what we need to know as leaders in the body. Jeremiah 33:3  ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Use the power of the Holy Spirit in this task.  Micah 3:8 But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord…..

The challenge:  What are we going to do for the Body (church) of Jesus Christ?  Jesus was the chief cornerstone  Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone Matthew 21:42.  Jesus was and is the foundation for the church.  We cannot afford to compromise the foundation of the church because of church tradition (Matthew 15:6) and not wanting to offend or scare the congregation “If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3. This scripture means that IF  the foundations have been destroyed, the righteous will do something about it.  The righteous will rise up. Are you ready to rise up because you certainly can’t hide?  Luke 12:2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.  Being a true believer demands huge responsibility.

 Ephesians 4:10-16  He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.  Ephesians 2:19-22

He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:10-16

Before He can restore the foundations of the church, there must first be a tearing down of all that is not of God and His Spirit.

Blessings to you all,

Tony Sanchez 1-24-16

Christian Leadership

Acts contains indispensable material for those who seek to learn the power principles of Christian leadership.  The leadership of the apostles in Acts is some of the most spiritually powerful the church has ever known. The first century church is the model which we are or should be following.  The leadership models here provide patterns for effective ministry and service.  Applying the lessons for leader given in Acts will help give today’s Christians leader increased power in ministry.  Couple that with the Great Commission that Jesus instructed the disciples to carry out so that we are equipped to do battle on a daily basis as we make every effort to imitate Jesus (Acts 1:1-2 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen and 1 Corinthians 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ).

1. Leaders, incorporate these four elements into your congregation’s life: teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers.  Acts 2:42-47 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.  Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.  Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,  and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
2. Leaders, allow others to share in the work of the ministry. Acts 1-6 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
3. Leaders, give prayer a central place in  your church life. Acts 12:5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
4. Leaders, submit to the Spirit’s guidance when confronting decisions.  Call leadership to prayer and fasting in such times.  Release freely those appointed and called by the Holy Spirit.  Acts 13:1-3 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
5. Leaders, remain humble before the Lord and those you serve, giving Him all praise and honor. Acts 14:14-18 NIV But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.
6. Leaders, personally train young people who are called to ministry.  Acts 16:1-6 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.  He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.  Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.  And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.  So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.
7. Leaders, shepherd God’s beloved people over whom He has given you oversight.  Diligently guard and care for the flock God has entrusted to you.  Acts 20:28-32 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.  He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted to have him go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek.   And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem.  So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Lastly, I want to include The Great Commission in Mark 16:15-18 as part of the leadership responsibilities we are called to do.  This was the instructions by Jesus Christ for the disciples and the disciples after them all the way down to this present age for the church, ministries, and the individual Christian.  Jesus ministry included everything in the Great Commission and we must carry this out if we are to imitate Jesus.

Mark 16:15-18

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Talk to any missionary and they will tell you that The Great Commission is an integral part of their ministry. We must take seriously what the word of God tells us.  It is not an option and we can’t leave any part of The Great Commission out of the church, so we must quit compromising the word of God.  Put your opinions and thinking aside if it does not align with God.

Blessings,

Tony Sanchez

Resources: Jack Hayford NKJV study bible and NIV

Fear of Rejection

Greetings,

 

Matthew 6 tells us not to worry (fear) three times (Matthew 6:34, 31, 34).  Why do we continue to go against what God says in His Word?

 

I have experienced fear in almost every person I come across.  Of course, it is at different levels and the result in high level fear is a manifestation in the physical, emotional, and the spirit.  Fear left unchecked will dominate your life, will compromise you immune system, and make you ill. The enemy seeks to destroy you (John 10:10). Jesus came to give us abundant life (John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly).

 

Some of the issues as a result of fear are, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, throat issues, high blood pressure, heart issues, migraine headaches, back aches, stage fright, skin issues, addictions (because of feeling unloved), and PTSD, to name a few.  I found that fear will cause muscles, tendons, and ligaments to tighten up which can result in muscles pulls and tendon issues such as Plantar Fasciitis.  You see Plantar Fasciitis quite often in athletics (especially specific to men).  I have seen fear cause one leg to be shorter than the other causing alignment issues and pain throughout their body.  Fear will cause the arteries to constrict (make narrow).

 

Unfortunately, we think of fear (anxiety, stress, worry) as singular when actually there are 4,000 documented fears in the world.  One fear in itself cannot do much damage, but multiple fears will work together to destroy your life.  I heard a story of a Viet Nam veteran that came back from the war shunned and scorned (rejected) by his own country causing trauma (fear) in his life that he has to deal with to this day.  The primary physical manifestation in his case is throat issues.  Their soul has been damaged and the ministry solution to this issue is to take the person back to the entry point and bind up and cast out this specific fear.  The same can be done for PTSD or any trauma in a person’s life.  God uses his disciples to heal, but faith is ever lacking in the Body of Christ and it is frustrating to me because so few come to the Healing Room that I am a part of.  We are destroyed due to lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children).  We are destroyed because of pride and because we are a stubborn generation.

 

The topic of this article is rejection, which is a fear.  I found that once rejection enters, abandonment (fear of abandonment) and unloving (fear of not being loved) follows.  We feel abandoned because we are rejected.  We feel unloved because of the rejection and don’t feel worthy to be loved.  There is one other element that is a result of rejection, abandonment, unloving, and that is anger.  Anger because they were rejected, abandoned, and unloved.  In many cases, this anger can be high level rage.  Babies rejected in the womb (unwanted by the parents) are especially high risk.

 

Rejection (fear) causes depression (despair/hopelessness/sadness/broken heart/gloom/unhappiness - Thesaurus). How do I know this?  The Bible tells me so. Anxiety (fear) in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad Proverb 12:25.  What does the medical field say causes depression?  They can’t really answer this question.  Doctors say that mental illness can’t be cured, but Jesus showed and instructed us that we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, can bring healing in the name of Jesus as we pray to our Father in Heaven.

 

One thing is common in all the people that I have ministered to and that is: they just want and need to hear the words “I love you.”  These simple words will cast out all their fears (1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love). Why is it so hard for us to convey the love of God?  Mainly, because the earthly father did not learn how to convey the love of God to their children, so we were not taught to do the same to our children.  Secondly, is un-forgiveness and bitterness holding us back?  Is it time for us to be the “Repairer of the Breach” (Isaiah 58:12)?

 

OK, let’s get to the rejection tidbits from Be In Health with a little commentary and additional Scripture added by me.

 

The most important things to know about Rejection:

 

• The first thing to know about Rejection is that it is not just "a feeling." It is an evil spirit that works with other spirits to make us feel and think that we're rejected.
• Rejection can rule our lives. It does so by influencing our thoughts and decisions.
• It can change our personality. We can be someone who believes we are always being rejected by others and anticipate ongoing rejection into the future. It may cause us to fall in a trap of self-pity resulting in a victim’s mentality which is a whole other issue we need to be aware of.
• Rejection leads us to value man's opinion or acceptance more than God's.
• It establishes our value based on whether another human being accepts us or not.
• If we determine our value based upon the rejection of others our value is not based upon God's acceptance of us according to the Word.  This makes God a liar because He has said that He already accepts us (Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?).
• Rejection is also a form of Unbelief because it doesn't want us to believe that God has already accepted us.
• It leaves us feeling like we have to be accepted first by man before we can be accepted by God.  This keeps us from resting in God's acceptance (Hebrews 4:9-11 NLT  So there is a special rest^] still waiting for the people of God.  For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall).
• Rejection is a form of idolatry because we allow other people's opinion or approval to become more important than God's (Exodus 20:3 NLT  “You must not have any other god but me).
• Our value and who we are do not depend on whether someone likes us or not.  Our value is evident in that God knew us and planned for us since before we were born (Psalms 139:14-16 NLT Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
  You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed).
• If God knew us before we were formed, then we are no accident. We are known of God. We are accepted by Him through Jesus Christ. We were desired by Him.
• Regardless of the circumstances of our conception, we were desired and intended by Him.  We are extremely worthy in God’s eyes.
• Therefore, no one is "an accident" and no one is "a mistake." He used our earthly parents to bring us into this world but He is our Father. This is the Truth according to His Word and we need to accept it as true. It does not matter how much Rejection seeks to deceive us because God’s perfect love is not a deception. 

 

We must choose to believe what the Word says rather than rejection. Instead of seeking acceptance from others, we need to remember that God knew us and planned for us before we were born and trust that He accepts us. Then, we may rest in His acceptance and value as sons and daughters of God and not be tossed to and fro by Rejection and the resulting fears.

 

That is how we overcome Rejection in our lives.

 

Blessings to you all,

 

Tony Sanchez

 

Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword

Greetings,

I visit other churches and I listen or watch sermons.  I have been in bible studies, attended men’s breakfasts, attended conferences, read hundreds of books and articles, written extensively, and been a part of many ministries.  The point being is that many times I have heard many things from man regarding religion based on their interpretation with little reference to Scripture to back up each and every important subject.

 

This is what I see lacking in the church, ministry, and Body of Jesus Christ.  I see a lack of using the written and spoken Word of God.

 

On more than one occasion, I have turned on Joel Osteen, TD Jakes, and others.  What I see is a feel good message by story tellers.  I listened to Joel Osteen and it was 15 minutes later that he finally referenced Bible scripture.  I see a bunch of pastors trying to entertain the Body and not offend them.  Many times they hurriedly try to throw in a few Scripture verses at the end of the sermon when in reality they should have had Scripture throughout the message.  The Scriptures should have been the sermon with the pastor providing the commentary.  Not the other way around. Scripture should be the blue print for any message when we are preaching the Gospel (Mark 16:15) or ministering.

 

I put together the piece below to show you how important the word of God is for the Body.  Every ministry, article, teaching/message, prayer, etc. that I am involved in has the written or spoken Word of God backing up everything that I do.  Especially, in the Healing Room and Altar team ministry where it is God and the spoken Word of God that is going to bring healing to the individual.  The Word of God empowers us to bring the needy out of captivity (Isaiah 61:1).

 

Understand this:  What we do or say can disappear like a vapor (James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away). 

 

But the Word of God is the word that will not return void.  It is God’s word and not the word of humans. In other words, people cannot make their desires a reality merely by applying Isaiah 55:11 to whatever situation they desire. The only word that God guarantees is the word that proceeds from His mouth. Any other word from any other source does not carry this type of authority. 

 

Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

 

Lastly, I would like to thank Pastor George who over the years has issued outlines with Scriptural references to back up his points which makes for a more effective sermon.

 

Spoken Word of God

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12-13 is one of the great biblical texts on the power of God’s Word. The author has been warning the Hebrew church of the danger of cultural Christianity.  Because God’s Word is powerful to expose our sin and God Himself sees everything, we must be diligent to have our hearts right before Him.

In the context of John 1:1, “the word of God” refers to all of God’s spoken revelation, including that which came through His Son.  If we heed God’s Word, it will keep us from the cultural religion that brings sure judgment.

1. God’s Word is powerful to expose our sin (4:12).

The text declares four things about the power of the Word:

A. God’s Word is living.

Since God is the living God (Hebrews HH3:12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God), and His Word cannot be separated from Him, that Word is a living Word. It can never be exterminated. As Isaiah 40:8 proclaims, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Since God is the author of life, His living Word imparts life in two ways.

1). God’s Word imparts new life to dead sinners.

Because of sin, we all enter this world dead in trespasses, inequities and the resulting sin, alienated from God (Eph. 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins ). God is pleased to use His Word to impart new life to dead sinners. James 1:18 states, “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth…” 1 Peter 1:23 says, “having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

2). God’s Word imparts renewed life to His saints.

All of us that have known God’s salvation for a while have gone through dry times when God seemed distant. God uses His Word to renew and revive us. David wrote in Psalms 19:7, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”  Repeatedly the psalmist cries out, “My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.” (119:25). “This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me” (119:50; see also, 93, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159).

It only makes sense that if the living God, has spoken to us in His written Word, then we should seek it like a treasure and devour it. Being the word of God, it is both a word from God and a word about God. It is our only source of knowing specific truth about God. Creation reveals His attributes in a general way, but the written Word is God’s disclosure of Himself in a way that we could never know through creation alone. And invariably, when we see God as He is, we also see ourselves as we are.

B. God’s Word is active.

We get our word “energy” from the Greek word translated “active.” It means that the Word is effectual. It accomplishes what God intends for it to do. As Isaiah 55:10-11 states, ““For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,  So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

C. God’s Word is sharp and piercing.

It is “sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow..” Some use this verse to draw distinctions between soul and spirit, but that is not the author’s intent. (What then does the distinction between joints and marrow mean?) Rather, he is using figurative language to show that God’s Word is sharp and it cuts deeply, to the very core of our being. Unless your conscience is hardened beyond remedy, you cannot read God’s Word or hear it preached faithfully without getting cut in the conscience.

God’s purpose in cutting us is to bring healing, not to leave us wounded. Sin is like a cancer growing inside of us. Untreated, it will be fatal.

D. God’s Word is an authoritative judge of the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The word “thoughts” refers to negative thoughts related to emotions, such as anger, which a man may wish to keep hidden from others, but which is not hidden from God.  We can also describe them as morally questionable thoughts. The heart refers to the totality of the inner person. We get our word “critic” from the word translated “judge.” So the idea is that God’s Word is able authoritatively to act as critic of our innermost feelings and thoughts, showing us where we are wrong.

So in verse 12, the author is showing how God’s Word is powerful to expose our sin, never for the purpose of embarrassing us, but always to bring healing. We cannot rid our lives of sin if we aren’t even aware of it. The Word cuts down to our inner thoughts and feelings, revealing to us the things that are not pleasing to God, so that we can repent of these things and receive God’s restoration.

It’s a good idea to include Hebrews 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 

The author moves from God’s penetrating Word to God Himself, who sees everything. It is impossible to hide from God! Adam and Eve tried to hide from God after they sinned, but they could not do it, and neither can we. The word “open” means “naked.  We stand naked on the inside before God! There is no escape from His omniscient gaze. Sin is always stupid, because even if we fool everyone on earth, and think that we got away with it, we didn’t fool God!

3. Since we all will give account to God, we must be diligent to have our hearts right before Him.

The final phrase of 4:13 means either “Him with whom we have to do,” or, “Him to whom we must give an account.” We know that one day we all will stand before God to give an account of the deeds we have done in this body. Therefore, we should have as our ambition to be pleasing to Him (2 Cor. 5:9-10 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad), not just outwardly, but on the heart level.

Conclusion

One of the key things we are meant to realize is that there is no point in maintaining hypocrisy before God, His son, and the Holy Spirit. We are known inside out but because we are known, if we will be honest with ourselves before God, we can find true understanding and help from Him.

Blessings to you all,

Tony Sanchez 11-25-15

Preparing Yourself Prior to Every Godly Function

2 Chronicles 5:13-14 (NKJV) indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

 

Praise Invokes the Presence of God

 

2 Chronicles 5 describes when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the just completed temple. All had gathered to celebrate with praise and worship at which time the Glory of God came into the temple in the form of a cloud.

 

The scripture above demonstrates the power of God’s presence that results from corporate vocal praise.  Note that: 1) God descended when the people were unanimous in their “praise song” (as at Pentecost when the people were gather in one accord – Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance). 2)The cloud of God’s presence  became evident when the singers and players praised the Lord in song and music.  This is the praise that pleases God better than the sacrifice of an ox or bull (Psalm 69:30-31 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull…).  The house (temple) was filled with a cloud (the rich and abundant splendor of God).  God’s presence was preeminent and filled all the sacred space in the temple.  The result was that  the priests cease their work (ministering), for the glory of the Lord was present (2 Chronicles 5:14.

 

Remember, even in praise, thanksgiving, and worship, God is not confused (1 Corinthians 14:33  For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints).  Anything said or done that draws attention to the praise/worshipper and away from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit needs to be reconsidered.

 

We can understand that there was great preparation as the people came into the temple to praise and worship.  This is a blue print for us in this present age to follow whether it is the beginning of service (praise team & pastors), ministry teams, your prayer time, bible studies and classes, etc. The Church as a whole can do a better job of calling on Holy Spirit in church functions.

 

Corporately, the Healing Room that I am a part of calls on the Holy Spirit in each and every session.  It is so critical to invite the Holy Spirit into the Healing Room because it is the Holy Spirit that is needed as we pray and command healing.  The intercessors and the healing room team members subject ourselves to the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in all that we do.  The healing and miracles are a result of our obedience to operating in the Holy Spirit.

 

Below is a preparation guideline that I use prior to any Godly function that I am a part of.  I encourage you use a similar guideline and do the same.

Praise and Worship - My heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus I come before You with thanksgiving and praise.  I bless

Your name.  You are great and greatly to be praised. I worship You, I adore you, and I love You.  I thank You, Father, for

clothing me in a robe of righteousness, which covers me because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. I thank You God for

being our only God.  I thank You for Your son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins.  I thank You for the Holy Spirit that You sent to be our helper.

 

Psalm 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

 

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.

 

Psalms 30:4 Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.

 

I call on the Holy Spirit to be present as I pray and seek answers.  

 

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

 

Forgive me Father.

 

Psalm 51:1-2 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions (things that are wrong and I still do them).  Wash away all my iniquity (generational wickedness) and cleanse me from my sin (the result of iniquity and transgressions).

 

Abide in me as I come to your throne as a living sacrifice.  I surrender to You.

 

John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

 

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

 

Job 11:13 (CEV) Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer.

Blessings to you all,

Tony Sanchez

Broken Heart

Greetings to you all,

 

I’ve come across two individuals recently who were and are very broken.  A broken spirit because they are heart broken.  One was at the altar with broken heart because she lost her son and was blaming God.  It kind of caught me off guard in that I did not know how to effectively pray for her.  I could prayer for her but I needed the scripture to use over her as I prayed. So I searched Google and came up with this piece.

 

Broken Heart                                                                            

Jesus knew this feeling. When he hung on the cross, exposed, beaten and betrayed by those who loved, he felt very alone. The Bible says he cried out “My God, my God, why did you abandon me?” (Matthew 27:46)

Maybe your husband left you. Maybe your parents abandoned you, or your child won’t speak to you. Maybe you lost someone you loved, or you’re suffering from a life-threatening illness.  And nobody seems to care (Psalm 69:20 Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none).  As hard as these situations are, we can find comfort in God’s Word! He never promised a life without heartache, but His Word gives us promises to hold on to when those times come.  Psalms 34:18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart.

1.  When we can’t grasp the nature, significance or meaning we must know that God is in control.

Isaiah 55:8-11 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts

2. God is near when things are overwhelming and hopeless.

The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope. – Psalm 34:18

3. God will strengthen you in a time of suffering.

You made me suffer a lot, but you will bring me back from this deep pit and give me new life. – Psalm 71:20

4. God is with you through all heartache.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. – Isaiah 43:1

5. Hard times won’t last forever.

I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us. – Romans 8:18

6. God has a plan for your life even when you think there is no hope.

I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for. – Jeremiah 29:11

7. Don’t give up.  God will not allow us to be crushed.

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. – 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Understand, when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power.  God can heal your spirit. We must go on living for God willingly and joyfully until that day comes when He will take us and gently leads us home.

Revelation 21:4  And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

Every one of us has had to deal with a broken heart or may still be dealing with a broken heart.  We cannot allow a broken heart to keep us captive.  It will affect us in the soul, spirit, and the physical.

 

Proverbs 15:13 A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

 

Blessings to you,

 

Tony Sanchez